Verizon has acquired Senion, a company that provides indoor positioning system (IPS) technology based on “machine learning sensor fusion technology.” The platform, according to Verizon, provides sub-meter accuracy for positioning and navigation within structures.
The Senion system adds indoor wayfinding, geofencing, location sharing, analytics and predictive intelligence to Verizon’s location-based technology capabilities. The platform uses analytics and an interactive dashboard to help organizations better and more safely manage their indoor spaces by increasing their understanding of the movement of people, machines and IoT-enabled devices indoors.
“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,” Verizon Location Technology Executive Director Jeff Frantz said in a press release. “Sensor fusion and indoor positioning are foundational components for these next-generation capabilities. Combining Senion’s superior technology with the location-accuracy, speed, throughput and reliability of Verizon’s 5G platform will help us push the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Senion’s employees have joined the Location Technology team, which is part of Verizon New Business Incubation. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
5G, edge computing, AI and other innovations are driving location-based technology and services. Verizon is playing an inside and outside game, so to speak. The latest news before the Senion acquisition was on the outside front. In April, the carrier introduced the Verizon Hyper Precise Location (HPL) service.
The service is aimed at applications including autonomous cars, smart agriculture and drone delivery. It provides a steady stream of real-time data that produces location results within one to two centimeter tolerances. The service, which is available in 100 major markets, can be accessed by developers via Verizon ThingSpace, which the carrier describes as its “connectivity and device management system.”
