Agathe sweepin

At a time of ecological transition, municipalities are transforming themselves to become smart cities, intelligent cities that operate in a sustainable and collaborative manner in order to offer a more pleasant living environment to their residents. To achieve this, they use digital tools, especially mobile applications. But what are the advantages of a mobile application for smart cities? What exactly is it used for? Sweepin answers.

The practical benefits of a smart city application

The mobile application for smart city is a direct and efficient way to reach citizens. It is estimated that nearly 85% of French people have a smartphone, which makes the mobile application a practical communication tool, accessible to the greatest number and adapted to current uses.

The implementation of a mobile app also offers other advantages to the smart city:

• It is a flexible and agile tool, constantly updated and customizable according to the real needs of the city as well as the users,





• Well integrated with the city's information system, it offers productivity gains (less data entry, rapid processing of requests, etc.),





• The city reduces its expenses and improves its carbon footprint thanks to dematerialization, thus meeting the sustainable objectives of a smart city,





• Finally, it gives a modern and connected image of the city.

A mobile application to inform in real time

For an smart city, the role of a mobile application is first to inform users in real time. The advantage is that residents have instant access to all practical information about the city on the same medium: city hall opening hours, work zones, sorting guide, on-call pharmacies, new businesses, etc. The smart city's mobile app replaces and modernizes the traditional municipal magazine.

Beyond the inhabitants, the smart city app can also integrate tourist modules that will make visitors discover the city and its heritage, with for example interactive maps, hiking trails, panoramic views of points of interest… Whether you are a resident or a visitor, the mobile app is a mine of information!

Facilitate exchanges with a mobile app

The smart city application is not only informative. It integrates functionalities that allow to interact with citizens. This includes the possibility of carrying out administrative procedures at any time or to pay for the children's canteen, but also to participate in surveys concerning the city's projects.

The mobile app also allows you to report useful information such as damage, defective lighting or road accidents to the relevant departments: a citizen's report that makes the city safer and more pleasant to live in for everyone.

Through its various functionalities, a mobile application for smart city makes possible a shared governance between the city and its inhabitants. It facilitates interactions, strengthens citizen involvement and allows everyone to participate in the construction of a sustainable territory for tomorrow.

Discover all our connected solutions for smart cities.

In a medical or surgical ambulatory service, the follow-up of the patients' pathway
can be complex. Indoor geolocation is a precious help for the nursing staff.
care staff. Find out how to optimize the patient's journey in ambulatory care
and all the advantages that a geotracking system can offer to healthcare institutions.
to healthcare facilities.

Indoor geolocation and inpatient tracking

For a hospital, receiving outpatients requires well-trained logistics and the ability to manage the flow of patients and their companions. In this case, the implementation of an indoor geolocation system allows to optimize the management and the follow-up of the patients' journey in the department.

The principle is simple: several terminals are installed at each stage of the patient's journey (admission, entry into the recovery room, etc.). Upon arrival in the outpatient department, patients are equipped with a bracelet containing a geolocation tag. When the patient passes in front of one of the terminals, the beacon on the bracelet sends a signal to the nursing staff and the accompanying person, allowing them to follow the patient's journey in real time.

This geolocation system is not limited to use in an ambulatory service. It can also be implemented in an emergency department with the same objective of tracking the patient's journey, but it can also be used to locate patients at risk. Thus, when a patient gets lost or is detected outside a department or the hospital premises, the caregivers are immediately alerted.

The benefits of geolocation in an ambulatory service

Indoor geolocation solutions offer many advantages to all those involved in an outpatient's journey.

For caregivers, it is a simple and efficient way to manage and optimize the path of hospitalized patients, saving time in the administrative management of care. Geolocation allows them to follow the patient in real time, but also to manage the occupation of the care rooms, to detect congestion areas, to estimate the waiting time before the patient is discharged…, all from the establishment's interface.

For the patient, deprived of his smartphone during his outpatient hospitalization, it is the assurance that his relatives will be informed of his state of health as well as the time of his discharge. Their care and comfort are improved, and their waiting time is limited.

As for those accompanying the patient (family, friends, ambulance drivers, etc.), they are informed of their loved one's progress through the care process. They are not required to stay on site, which takes up waiting room space, and they will know exactly when they can pick up the patient.

