AN INVESTIGATION OF ROBUST INDOOR LOCATION SYSTEM TECHNIQUES FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

This paper investigates the various methods used in robust indoor location systems for educational purposes. The most important uses of localization namely navigation and tracking are addressed. The difference between slow tracking and fast tracking is discussed. A performance evaluation of indoor geolocation systems for example RF and Ultrasonic indoor location systems is done. These indoor location techniques can be used in robots and mobile machines with various applications. I. INTRODUCTION The process of location can be interpreted as computing the coordinates of an object in a given coordinate system (1). The most important uses of localization are navigation and tracking, while location and position information can also enable a huge amount of secondary applications. These possibilities include using the location information for customizing products, services; improving ways of data communications, building modern homes and offices, applications in emergency situations and in the context of a manufacturing, facilitating the movement of parts, the location of parts and an improvement in the overall efficiency of the production network. Measuring the distance between the object to be located and the reference station is a basic task in geolocation systems. Measurement can be mainly divided into three categories: fine precision measurement, intermediate precision measurement and coarse measurement. The type of precision in the measurement used in a research problem depends on the characteristics and requirements of the system under study. Coarse measurements are acceptable for use in long distance measurement systems, with errors in the order of a few meters. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a well- known geolocation system using coarse measurements and was developed in the late 1980's. In GPS systems satellites are used as the reference points and distances (or pseudo ranges) between these satellites and the unknown points are measured. Using exact satellite locations, obtained from orbital ephemeris data, the coordinates of the point to be localized are computed via matrix computations. (1). Recently, intermediate precision measurement systems with errors limited to centimeters have attracted more attention. These systems can facilitate Slow and Fast tracking. Slow tracking means tracking a body moving at slow speed. It is mainly used in the tracking of personal, equipment and assets or the tracking of a part or tool in an automated manufacturing environment. Indoor geolocation systems are the most widely used application for Slow tracking measurements. Indoor geolocation systems can be placed in