SAN DIEGO (dpa-AFX) - GE (GE) and Qualcomm Atheros, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) have announced a collaboration to bring indoor positioning technology to major retailers, allowing retailers to pinpoint shoppers' locations and use mobile apps to personalize the in-store experience.
Technology embedded in new GE commercial LED bulbs creates unique pulse patterns to 'talk' to shoppers' smartphones and tablets. The real-time connection will allow retailers to combine contextual information with location to create revolutionary new tools such as indoor navigation, infinite aisle, suggested items, product information, and special offers or coupons to those who opt in and download the retailer's app.
Beyond the retail industry, GE's LED lighting-based indoor positioning systems could also see application in airports, hotels, hospitals and many other environments where it is beneficial to know individuals' locations.
Separately, Beth Comstock, President & CEO, GE Business Innovations, shared GE's plans to engineer intelligent, color-changing LED lighting compatible with Apple's HomeKit during GE's Connected Future event, unveiling LED-enabled Intelligent Environments capabilities for cities, buildings and homes.
Embedded with GE Align technology, GE's HomeKit-enabled LED bulb takes smart home technology a step further, giving consumers the ability to automate lighting according to the body's natural sleep circadian rhythm. Lighting impacts our sleep patterns, and GE Align tunes the light spectrum to help promote the body's natural sleep cycle by controlling the blue concentration of light output. In the morning, GE Align produces a bright, bluer tone that suppresses the body's production of melatonin, and in the evening it produces an amber light, reminiscent of candlelight and campfires.
GE's HomeKit-enabled intelligent LED offering will be available later this year.
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