Indoor Mapping and Geolocation Using Signals of Opportunity and Cooperative SLAM

Echo Ridge and partner Argon ST, propose to simulate and characterize the performance of a navigation solution that combines state-of-the-art advances in Signals of Opportunity (SoOP) based navigation with SLAM techniques.  The team will apply a novel approach of utilizing heterogeneous SoOPs that are typically unsynchronized, to jointly compute location, mapping, and SoOP timing.  The algorithms described herein are what the team refers to as SMARTS (Simultaneous Mapping And Relative Timing using SoOPs).  Furthermore, no restrictions are placed on the types of SoOPs used for navigation, which may range from analog FM waveforms to wideband digital signals such as cellular base station or digital TV transmissions.  The performance of the algorithms will be characterized through MATLAB simulations as a function of incrementally sophisticated instrumentation and measurement capability.  The simulation testbed will be developed as an add-on to Echo Ridges MATLAB GUI-based DIGSim geolocation performance prediction software tool, developed under a previous AF SBIR.  A prototype SLAM agent design will be developed, along with lab and field test plans which are to be carried out during Phase II to validate the performance predicted during Phase I. BENEFIT: This SBIR topic brings together two very different, yet complementary engineering fields that often do not intersect, and offers exciting new advances in commercial applications that have received little, if any research attention.  The abundance of widely available SoOP RF signals, when used for navigation in the context of SLAM, offer a rich source of navigation beacons that could be used to guide robotic and mobile devices.  This reduces the dependency on high-cost optical systems as a primary guidance mechanism, and may serve to propel new applications for cost-effective robotics in areas such as remote and/or hazardous mobile applications such as bomb disposal, search and rescue operations, and border security.  Echo Ridge plans to seek out partners during the Phase II and III periods that offer a mature product line in robotics on which this technology could be commercialized.  Furthermore, research dedicated to the emerging field of SoOP navigation has many obvious commercial applications for providing high accuracy geolocation of mobile devices in GPS-denied areas, which is an acute problem for commercial wireless service providers and public sector emergency responders.  Performance of GPS in wireless handsets is very poor indoors and in dense urban areas.  The need spans a number of different services areas including emergency response E911, enterprise services (VZNavigator/GPS, others) and consumer services (Chaperone Family Locator, others).  Through our partnership with Andrew Corporation, Echo Ridge has first-hand knowledge of the nature of the needs, and potential market opportunity for a viable solution.  Echo Ridge plans to use the results of the SBIR to address this commercial market need.  The results of the work proposed by Echo Ridge under this effort will produce a reference design and a substantiation of achievable field results (through the Phase II activities).