The October 3, 2018 launch of the high-precision indoor localization service at Narita Airport marks Japan’s first geomagnetic micro-navigation roll-out.
Developed by NTT DATA with GiPSTech, the solution uses the technology used in the project that will revolutionize passenger mobility. It keeps infrastructure light and easy to maintain.
Therefore, 35 million passengers each year will move through the terminals quickly and safely.
The innovation is entirely Italian, yet it proves its power on the world’s busiest routes.
Geomagnetic Guidance for 35 Million Travelers
‘NariNAVI’ is the first to allow to move safely using an internal localization service. It reads your position through geomagnetism. Moreover, the app renders a 2.5 D map of all three multilevel terminals, and it always highlights the optimal route. Consequently, foreign visitors instantly understand where they are and where they need to go. Airport managers also gain new options for operations, maintenance, and traveler assistance. Further deployments could replicate the platform in other hubs worldwide, because the same magnetic fingerprinting is universal.
Inside Perspective from GiPSTech
At GiPStech we are really satisfied with the excellent result achieved with this installation both for its extension which is the greatest we have achieved to date, and because, thanks to the active collaboration with NTT Data, it allows us to have a strong presence in one of the markets more attentive to technology and the level of service offered to the final customer. An important goal for a startup, which comes after many months of in-depth analysis and that rewards a technology platform that we are applying for smartphones users in museums, stations, airports and stadiums but also for tracking assets in industrial environments and hospitals
Meanwhile, NTT DATA plans to extend the service to asset tracking and staff workflow areas inside Narita. As a result, every beacon-free corridor will still deliver centimetre-scale accuracy.
However, the heart of the project remains the high-precision indoor localization service that unites hardware simplicity with software intelligence. Therefore, Narita now stands as the first Japanese airport to use indoor positioning based on Earth’s magnetic field.
GiPSTech and NTT DATA earned the contract after a rigorous selection process, and they now aim to export the experience.
For the English press release click here or download the pdf
For the Italian press release click here or download the pdf
For the Japanese press release click here or download the pdf
NTT DATA is a leading IT services provider and global innovation partner headquartered in Tokyo, with business operations in over 50 countries. Our emphasis is on long-term commitment, combining global reach with local intimacy to provide premier professional services varying from consulting and systems development to outsourcing. For more information, visit www.nttdata.com.
Narita International Airport (IATA: NRT, ICAO: RJAA), also known as Tokyo Narita Airport, is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. Narita is the predominant international airport in Japan, handling around 50 % of the country’s international passenger traffic and 60 % of its international air-cargo traffic. Its 4,000-metre (13,123 ft) main runway shares the record for longest runway in Japan with the second runway at Kansai International Airport in Osaka. In 2017, Narita served 40,631,193 passengers, making it the 49th busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic.
