Though Verizon is refusing to disclose how much it spent, the major wireless provider acquired Senion, an indoor positioning company. Senion is pushing its indoor positioning system (IPS) to sub-meter accuracy through machine learning (ML) sensor fusion technology. This will provide a more accurate application of its position and navigation uses. Verizon is looking at the advancements as a solution for determining the movements of people, machinery, and IoT devices.
As 5G continues to expand its reach and capabilities, so does the Internet of Things (IoT). The increase in speed that 5G is bringing combined with its lower latency levels is enabling devices to communicate with each other and with us in ways never seen before. This means there are more applications for wireless communication and functionality with devices, however, there are many challenges that these breakthroughs also bring. It is a lot to account for the randomness of movement in real-world settings. Innovative solutions, such as the tech Senion is developing, will help bring these IoT applications to life in safe, realistic, and productive ways.
“Verizon Location Technology is working to build a more efficient and productive world. This involves giving machines sight and providing enterprise leaders with deeper insights, enabling the orchestration of any space. Sensor fusion and indoor positioning are foundational components for these next-generation capabilities,” said Jeff Frantz, Verizon Location Technology’s Executive Director via a statement.
The Location Technology team is a team within Verizon’s New Business Incubation division. Here, teams focus on scaling new automation businesses, which is what the employees at Senion’s San Francisco and Swedish office will now put their efforts towards. Serion’s IPS can complement Verizon’s Digital Space Orchestration which “allows indoor and outdoor spaces to be digitized, managed, updated and refreshed in near real-time,” according to a spokesperson. Because Serion’s sensor fusion and IPS can work in places where GPS isn’t a solution, it is the preferred solution for both indoor and outdoor environments.
Enterprises are the primary target for these solutions, however, there is optimism for the consumer market as well. In the end, it’s believed “that there could potentially be private wireless consumer applications in the future,” according to a spokesperson from Verizon. Christian Lundquist, the CEO, and Co-Founder of Senion, released a statement on the matter saying, “Senion was created with the vision that one day our sensor fusion technology would allow for precise positioning for anyone and anything, at (any time). By leveraging Verizon’s expertise in connectivity and location technology, we can further our work to improve workflows for companies and create seamless, responsive, and location-aware services.”
Earlier in April 2021, Verizon increased access to its Hyper Precise Location (HPL) software-as-a-service (SaaS) in over 100 American markets. Its HPL’s precision technology, which is offered through Verizon’s ThingsSpace IoT platform, is capable of accuracy at the centimeter level. A major goal for the wireless carrier is to develop safer roads using the technology.
Source: Fierce Wireless