The WiFi 802.11mc is a protocol that makes indoor geolocation possible, unlike GPS which is inefficient in this area. Google has published on the Play Store an application called WiFiRttScan that allows testing the location inside buildings using this technology.
Among the new features introduced by Android 9.0 P is the compatibility of the OS with WiFi 802.11mc or WiFi RTT (Round-Trip-Time), a technology that improves the accuracy of indoor location. The operation of this type of location is based on estimating the positioning of a device by analyzing the time of reception of the WiFi signal between it and an access point.
WiFiRttScan: a Google app to test indoor location
By combining several WiFi terminals inside a building, it is possible through WiFi RTT to locate a smartphone and other compatible devices with an accuracy of one to two meters. Positioning information is only accessible to localized devices and not to the terminals, which makes it possible to avoid any location tracking problem thanks to the WiFi access points.
Google has released an application called WiFiRttScan on the Play Store. It is intended for "developers, OEMs and researchers who can use it to perform tests, validate distance measurements for the purpose of developing indoor location applications based on the WiFi-RTT API" .
This application is not intended for everyone at this time, but consumer solutions should soon be proposed. The advantage of indoor location is, for example, being able to easily locate within an airport, a stadium or a shopping center. The user could thus go to specific rays or compartments by following the indication in an indoor mapping application, something that is currently not possible with GPS systems.
