Frequently Asked Questions¶

Find quick answers to common questions about MINE - Indoor Navigation Engine. Can't find what you're looking for? Contact our support team.

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Table of Contents¶

Getting Started
Features & Capabilities
Technical Questions
Licensing & Pricing
Platform Support
Integration & Development
Performance & Optimization
Troubleshooting
Community & Support

Getting Started¶

How do I get started with MINE?¶

Getting started is easy! Follow these steps:

Install the Library: Add the dependency to your build.gradle file

implementation("com.machinestalk:indoornavigationengine:0.4.0-alpha")

Configure Your Project: Set up Java 17 compatibility

compileOptions {
    sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_17
    targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_17
}

Follow the Quick Start Guide: Our Quick Start Guide provides a step-by-step tutorial on setting up your first navigation experience.
Explore Examples: Check out the Usage Guide for comprehensive code examples.

Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes to have a working navigation app!

What are the prerequisites for using MINE?¶

You'll need:

Requirement	Minimum	Recommended
Android Studio	Arctic Fox	Latest Stable
JDK	17	17+
Android SDK	API 24 (Android 7.0)	API 34 (Android 14)
Gradle	8.2	Latest
Kotlin	1.8.0	Latest

Additional Requirements: - Basic knowledge of Android development - Understanding of Kotlin or Java - 3D map models in glTF/GLB format - (Optional) Indoor positioning infrastructure (WiFi, Beacons)

Do you provide sample projects or demos?¶

Yes! We provide:

📱 Sample App: Complete reference implementation showcasing all features
💻 Code Snippets: Ready-to-use code examples in our documentation
🎥 Video Tutorials: Step-by-step video guides (coming soon)
🗂️ Sample Map Data: Example JSON configurations and 3D models

Check our GitHub repository or contact us for access to sample projects.

Features & Capabilities¶

What are the key features of MINE?¶

MINE offers a comprehensive set of features for indoor navigation:

3D/2D Rendering

Hardware-accelerated rendering with seamless view switching
Path Finding

Advanced A* algorithm with multi-floor support
Real-time Navigation

Turn-by-turn directions with live position tracking
UI Components

Pre-built, customizable components for navigation
Theme Support

Dark/light mode with custom theme capabilities
Location Tracking

Multi-provider positioning (WiFi, Bluetooth, sensors)
Accessible Routing

Wheelchair-accessible paths and alternative routes
Offline Support

Work without internet connectivity (coming soon)

Complete Feature List: See our Features Overview for detailed information.

Yes! Multi-floor navigation is fully supported:

✅ Automatic floor detection
✅ Elevator and stairway routing
✅ Seamless floor transitions
✅ Floor selector UI component
✅ Floor-aware path finding

Example:

// Navigate across floors
val route = pathFinder.findPath(
    start = Location(floor = "ground", x = 10f, y = 5f),
    end = Location(floor = "first", x = 25f, y = 15f)
)
// Route automatically includes floor change instructions

Learn more in our Navigation Guide.

Can I customize the map appearance?¶

Absolutely! MINE offers extensive customization:

Theme Customization: - Primary, secondary, and accent colors - Path colors and widths - POI marker styles - Background colors - Typography and fonts

Visual Elements: - Custom icons for POIs - Floor plan overlays - Route visualization styles - UI component styling

Example:

val customTheme = ThemeConfig(
    primaryColor = Color.parseColor("#FF5722"),
    pathColor = Color.parseColor("#4CAF50"),
    poiMarkerColor = Color.parseColor("#FFC107")
)
sceneView.setThemeConfig(customTheme)

See Theme Customization for complete details.

Coming Soon! Voice navigation is planned for v0.5.0 (Q4 2024):

🔊 Text-to-speech turn-by-turn directions
🌐 Multi-language support (15+ languages)
🎚️ Adjustable voice settings
🔇 Optional silent mode

Current Capabilities: - Visual turn-by-turn instructions - Progress indicators - Distance and time estimates - Haptic feedback

Follow our Release Notes for updates!

