Beacon Technology Nepal | Hackathon awards developers in proximity based technologies

Source    : secureidnews
By        : Gina Jordon
Category  :  Beacon Technology Nepal , Bluetooth Beacon 

The spread of mobile is driving demand for creative mash-ups of proximity-based technologies. That’s why tech incubator AccelerateNFC and proximity ID company Flomio created TrackHack: The Proximity ID Hackathon. TrackHack is a first-of-its-kind event focused solely on the proximity ID technologies that power the Internet of Things – radio frequency identification, Bluetooth Low Energy, and near field communication. The hackathon was held November 20 – 22 in London.

 Organizers call it “an event where hackers and developers can access all proximity ID tech and do what they do best — create, innovate and disrupt.” Eleven teams submitted identity-related entries. Projects included simplifying management of contacts, keeping track of luggage while traveling, and reducing electronic waste. “The tech used in the award winning applications included NXP, HID, OmniID and UGrokIt – which provided a nice mix between NFC, RFID and Bluetooth beacon tech,” says Robert P. Sabella, founder of NFC Bootcamp and AccelerateNFC. “Projects also included wristband identity solutions for event check-in and payments, and injectable chips to enable identification and payments via the tap of a human hand.”

The hackathon brought together experts in development, software/hardware, technology standards, and marketing. Sabella says developers were given a real world perspective in creating solutions and understanding the process of rolling out a new solution “from ideation to development to implementation.” But there’s a learning curve on how to effectively integrate proximity hardware into a web application. So for future events, organizers hope to seed developers’ ideas with current use cases and give them examples of sample code in advance.

“A lot of people today are talking about the Internet of Things. There are ‘connected’ cars, wine bottles, clothing, appliances, jewelry, movie posters, games and toys. Just about any product you can think of can be connected to the digital world in some way,” Sabella says. “We are creating the next stage of the IoT journey. We are already planning our next TrackHack.” It will be held March 11-13, 2016 in Austin, Texas, during South by Southwest.

(Source : secureidnews.com/news-item/hackathon-awards-developers-in-proximity-based-technologies/)

Beacon Technology Nepal | Bluetooth low energy beacons will have their day

Source    : Techeye
By        :  Mike Magee
Category  :  Beacon Technology Nepal

A report said that Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons will hit the mainstream market.
ABI Research said that in the third quarter of this year some big names bought into the technology.
Those include McDonalds, Carrefour, IKEA, Pizza Hut, and H&M.

Another trend leading to their use is that Group, Facebook and Google are bringing their beacon strategies to market.

Patrick Connolly, a principal analyst at ABI, said that most vendors are shipping multiple contracts in the 10s of thousands.

There’s evidence of a strong push for the beacons in India too, he said. InteractionOne has just deployed a 1,000 beacon network.

Applications straddle more than 20 vertical markts including industrial, vending, hospitals and airports.


(Read More : techeye.net/news/bluetooth-low-energy-beacons-will-have-their-day )

Proximity Based Application | Elle uses beacon technology to drive 500,000 retail store visits

Source    : digiday
By        : Hilary Milnes
Category  : Proximity Based Application

Many publishers add product links to articles to try to get readers to buy online. With a new shopping gambit, Elle magazine is driving consumers into actual physical stores.


“The single, most universal request I hear from every advertiser, whether it’s luxury, beauty or fast fashion, is, ‘Help us drive retail store traffic,’” said O’Malley. “Everyone wants more people in stores — and that’s not necessarily new — but right now, retailers are seeing a fall off more than ever.”

Beacon technology has become a way for retailers to boost in-store traffic with digital features.

“Readers rely on Elle’s point of view when making purchasing decisions, so that combined with an offer, like a discount, is a powerful combination,” said Murphy.

Results from the first five weeks were strong enough that Elle plans to continue the program in 2016.
The push open rate was 15 times higher than the mobile advertising average of 0.8, while in-store visit rates were 100 times higher. That translated to 500,000 in-store visits driven by the beacons in five weeks, O’Malley said. According to a 2015 study by Deloitte, beacon messages over the past year had a 1 percent open rate, and of those who opened the messages, 20 percent went into stores.

“We already curate product in our magazines, but this gets it to the reader when they’re out in the market,” said O’Malley. “That editorial endorsement is highly valuable, because when someone gets a pop-up from a brand selling something, the instinct is delete, delete, delete.”


For Elle, the idea behind Shop Now was to use its editorial sway with readers when they’re out (and possibly closer to a store), not on the couch flipping through a magazine. Despite positive results in its first run, Elle is waiting until after the holidays to continue the program.

“The holidays are a crowded, noisy time,” said O’Malley. “We’re going to instead take a hiatus, and recollect.”

