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Why Do Indoor Navigation Apps Still Suck? Uncovering the Tech Behind Getting Lost Indoors
From Wi-Fi Fingerprinting to Visual SLAM: How Advanced Positioning and Intelligent Pathfinding Are Revolutionizing Indoor Navigation
Disclosure: I use GPT search to collection facts. The entire article is drafted by me.
I’ve been there: lost in a maze of hallways in a mall or hospital, frustrated with apps that promise directions but leave you wandering. After digging into the tech behind indoor navigation, I’m sharing a clear, no‑fluff breakdown of how it works. Let’s get straight to the point.
The Secret Sauce: Positioning Technology
Indoor spaces kill GPS, so we use alternative methods to pinpoint your location. Here are the top technologies:
- Wi‑Fi Fingerprinting — Your device scans local Wi‑Fi signals and compares them to a pre‑built database (like a “Wi‑Fi GPS”).
- Ideal For: Large venues such as airports, malls, and museums.
