Nokia develops navigating system based on image recognition, landmarks » VentureBeat

Dr. Pulli says that there is nothing like it in the navigation market at the moment. “The instructions are based totally on real world pictures, not on synthetic maps,” he says. “We started developing the landmark mode when we realized that people read maps in different ways depending on things such as cultural background and gender.” A Nokia research group in India figured out that people there navigate a lot by using landmarks. “In India it’s common to give instructions like ‘Turn left when you see a gas station, and follow the road until you see a big tree on your right,’” Pulli says. Landmark navigation would work on Nokia smart phones, and most likely on other manufacturer’s phones, like Samsung’s and LG’s, that use S60-platform. The system wouldn’t necessarily cost to the customers as it could be sponsored by ads on the service, Pulli says.