(Read More: digiday.com/publishers/elle-uses-beacon-technology-drive-500000-retail-store-visits/)

Beacon Technology | 5 Cutting-Edge Retail Technology Trends

Source    : cio
By        : Sharon Goldman
Category  : Retail Technology

As retailers rev up for their busiest shopping season, they know some things never change: Holiday deal-seekers will race like mad through store aisles for the best Black Friday deals. Last-minute shoppers will wait until December 24 to make their purchases. Crowds will swarm stores the day after Christmas in a whirlwind of gift returns.

The shopping experience itself, however, has undergone massive changes over the past two decades, especially as ecommerce has won over consumers and smartphones have become the must-have accessory. These days, retailers work around the clock to navigate a digital world that continues to evolve at a dizzying pace, while tech-savvy consumers have increased their demands for seamless experiences and personalized touches, wherever and however they shop.

Here are five cutting-edge technology trends taking retail to the next level: 

1. Beacons

With millions of shoppers toting smartphones in their pocket or purse, it’s no surprise that proximity marketing, through the use of location-based technologies such as Bluetooth-connected beacons, is becoming more than a flash-in-the-pan – as retailers look for ways to provide more personalized, real-time messages, offers and promotions. According to Business Insider, beacons will directly influence over $4 billion in U.S. retail sales this year and climb 10 times that next year.


“Beacons were a novelty 15 months ago, but this year retailers are starting to take them more seriously,” says Scott Bauer, U.S. Retail & Consumer Partner at consulting firm PwC. “There’s more experimentation about how to treat users in their stores with mobile phones.” The question is how to use them, he cautions, “so it doesn’t seem creepy or annoy customers.”

2. Biometrics

Biometrics, which uses technologies like fingerprint systems, facial recognition, iris scanning and voice identification, seems like a natural fit for retailers. Brands and banks that want to improve targeted marketing efforts and boost security. Biometrics Research Group predicts the global biometrics market to soar to $15 billion this year, up from an estimated $7 just three years ago. And, technology consulting firm Frost & Sullivan forecast that nearly a half-billion people will be using a smartphone equipped with biometric technology by 2017.

“iPhone users everywhere rejoiced when Apple added the passcode fingerprint scan,” says Paley.  “Expect more in this area as marketers embrace the potential.” Ecommerce security can particularly benefit from biometrics, he says – MasterCard, for example, is working to allow customers to complete  ecommerce transactions with just a selfie, he explains, while  Visa has introduced a specification that can authenticate EMV chip card transactions using multiple forms of biometrics.

3. Mobile ecommerce boom

Mobile phones may not be no longer be cutting-edge, but the boom in mobile e-commerce certainly is, thanks to improved technologies and strategies.  By the end of 2016, 25 percent of all retail ecommerce sales in the United States will take place via mobile devices, according to eMarketer.

“The real estate on the device screen has gotten bigger, particularly in the iPhone 6, driving increased success for retailers,” says Elana Anderson, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at omnichannel commerce platform Demandware. Mobile smartphones – not tablets – drove 94 percent of the growth in shopping visits and 74% of basket creation growth, according to Demandware’s Q2 Shopping Index. “Also, retail strategies are now focused on a mobile-first consumer experience, whether it’s responsive design or increased speed,” she says. “All of that is contributing to the growth.”

4. Social networks as shopping platforms

Turns out social networks are about more than just spreading the word. Over the past year, social giants Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest have all experimented with direct “Buy” buttons on their website. For instance, Twitter tested their “Buy” button in September with a small group of sellers and are now said to be teaming up with Shopify, which has about 100,000 merchants, and other ecommerce software companies.

Pinterest’s “buyable” button, launched with Demandware, recently launched on the iPhone and iPad, allowing users to purchase without leaving the Pinterest app. “We literally had our consumers lining up, there is a lot of excitement regarding social commerce,” says Anderson. “Retailers and consumers want to remove as much friction from the buying process as possible.”

5. Digital in the store

You don’t need to leave a physical store to get your digital fix. Instead, retailers are leveraging a wide array of in-store technologies meant to draw consumers in the door.

For example, retailers and brands such as Ugg Australia, Uniqlo and Neiman Marcus are using “magic” or “memory” mirror technologies, using RFID tags, which allow customers to try on virtual outfits in different colors and styles. Rebecca Minkoff has added text messaging and touch screen features in her stores that allow consumers to order drinks, browse the store catalog, and easily interact with store associates. Finally, Bloomingdale’s has experimented with mounting  iPads in fitting rooms to allow customers to ask for help, read reviews and see what sizes are in stock.