Technical Questions¶

What map formats does MINE support?¶

3D Models: - ✅ glTF (.gltf) - ✅ Binary glTF (.glb) - Recommended - ❌ OBJ, FBX, BLEND (not supported)

Map Configuration: - ✅ JSON for map structure and metadata - ✅ Custom properties and extensions

Best Practices: - Use .glb format for better performance - Keep models under 50MB for optimal loading - Optimize textures for mobile devices - Use Draco compression when possible

How accurate is the indoor positioning?¶

Accuracy depends on the positioning technology used:

Technology	Typical Accuracy	Best Use Case
WiFi Fingerprinting	3-5 meters	Large venues
Bluetooth Beacons	1-3 meters	Precise navigation
Sensor Fusion	2-8 meters	Complementary
PDR	5-15 meters	Movement tracking
Combined	1-3 meters	Optimal setup

Improving Accuracy: - Deploy more beacons - Use WiFi fingerprinting calibration - Enable sensor fusion - Regular maintenance of infrastructure

Can I use my own positioning system?¶

Yes! MINE supports custom location providers:

class CustomLocationProvider : LocationProvider {

    override val name = "Custom Provider"

    override fun startTracking() {
        // Your positioning logic
    }

    override fun stopTracking() {
        // Cleanup
    }

    override fun getCurrentLocation(): Location {
        // Return current position
        return Location(x = x, y = y, floor = floorId)
    }
}

// Register your provider
locationTracker.addProvider(CustomLocationProvider(), priority = 10)

See Location Tracking for details.

What rendering engine does MINE use?¶

MINE uses Google Filament - a physically-based rendering engine:

Benefits: - 🎨 High-quality 3D graphics - ⚡ Hardware-accelerated performance - 📱 Optimized for mobile devices - 🔧 Industry-standard pipeline

Performance: - 60 FPS on mid-range devices - Efficient memory usage - Battery-optimized rendering

Learn More: Filament API Reference

Does MINE work offline?¶

Partial Support: - ✅ Currently: Pre-loaded maps work offline - ✅ Currently: Navigation without internet - ❌ Currently: No offline map downloads - 🔄 Coming in v0.5.0: Full offline map packages

Current Offline Capabilities:

// Load map from assets (works offline)
val mapData = JsonUtil.LoadJsonFromAsset(context, "maps/venue.json")
sceneView.setMapData(mapData)

// Navigation works without internet
navigationManager.startNavigation(destination)

Licensing & Pricing¶

Is MINE free to use?¶

License Options:

License Type	Cost	Use Case
Development	Free	Testing and development
Commercial	Paid	Production applications
Enterprise	Custom	Large-scale deployments
Open Source	Free*	Non-commercial projects

*Free for approved open-source projects

What's Included: - ✅ Full feature access - ✅ Regular updates - ✅ Documentation - ✅ Bug fixes - ✅ Community support

Commercial License Includes: - ✅ Priority support - ✅ Custom development - ✅ SLA guarantees - ✅ On-premise deployment options

Get Started: Contact us for pricing information.

Do you offer educational discounts?¶

Yes! We support education:

🎓 Academic Licenses: Free for universities and research
👨‍🎓 Student Discounts: Reduced pricing for student projects
🏫 Educational Institutions: Special pricing tiers

Requirements: - Valid educational email address - Proof of enrollment/employment - Non-commercial use

Apply: Contact us with your educational credentials.

Can I evaluate MINE before purchasing?¶

Absolutely! We offer:

⏰ 30-Day Trial: Full-featured evaluation
📊 Proof of Concept: Test with your data
🤝 Technical Consultation: Help with evaluation
💻 Sample Projects: Pre-built examples

Trial Includes: - All features unlocked - Technical support - Documentation access - Sample maps and data

Start Trial: Contact us to request evaluation access.

