Feature 101: Blue Dot

We’ve come a long way since the days of the 'You Are Here' icon on printed maps. People now turn to their phones and have become accustomed to a staple of outdoor navigation: the blue dot. On a digital map, a simple blue dot lets you know your location and allows you to continually reference that location as you walk or drive. It makes getting around so much easier.

The outdoors was always the natural first step for navigation; from driving to that store you’ve never heard of to planning your transit route through a city. Over the past decade or so, outdoor navigation quickly went from being only used on vehicle GPS systems to everyone getting from point A to B with the phone in their pocket. Indoor navigation on the other hand, has typically fallen short due to limitations with GPS signals or venues not being mapped at all. 

More and more, users are expecting a great navigation experience indoors while today’s mobile map applications still prioritize the outdoors. Mappedin is bridging this gap with a feature called Mapped Blue Dot. Pairing Mappedin’s detailed 3D maps with advancements in indoor positioning technology means that we can provide robust indoor blue dot navigation. A user simply has to load the map on their device from a website and they can now locate themselves while navigating to any location within a venue.

No apps to install and no friction. 

When using Mappedin Blue Dot, users will see the same great features they have come to expect for the outdoors. As you walk to your destination, you are guided by the blue dot. To make your experience seamless, the map automatically rotates for every turn along the way and Follow Mode means that there’s no need to pan or move the map to keep up with you. If you do, however, you can always get back to your position on the map with the tap of a button. When you get to a connection point such as an escalator, your level or floor on the map will switch automatically - a crucial piece of functionality for indoor navigation. Throughout this journey, blue dot will give instant feedback on position accuracy with the ‘accuracy ring,’ and advanced algorithms help to ensure we display the most accurate positioning data at all times. All of these great features help to make the journey to your destination as smooth as possible while minimizing unnecessary interactions with the map. 

By combining blue dot positioning with Mappedin’s accurate maps, optimized pathing, and always up-to-date location data, you get a superior indoor wayfinding experience. Mappedin Blue Dot makes it even easier to reach your destination, get your bearings, and know where you are at all times. For users, this results in a satisfying, efficient, and productive visit to any indoor venue imaginable. 

Contact us to learn more about Blue Dot or find out how to implement this feature across your venues.