Briteyellow launches Indoor Wayfinding app

New Briteway app provides Augmented and Virtual Reality (XR) navigation of complex stations for rail operators and other large buildings.
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New Briteway app provides Augmented and Virtual Reality (XR) navigation of complex stations for rail operators and other large buildings. 

Briteyellow, a leading provider of indoor positioning and navigation systems, has announced the launch of Briteway, a new travel companion app for passengers. This new app promises easy navigation for large rail stations, as well as other complex buildings, for elderly and vulnerable travellers. 

Briteyellow designed its Britewayindoor wayfinding app with funding from Innovate UK Design Age Institute – Transport Pathfinder project to offer easy planning and navigation of transport hubs. The resulting Briteway-XR mobile app provides Virtual Reality (VR) tours of stations and Augmented Reality (AR) navigation for live guidance through stations. It has been piloted by Transport for Wales at Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queens Street, Newport, Shrewsbury, and Chester train stations. 

A virtual reality indoor map of each station allows passengers to rehearse their journey from the comfort of their homes. Upon arrival at the station, AR navigation interfaces provide guidance through for voice and 3D visuals. Briteway includes the added benefit of direct connection to customer services for immediate assistance for those that need it. Allowing the elderly and vulnerable to travel independently through transport hubs with greater confidence. 

Seamless navigation inside train stations

A smartphone displaying an augmented reality navigation app Briteway with a photo of an old architectural building on the screen, surrounded by interface icons.
A smartphone displaying an augmented reality navigation app Briteway with a photo of an old architectural building on the screen, surrounded by interface icons.

A smartphone displaying an augmented reality navigation app Briteway with a photo of an old architectural building on the screen, surrounded by interface icons.

Trains stations are often challenging to navigate. High levels of anxiety are associated with missing an exit or choosing the wrong way, resulting in missed connections or late arrival to appointments. 

During user trials of the app as part of the Transport Pathfinder project, Briteyellow found that 60% of passengers are likely to use the app for both journey exploration and station navigation. Integration with customer help desks for simplified passenger assistance was positively received. 

The new Briteway app also enables passengers to get updates on the status of station facilities. Passengers receive alerts in the app on the availability of facilities and crowd levels at key station way points, so they can avoid overcrowded spots. For instance, they could plan to arrive at a different time or be guided through a less crowded routing. 

“Navigation of complex multi-modal stations can be challenging for many. But for the elderly and vulnerable, it can be a living nightmare, leaving passengers anxious and stressed. Operators need a solution that allows elderly and disabled passengers to plan better and be guided seamlessly so they can be safer and happier. That’s exactly what we wanted to achieve with our new Briteway app.

“Our commitment at Briteyellow has always been to enable smarter places, and the launch of Britway is a prime example of us meeting this aim. It’s about more than helping elderly and vulnerable passengers to navigate stations; it’s about creating a connected travel app that gives contextual insights for a seamless and safer journey for all passengers. We’re delighted to see how passengers use Briteway to enhance their journeys. 

Briteway is available as a standalone app or in our Briteway SDK, for train operators and transport hubs with virtual tours, visual navigation, and helpdesk connection, and all in one app.” 

Fredi Nonyelu, CEO Briteyellow

Exploring points of interest

A person holding a mobile phone using the Briteway augmented reality app.
A person holding a mobile phone using the Briteway augmented reality app.

The Briteway app makes it easy to explore points of interest inside stations and other indoor venues. The VR map lists all the points of interest inside the venue so passengers and explore what they look like and how to get to them before arrival. This pre-arrival rehearsal makes every passengers travel like a local even through unfamiliar stations. 

Briteway-XR travel companion app features 2D maps to navigate passengers from home to the station and switching between the 2D and 3D modes for guidance at the station. 

Nonyelu adds: “The ability to switch between different guidance modes increases the coverage of the app. A passenger can start the app from any location and use the 2D mode to get to their point of interest inside the station. Once there, they can switch to 3D mode for AR navigation.” 

Briteyllow has been collaborating with Transport for Wales on Briteway. The firm’s patent-pending technology used in Briteway has been used demonstrate precision in indoor positioning and navigation. Briteway is the first mixed reality transport app designed for the needs of elderly and vulnerable passengers.