Citywide Indoor Navigation Is Closer Than You Think

Thanks to its ubiquitous smartphones and speedy broadband, Seoul is already recognized as one of the world's most wired cities. This fall, the South Korean capital will take this reputation to a new level by introducing a free mobile application that can navigate the city both above and below street level. The app, called Fing, could set a new standard for city navigation guides around the world.

Fing draws on a mix of wireless technologies to offer an unprecedented level of detail about Seoul. Street-level navigation taps the phone's GPS like a typical mapping app. But in places where GPS doesn't work, such as underground and deep inside shopping malls, Fing switches to Wi-Fi-based indoor positioning to track users' locations and provide directions.