With indoor geolocation, your healthcare facility can provide patients with better care during their outpatient journey. Sweepin offers hospitals a digital indoor geolocation solution to optimize the patient journey. Contact us for more information.

The terms "connected city" and "smart city" are often used to describe cities that use advanced technologies to improve the quality of life for their residents and make the city more efficient and sustainable. However, these terms have slightly different meanings and do not refer to the same type of city or community.

The connected city relies on technology to improve citizens' quality of life

The connected city is a concept that aims to improve the quality of life in the city through the use of technology to provide services to its citizens. Today, more and more cities are adopting connected solutions to better manage resources, optimize travel, improve safety, facilitate exchanges between citizens and city services, etc. The connected city is often implemented in a fragmented way, with solutions tailored to the specific needs of each city.

Mobile applications are one of the means used to make the city more connected. They allow citizens to interact with city services and to report problems on the public highway, such as accidents, deterioration of equipment, etc. They can also provide information in real time to the public. They can also provide real-time information on public transportation, events, local businesses, etc.
Created for connected cities, they can be customized according to the needs of each community. They can be developed to meet specific needs such as waste management, energy optimization, citizen safety, but also tourism development for example.
In order for mobile applications to be effective, a city must make sure upstream that this tool will be used by citizens, that it meets a real need. It is also important to have a reliable and efficient network infrastructure. The city must be equipped with appropriate communication networks to collect data in real time and process it efficiently, while protecting the privacy of users.

Mobile applications for connected cities are a key element to improve the quality of life in the city. They promote participatory democracy by allowing citizens to actively participate in the life of their community. This allows municipal services to better respond to the needs of the population.

The smart city and its broader vision of sustainable urban development and quality of life

The smart city is a more comprehensive concept that requires a strategic vision and a long-term project. A smart city goes beyond simple connectivity, using advanced and innovative technologies to improve the quality of life of its citizens, while reducing its environmental footprint and ensuring efficient use of resources. This implies the implementation of sustainable practices in all aspects of urban life.

A smart city relies on technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and 5G networks to collect and use data in real time. Smart cities also rely on transparent governance practices, citizen participation and open data to involve citizens and stakeholders in the planning and management of the city.
The main objective of a smart city is to create a sustainable and resilient urban environment that meets the needs of its citizens, while preserving natural resources.

A smart city takes a long-term view of sustainable urban development, considering long-term economic, social and environmental issues, while a connected city may focus on short-term technological solutions to meet specific needs.

IPS or Indoor Positioning System is a technology that allows to locate an object or a person inside a building. This device facilitates the management of interior spaces as well as the optimization of people flow. Discover all the advantages of an indoor positioning system.

A better orientation in a building thanks to IPS

Finding your way around is the number one advantage of an indoor geolocation service. This system allows occupants, visitors or emergency services to better orient themselves in a building to reach people or find objects. The navigation is done in real time and in full autonomy, which offers a fluid experience to the user.

For an efficient and simple use of an indoor geolocation solution, it is first necessary to digitally map the entire building in order to obtain an accurate map of the premises. The building map is then available to everyone, without the need for a network or mobile application.

To access the map, visitors download the interactive map onto their smartphone, for example by displaying a QR code at the entrance of the building. This map can also be available on your website or a digital terminal, but also via a mobile application to facilitate the reception and guidance of visitors.

Locate people easily and accurately

The other advantage of the IPS is its ability to locate precisely people (or objects, as needed) in real time inside a building.

This is an asset for security, as it allows you to know when someone enters a restricted area, leaves the building or changes floors. In the event of an incident, this is a huge advantage for a security service or rescue team.

In a hospital, this indoor tracking system is particularly useful. It improves the patient's pathway in the ambulatory or emergency room because it can be used without a mobile network, and therefore without the risk of creating interference with medical equipment.

It also allows you to track the movements of at-risk patients, even outside the building, by coupling it to an external GPS. More reactive, more efficient, you gain in agility and security, simply by equipping each patient with a geolocation bracelet.

