By Gokhan Ergocun
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are integrating today with almost all technologies to improve people's lives.
When users, especially tourists, need an internet connection, they check for free Wi-Fi services in malls, restaurants, theme parks or fairs.
Particularly in big malls and parks, tens of thousands of visitors need to be guided while companies try to benefit from the users.
Wi-Fi systems, thanks to developing systems such as new access points, provide different services, including indoor navigation and customized ads.
The founder of AI company Ipera, Umut Kavurmaci, said when a user enters a mall or airport and connects to Wi-Fi, access points follow the user's coordination.
In line with personal data protection law and local rules, the system shows personalized ads and promotions to the user, he said at GITEX GLOBAL, the world's largest tech fair in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Thanks to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices, the system can track assets or vehicles in a designated area, he said.
Another important development is an indoor wayfinding system, which can be described as interior navigation, said Kavurmaci.
Aims to prevent wasting time in large areas, the system uses accurate coordinates to show the way to a user's destination in malls, parks or fields, he said.
Thanks to AI, systems can make simultaneous calculations to show customized ads and dynamic pop-ups, he noted.
Companies can also check behaviors thanks to new Wi-Fi network systems, such as creating a heatmap to see what places are more popular for customers.
A new generation Wi-Fi network connection, which needs personal information such as name, phone number and email, protects network owners from illegal action on the internet.
- Major projects
He said Ipera was founded in 2004 in Türkiye and opened in the Dubai market in 2014.
"We are a software and R&D company, we develop products with 100% of our own engineers," he said.
In addition to hundreds of customers in Türkiye and the UAE, the firm is responsible for major systems projects, such as Abu Dhabi-based YAS Island and Dubai Airport.
Integrating with global tech giants such as Huawei and Cisco, the company wants to open in the Saudi Arabian market in 2024, he said.
The firm is also in contact with the UAE's Tourism Ministry to provide IoT, AI and Wi-Fi solutions, he noted.