XR-INTERACTION - SPATIAL / Development of a method for determining user position in complex indoor spaces based on SPVLoc localization

SPATIAL addresses an everyday problem: safe and accurate navigation in indoor environments such as complex and sprawling subway stations. Despite advances in modern technologies such as GPS and conventional wayfinding apps, accurate localization and orientation in complex indoor spaces such as subway stations remains problematic. Accurate GPS-based methods are usually not usable indoors. Alternatives in the field of AR navigation usually require markers for accurate localization at individual locations and navigate relatively to these using the motion sensors on mobile devices. However, this type of navigation is inaccurate and exhibits so-called “drift,” which leads to increasing localization errors over time. In hectic environments and safety-critical locations in particular, inaccurate navigation can jeopardize user safety. The solution to be developed in SPATIAL, on the other hand, relies on camera-based, continuous localization without markers by comparing with reference models, thus avoiding drift and achieving more accurate positioning indoors. In addition to referencing in complex subway stations, the technology can also be used in other indoor spaces, enabling numerous other applications such as tourism, shopping centers, logistics centers, mining, etc.