“There’s a ton of experimentation with digital across the board,” says Anderson. “It’s really about serving the customer from the online experience out of the store all the way through the store.”


(Read More: cio.com/article/2989716/retail/5-cutting-edge-retail-technology-trends.html)

Beacon Technology | A Glimpse of Latest Mobile App Development Trends

Source    : infoq
By        : Katie Stanfield
Category  :  Mobile App

Whether it is about shopping, ordering your favorite food, saving money, hiring a cab or any other routine activity online, which device do you pick up at an instant to carry all such activities? Your Smartphone, right! Well, it is same with every one of us. Our cellular device has emerged as a real friend in need and is playing a crucial role in simplifying our daily tasks, changing your outlook towards information. It is not at all wrong to say that technology of mobile is growing at the speed of light and the apps have become an integral part of the digital ecosystem. In fact, these apps are progressing to make ubiquitous presence. However, staying up-to-date with the latest trends of mobile app development has become order rather than merely an option.

Internet of Things:

Just like cloud technology, Internet of things is also gaining immense popularity. Though it just started gaining serious attention, this hype is expected to grow huge with new innovations and implementations that can open a ubiquitous world of connectivity and sources of information. Some key IoT trends that will be on lookout are new devices, development of new standards for multi-sensor support and M2M automation, vertical IoT services and a lot of topics related to security and privacy concerns. These trends clearly indicate a boom around Internet of Things, which will lead to an increased adoption of related products and a growth of the required ecosystem. Some organisations are still underestimating the impact of IoT on their market and business processes and it is highly recommended that they should measure this impact on their business goals.

Since IoT will be everywhere – just like are smart devices – developers are encouraged to create flexible mobile experience embracing those new opportunities provided by the sensors and actors around.

Location Based and Beacon Internet (Wi-Fi) Services:

Beacon (Beam) technology has blurred the bottom line differences between online and offline - be it retail sector or advertising. This technology has already been adopted in iOS and is expected to follow in Android systems in the near future. Almost every industry including Retail, Hospitality,Tourism, Education, Healthcare, Entertainment, Travel, Corporate, Real Estate, Automotive, Advertising etc.is receiving benefits from such internet services. An instance could help understand this trend better is Beacons used in large buildings. It is quite common to see beacons implemented in large buildings to provide internal mapping. When an emergency occurs, the first responders can quickly access where the issue occurred. You can get a list of last known locations tracked through beacons or temperature sensors help to determine dangerous zones as long as they are active in case of emergencies like fire.

Wearable Tech:

Credit goes to the Apple Watch - wearable technology became the hottest topic in the industry of consumer electronics. Most of the wearable devices developed so far were focusing on health and fitness. But, with the opening of 2015 these wearable are also expected to be utilized in enterprises in order to improve their efficiency and productivity. For instance, there is a boom among fashion and textile industry about adopting wearable technology. The encouragement to the development of cross-device applications that can be operated over a cellular device as well as wearable device or any third party device is sure to open up an unlimited scope for new apps, breaking the limitations of traditional health and fitness apps.

Mobile Banking, Payments and M-Commerce:

Recent surveys have shown 19% of commercial sales are coming from either aSmartphone or tablet. Analysts say this trend will positively continue as more and more consumers are adapting m-commerce solutions. Transferring money or purchasing goods using a mobile phone is becoming as common as using credit or debit cards. This implies that developers can develop the mobile apps that can process transactions without needing cash or any physical cards.

 Marketing, Advertising and Purchasing within Apps:

According to a new study publicized by Juniper Research, expenditure on in-app advertisements in all the mobile devices will get manyfold. Mobile advertisements are no longer limited to banners -a variety of ad formats such as image, text, or video ads are being integrated and experimented with right now. Both mobile app advertisements and purchases will become a focal point for monetisation and a ladder towards success as many app developers are making a shift away from paid download models.

The marketing techniques of mobile apps are also evolving constantly. In previous years, app marketers were extensively focused on grabbing maximum user attention (app downloads) instead of user engagement. Now, developers and marketers have started to realize the significance of an enhanced experience for organic users. Organic user is considered more engaged and loyal than users gathered via multiple paid channels. As stated before, a great user experience can be created by constantly analyzing user behavior and improving the app accordingly. With the availability of location based Wi-Fi services and beacon technology, there is even a whole new dimension of advertising the lets marketers initiate promotions based on the precise location and context of a user.

(Read More: infoq.com/articles/latest-mobile-app-development-trends)

Bluetooth Beacon | LBS technology on trial for most companies

Source    : searchcrm.techtarget
By        : Lauren Horwitz
Category  : Beacon Technology

It's the age of the customer, and companies are contorting themselves to make customers happy, address their grievances expressed on Twitter and give them deep discounts when pricing or inventory information is inaccurate. But many are also finding that they need to dig deeper into customer data to make the transaction go right.

