Autonomous RF Surveying Robot for Indoor Localization and Tracking

Abstract

RF fingerprinting is an interesting solution for indoor localization and tracking because it uses existing devices and infrastructure and involves minimal intervention to ongoing activities. The method involves constructing a database of signal strengths at different locations in an indoor space. Real-time measurements are compared to the database to retrieve the bestmatching location. The process of constructing the signal strength maps often involves lengthy labor, which causes difficulties in practical deployment. Furthermore, the maps need to be periodically updated for potential changes. To address these challenges, we describe the design and working of a robotic platform that can construct RF signal maps with minimal human intervention. Using a new method of multi-sensor integration for Simultaneous Localization & Mapping (SLAM), our robotic platform can autonomously navigate inside a building while localizing its position and gathering RF signal strength data.