In order to solve the problem of finding one’s way in large shopping malls, airports, exhibition halls, etc., ‘Growmaps’, an indoor navigation solution developed by Freegrow, is gaining attention. Freegrow CEO Kim Young-sik said, “Our goal is to provide users with optimized route guidance through AI-based map creation and data analysis,” and that they are showcasing their technological prowess through the Trade Center Testbed demonstration project.
Freegrow’s Growmaps utilizes GeoJSON data maps instead of the traditional image-based method to provide a lightweight operating environment and accurate route guidance. It includes various functions such as location recognition through QR codes, interfloor movement guidance, and store information display, making it easy to use even in complex commercial facilities.
In this testbed, in collaboration with Hyundai Duty Free, Growmaps has been applied to the Hyundai Duty Free Trade Center branch and Incheon International Airport T1 & T2 branches, allowing visitors to receive indoor route guidance and various benefit information by scanning QR codes.
Growmaps also improves user experience by providing real-time route updates and event information. “We are aiming to develop an integrated indoor/outdoor navigation that goes beyond an indoor navigation solution, including providing optimal indoor/outdoor routes, various information, and analyzing user behavior data,” said CEO Kim, explaining that this also provides useful data insights to operators. In particular, exhibition navigation users can save companies of interest and manage notes about them, enabling the use of business-specific functions.
In the Hyundai Duty Free Testbed conducted at the Trade Center Testbed 2024, customized navigation functions for each zone attracted attention. Freegrow easily provides users with customized benefits and store information for each zone through QR codes, and this can also be utilized as a marketing function for commercial spaces. CEO Kim said, “Through the testbed, we confirmed that Growmaps can contribute to improving user convenience and indoor space operation efficiency,” and added that they plan to expand and apply it to various domestic and international spaces in the future.
In addition to indoor navigation for users, Freegrow also provides a dashboard that provides operators with useful data-based insights. Growmaps’ dashboard analyzes visitors’ movements, store visit frequency, and congestion by time zone in real time to help operators improve space efficiency and establish marketing strategies. CEO Kim emphasized its potential as a solution for making space operations smarter, saying, “Operators can grasp the flow of space in real time through the dashboard and provide more sophisticated, customized customer services.”
After proving its domestic performance through the testbed, Freegrow plans to expand Growmaps to large commercial facilities, public institutions, exhibitions, etc. CEO Kim said, “Our goal is to provide an intuitive and convenient mobility experience by establishing Growmaps in all spaces that require indoor navigation,” and expressed his vision to grow into a partner that accelerates digital transformation.