Enter location-based services (LBS), which use mobile devices such as smartphones, hardware such as beacon sensors and software applications such as marketing automation to communicate with customers based on their location. The idea is that companies can use data on a customer's location to more accurately divine his or her' needs and close the sale. Companies also like LBS technology because they can use it in tandem with other technologies and concepts, including customer personalization tools and mobile wallets. If location can be a proxy for needs and wants, companies are betting on it to be an accurate proxy.

The movie-theater operator is considering beacon technology for its chain of movie theaters, but it's treading carefully. Timing the message properly is a key factor.

Proper timing could help companies realize LBS' ultimate objectives: enhancing customer experience and increasing sales. Take the high-end retailer Nordstrom, based in Seattle, which is experimenting with beacons in its dressing rooms with a technology-enabled mirror. The mirror lets customers browse items as they stand before their image. Customers can price items, look for alternate sizes or see complementary items available in the store, augmenting and enhancing the service of in-store sales associates.

Most of these examples are still on trial. Why? The reality is that LBS technology has a long way to go in truly appealing to customers. According to some data, customers are inclined to divulge their location on a smartphone in exchange for a product discount, but other data indicates that consumers have essentially surrendered to the tidal wave of encroachments on their data profiles. They seek discounts because they're resigned to the idea of their data being used for business insight. And that's not the attitude companies want to instill in their customers.

(Read More: searchcrm.techtarget.com/opinion/LBS-technology-still-on-trial-for-most-companies)

Beacon For Events | What Tech Should You Be Using To Plan Your Meeting in 2016

Source    :   eventindustrynews
By        :      Abi Mandelbaum
Category  :  Beacon For Events

From preparation to successful execution, technology plays a major role in meeting and event planning. But it can be difficult to determine which new technologies will be an asset. Knowing what’s on the horizon at innovative tech companies, and observing trends from this year’s big event’s can provide valuable insight.

Below are the technologies meeting and event planners will be used to plan events in 2016:

Beacon Technology

Beacon technology offers two-way communication between electronic beacons placed around an event and attendees’ smartphones. Venues that have installed beacons have a significant advantage over their competitors.

That two-way communication means that beacons can be beneficial both to event planners and attendees.

The beacons, which connect to phones in close proximity via Bluetooth, can be placed at registration desks, allowing attendees walking by to be checked in automatically.

Beacons placed at booths can send product or company information to the phones of people visiting that booth.

Additionally, beacons can make events more interactive or help planners steer attendees toward certain areas or events by incentivizing people to “check in” at different locations.

They also can help customize an event for attendees’ by accessing individuals’ social media profiles and, based on that information, steering them toward speakers or presentations that would be of interest.

Furthermore, the beacons can provide event planners with valuable data. Data gleaned through the beacons can give planners insight into which attractions are garnering the most interest. The technology can also help eliminate the circulation of surveys after an event.

Live streaming

Although live streaming is not a new technology, it has gained new life earlier this year with the release of apps like Meerkat and Periscope.

The apps alert a user’s Twitter followers when a video stream has been created. The followers can watch the video stream and provide comments, which are seen in real time by the video’s creator.

The apps have earned a lot of buzz this year with their successful use at major events such as South by Southwest.

Live streaming can assist with event promotion, and it can be used to engage attendees.

Planners can introduce a hashtag for attendees to use when streaming the event live, and prizes can be offered for generating the most views, or for visiting a certain part of an event and sharing it.

Additionally, it can make planners and event presenters more in tune with event attendees’ needs.

As conference-goers sit down before a presentation, they could be treated to a backstage livestream, during which they could offer questions for the speaker or give insight into what they hope to hear the speaker touch on.

Live streaming also can be used by planners to keep things running smoothly: Registration times can be provided via live streaming, as could alerts that a certain attraction at the event is seeing heavy traffic or long waits.

Because livestream viewers can comment on the video; those running an event can have instant feedback.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is expected to go mainstream next year with Facebook-owned Oculus leading the charge. Earlier this year, the company announced it will release its first consumer-ready virtual reality headset, the Rift, in early 2016. Other virtual reality headsets such as the Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard have already hit the market.

Hotels and venues are expected to be major users of virtual reality by creating virtual reality experiences of their event spaces and accommodations.

Many times the pictures on venues’ websites or promotional materials are not accurate, making it difficult for planners to choose a location without visiting in person. Virtual reality, however, can be a valuable tool as it gives planners the opportunity to fully explore a venue, and gain a better understanding of how a location can meet their event needs.

