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Delivered on July 13, 2026
Spatial features that capture location without latitude/longitude or capital investment
Speakers:
Yuta Ando, CEO, Tap Around Co., Ltd.
Affiliation and position information is as of the time of distribution
We welcomed Yuta Ando from Tap Around Inc. to discuss a new location information technology that utilizes existing radio wave information such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as spatial features. By linking radio wave IDs with URLs and messages without converting them to latitude, longitude, or travel routes, it becomes possible to apply this technology to indoor navigation, store menus, OOH advertising effectiveness measurement, and tourism/inbound analysis. We will introduce their efforts to commercialize this technology through the provision of an Android SDK, while addressing privacy concerns and iOS limitations.
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An Innovative Approach Using "Spatial Features" Independent of Latitude and Longitude
Yuta Ando of Tap Around Co., Ltd. has developed a unique technology that identifies specific locations without relying on the conventional concept of "coordinates (latitude and longitude)" for location information. At the heart of this technology is the idea of capturing the countless Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radio wave patterns present in urban areas as unique "spatial features" specific to that location.
The smartphones we use every day constantly detect unique identification numbers such as BSSIDs and MAC addresses emitted by surrounding wireless communication devices. These radio waves act like "radio wave fingerprints," and the combination of radio waves observed at a particular point forms a unique pattern that is unlike any other in the world. By comparing the detected radio wave information with that of a server when a user stands in that location, it becomes possible to pinpoint extremely detailed locations, such as "which store and which shelf are you currently in," without calculating latitude and longitude. This technology is most effective in environments where radio waves are densely concentrated, such as underground shopping malls, buildings, and complex train stations—environments where conventional GPS struggles.
Low-Cost Location Identification Without Additional Infrastructure
The greatest feature of this technology is that it requires no new equipment investment when local governments or companies introduce location information services.
Traditional indoor location positioning required the installation and maintenance of hundreds of dedicated beacons, but this technology reuses existing radio waves already present in urban areas as infrastructure. Wi-Fi signals from shops, office routers, and even radio waves from mobile routers carried by passersby function as "landmarks" for location identification. Because no equipment investment is required, services can be rapidly deployed to vast areas and multiple facilities, significantly lowering the barrier to implementation costs. By simply linking specific radio wave IDs with content (URLs and messages) on a server, it realizes a system like a digital poster that instantly "digitizes" that space.
A Seamless User Experience That Makes QR Codes a Thing of the Past
Mr. Ando aims to provide an intuitive user experience through this technology, completely eliminating the "effort required to obtain information."
Currently, obtaining information using QR codes, which is the mainstream method, requires users to perform multiple actions such as activating the camera, focusing, and scanning. This technology eliminates that process. It creates a world where, simply by stepping into a specific location, menus, coupons, and facility information for that location are automatically displayed on the smartphone screen, or can be displayed with a single tap. For example, if you get lost in a complex shopping mall, you can instantly access a detailed map of the mall based on your current location without having to enter any search terms. By linking with a browser-based web application, it is possible to seamlessly guide users to digital content without having to overcome the high hurdle of downloading a dedicated app.
Visualizing the effectiveness of outdoor advertising (OOH) without coordinate calculations
This technology provides extremely objective data for measuring the effectiveness of outdoor advertising (OOH), such as billboards and posters in train stations, which has been difficult to measure until now.
By collecting radio wave information around the advertisement in advance and creating an "advertisement-specific radio wave list," visibility is determined by comparing it with the logs of users who passed through that location. In a field experiment conducted around 2010, it was proven that the system could accurately determine whether a user was actually standing in front of a billboard, even in crowded train stations such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Yokohama. By analyzing the number of BSSID matches and signal strength in detail, it is possible to infer the quality of their actions, such as whether they simply passed by or stopped right in front of the billboard. By quantifying the "value" of advertising, which previously relied on subjective feelings, with data, it becomes possible to use this as evidence for more strategic advertising placement and pricing.
Potential Applications to Tourism and Inbound Marketing
In the fields of regional revitalization and tourism DX, human flow analysis utilizing radio wave information is a powerful tool.
It is possible to understand the detailed movement patterns of tourists visiting tourist destinations, such as "which hotel they stayed at and which tourist spots they visited afterward," while respecting their privacy. By adding this function to Wi-Fi routers rented to inbound tourists, it is possible to collect data on what places foreign visitors are interested in and what routes they travel, with low overhead and without coordinate calculations. By analyzing the acquired pedestrian flow data, it becomes possible to extract the preferences of people visiting specific spots and recommend places to visit next, enabling personalized tourist guidance. This is expected to lead to the development of more sophisticated regional marketing strategies to convert one-time tourists into repeat visitors.
Challenges for Social Implementation and Privacy Considerations
Because this is an innovative technology, protecting personal information and complying with platform regulations will be crucial keys to future social implementation.
Since the acquired data reflects individual behavior in detail, Mr. Ando considers obtaining explicit consent (opt-in) from users in the initial stages of the service to be a prerequisite. As a technical consideration, a system has been put in place to determine and restrict the acquisition of data from "core locations" that directly identify individuals, such as home and work, on the device side. Currently, an SDK is available for Android devices, but iOS Wi-Fi scanning restrictions are a technical hurdle, and efforts to circumvent this and lobby manufacturers are underway. Moving forward, we aim to build a track record starting with B2B marketing support, and in the future, implement a new communication app that connects users in the same physical space based on their location.
Summary
Tap Arounds location information technology is groundbreaking because it interprets existing radio wave environments as "spatial features," enabling the digitization of any indoor or outdoor location without infrastructure investment. By not being bound by traditional concepts such as latitude, longitude, and coordinates, it enables data utilization in areas previously impossible, such as precise navigation in underground shopping malls and accurate measurement of the effectiveness of outdoor advertising.
While challenges such as privacy protection and OS regulations remain, the "experience gained simply by being there," which doesn't require QR codes or searches, has the potential to dramatically improve user convenience. From tourism, retail, advertising, to disaster prevention, this technology utilizing "radio wave fingerprints" will become an important infrastructure that will evolve Japanese communities into smarter and more convenient places. We eagerly await the social implementation of the future envisioned by Mr. Ando, where digital information is seamlessly overlaid onto real space.