FEEDING TIME: Visitors receive location-based messages in the zoo from iBeacon network

Visitors to Zoom Torino Biopark in Cumiana, Italy will be able to unlock information and rewards on their smartphones thanks to a network of Bluetooth Low Energy beacons that send location-based messages to their devices.

“The 160,000 sq meter park now offers a full edutainment experience with Zoom Torino’s new iBeacon-enabled mobile application,” platform provider LabWerk explains.

“The app features an interactive map to help visitors navigate through the park by pinpointing their current location, and showing the location of key attractions and facilities.

“As visitors discover the six different habitat environments of the park, they will be able to unlock specific details, facts and suggestions throughout their journey thanks to hidden Bluetooth transmitting beacons, which trigger relevant content on a visitor’s smartphone based on their location.

“Users will also benefit from alerts on their mobile device informing them of special events during their visit, like meeting animals or presentations. By engaging with the app, visiting certain locations within the park and answering quiz questions, visitors can also earn promotional items and discount coupons for use within the park.”

This project has been completed in conjunction with LabWerk’s Italian partner Lab239.

“We are excited about the implementation of iBeacons at Zoom Torino,” says LabWerk CEO Floris Boekel. “Not only is this iBeacon technology implementation a first for the Italian zoo industry, it is also our first entrance into both the Italian and biopark markets.

“It’s always nice to enter a new market after having numerous successful implementations of mApp, our iBeacon solution, in France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Norway. This, coupled with demonstrating yet another use case for iBeacons, reflects the promising future we see for this technology.”