Collect and analyze location data indoors

Beyond simple location, an indoor geolocation service can become a great decision support tool. You collect useful data on activities in a building: pedestrian movements, frequency of passage, stopping times… Once analyzed, this information allows you to improve the use of space and resource allocation.

In concrete terms, a hospital can open a second reception point to reduce waiting time if it notices an influx of patients at admissions. A patient can be monitored within the facility throughout his or her hospitalization. Patients are also managed more quickly by healthcare staff, operational management of surgical procedures and supervision of different departments is improved.

By integrating an IPS solution into your information system, you get a relevant overview of the premises. Discover all our indoor geolocation solutions to better understand mobility in your company or your health establishment.

3D mapping and indoor geolocation offer a solution by making it easier and faster to find a destination. This technology provides precise step-by-step directions and navigation, improving the overall experience of patients and visitors in hospitals. It can be implemented on a mobile app or using QR Codes. Patients can find and locate a department or office on the hospital website prior to their visit. With a navigation app, they can get real-time directions directly on their mobile device.

Why set up a geolocation system ?

Getting to the hospital can be stressful and daunting, whether it's for an emergency, an appointment or to visit someone. Healthcare spaces are often large, complex and ever-changing, making navigation difficult. That's why hospitals should consider using 3D mapping and indoor geolocation to help patients and visitors navigate the hospital and provide quality care.

Navigating in a hospital can be challenging due to its complex layouts. Patients arriving at the hospital are often stressed and need help finding their destination quickly. Unfortunately, there are often few distinguishing features to guide them and many current navigation tools are not satisfactory.

What benefits?

Location-based services, such as security alerts and push notifications, can inform people of nearby sanitation stations or temporarily closed areas, such as hallways, restrooms or elevators.

With the flexibility of a geolocation and 3D mapping platform, managers can easily temporarily close off certain areas of the hospital. This ensures that geolocation is suppressed across these closed sites. For example, if a hallway or stairwell is too narrow to allow for social distance, navigation can be suppressed so that guests are not led to these areas. In addition to improving social distance, this technology can be used to control traffic flow in a hospital.

Another important feature of indoor geolocation technology is that the accessibility mode is automatically activated. This provides patients with accessible routes that use elevators and ramps rather than stairs. This is crucial in the healthcare sector, as it ensures a safe route from point A to point B.

Hospitals can also use indoor positioning to gain insight into their patients and visitors, and how they interact with the space. In turn, they can use this data to provide an improved and safer space. For example, if a large number of patients and staff members are looking for an elevator in a specific area, hospitals may consider installing one. All things considered, there are countless ways this technology can be used to keep everyone in the hospital safe.

Prospects for the future

We can see that 3D mapping and geolocation technology is improving the patient experience in healthcare. By implementing this technology, hospitals can reduce the frustration and stress that patients face when trying to navigate the maze of buildings, floors and departments. Being able to get people safely to where they need to go will not only save time and resources, but also improve patient and visitor satisfaction. This technology can also be leveraged to improve safety measures throughout the hospital and provide a consistent 3D mapping experience across multiple platforms.

Indoor mapping is already the future with intelligent indoor travel! Discover our 3D digital mapping solution and all our indoor geolocation services on Sweepin.en.

The smart city is a concept for improving the territory that relies on different technologies to offer a more pleasant living environment to the inhabitants, and that makes the management of public services more economical and ecological. But what are these technologies that are essential to the development of a connected city?

The role of technology in a smart city

Today, cities are facing several social challenges. They must control their energy consumption for both economic and ecological reasons, and optimize the way they operate in key sectors (transportation, health, security, etc.). All this while regularly informing citizens. A real challenge.

The smart city is a way to meet these challenges, and to achieve this, it uses different technologies such as IoT and connected networks to :

• Collect and analyze data in real time: these data allow us to assess the situation and to cross-reference large quantities of information in order to make the right decisions.





• Implement new tools or develop existing systems to act effectively and quickly.

For waste management, for example, intelligent sensors measure the number of garbage cans filled to organize their collection, artificial intelligence optimizes the next rounds, and an application shares a sorting guide with users. Thanks to these different technologies, the connected city meets the needs of citizens and improves their comfort.

