Interior navigation is only just coming into its own,
but IndoorAtlas has developed a technology that could make it just as
natural as breathing -- or at least, firing up a smartphone's mapping
software. Developed by a team at Finland's University of Oulu,
the method relies on identifying the unique geomagnetic field of every
location on Earth to get positioning through a mobile device. It's not
just accurate, to less than 6.6 feet, but can work without help from wireless signals
and at depths that would scare off mere mortal technologies:
IndoorAtlas has already conducted tests in a mine 4,593 feet deep.
Geomagnetic location-finding is already available through an Android
API, with hints of more platforms in the future. It will still need some
tender loving care from app developers before we're using our
smartphones to navigate through the grocery store as well as IndoorAtlas
does in a video