Virtual reality also can enhance the event itself through several applications.

Companies can use virtual reality to transport attendees out of a meeting room to tour a facility, experience a product, or engage in a team building activity.

Virtual reality also can play a role in creating branded experiences. A number of leading businesses and institutions have given away branded Google Cardboards, inexpensive VR headsets that work in conjunction with a smartphone, to their key audiences.

(Read More : eventindustrynews.co.uk/event-technology-news/guest-blog-the-tech-youll-be-using-to-plan-your-meeting-in-2016/)

PROXIMITY MOBILE MARKETING | HOW CAN STADIUMS & VENUES USE TECHNOLOGY TO DELIGHT FANS & KEEP THEM COMING BACK ?

Source : umbel
By      : Trips Reddy
Category  :Beacon In Museum

HOW FAN-CENTRIC COMPANIES ARE REDEFINING LIVE EVENTS AND CONVERTING SPECTATORS INTO SUPERFANS

Data and new technology are changing fan experiences at stadiums and venues like never before. Teams and venues are using data, apps, beacons and digital innovation to improve operations, player performance and fan experiences. The top priority is to bring fans to stadiums, put them in the center of the action and create experiences that keeps them coming back.

Across the U.S., teams are spending millions to bringing connectivity and convenience to stadiums. In-stadium fans want to be able to share, interact and stay social during games. While many college teams still don’t provide Wi-Fi access in their stadiums, that’s quickly changing. Even colleges have joined the race to give every fan the best seat in the stadium, from the bleachers to the VIP boxes.

Live events are not just about watching a game or concert from a seat anymore. Fans expect a tailored mix of physical and digital experiences across their phones, digital screens, kiosks, concession stands and pretty much every area of the venue.

So how can teams and venues convert stay-at-home viewers into superfans who pay to watch the event live?

Here are the top technology investments that teams are making:

 BEACONS


While beacon implementation across stadiums has been slow, they’re definitely happening. Teams that already implemented beacons use them to send exclusive, stadium-only promotions and trivia to fans devices. The geomapping also helps alert fans on closest restrooms with the shortest wait times etc. More importantly, teams are using beacons to track fan behaviors, movement and spending inside stadiums. So far, 20 of the 30 MLB stadiums have already implemented beacons.
Stadiums already using beacons: Levi’s Stadium, AT&T Park, Houston Dynamo

 A POWERFUL WIRELESS NETWORK SOLUTION


The top priority to ensure fan interaction is connectivity, not just for fans, but also for internal staff, vendors, contractors, press and luxury suite guests. Many younger fans are leaving stadiums at half-time if they can’t connect to the internet. And offering better Wi-Fi also means more money from additional food, beverage, merchandise and upgrade purchases. It’s not enough to just provide Wi-Fi. Fans expect a fast, secure and reliable connectivity. On average, larger stadiums are installing 700+ wireless access points and there are multiple third-party companies like AT&T, Cisco and Verizon that provide end-to-end wireless network services.
Most connected stadiums in the world: Levi’s Center, Barclay’s Center, AT&T Center


STATE-OF-THE-ART MOBILE APPS


Mobile Apps are quickly becoming the most efficient and profitable tool to engage and activate fans at live events. Some professional sports teams already have apps that let fans find parking spots, purchase premium seat upgrades, check-in and locate their seats, order food and beverages to be delivered to their seats, find the closest restroom with the shortest line, watch high-definition instant replay videos and close-up videos, view exclusive content, promotions, coupons and statistics, and get traffic information and the fastest route home after the game. This is already a reality and many teams are scrambling to catch up with the ones that already offer these amazing mobile experiences.
Teams and venues with cutting-edge mobile apps: San Francisco 49ers, Barclay’s Center, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Austin City Limits Music Festival,


MOBILE POINT-OF-SERVICE (POS)


Many stadiums and event venues have already rolled out mobile POS (point-of-service) systems so they can have hundreds of vendors selling food, beverages and merchandise pretty much anywhere in the stadium without requiring fans to leave their seats or spend a lot of time in lines. Mobile POS systems enable fast, secure concessions and merchandise sales and also offer savings on space, manpower and time.

GOPRO VIDEO STREAMING

GoPros are becoming increasingly popular with sports teams allowing them to capture and stream unique angles of their venues and games to fans. The National Hockey League (NHL) and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) recently announced a North American partnership with GoPro. GoPros also allow teams and venues to create a lot of virality and buzz based on the stunning visuals that these cameras can capture when used creatively. Here's a video of the Denver Broncos Thunderstorm parachute team dropping into Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium before Sunday’s AFC Championship Game. The Cincinnati Bengals appear to be the latest team to embrace the GoPro video camera to enhance their ability to study game film from a different perspective. In preparation for football clash between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, ESPN installed the HeroCam to give fans a feel of what it's like seeing through the eyes of an NFL player. They did it for several other players and teams throughout the 2013-14 NFL season.

