Two of the technologies that are redefining modern business environments are digital twin technology and indoor navigation with digital twins. Together, they form safer workflows, streamline operations and increase productivity at the workplace.
Picture a work environment where employees don’t waste moments looking for meeting rooms; medical personnel can immediately find critical equipment and maintenance managers can track assets in real-time—all via a seamless digital interface. That’s the kind of thing that can happen when you integrate indoor navigation with digital twins.
So, let’s take a closer look at how this integration works, why it’s beneficial and how geofencing and internal positioning systems take it to the next level.
What is a Digital Twin?
A digital twin for facility management is a virtual mirror of an environment that receives real-time data for dynamic mapping. It charts everything within a facility—rooms, assets, equipment and even people (if allowed). Consider it a living, interactive blueprint of your building that helps businesses operate without having to depend on static floor plans.
Adding indoor mapping for workflows transforms a digital twin into an even more capable space in which people and assets can travel efficiently. Infact, the global digital twin solutions market was valued at USD 16.75 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 35.7% from 2024 to 2030.
The global digital twin solutions market was valued at USD 16.75 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 35.7% from 2025 to 2030.
How to Use Indoor Navigation with Digital Twins
Indoor navigation references advanced positioning technologies to steer users’ physical movement within buildings. By contrast, GPS, which fails when you go inside a building, isn’t an option in indoor positioning and it depends on signals such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and sensor-based tracking to locate things exactly.
Integrating digital twins with navigation systems provides the following functions:
- Real-time location tracking – Know exactly where employees, visitors or equipment are.
- Turn-by-turn indoor directions – Guides users smoothly through a multileveled structure.
- Workflow optimization – Minimize asset and space underutilization.
For instance, in hospitals, nurses quickly locate wheelchairs, beds or IV pumps without wasting precious time. In offices, employees can find available desks or meeting rooms without tramping around.
Key Technologies Powering Indoor Navigation
1. Internal Location Technology for Seamless Navigation
Achieving efficient movement is one of the thorniest challenges of large facilities. Advanced location service providers offer internal positioning technology that helps get to the right place without any confusion.
For example, employees can be guided to free hot desks using smartphone-based navigation apps or customers can locate individual shops within a shopping centre. This helps avoid frustration and time killing.
2. Geofencing for Smarter Automation
Workflow automation using digital twins is further enhanced with geofencing, which creates virtual boundaries around a specific location. These actions can be automated when a person or object steps into this zone.
How does this work with digital twin technology?
- Automatic Check-ins – Employees don’t need to clock in manually—geofencing detects when they enter a work zone.
- Security Alerts – If an unauthorized individual enters a secure space, security is immediately notified.
- Smart Asset Tracking – When the equipment or packages reach the correct department, they can be automatically tagged as “delivered.”
For instance, in a warehouse space, a forklift arrives at a geofenced zone, automatically logs into the system and alerts workers that a shipment is ready to offload.
Benefits of Integrating Digital Twin Solutions with Indoor Navigation
1. Better Space Utilization
Poor desk layouts waste valuable office real estate for many businesses. Digital twin solutions and indoor positioning enable hoteling model office setups, where employees dynamically book desks instead of reserving fixed spaces.
That means fewer vacant desks, less expensive real estate and a more streamlined workforce.
2. Faster Asset and Employee Tracking
Employees spend time searching for equipment or colleagues. Having indoor mapping for workflows ensures that businesses can mitigate delays and promote work efficiency.
- Manufacturing plants can track tools and machinery in real-time.
- Hospitals can quickly locate medical equipment.
- Retailers can optimize inventory placement based on movement patterns.
3. Smarter Security and Access Control
Because indoor navigation with digital twins and geofencing allows businesses to increase security without needing to add more personnel.
- Restricted zones – Access is only given to authorized personnel.
- Automated visitor management – Monitor who enters and exits sensitive areas.
- Emergency evacuations – Direct people safely to exit in real-time.
For example, if a visitor strays into the wrong part of a factory, the system can alert security while also guiding the person back into an appropriate zone.
4. Improved Workforce Productivity
Streamlining workflow automation using digital twins eliminates friction during daily operations by allowing employees to:
- See available meeting rooms or workstations.
- Find co-workers or supervisors for quick collaboration.
- View scheduled maintenance on facilities in real-time.
Instead of spending 10 minutes searching for a room, employees can follow step-by-step navigation from their phones.
5. Data-Driven Decision Making
Indoor navigation with digital twins yields useful analytics on space usage.
- Which meeting rooms are always occupied?
- Where do employees spend most of their time?
- Are certain areas underutilized?
Such data allows facility managers to redesign layouts, allocate resources more efficiently and optimize workflow processes.
Real-World Use Cases
1. Smart Hospitals
Hospitals long challenge to find medical devices, optimize patient flow and maximize emergency response times. Digital twin for facility management ensures:
- Visitors and patients get to the right departments.
- Hospital beds and wheelchairs are easily monitored.
- They always have the required equipment in emergency rooms.
2. Corporate Offices & Smart Workplaces
Digital twin solutions have transformed modern offices into flexible and efficient workspaces.
- Instead of dedicated seating, employees dynamically book desks.
- Meeting room usage is optimized through real-time data.
- Smart geofencing automates check-ins, reducing administrative work.
3. Retail & Shopping Malls
Retail stores benefit from indoor mapping for workflows in several ways:
- Location-based Offers – Customers receive promotions when they enter a geofenced area.
- Real-time Stock Tracking – Ensures shelves are refilled efficiently.
- Navigation Assistance – Helps customers find products faster.
For example, smart retail stores analyze customer movement patterns to optimize store layouts and improve sales.
4. Warehousing & Logistics
Warehouses depend on workflow automation using digital twins to improve efficiency and speed.
- Reduce misplacements with geofencing alerts.
- Improve operational accuracy by guiding workers to the correct locations.
Conclusion
Merging indoor navigation with digital twins is a practical solution to workplace inefficiencies.
Combining real-time tracking with indoor positioning and geofencing, companies can:
- Improvement in efficiency by eliminating time and resources spent on waste.
- Automate access control for improved security.
- Space utilization optimization for cost savings
- Gain data-driven insights to refine operations.
Whether you manage hospitals, offices, retail stores or warehouses, integrating digital twins with navigation systems will improve efficiency, reduce costs and create a smarter workplace. If you want to make facility management smoother and more effective, indoor navigation with digital twins is the way forward.
If you found this blog helpful, read about What Is a Digital Twin in IoT and Why Is It Important or watch our video on Effortless Indoor Navigation for Businesses | Mapsted Smart Solutions to know more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is indoor navigation and how does it improve digital twins?
A: It includes real-time tracking, assisting companies with workflow optimization, asset management and navigation.
Q2: What Is Geofencing and what it’s used for?
A: Geofencing is used to create virtual areas that activate automated actions, such as security alerts or smart check-ins.
Q3: What industries stand to gain the most?
A: Healthcare, offices, retail, logistics and manufacturing all use it for tracking, security and efficiency.
Q4: What savings does this integration provide?
A: It diminishes the costs of real estate, labour inefficiencies and losses of misplaced assets.
Q5: How does GPS not work for indoor navigation?
A: It employs Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and sensors for precise real-time positioning indoors.