Platform Support¶

Which Android versions are supported?¶

Android Version	API Level	Support Status
Android 14	34	✅ Fully Supported
Android 13	33	✅ Fully Supported
Android 12	31-32	✅ Fully Supported
Android 11	30	✅ Fully Supported
Android 10	29	✅ Fully Supported
Android 9	28	✅ Fully Supported
Android 8	26-27	✅ Supported
Android 7	24-25	✅ Minimum Required
Android 6	23	❌ Not Supported

Target SDK: 34 (Android 14)
Minimum SDK: 24 (Android 7.0)

Does MINE support iOS?¶

Not Currently: MINE is Android-only at this time.

Future Plans: - 🔄 iOS version under consideration - 📱 Would use native iOS APIs - 🎯 Planned for 2025 (tentative)

Alternatives: - Consider Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile (KMM) in the future - Contact us to express interest in iOS support

Request Updates: Join our mailing list for iOS announcements.

Are there any plans for Kotlin Multiplatform?¶

Under Evaluation: We're exploring Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP):

Considerations: - 📊 Assessing community demand - 🔧 Technical feasibility analysis - 🗓️ No timeline confirmed yet

Current Focus: - Improving Android experience - Adding more features - Performance optimization

Share Your Interest: If KMP support is important to you, let us know!

Does MINE support tablets?¶

Yes! MINE works great on tablets:

✅ Responsive UI components
✅ Optimized layouts for large screens
✅ Enhanced navigation experience
✅ Split-screen support
✅ Tested on 7"-12" tablets

Tablet-Specific Features: - Larger map viewing area - Side-by-side POI information - Enhanced UI controls - Better readability

Integration & Development¶

Can I integrate MINE with my existing app?¶

Yes! MINE is designed for easy integration:

Integration Points: - 🎨 Custom UI/UX - 🗺️ Existing maps - 📍 Location services - 📊 Analytics platforms - 🔐 Authentication systems

Flexible Architecture:

// Use as Activity
class NavActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
    private lateinit var sceneView: MineSceneView
}

// Use as Fragment
class NavFragment : Fragment() {
    private var sceneView: MineSceneView? = null
}

// Use in Jetpack Compose
@Composable
fun MapScreen() {
    IndoorNavigationScene(mapBuild = mapData)
}

See Usage Guide for integration patterns.

How do I add custom Points of Interest (POIs)?¶

Easy POI Management:

// Add POI programmatically
val poi = PointOfInterest(
    id = "coffee-shop-01",
    name = "Starbucks",
    category = "Food & Drink",
    floor = "ground",
    position = floatArrayOf(15.5f, 8.2f, 0f),
    icon = R.drawable.ic_coffee,
    metadata = mapOf(
        "phone" to "+1-555-1234",
        "hours" to "7am-9pm"
    )
)

poiManager.addPOI(poi)

// Or load from JSON
{
  "pointsOfInterest": [
    {
      "id": "coffee-shop-01",
      "name": "Starbucks",
      "category": "Food & Drink",
      "floor": "ground",
      "position": { "x": 15.5, "y": 8.2, "z": 0 }
    }
  ]
}

Can I use MINE with Jetpack Compose?¶

Yes! Full Compose support:

@Composable
fun NavigationScreen() {
    val context = LocalContext.current
    val mapData = remember {
        JsonUtil.LoadJsonFromAsset(context, "maps/venue.json")
    }

    Box(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
        mapData?.let {
            IndoorNavigationScene(
                mapBuild = it,
                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()
            )
        }

        // Add Compose UI overlays
        FloatingActionButton(
            onClick = { /* Navigate */ },
            modifier = Modifier
                .align(Alignment.BottomEnd)
                .padding(16.dp)
        ) {
            Icon(Icons.Default.Navigation, "Navigate")
        }
    }
}

See Compose Integration for more.

Does MINE support K2 (Kotlin 2.0)?¶

Yes! MINE fully supports Kotlin 2.0:

✅ Compatible with K2 compiler
✅ Tested with Kotlin 2.0+
✅ Takes advantage of K2 improvements
✅ No migration issues

Benefits: - Faster compilation times - Better IDE performance - Improved type inference - Enhanced code analysis

If you encounter any K2-related issues, please report them.

