Combain AI Indoor Positioning is an advanced Indoor Positioning System (IPS) that provides precise location-based services within buildings where GPS signals are unreliable or unavailable. By utilizing existing Bluetooth beacons and WiFi access points, this solution effectively removes the need for investments in additional infrastructure, making deployment both straightforward and cost-effective. Whether in temporary or dynamic environments, Combain AI Indoor simplifies setup while delivering exceptional accuracy.
Demo from office environment, red = actual track, blue = Combain AI track
How it works
Combain AI Indoor Positioning leverages artificial intelligence to provide highly accurate indoor positioning services through three main steps:
- Define and Map the Building: Users can configure a building’s layout using the Combain online portal. This involves uploading floor plans, defining floors, and specifying navigation routes. Key features such as stairs, elevators, and accessible pathways can be marked directly in the portal, creating a virtual environment map. See the indoor guide here.
- Collect Training Data: Users survey the building using the Android AI Indoor Survey app to train the system. This app captures real-time data from Bluetooth beacons and WiFi access points throughout the space, creating a comprehensive dataset of the building’s radio environment. See the survey quick guide here.
- Build and Deploy the Model: Deep learning algorithms analyze the collected data to create an Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based model of the building’s radio environment. This model captures the complex relationships between radio signals and spatial positioning, enabling it to provide accurate location services. Once the model is published, devices can access positioning data through the Combain Location API.
Combain’s AI Indoor positioning solution is designed to be flexible. Administrators can customize access to the indoor positioning data, either making it available to all users of the Combain Location API or restricting it to specific API keys for enhanced control. Combain also offers the optional On-Prem Location Server for organizations with strict privacy requirements, allowing all positioning data to be processed and stored locally on the organization’s servers.
What Data It Provides
The Combain AI Indoor Positioning system provides rich, actionable data, including:
- Real-Time Positioning: Precise device locations are returned as buildings, floors, and rooms.
- Improved Accuracy Metrics: Deep learning algorithms deliver a typical median error of 1–5 meters*, often doubling the accuracy of traditional IPS solutions.
- Movement Analytics: Insights into how devices move through spaces, enabling analysis of traffic patterns, crowd density, and movement trends.
- Heat Maps and Accuracy Visualizations: Graphical representations of movement data and system performance that help identify areas for optimization.
This data can power various applications, from asset tracking and navigation to customer behavior analysis and safety enhancements.
How to Access Combain AI Indoor Positioning
Combain AI Indoor Positioning is designed for simplicity and accessibility. Developers can use the Combain Location API to integrate indoor positioning data directly into their applications. The API offers seamless access to real-time location data, enabling businesses to enhance their services with minimal effort.
The Android AI Indoor Survey app is essential for data collection, as it simplifies gathering training data and creating the ANN-based model. Combain also provides training to help organizations make the most of the app, ensuring high-quality data for improved positioning performance.
For organizations that prefer a hands-off approach, Combain offers an optional setup service. With this service, Combain experts manage the entire implementation process—from surveying the building to publishing the ANN model—delivering a turnkey solution.
What You Can Do with Combain AI Indoor
Combain AI Indoor Positioning offers numerous opportunities for organizations across various industries. Its advanced features enable you to:
- Track Assets and Equipment: Monitor the location of valuable items, tools, and machinery within a building to minimize loss and enhance operational efficiency.
- Enhance Indoor Navigation: Provide users with accurate turn-by-turn navigation in complex environments such as shopping malls, airports, and hospitals.
- Optimize Layouts: Utilize movement and heat map data to identify high-traffic areas, streamline layouts, and improve the overall user experience.
- Boost Safety and Emergency Response: Implement location-based emergency features that allow for the quick locating of individuals in distress or assist first responders in reaching the exact location of an incident.
- Improve Customer Insights: Analyze customer behavior to optimize service delivery, enhance layout efficiency, and increase overall satisfaction.
Benefits for Developers and Organizations
Combain AI Indoor Positioning is a revolutionary solution for both developers and organizations.
Benefits For Developers
- Easy Integration: The Combain Location API is simple to implement and backed by comprehensive documentation and support.
- AI-Powered Accuracy: The system utilizes deep learning algorithms to deliver highly accurate results that surpass traditional indoor positioning methods.
- Flexibility: Developers can incorporate Combain AI Indoor into various applications, including navigation, asset tracking, analytics, and safety systems.
Benefits For Organizations
- Cost Efficiency: Combain AI Indoor uses existing Bluetooth and eliminates the need for costly additional hardware.
- No HW lock-in: You may choose any device brand that provides the necessary data. Please get in touch with us to discuss the options and our recommendations.
- Enhanced Privacy: The On-Prem Location Server provides complete control over sensitive data, ensuring compliance with strict privacy regulations.
- Improved Decision-Making: Access to actionable insights helps businesses optimize operations, enhance user satisfaction, and address safety concerns.
- Customizable Access: Based on their specific needs, administrators can choose whether positioning data is widely available or restricted for private use.
Use Case Examples
Use Case 1: Smart Warehouse Management
Effective asset tracking and workflow optimization are essential for efficiency in a large warehouse. By deploying Combain AI Indoor, warehouse managers can monitor the exact locations of pallets, equipment, and forklifts in real time.
The Android AI Indoor Survey app collects training data throughout the facility, which is then processed by Combain’s artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms. Once implemented, the system facilitates efficient navigation and tracking, reducing the time spent searching for items and minimizing operational bottlenecks.
Additionally, heat maps can highlight high-traffic areas, enabling managers to adjust layouts for smoother operations.
Use Case 2: Enhanced Visitor Experience in Museums
Museums often face challenges in providing intuitive navigation for visitors, particularly in large or multi-floor spaces. By integrating Combain AI Indoor, museums can offer an app-based solution that guides visitors to exhibits, restrooms, or exits with pinpoint accuracy. The system also delivers contextual information about nearby exhibits based on the visitor’s real-time location.
Museum staff can use analytics to identify popular exhibits and optimize layouts to effectively manage crowd density.
Conclusion
Combain AI Indoor Positioning represents a state-of-the-art solution for modern indoor environments. By combining intuitive tools, deep learning algorithms, and flexible deployment options, it offers unparalleled accuracy and reliability. Whether used for asset tracking, navigation, analytics, or safety, Combain AI Indoor Positioning empowers organizations to enhance efficiency, improve user experiences, and achieve new levels of operational excellence.
Very accurate indoor positioning solution in 3D using deep learning
Easy and cost-effective deployment using existing infrastructure
Less equipment to install and maintain means lower operational cost like e.g. fewer batteries to replace
Summary
- Smart fingerprinting in 3D of the existing indoor radio environment based on WiFis and Bluetooth beacons.
- Combain calculates the most probable location based on beacon locations and signal strengths.
- Deployment involves capturing the required training data through manual surveys using an Android app or Combain survey device. Surveys are also offered as a service.
- Monitor and analyze accuracy in different parts of the building so that extra beacons can be added, or a new survey can be performed if the desired accuracy is not met.
- Graphical building management addon available.
- Beacon locations are reused to extend the Crowd Indoor database. Private data storage available.
- Accuracy 1-5 m*.
Floor accuracy > 95%.
* Actual accuracy depends on
- Density of WiFis/Bluetooth beacons
- Training method
- Building structure
- Device capabilities