Note to readers: I’m writing a series about iBeacon. This is the fourth installment in the series, explaining how iBeacon leverages ranging data.
Up to this point, the iBeacon series has focused on finding iBeacons and taking action. An additional benefit of the design of the iBeacon ecosystem is that the proximity information can be far more precise than with other networking technologies.
From the start, iBeacons were designed to provide high-accuracy information on the proximity of receivers. With such low power, iBeacons and their receivers almost always have a direct line of sight. By comparing the received signal power with calibration information in the iBeacon transmission, a device can apply simple calculations to determine the distance from an iBeacon.
Ranging information is available on iOS through the iBeacon programming framework, and several sample applications display the distance to a selected iBeacon. I am not aware of current applications that make extensive use of ranging information, so if you know of one, please leave it in the comments.
The two major use cases for ranging data are the ability to create an indoor location system. Although iBeacons supply only proximity information, that information can be translated into a location if the coordinates of iBeacons are known. Creating mapping applications that help navigation in complex spaces. I hope to see somebody create an app that helps navigate Tokyo’s sprawling Shinjuku Station.
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Read more on iBeacons
iBeacon Part 1: What the heck is it?
iBeacon Part 2: How does it work?
iBeacon Part 3: You need an app