Philips has developed a new navigation system for supermarkets and it might not be too long before we see it here.A good idea which of course works via an app and LED lights. This app would work well in some chain stores here as they are always moving things around and when popping in looking for a few items sometimes can be annoying.
The system, developed by Philips, uses the supermarket’s light fixtures to form an indoor positioning grid. Each LED fixture emits a unique code through light that is invisible to the human eye but is detected by the camera on a smartphone.
This then triggers an app which shows the customer exactly where they are in the store, guides them to items on their shopping list and provides information relevant to their location such as details of special offers, new products and recipe ideas.
Philips claims that, as well as making supermarkets easier to navigate, the LED system can cut electricity consumption by 50 per cent compared to conventional store lighting, driving down running costs and making buildings greener.
“Our connected lighting system has the potential to transform shopping into a more interactive and personalised experience,” said Gerben van der Lugt, head of LED-based indoor positioning at Philips Lighting.
One of the advantages of a light-based navigation system is that retailers do not have to invest in additional infrastructure to house, power and support location beacons for indoor positioning. It is also more accurate, according to Mr Van der Lugt.
“Radio frequency-based positioning technologies like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth triangulation deliver accuracies of two to five metres and require installation of additional hardware. Philips’ connected lighting system with indoor positioning technology is sub-metre accurate and simply uses the existing lighting infrastructure,” he said.