In 2014, before a Houston Texans' home game against the Bengals, a bald eagle named Challenger flew over Reliant Stadium wearing a GoPro camera, and the footage captured is pretty amazing. Also, check out a GoPro video shot by a skydiver as he lands at midfield in Ralph Wilson Stadium during the pregame ceremony against the Dolphins.

TARGETED IN-STADIUM ADS


Stadiums and venues are always looking for new ways to improve their bottom line and get fans to spend more at games. The Denver Broncos’ Sports Authority Field in partnership with Cisco created a powerful marketing platform by installing 1,200 displays that are 55 inches or larger for compelling high-definition experiences and high-impact partner content. But these screens aren’t just for keeping fans engaged with videos, photos and stats. Their team offers segmentation opportunities for advertisers, sponsors, concessionaires, and merchandising partners allowing them to promote tailored offers and products on these screens during games. The Broncos saw a 50% increase in partner sponsorship revenue using these new screens as compared to older, traditional static ad units. The screens have tremendously expanded the amount and value of the digital ad inventory that the Broncos can sell.

The ads and offers can be customized and targeted to various sections of the stadium including destination bars, entitlement zones and seating areas. For example, Bud Light sponsors the Mile High Mountain Village pre-game area and Coca Cola sponsors the Fan Cave. The screens have expanded the amount and value of the digital ad inventory that the Broncos can sell. Sponsors can also run promotions during key moments of the game to capture the most eyeballs. Their digital screens are highly customizable to support a brand's’ creative assets and are also used by alcohol brands to deliver promotional safe driving messages towards the end of a game.

The right technology and fan data can help both sports teams and venues connect with their fans, truly understand what their fans want and build experiences that keep them coming back to live events. Teams need to focus on creating amazing experiences from the minute fans leave their home through their in-stadium time and even after they leave the venue. Fan’s also expect reliable and secure Wi-Fi that lets them share their experiences more easily and stay connected during games. Sports teams and venues need to start innovating and collecting fan data to track customer buying behaviors both online and offline and use it to engage and convert their fans into buying customers.

(Read More: umbel.com/blog/publishers/10-ways-stadiums-are-using-technology-to-delight-fans/)

Proximity Beacon | Beacons Technology are Here to Stay

Source    :  Future Travel Experience

By        :   Ryan Ghee

Category  :  Bluetooth beacon technology

Google’s big move into the beacon market with the launch of Eddystone – an open format cross-platform Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon solution – has intensified interest in the technology, which offers airlines and airports myriad opportunities.

Speaking to FTE, SITA Lab Lead Engineer Kevin O’Sullivan, who has worked with a variety of airlines and airports on beacon deployments, said Google’s big move into the market proves that beacons are more than a mere fad.

“I think the biggest impact of this is it confirms to everybody that beacons are here to stay,” he said. “It’s not just a flash in the pan idea that Apple has had. When you have Apple and Google and Samsung (which has its own beacon offering called Placedge) all trying to use beacons to solve this indoor proximity problem you know that the technology has got a future.” Eddystone is not, though, an “iBeacon killer”, he said. “”I think the two technologies are here to stay.”

Common use beacon infrastructure

There are other issues to be addressed, too. Tinley explained that “airports, as indoor locations that have a vested interest in maintaining some control over their “indoor airspace”, will also want to ensure that they actually have control” over the beacon infrastructure. The conversation about who “owns” this airspace is “not yet fully being had, or possibly understood”, he said, and suggested that models of best practice need to be established.

According to O’Sullivan, a common use approach is necessary. “One of the things that Eddystone still doesn’t solve that we need in this industry is the common use approach – putting in a single beacon and making it available to multiple stakeholders in the airport. It still doesn’t solve the standards that we’ve got as part of the Common Use Beacon Registry, which makes sure that a deployment at, say, Heathrow is the same as Miami and the same as Hong Kong, so as airlines go from airport to airport they can be confident that their apps can work with each beacon.”

He praised the fact that ACI and IATA are now “on board” and supporting SITA’s Common Use Beacon Registry, which aims to reduce the cost and complexity of deployment by promoting shared beacon infrastructure.

If there was any lingering doubt about whether beacons have a long-term future, the launch of Google’s Eddystone and the widespread support for the technology, plus excitement about the potential it offers, is evidence enough that beacons are here to stay.

