Kaarta Wins Microsoft Indoor Localization Competition for Second Time

Kaarta, innovator of the next big leap in 3D modelling, took first place for the second consecutive year in the Microsoft Indoor Localization Competition held at the IPSN 2017 conference. Kaarta not only achieved the best accuracy score overall, but it also did so in real time without the use of prior maps or any infrastructure such as beacons or ultra-wideband radio and required no post-processing.

The Microsoft Indoor Localization Competition is a well-known annual benchmark for assessing many approaches to indoor localisation. This year, technologies from both academia and industry were put to the test in a space encompassing 600 square metres and two floors. Each team was required to report the coordinates of 20 test points that were previously measured by Joint Research Centre (JRC) – the European Commission’s science and knowledge service – using a tripod-mounted laser scanner for the purpose of ground truth assessment. With a remarkable 0.03-metre average localisation error as compared to ground truth, Kaarta bested its own winning accuracy mark from last year and demonstrated the extreme speed and ease of use of its technology.

Kevin Dowling, CEO of Kaarta, stated that the team was thrilled to have won a second time in as many years. The company is proving that real-time results are attainable, and that accuracy needn’t suffer for the sake of speed and usability. 3D modelling through mapping and localisation is ripe for a step change especially for indoor applications, underscored by Kaarta’s maxim that ‘the inside is as big as the outside’, he added.

Kaarta completed the challenge hand-carrying Stencil, Kaarta’s mobile, lightweight and low-cost system that unleashes the integrated power of mapping and real-time position estimation. Like all Kaarta devices, Stencil is powered by Kaarta Engine which uses multiple sensors including Lidar, IMU and camera to feed Kaarta’s core set of algorithms to build a faithful map of surroundings and determine position within it, all in real time without prior maps, infrastructure or GPS and with no post processing.

Kaarta is demonstrating its 3D modelling technologies at GEO Business this week (Stand J17).