The recently released Wi-Fi standard, IEEE 802.11az enables more refined and accurate indoor location capabilities.
As technology manufacturers incorporate the new standard in various devices, it will enable buildings, including malls, arenas, and stadiums, to provide new wayfinding and tracking features. The previous standard yielded Wi-Fi location accuracy of 1-2 meters, while the new standard raises accuracy to less than 0.1 meter or about 4 inches.
Applications are expected to use this technology by:
- Providing more accurate indoor navigation. In a retail store, for example, a consumer could use an application to navigate through a store, as is used in vehicles to map a travel route, from the entrance to the desired product.
- Enablement of micro-targeting for retail and warehouse asset tracking. A store worker could use a mobile app to track products on shelves, in the stock room, and in a warehouse. A retailer could also leverage usage data from its customers’ shopping apps—such as their movements on the retail floor—to derive analytics and serve relevant ads to the user.
- Improved scalability will allow hundreds of devices to connect at the same time in dense environments, such as shopping malls, arenas, and stadiums where large numbers of users are actively co-locating with Wi-Fi simultaneously.
- Secure, authenticated, and private positioning. Proper authentication can be confirmed when you are within inches of two devices. This could be used, for example, to unlock an interior door via a smart device. Other applications could be the use of a smart device to make payment at the point of sale or using it to facilitate an ATM transaction.
Related Stories
| Jun 21, 2012
New ISO standard to improve environmental management of concrete
A new ISO standard will help the construction industry better manage the environmental impacts of concrete.
| Jun 21, 2012
On net-zero projects, Building Teams will be held accountable for energy-efficiency performance
The building team will be held accountable for how net-zero energy buildings perform two, five, and maybe ten years after completion.
| Jun 14, 2012
USGBC co-founder launches rating system for building product manufacturers
U.S. Green Building Council co-founder David Gottfried’s new venture, Regenerative Ventures, has established a rating system for building product manufacturers.
| Jun 14, 2012
Green standard set for single-ply roofing membrane
A sustainability standard has been established for single-ply roofing membranes used on commercial buildings.
| Jun 5, 2012
HP Labs aims for net-zero energy data centers
Building sustainable data centers is one of the goals of HP Labs, and it believes technology, combined with the right building techniques, could result in the construction of energy-efficient data centers.
| Jun 5, 2012
USGBC delays LEED 2012; renames it LEED v4
In response to concerns by LEED users, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that it will delay the ballot on LEED 2012 until June 1, 2013.
| Jun 1, 2012
New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available
By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.
| May 31, 2012
Lawsuits push the legal boundaries of green building definition
This article explores some legal issues stemming from lawsuits in which plaintiffs have charged developers with not delivering on a promised level of sustainability.
| May 31, 2012
ANSI approves Green Building Initiative’s design standard
The Green Building Initiative (GBI), a Portland, Ore. nonprofit organization, has had its new consensus-based standard for the design, construction, and operations of environmentally friendly buildings approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
| May 31, 2012
USGBC testing Minnesota buildings to see if they are living up to LEED standards
The Minnesota chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has teamed up with EnergyPrint, a St. Paul, Minn. energy consulting firm, to study the energy and water use of more than 150 buildings in the state that have LEED certification.