The full potential of beacons, and the impact they can have on day-to-day operations and the passenger experience, is yet to be realized, but one thing seems certain: airlines and airports should be building beacons into their strategies now to ensure they are well placed to exploit a multitude of benefits.

(Read More: futuretravelexperience.com/2015/07/airlines-and-airports-prepare-for-google-eddystone-beacons/)

Beacons | Exploring Location-Based Technology in Museums

Source    :  metmuseum.org

By        :    Veronika Doljenkova

Category : Beacon Technology in Museums

Recently in the museum sector there has been a lot of attention given to "Beacon" or Bluetooth low energy (BLE), a technology that addresses the need for a low-cost, easy-to-implement solution for indoor location-based services. What really excites me about this technology is not that it's going to help museums build great mobile apps (we already have one of those!), but, rather, how open it is—that it opens the door for non-programmers to build their own location-based experiences and

share them with others.

Exploring the museum of Egyptian art using beacon technology

If a museum puts some beacons in its galleries, any device can find them, and any app can use those beacons to trigger content. EddyBox is an app that makes it easy to develop just these experiences.

As mobile technology is developing, the boundary between the physical and the digital user experience is rapidly disappearing. Visitors who enter enclosed public spaces such as galleries, malls, airports, and museums are expecting to receive a mobile experience that is highly relevant, convenient, and delivered in a timely and seamless manner.

For enclosed spaces with thick walls, such as those in museums, using GPS is problematic. The GPS receiver relies on continuous signal transmission from several satellite sources, so physical barriers such as thick walls can cause significant signal interference. Beacons, although a relative newcomer to the location-technology space, have proven themselves to be a seamless and robust solution for large indoor spaces.

Beacons have already been tested in diverse industries ranging from museums (Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum of Neons), to retail (Shopkick, Carrefour), to the entertainment industry (Tulipland, Coachella, Tribeca Film Festival), and airports (London's Heathrow International Airport).

With such promising case studies, the Met's MediaLab decided to test the potential of this technology for the Museum. Under the leadership of Don Undeen, the initial experiments were conducted in the MediaLab's fifth-floor space.

Beacons

Beacons are small wireless sensors that communicate with Bluetooth-enabled smart devices such as iPhones, iPads or Android by continuously advertising their location using a Bluetooth low energy radio transmitter. In turn, smart devices monitor the received signal strength indication (RSSI) and determine the device's proximity to the beacon. Apple's developer guidelines divide the proximity to the beacon into three states: immediate, near (between one and three meters), and far. Once the user is in the desired proximity range, the corresponding app content is triggered.

A typical beacon, like the Eddybox beacon, is essentially a miniature computer that, together with BLE, may include an accelerometer and a temperature sensor.

The initial beacon experiment in the MediaLab's space demonstrated that beacon technology could provide a valuable locative context to the Met's visitors—including supplementary audio and video content, and descriptions of the objects. Beyond the initial supplementary content, the beacons can be a valuable tool in informing visitors about locations of special exhibitions, libraries, dining venues, and other amenities, as well as alerting visitors about current tours and events happening relative to their location.

From the physical UX experience, however, the experiment in the MediaLab space provided a glass-house experience at best. The initial testing in the actual gallery spaces brought to the surface the host of important environmental factors to consider when working with beacons. These include gallery architecture, human traffic, interference with metal objects, temperature changes, battery life, and the customization of app's interface.

Beacon Battery Life and Temperature

One of the main advantages of beacons is supposedly their fairly long battery life. However, changes in temperature seem to have a noticeable effect on the battery life. For example, moving the beacons from the "ideal" temperature environment at the MediaLab to a considerably colder and less predictable lecture-hall space adversely impacted their battery life.

Placement and Human Traffic

Although just an observation at this point (since not enough evidence has been collected), having a group of people between the beacon and the BLE smart device may interfere with the broadcasting of the beacon set to an immediate or near regimes. The app may either start showing another beacon set to a far-proximity range or start switching back and forth between beacons in the near regime that are in the area.

The effect was more pronounced when testing in the busy area of the Arms and Armor galleries. The same "blinking" effect seems to happen if two beacons in an intermediate/near range regime are placed too close to each other, a possibility which is mentioned in Apple's iBeacon developer tools. A deeper understanding of how possible interferences such as metal and human traffic affect the beacon/device communication will be really important to create the most effective user experience.