Technologies to build the smart city of tomorrow

Among the technologies that are helping cities become more liveable and environmentally friendly, the Internet of Things (IoT) is fundamental.

In short, sensors collect data that is transmitted to a platform via a dense mesh of connected objects. The IoT uses long-range networks (5G, fiber, LPWA, LoRa…) for real-time data transmission. Once interpreted, the data can be used, for example, to adapt the city's water or electricity consumption.

To facilitate the processing of the massive amount of information, artificial intelligence (AI) complements the IoT. It analyzes complex data while applying corrective measures autonomously according to the results. It is a particularly effective technology in traffic light management and traffic control.

Geospatial technologies also play an important role in a smart city. They collect GPS, weather and topographic data to determine the needs and constraints of a specific location, whether static or dynamic. In the long term, they can be used to develop intelligent solutions that anticipate pollution peaks and climatic phenomena, the creation of new neighborhoods or the installation of wind turbines.

Finally, there is no smart city without information and communication technologies. They are a bridge between the population and the city, a means of accessing open data and participating in the life of the city. This includes practical apps that provide information on traffic, air quality, local merchants, heritage, etc., as well as citizen reporting applications. All of these technologies must also integrate data encryption solutions to prevent piracy, for an experience that is as effective as it is secure for the citizens of connected cities.

The indoor guidance system using QR codes allows users to easily get a map and directions to guide themselves through a building without having to download a mobile app. How does this technology work and what are the benefits?

3D mapping, the basis for the operation of interior guidance

In order to be able to offer interior guidance with QR codes, it is first necessary to create a 3D map of the building concerned. This mapping allows to represent all the spaces and particularities of a covered place so that the guidance is optimal. The smallest detail is important, it is therefore necessary to map the walls, corridors, rooms, but also the stairs and elevators for example. 

Once designed, this 3D mapping allows to generate routes in the building in order to optimize the movements. It is only once this mapping is completed that it will be possible to set up the interior guidance with QR codes.

QR codes for quick and easy access

As a reminder, QR codes are a type of barcode that can be scanned with the camera of your smartphone, which then opens a web link or a file. 

For this indoor guidance solution, QR codes are generated quickly from Sweepin's back office: up to a hundred can be created for a single building, which are then spread over the entire surface of the building.

In this case, each QR code corresponds to the user's starting position in a building, such as a hospital for example. Once the QR code is scanned by the visitor with his smartphone, the map of the place is displayed on the screen. He is offered to generate an itinerary according to his position (found thanks to the QR code) and the place where he wants to go.

A button "start guiding" is then displayed and the visitor can choose his walking speed to follow the proposed route. He also has the possibility to pause the route at any time.

The availability of QR codes

Using this solution, the provision of QR codes for visitors is essential. It is possible to print them on posters or kakemonos for example, or to generate them on the digital terminals of the building. The main thing is that visitors find them quickly and easily in places that are often very spacious and busy. 

Les avantages de cette solution de guidage intérieur

Combining 3D mapping with the use of QR codes has several advantages.

First of all, this solution does not require the prior installation of a mobile application by the visitors and allows them to guide themselves in the building without necessarily having anticipated this route search.

Moreover, the implementation of this guidance system is very simple because it does not require any installation, except for the kakemonos, posters or digital terminals of reception to display the QR codes. This means that the Sweepin team does not have to travel to help set up the service, as everything can be easily indicated remotely if necessary. 

Another advantage is that visitors can go directly to the desired location without getting lost in a large structure. The staff also benefits from the reduction of corridor clutter, especially in health care facilities. 

Finally, this solution can be adapted to many types of structures with large surfaces, such as healthcare institutions, trade shows, exhibitions, etc. Sweepin was responsible for the 3D mapping at the SANTEXPO trade fair in 2022 and is currently providing this solution to several healthcare institutions in France.

An access to statistics generated by the solution 

From the Sweepin back-office, it is possible to access numerous statistics on the use of the solution. 

For example, you can see how many QR codes have been scanned since the solution was implemented, but also during the last 24 hours, the last week or the last month.

It is also possible to see which QR codes are the most scanned by visitors, as well as their number of scans. 

These statistics make it possible to report on the effectiveness of the solution and to adapt it to the building in which it is deployed.