SBIR Phase I: A Robust Indoor Localization System for Mobile Devices

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to provide accurate indoor location services to users via existing mobile electronic devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops. This technology will bring many of the applications powered by satellite-based positioning systems like navigation, tracking and location-based advertising to indoor markets. We propose using a hybrid ultrasound and RF-based beaconing system to enable sub-meter location accuracy within large GPS-denied environments. Our approach is unique in that it is compatible with current smartphones by simply downloading an app. The system uses an infrastructure comprised of beacons, which can be powered through indoor solar energy-harvesting instead of requiring expensive AC wiring. Accurate indoor location-aware mobile applications can enhance applications ranging from retail and manufacturing all the way to building navigation, asset tracking and aiding the visually impaired. The proposed project aims to develop a robust localization platform which can localize off-the-shelf devices like smartphones and tablets as well as low-cost RF tags to better than 1 meter of accuracy in indoor locations that do not have access to GPS. Current indoor localization technologies for smartphones often fall short in terms of accuracy, especially in highly dynamic environments with obstructions. Our system utilizes energy harvesting beacons with an array of speakers to transmit time-of-flight ranging signals in the near-ultrasound spectrum. These signals can be recorded and demodulated in software by commodity smartphones, while being inaudible to humans. The research in this phase will aim to develop the methods and technologies required to scale this localization technology so that it can support large facilities like airports and convention centers that would require tens to hundreds of beacons. This involves the development of scalable multiple access protocols for ultrasound communication, networking protocols for synchronization and data collection, inertial sensor fusion algorithms for robust and accurate localization and APIs for app integration by third parties.