and mortar stores such as retail outlets, tourist
attractions, and restaurants. The Cité des
télécoms Museum in France, for example, offers
guests interactive learning experiences that
leverage a signal transmitting and receiving
without interference as users move between
objects and walls viewing exhibit-related
content. In retail, companies are developing
apps that give you a map of the store,
allowing you to locate products, check
stock, and more.
One of the biggest use cases for micro-location
technology in retail is for developing an
improved in-store experience, at a time when
some consumers are shopping exclusively
online. Customers can turn themselves into
walking beacons, alerting staff that they need
help by pressing a button or arranging a chat
like Genius Bar appointments at the Apple
Store. This micro-location technology can
let store associates know where visitors are
standing, how long they’ve been lingering
over a product display, and their previous
purchase history.
INCREASING SECURITY
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of these
advancements in location technology is
security, allowing businesses and consumers
to depend on technology to better secure their
properties and assets. Though CCTV cameras
have come a long way in recent years, with
Google and Amazon entering the market
with their affordable smart Nest and Blink
security products, they are often not enough
of a deterrent on their own to “scare off ”
criminal activity. There are startups, however,