Future Directions

Beacons and other BLE-responsive devices, although a recent phenomenon, are quickly gaining momentum across a variety of industries. As the technology is becoming better and more affordable, the Met has many opportunities to use it in order to add to the visitor experience. One route would be to develop, in-house, a custom app using tools like the Eddybox SDK, with a possibility of eventually integrating it with the Met app. Such an app can be tailored to address both aesthetic UX aspects

and challenges of the actual gallery environment. Since the physical factors such as temperature changes and human traffic seem to affect the capabilities of the hardware, it is important to investigate this phenomenon more thoroughly by recording the signal strength as a function of temperature changes and human traffic inside each gallery space in question to determine the most appropriate position for each beacon. Finally, the possibility of a beacon being hacked and hijacked should be thoroughly investigated as well.

(Read in Details: metmuseum.org/about-the-museum/museum-departments/office-of-the-director/digital-media-department/digital-underground/2015/beacons)

Beacon Technology -The Where, What, Who, How and Why

Source    : Forbes

By           : H.O. Maycotte
Category: Beacon Technology

Beacons have been generating buzz since 2013, when Apple AAPL +0.87% first introduced iBeacon technology. And while it may have appeared for a time that this new way of connecting with customers might be slow to catch on, today it’s catching fire. This year began with BI Intelligence reporting that beacons would be driving $44 billion in retail sales by 2016, up from $4 billion this year. Then last month came the big news that Apple and IBM have teamed up on a host of new apps incorporating analytics and iBeacons. And just last week, Ad Age reported on the impending reinvention of retail by digital technology, as the physical and digital worlds converge in stores.

Sounds like exactly the right time for a quick primer on beacon technology and what it’s all about. After all, as the Future of Privacy Forum has pointed out, while there’s been a lot of hype around beacons, they haven’t necessarily been very well understood. This week, I’d like to offer some “beacon basics” that I hope will provide a fundamental understanding of the technology and its potential and help more companies of all sizes benefit from it. So without further ado, here’s the where, what, who, how and why of beacons today.

Where: Or perhaps more accurately, where not

Retail is probably the most often cited example of an industry employing beacons, with heavy hitters like Macy’s and Lord & Taylor deploying them in their stores. But retail represents just one of many kinds of businesses that can benefit from beacons. Starwood Hotels is running a pilot program to replace hotel room keys with beacons. Major League Baseball is using them to reach out to fans in stadiums to offer them seat upgrades. American Airlines is one of a growing number of airlines leveraging beacon technology to improve connections with customers in airports. Meanwhile, in the B2B arena, look for beacons to start turning up everywhere from trade show booths to corporate lobbies.

What: Location-based mobile customer communication

Apple explains iBeacon technology to consumers as the enabling technology for Apple devices to alert apps or websites (which the user has opted into) when someone approaches or leaves a location. In other words, retail or other venues that have beacons in place can detect where a customer is at any given moment. Then — and this is the key part, of course — the retailer or other business can push timely messages to that customer promoting products or providing other useful information. Say someone is walking past a retail store; if they’ve downloaded the retailer’s mobile app, the company can use beacon messages to capture their attention as they go by, enticing them to enter. Once inside, beacons can be used to make personalized offers, speed checkout processes and pretty much anything else the retailer can dream up.

Who: Apple, Google GOOGL -0.31% and a growing list of manufacturers

As beacon manufacturer Kontakt has pointed out, Apple isn’t the only game in town when it comes to beacon technology. And in point of fact, Apple doesn’t actually make beacons; rather, it has developed the iBeacon standard around which beacons can be built. (Google has its own beacon standard, Eddystone.) There are a number of players in the beacon manufacturing space — not only Kontakt, but also Eddybox, BlueSense, Gelo, Estimote and others. Check out this list published earlier this year, and expect it to grow as more and more companies look to take advantage of opportunities in this space.

How: Shrinking hardware and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

Beacons began as devices about the circumference of a large apple; today they’re mere stickers that can be placed on walls or objects. The smaller and less obtrusive they get, the easier they become to use. Beacons employ Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) wireless technology to pinpoint the location of customers in stores and other places and to deliver messages to their mobile devices. Specifically, a beacon emits a BLE signal that a retailer’s or other company’s app on a smartphone coming within range of that signal can pick up on. A big differentiator between beacons and RFID is that beacons are far more private because it gives users control of the apps that leverage the beacon. This also generally means that beacons are authenticated and with user permission, which can ultimately lead to tremendous experiences as a result.

Why: The power to revolutionize customer experiences

Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Chuck Martin called beacons “the missing piece in the whole mobile-shopping puzzle.” Pointing to the ability to push messages to people without them having to do anything at all, he sees beacons as overcoming a “major hurdle” for companies that want to engage with customers in a more personalized way — because it makes that engagement completely effortless for the customer.

Is beacon technology in your company’s future? Increasingly, the odds are that the answer will be yes.

(Source: forbes.com/sites/homaycotte/2015/09/01/beacon-technology-the-what-who-how-why-and-where/)