I-Corps: Beacon-Enabled Smart Location-Based Service

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于，通过在公共交通、零售和活动管理等几个重要的垂直市场领域使用蓝牙低能耗(BLE)信标，实现了新的基于位置的服务。基于BLE信标的软件解决方案可以在室内和室外位置提供低成本的基于位置的服务，例如支持自动客流量计数和基于位置的产品促销。作为一种新兴的物联网(IoT)技术，BLE信标有可能成为领先的邻近技术。然而，在不同的环境中使用这些技术的利弊仍然没有得到充分的理解。例如，与公共场所位置共享有关的隐私问题可能会阻碍这些技术的采用。这个i-Corps项目将探索基于信标的技术在机场、商务会议和零售店的实施和商业化机会。该项目的成功将有助于促进物联网技术的应用，提高公共服务的效率和人们的日常生活质量。这个i-Corps项目将确定使用蓝牙低能量(BLE)信标技术提供新的、低成本的基于位置的服务的商业潜力。BLE信标主动广播蓝牙信号，附近支持蓝牙的智能手机可以接收到这些信号。因此，移动应用程序可以利用安装在不同位置的信标来检测人们的移动，例如，感知人们何时进入或离开某些地点，并估计在某些地点合住的人数。有效的基于信标的解决方案需要解决以下问题：当不同信标的蓝牙信号相互干扰时，确保准确的移动检测；提供可扩展的服务，其中大量信标可以被不同的移动平台支持；以及包括隐私保护功能，以解决人们的隐私担忧。该项目将有助于更好地了解基于信标的位置服务的不同需求，以及如何定制这些服务以潜在地服务于各种垂直市场。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is in enabling new location-based services by using Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacons in several important market verticals such as public transportation, retail, and events management, to name just a few. BLE beacon-based software solutions can provide low-cost location-based services in both indoor and outdoor locations, supporting, for example, automatic foot traffic counts and location-based product promotions. As an emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technology, BLE beacons have the potential to become the leading proximity technology. However, the pros and cons of using these technologies in different settings are still not fully understood. For instance, privacy issues regarding location sharing in public spaces can impede the adoption of these technologies. This I-Corps project will explore implementation and commercialization opportunities of beacon-based technologies in airports, business conferences, and retail stores. The success of this project can help promote the adoption of this IoT technology and result in improved efficiency in public services and enhanced quality of people's daily lives.This I-Corps project will identify the commercial potential for using Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacon technology to provide new and low-cost location-based services. A BLE beacon actively broadcasts Bluetooth signals, which can be received by nearby Bluetooth-enabled smartphones. Thus, mobile applications can leverage the beacons that are installed at different locations to detect people's movements, for instance, sensing when people enter or exit certain locations, and estimating the number of people co-located at certain locations. Effective beacon-based solutions need to address the following: ensure accurate movement detection when different beacons' Bluetooth signals interfere with each other; provide a scalable service where a large number of beacons can be supported by different mobile platforms; and include privacy-preserving features to address people's privacy concerns. This project will lead to a better understanding of varying requirements for beacon-based location services and how they might be customized to potentially service a variety of market verticals.