A review of RFID based solutions for indoor localization and location-based classification of tags

Wireless communication systems are very used for indoor localization of items. In particular, two main application field can be identified. The former relates to detection or localization of static items. The latter relates to real-time tracking of moving objects, whose movements can be reconstructed over identified timespans. Among the adopted technologies, Radio-Frequency IDentification (RFID), especially if based on cheap passive RFID tags, stands out for its affordability and reasonable efficiency. This aspect makes RFID suitable for both the above-mentioned applications, especially when a large number of objects need to be tagged. The reason lies in a suitable trade-off between low cost for implementing the position sensing system, and its precision and accuracy. However, RFID-based solutions suffer for limited reading range and lower accuracy. Solutions have been proposed by academia and industry. However, a structured analysis of developed solutions, useful for further implementations, is missing. The purpose of this paper is to highlight and review the recently proposed solutions for indoor localization making use of RFID passive tags. The paper focuses on both precise and qualitative location of objects. The form relates to (i) the correct position of tags, namely mapping their right position in a 2D or 3D environment. The latter relates to the classification of tags, namely the identification of the area where the tag is regardless its specific position

Indoor Navigation for Visually Impaired / Blind People Using Smart Cane and Mobile Phone: Experimental Work

This paper suggests a navigation structure for visually impaired/blind people. The proposed structure is consisted of builder simulator, smart phone with built-in compass and cane. The aim is to guide visually impaired/blind people from a required location to a desired location. Multi tests are run where modeled in C sharp and java languages and MATLAB program using A* algorithm. Experimental results show good performance for the proposed scheme that the visually impaired/blind people reach the desired location successfully without error. In conclusion, A* path finding algorithm using C sharp language for builder simulator, and java language for smart phone, were valid and reliable methods to guide the visually impaired / blind people from a required location to a desired location in indoor environment with or without obstacles. Keywords: Smart phone, built in compass, cane, planning the path, avoidance obstacles, visually impaired/blind people, A* algorithm, path finding, and indoor navigatio

Design and realization of precise indoor localization mechanism for Wi-Fi devices

Despite the abundant literature in the field, there is still the need to find a time-efficient, highly accurate, easy to deploy and robust localization algorithm for real use. The algorithm only involves minimal human intervention. We propose an enhanced Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) based positioning algorithm for Wi-Fi capable devices, called the Dynamic Weighted Evolution for Location Tracking (DWELT). Due to the multiple phenomena affecting the propagation of radio signals, RSSI measurements show fluctuations that hinder the utilization of straightforward positioning mechanisms from widely known propagation loss models. Instead, DWELT uses data processing of raw RSSI values and applies a weighted posterior-probabilistic evolution for quick convergence of localization and tracking. In this paper, we present the first implementation of DWELT, intended for 1D location (applicable to tunnels or corridors), and the first step towards a more generic implementation. Simulations and experiments show an accuracy of 1m in more than 81% of the cases, and less than 2m in the 95%.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Museum Interactive Information Broadcasting Using Indoor Positioning System and Bluetooth Low Energy: a Pilot Project on Trowulan Museum Indonesia

The tourism sector become a promising country income. This is because its nature which is not easily run out if managed properly. This sector can be a great support especially for developing countries such as Indonesia, because usually developing countries income only rely on natural and human resources income. Museums are one of the tourism sectors that have not been explored properly. Museums in Indonesia are still few that using the latest technology such as smartphone application, wifi, bluetooth, RFID. So, that it makes the museum a less attractive place to visit, especially for young generation. This research tries to create an interactive broadcasting museum information by utilizing applications on smartphones, indoor positioning systems, and bluetooth low energy beacons to provide information to museum visitors about artifacts around museum visitor location. As a pilot project a testing was conducted at the Trowulan Museum, Mojokerto, East Java, Indonesia, which is a museum that exhibits the relics of the Majapahit kingdom. The application has been able to provide interactive information about artifacts around the visitors location so as to create an interesting museum to visi

iBeacon-based indoor positioning system: from theory to practical deployment

Developing an indoor positioning system became essential when global positioning system signals could not work well in indoor environments. Mobile positioning can be accomplished via many radio frequency technology such as Bluetooth low energy (BLE), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), ultra-wideband (UWB), and so on. With the pressing need for indoor positioning systems, we, in this work, present a deployment scheme for smartphone using Bluetooth iBeacons. Three main parts, hardware deployment, software deployment, and positioning accuracy assessment, are discussed carefully to find the optimal solution for a complete indoor positioning system. Our application and experimental results show that proposed solution is feasible and indoor positioning system is completely attainable

Taylor series method in TDOA approach for indoor positioning system

Localisation technologies have always remained in the limelight of positioning-science as researchers have ever shown keen interest to know the exact positions of things. Ultrasonic sensors are mainly used for localisation of mobile robots since they provide high accuracy. This paper presents Taylor Series Method in Time Difference of Arrival approach using ultrasonic sensors.Signals are send from the sensors periodically.The time difference of arrival of signals from the ultrasonic sensors is used by the receiver unit to estimate the location of the mobile unit. The equations formed by using Time Difference of Approach are solved using Taylor Series Method. Taylor Series Method provides a more accurate result since they give less error compared to other methods and they ignore the measurement errors

Museum Interactive Information Broadcasting Using Indoor Positioning System and Bluetooth Low Energy: a Pilot Project on Trowulan Museum Indonesia

The tourism sector become a promising country income. This is because its nature which is not easily run out if managed properly. This sector can be a great support especially for developing countries such as Indonesia, because usually developing countries income only rely on natural and human resources income. Museums are one of the tourism sectors that have not been explored properly. Museums in Indonesia are still few that using the latest technology such as smartphone application, wifi, bluetooth, RFID. So, that it makes the museum a less attractive place to visit, especially for young generation. This research tries to create an interactive broadcasting museum information by utilizing applications on smartphones, indoor positioning systems, and bluetooth low energy beacons to provide information to museum visitors about artifacts around museum visitor location. As a pilot project a testing was conducted at the Trowulan Museum, Mojokerto, East Java, Indonesia, which is a museum that exhibits the relics of the Majapahit kingdom. The application has been able to provide interactive information about artifacts around the visitors location so as to create an interesting museum to visi

Inertial/magnetic sensors based pedestrian dead reckoning by means of multi-sensor fusion

The challenges of self-contained sensor based pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) are mainly sensor installation errors and path integral errors caused by sensor variance, and both may dramatically decrease the accuracy of PDR. To address these challenges, this paper presents a multi-sensor fusion based method in which subjects perform specified walking trials at self-administered speeds in both indoor and outdoor scenarios. After an initial calibration with the reduced installation error, quaternion notation is used to represent three-dimensional orientation and an extend Kalman filter (EKF) is deployed to fuse different types of data. A clustering algorithm is proposed to accurately distinguish stance phases, during which integral error can be minimized using Zero Velocity Updates (ZVU) method. The performance of proposed PDR method is evaluated and validated by an optical motion tracking system on healthy subjects. The position estimation accuracy, stride length and foot angle estimation error are studied. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed self-contained inertial/magnetic sensor based method is capable of providing consistent beacon-free PDR in different scenarios, achieving less than 1% distance error and end-to-end position error