CapFloor – A Flexible Capacitive Indoor Localization System

Indoor localization is an important part of integrated AAL solutions providing continuous services to elderly persons. They are able to fulfill multiple purposes, ranging from energy saving or location based reminders to burglary detection. Particularly useful are combined systems that include localization, as well as additional services e.g. fall detection. Capacitive sensing systems that allow detecting the presence of a body over distance are a possible solution for indoor localization that has been used in the past. However usually the installation requirements are high and consequently they are expensive to integrate. We propose a flexible, integrated solution based on affordable, open-source hardware that allows indoor localization and fall detection specifically designed for challenges in the context of AAL. The system is composed of sensing mats that can be placed under various types of floor covering that wirelessly transmit data to a central platform providing localization and fall detection services to connected AAL platforms. The system was evaluated noncompetitive in the 2011 EvAAL indoor localization competition.