03 – How to simulate positioning

At Situm, we provide different methods to simulate positioning within your building, tailored to your specific scenario.

Scenario 1: You don’t have a building in your account #

If you have not uploaded a building to your account or require further assistance, please contact our support@situm.com team for personalized support. You’ll need a building to simulate location in it! We can setup a testing venue for you.

Scenario 2: You already have a building in your account #

If you have set up a building to your Situm account, you have two options to simulate your location:

1. Simulate a beacon and calibrate the venue (recommended): This option allows you to simulate a realistic indoor location based on real BLE data as if you were in the venue.
2. Skip Calibration and Mock Position: Alternatively, you can skip calibration and directly mock a GPS position within the building for simulation purposes (Android only)

Simulate and calibrate the venue #

In the next section, we provide detailed steps for simulating a beacon to obtain a position along with instructions on performing a quick calibration.

Simulate a beacon #

To simulate a beacon or several beacons from your building and conduct remote positioning tests, you will first need to download a beacon simulator app. Keep in mind that to perform this process, you will need two devices: one to be used as the beacon simulator and another to position yourself within the building.

Step 1: Download a beacon simulator app #

• Android: For versions higher than Android 12: Beacon Scope (images above)
• iOS (iPhone, iPad, and Mac): Beacon Walker tool for iBeacon
• Windows: Beacon Simulator

Step 2: Choose the right beacon #

To continue, please follow these steps:

1. Begin by navigating to the Dashboard and accessing the Infrastructure Panel specific to your building.
2. Select a beacon located in the area of the building where you want to test positioning.
3. Once you have selected the beacon, take note of its Major and Minor values. In this case:
   • Major: 8217
   • Minor: 4659

Step 3: Updating the beacon information in the beacon app #

After installing the app and choosing the beacon, you’re ready to start simulating! Each beacon simulator app is different, but they all share some common steps. Here we describe these steps and provide some mockups of how one of these apps might look like.

1. Create a new beacon. Usually, there will be a “Transmit” menu and/or a “+” button to add it.
2. Provide a name for your simulated beacon and enter the values as shown in the third image: UUID, Major, and Minor.
   • Remember that Situm’s UUID is: 73697475-6D73-6974-756D-736974756D15 while Kontakt beacon’s UUID is f7826da6-4fa2-4e98-8024-bc5b71e0893e.
3. Choose the ‘iBeacon’ protocol for simulating your beacon.
4. Save the configuration and return to the main menu to activate the beacon. Usually, there’s a switch to enable the beacon.

Calibration with Situm Mapping Tool #

Once you have successfully simulated one or several beacons, it’s time to capture the signal from those beacons with a brief calibration. In Situm Mapping Tool, begin by calibrating a specific section as if you were physically present. Please, follow these steps:

1. Calibrate a small section, ensuring that ‘record BLE’ are enabled as shown in the first image.
2. In Situm Mapping Tool, start by clicking on the floorplan as if you were performing a regular calibration. Select a point and create a path that Situm Mapping Tool will later connect with straight lines and interpolate measurements between them.

After completing this quick calibration, you will be ready to proceed to the next step: positioning within the building.

Positioning within the building #

1. Log into Situm Mapping Tool from a different device than the one you’re using to simulate the beacon.
2. Then, simply try positioning and the system will detect you as if you were indeed there.
3. To verify it, in the Real Time Panel, you will see your position displayed where the simulated beacon was established.

Skip Calibration and Mock Position #

If you prefer not to simulate a beacon and calibrate (recommended option), you can choose to mock your position using different applications. Remember that, in any case, you must always have a building uploaded to your account. Below, we detail the steps you should follow:

Step 1: Download a Mock position app #

To do this, search for ‘Fake GPS’ in the Google Play Store app. Here are some app examples for Android devices:

• Lockito (Recommeded): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fr.dvilleneuve.lockito&hl=es_419&gl=US
• Mock Location: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.gavrikov.mocklocations&hl=en
• Fake GPS: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lexa.fakegps&hl=es&gl=US

Download and Install it on your device.

Step 2: Create a path within the Mock app #

This step requires some creativity. The concept is to establish a path that aligns (more or less) with the accessible areas of your building.

1. Begin by creating a route (left picture).
2. Use the screen to place waypoints and then press ‘play’ once the route is complete (right picture).

Tip!

In the dashboard, adjust the floorplan opacity to 40% and navigate using recognizable features within the building itself.

Step 3: Set up a Geofence #

To proceed with this step, follow these instructions:

• Navigate to the Dashboard and access the Cartography section of your building
• Create a geofence with a custom field that integrates phone sensor data to improve location accuracy alongside the Google GPS signal.

• Once this geofence is created, reopen the Situm Mapping Tool application and enable the Indoor GPS. You are now ready to test positioning!