Wayfinding Apps

Where is my seat?

Interior navigation apps (wayfinding technologies) have made a quantum leap in the last few years. One of the key components are bluetooth transmitters hung from lighting fixtures.

In 2013 a friend of mine, approached me with a prototype for a very cool app idea. We branded it Magic Usher®, designed to navigate to your event seating, order concessions, find a rest room, etc. Unfortunately, it was ahead of its time. The technology in large event venues had not arrived. That has now changed, and a flood of apps are rolling out, particularly in the health care industry.

I quick search of the App Store, revealed several developers. The first one on the list was Washington Hospital by WayStride, a company specializing in wayfinding for the health care industry.

Another developer is MapsPeople, that stands out for their integration with Google. Google Maps accounts for 67% of mobile map navigation. The Danish based corporation has partnered with the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) for European Soccer Stadiums.

A local search here in Nashville, revealed Walkways by ZiiiO for the Vanderbilt Medical Center.

 Bluetooth Deployment for Wayfinding by Yodel Labs:

The next step could be 360º imagery to enhance the visual experience, although a dimensioned floor plan seems to be sufficient for most of the clients commissioning these projects.

As the user experience improves, these nav-aids will continue to explode. Navigating large health care facilities and arenas decrease personnel cost. Deploying concessions to individual seating will boost sales, and emergency features can save lives.

– Bob Henderson

#wayfinding