12 May, 2014

 
Finding your way around large buildings can be frustrating, particularly as GPS doesn’t work indoors, but an indoor navigation system from a start-up company at Cork Institute of Technology could change all that.
 
Showguider is initially targeting its indoor positioning and navigation systems at large-scale trade shows. The company’s smartphone applications guide visitors quickly and easily to their destinations with interactive 3D mapping and dynamic content. Based on technology developed in the Nimbus Centre for Embedded Systems research at CIT, it is CIT's first spinout company to receive seed funding from the Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start Fund.
 
Tens of thousands of large-scale exhibitions and events are held each year and the ability to guide visitors through sprawling venues to find particular exhibits is extremely useful. Showguider’s system offers tiered feature levels to suit every event – and is already attracting interest from show organisers in China, Germany and the Middle East.
 
The system was awarded first place in the infrastructure-free division of the IPSN Microsoft Indoor Localisation Competition held in Berlin in April. The team came second overall, beating all but one participant, who used expensive and proprietary electronic systems infrastructure for localisation rather than being infrastructure-free.
 
Enterprise Ireland’s Competitive Start Fund accelerates the growth of start-up companies that have the capability to succeed in global markets.
 
For more detail on Showguider visit www.showguider.com