A French start-up called Ainsi has just started demonstrated an autonomous indoor location technology (aINDOOR GPS) dedicated to lone workers’ safety.
The technology uses Magneto-Inertial MEMS data (compass and inertial sensors) to position a lone worker in a building where there is no Wi-Fi or GPS positioning data available.
Ainsi President Jean-Marie Michaud demonstrated the technology to GPS Business News in one of the largest train stations in Europe, the Gare de Lyon in Paris.
The demonstration was very convincing, showing a limited drift after a few hundred meters walking in the station (indoor), including moves up and down in the underground connectors to the Paris Metro. The inaccuracy is estimated at around 5 percent of the distance travelled indoor.
The demonstration was done on an Android Galaxy Nexus smartphone. To provide the best location, the engine is calibrated to the particular sensors of the phone model and also to the environment. For example, the massive presence of metal (trains) has an impact on the compass.
Even if the GPS signal was received inside the train station from time to time the location engine developed by Ainsi would not use it because of its lack of accuracy going through the metallic roof of the station.
Ainsi is also fine tuning how its positioning engine is handling escalators, a case a bit more subtle than the usual stairs or elevators movements.
The technology uses Magneto-Inertial MEMS data (compass and inertial sensors) to position a lone worker in a building where there is no Wi-Fi or GPS positioning data available.
Ainsi President Jean-Marie Michaud demonstrated the technology to GPS Business News in one of the largest train stations in Europe, the Gare de Lyon in Paris.
The demonstration was very convincing, showing a limited drift after a few hundred meters walking in the station (indoor), including moves up and down in the underground connectors to the Paris Metro. The inaccuracy is estimated at around 5 percent of the distance travelled indoor.
The demonstration was done on an Android Galaxy Nexus smartphone. To provide the best location, the engine is calibrated to the particular sensors of the phone model and also to the environment. For example, the massive presence of metal (trains) has an impact on the compass.
Even if the GPS signal was received inside the train station from time to time the location engine developed by Ainsi would not use it because of its lack of accuracy going through the metallic roof of the station.
Ainsi is also fine tuning how its positioning engine is handling escalators, a case a bit more subtle than the usual stairs or elevators movements.
“Our autonomous technology is well suited for working in places where there is no prior knowledge of the location itself. it works whatever Wi-Fi system is in place or not. This is a big advantage,“ said Michaud.
Indoor and deep indoor also means there is a strong risk of having no celllular connection; so Ainsi is working with several connectivity means: GPRS/3G, SMS, and digital radio such as Tetra.
After having looked closely at the indoor technology market, Ainsi picked the lone worker safety market has the most interesting. “We are pursuing large accounts with a proved business model,“ explained Michaud.
“At the technical level we can equip all workers with the same device, so we can calibrate our technology to these particular sensors.“
“The consumer market is also interesting but the business model is quite difficult to figure out because of Google’s massive presence in this market,“ he added.
Indoor and deep indoor also means there is a strong risk of having no celllular connection; so Ainsi is working with several connectivity means: GPRS/3G, SMS, and digital radio such as Tetra.
After having looked closely at the indoor technology market, Ainsi picked the lone worker safety market has the most interesting. “We are pursuing large accounts with a proved business model,“ explained Michaud.
“At the technical level we can equip all workers with the same device, so we can calibrate our technology to these particular sensors.“
“The consumer market is also interesting but the business model is quite difficult to figure out because of Google’s massive presence in this market,“ he added.
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