• In the past, people were depending on some passer-by for directions to reach any destination that is unknown to them. This practice was common, until we got GPS– a revolutionary invention that changed the way we navigate. Global Positioning System – has not just made our way of travel easy and comfortable, but has made ourselves self-dependent.
• However, in order to improve navigation further with greater accuracy and bring in new tech advancements, technology providers are experimenting with a number of technologies. One of them is the Visual Positioning Systemor VPS that has been designed to overcome challenges of GPS, and is many times more accurate.

What is VPS?

• Visual Positioning System (VPS) is the newly developed feature for the Google Maps. VPS will use the camera of the user’s smartphone to identify their surroundings, and thereby visually display a blown-up 3D direction such as lit-up arrows and precise steps, in the screen of the smart phones.

VPS- “am I going the Right Direction?”

• Leveraging the possibilities of GPS system and camera in the mobile phones and embedding the same with augmented reality,Google is giving a new definition for navigation system. The VPS uses Google’s extensive back-end data and the device’s camera to analyse the surroundings and visually communicate the route to the users.
• The greater accuracy of the features makes it really easy for the users to identify where they are.

What makes Visual Navigation a Gamechanger?

• At times, when the standard GPS technology is not enough, this new visual system can offer the users ample support to fix their navigation concerns.
• VPS can be a great aid to the visually-impaired, the close-up visual assistance can be a life changing assistance to the visually-impaired to make their navigation a lot easy.
• The system not just helps with routing directions but makes the best use of Augmented Realityso as to retrieve supplementary information by taking clues of nearby signboards and shops.
• The technology can really come handy in Urban Areas with Tall Buildingswhere, the GPS is prone to the phenomena of GPS drift.

The Future with the VPS:

• VPS is poised to supplement existing location data models to further the advances in navigation, marketing, and even roboticsin the future.
• VPS is capable of determining indoor and outdoor locationthrough ad-hoc visual markers.
• Distinguishing features such as signage, buildings, and walls are identified by scanning geolocated photos, enabling Unprecedented Accuracy in location data.
• Augmented Robotics- Autonomous robots, from drones to dogs to cars, could access VPS services and improve their navigation ability. VPS data could eventually eliminate the need for Expensive Sensorsin robotics.
• Augmented Marketing– The system can capitalize the immersive potential of AR to create compelling marketing content in the digital platforms.