The hybrid indoor navigation system is a synergistic combination of two technologies for locating users indoors. It encompasses all three aspects characteristic of modern navigation systems, which are detection, localisation and adaptive routing of users.
The first fundamental component of the system is beacon navigation, which is characterised by a network of distributed, miniature radio transmitters interacting with the user’s mobile device. It provides location with an accuracy of up to one metre and extremely simple scalability allowing easy adaptation to almost any building site. The emphasis on energy efficiency of the devices has resulted in years of battery operation, while the transfer of location data is ensured through the use of Bluetooth LE. In this case, interaction with the system is provided by a mobile application, through which users can orient themselves in space and then find points of interest. In this part of the system, the user does not retain his or her anonymity.
The second fundamental component is the radio tomography system, which, unlike beacons, does not require the presence of a tracked device next to the user, but does require a specific installation method (surrounding the surveyed area). It can be used to perform advanced analysis of the presence and movement of users, optimise passage routes, avoid congestion or improve the overall level of security in a building. In this case, interaction with the system can be reserved exclusively for the building administrator or made available as a web service for mobile devices. It is important to mention that in this part of the system, the user retains his or her anonymity.