Performance & Optimization¶

How does MINE perform on low-end devices?¶

Adaptive Performance:

MINE automatically adjusts quality based on device capabilities:

Device Tier	Frame Rate	Quality	Memory
Flagship	60 FPS	High	150MB
Mid-range	60 FPS	Medium	120MB
Budget	30-45 FPS	Low	90MB

Optimization Tips:

// Detect and optimize for low-end devices
if (DeviceUtil.isLowEndDevice()) {
    sceneView.displayConfig = DisplayConfig(
        renderQuality = DisplayConfig.RenderQuality.LOW,
        shadowsEnabled = false
    )
    sceneView.setRenderMode(RenderMode.MODE_2D)
}

See Performance Optimization.

What's the app size impact?¶

Library Size: - AAR Size: ~8MB - With dependencies: ~15MB - Native libraries (all ABIs): ~12MB

Optimization:

// Reduce APK size by filtering ABIs
android {
    defaultConfig {
        ndk {
            abiFilters += listOf("armeabi-v7a", "arm64-v8a")
        }
    }
}

Result: Can reduce by ~40% by targeting specific architectures.

Battery Usage (1 hour continuous navigation):

Scenario	Battery Drain	Notes
3D Navigation	8-10%	High quality
2D Navigation	5-7%	Optimized
Background Tracking	3-5%	Minimal

Battery Optimization: - Use 2D mode when possible - Reduce location update frequency when stationary - Lower render quality on low battery - Pause rendering when app in background

Troubleshooting¶

Where can I find troubleshooting help?¶

Resources:

Troubleshooting Guide: View detailed solutions
FAQ: You're here! Check other questions
API Documentation: Browse API reference
Support Team: Contact us

Common Issues: - Map not loading → Check file paths - Navigation not starting → Verify permissions - Poor positioning → Check beacon configuration - Performance issues → Optimize settings

How do I report a bug?¶

Bug Reporting:

Check Existing Issues: Search our FAQ and Troubleshooting
Gather Information:
MINE version
Android version and device model
Steps to reproduce
Error logs
Screenshots/videos
Submit Report: Contact support with details

We Value Feedback: Every bug report helps improve MINE!

What logging should I enable for debugging?¶

Debug Configuration:

if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
    // Enable verbose logging
    MineLogger.setLogLevel(MineLogger.Level.VERBOSE)

    // Show debug overlays
    sceneView.showDebugOverlay = true
    sceneView.showFpsCounter = true

    // Enable wireframe mode
    sceneView.debugWireframe = false

    // Log navigation events
    navigationManager.enableDebugLogging = true
}

// Capture logs
adb logcat MINE:V *:S > mine_logs.txt

Community & Support¶

Where can I get help?¶

Support Channels:

Email Support

Direct support from our team

Contact Us
Documentation

Comprehensive guides and references

Browse Docs
FAQ

Quick answers to common questions

View FAQ
Bug Reports

Report issues and track fixes

Report Bug

How can I contribute to MINE?¶

Current Status: Not accepting public contributions

But You Can Help: - 📝 Report bugs and issues - 💡 Suggest features - 📖 Share feedback on documentation - 🌟 Share your success stories

Future Plans: We may open source parts of MINE in the future.

Do you have a developer community?¶

Community Resources (Coming Soon):

💬 Developer Forum
👥 Slack Channel
🐦 Twitter/X Updates
📺 YouTube Tutorials
📝 Developer Blog

Stay Connected: Contact us to join our mailing list!

What's the release schedule?¶

Current Cycle: - Major releases: Quarterly - Minor updates: Monthly - Bug fixes: As needed - Security patches: Immediate

Upcoming Releases: - v0.5.0 (Q4 2024): Offline maps, voice guidance - v0.6.0 (Q1 2025): AR navigation, analytics - v1.0.0 (Q1 2025): Production release

See Release Notes for detailed roadmap.

Still Have Questions?¶

Contact Support

Get personalized help from our team

Send Message
Browse Documentation

Explore comprehensive guides

View Docs
Troubleshooting

Find solutions to common issues

Get Help

We're Here to Help!

Can't find your answer? Don't hesitate to reach out - we're happy to help you succeed with MINE!