[BEAMS-EE-FQ] Indoor localization and navigation using ultra-wideband ranging

Motivation

Localization relies largely on GNSS technology, such as GPS, Galileo or Glonass. However, GNSS system are unreliable in indoor environments, such as buildings, which is a real problem for indoor naviagation systems.

Ultra-wideband (UWB) is an emerging wireless technology that allows to estimate the distance between two UWB tags with centimeter-like accuracy. UWB has reached the level of maturity required to use it in many application, including indoor navigation systems.

Master Thesis description

The aim of this thesis is to design and implement an indoor navigation system on a smarthphone. We will deploy up to four UWB tags in the indoor environments, and one UWB tag that will be connected to a smartphone. The student will have to program an Android app to communicate with the UWB tag in order to allow UWB ranging. This will be done Java (Android's programming language). In a second stage, the student will have to implement the localization algorithms (and associated tracking filters) to allow the localization of the smartphone. Finally, the student will have to use open-source SDKs to integrate a navigation system in the app.

Supervisor(s): Prof. François Quitin

Information : François Quitin (fquitin [at] ulb [dot] ac [dot] be) Tel : 02-650-2829, BEAMS Department

Students : ELEC, INFO, EM