Abstract

AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has developed a modular software platform named HOMER providing services to enable independent living for elder people at home. The platform is based on state-of-the-art software development techniques as OSGi and SpringDM, and addresses the interoperability aspect by interfacing several sensor networks and harmonizing incoming sensor data according to appropriate ISO standards. The system claims to be close to the market by using off the shelf sensor hardware from globally present vendors of home automation products. Privacy of the resident is respected by using commonly accepted sensors and completely avoiding more intrusive ones like video cameras, microphones or wearable devices. Based on sensor data, functionalities for the detection of specific events and situations in the home have been implemented using finite state machines and simple statistical methods.

Abstract

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.

Abstract

There is a large diversity of alternatives to be dealt with in the design and construction of positioning systems, each of them with different advantages and disadvantages. We present a design proposal which aims to provide reusable and adaptable support to Location-based Systems, by providing a positioning service composed of interoperable components. Hence, the interest of the proposal concerns the combination between different methods, algorithms and technologies at run-time to take advantage of the benefits of each one of them. For instance, the proposal enables AAL solutions to address indoor and outdoor positioning by the same service, switching dynamically and automatically between methods and technologies, and simultaneously combining two different methods to improve accuracy.

Abstract

iLoc is an ultrasound ranging based indoor localisation system which is deployed at the iHomeLab laboratory. For example, the system can be used for visitor tracking: Visitors get an electronic name badge comprising an ultrasound transmitter. This badge can be localized with an average accuracy of less than 10 cm deviation in its spatial position, by means of reference nodes distributed in the lab rooms. Depending on the position update rate, a small battery may suffice for several month of tag/badge operation. Other advantages when compared to existing ultrasound ranging systems (like CRICKET, CALMARI, BAT) are for example the simple deployment with its 2 wire ”IPoK” bus system.

Abstract

Context-aware technologies allow Ambient Assisted Living developments to automatically obtain information from users and their environment in a distributed and ubiquitous way. One of the most important technologies used to provide context- awareness is Wireless Sensor Networks. Wireless Sensor Networks comprise an ideal technology to develop Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) aimed at indoor environments, where existing global navigation satellite systems do not work correctly. In this regard, Nebusens and the BISITE Research Group of the University of Salamanca have developed n-Core® Polaris, a new indoor and outdoor RTLS based on ZigBee WSNs and an innovative set of locating and automation engines. n-Core® Polaris is based on the n-Core® platform, a hardware and software platform intended for developing and deploying easily and quickly a wide variety of WSN applications based on the ZigBee standard. n-Core® Polaris exploits the unlimited potential of the n-Core® platform, taking advantage of the advanced set of features of the n-Core® Sirius devices and the n-Core® Application Programming Interface. The main features of n- Core® Polaris include extremely easy set-up and deployment; intuitive mobile and desktop interfaces; simple definition of restricted areas according to the users’ permissions; and full integration with a wide range of sensors and actuators.

Abstract

OwlPS is an Open-source Wireless Positioning System based on the IEEE 802.11 radio network (Wi-Fi). Since 2004, our team OMNI develops and experiments various techniques (both from the literature and from our own work) for indoor and outdoor positioning. We mainly exploit RSSI fingerprinting and indoor propagation models, helped by information such as the building's map, the mobile's path, etc. Fingerprinting location approaches provide 4m mean error for a 3-D positioning, with only 5 Wi-Fi access points deployed in an area of 300m². The latest version of the system (v1.2) includes a self-calibration mechanism, that avoids the time-consuming manual fingerprinting phase and allows considering dynamic changes of the environment (human, climatic, etc.) when computing the location of mobile terminals.

Abstract

The phase method of object positioning is considered in the paper. The distances are measured in a term of microwave phase difference or in parts of wavelengths. Such approach assumes the high resolution in distance de- termination. The homodyne method was put in a basis of microwave phase difference measurements. The beacons are placed in a room and the ones radiate the microwave sig- nals. The transponders are placed on the objects that are to be located. The transponders shift the frequencies of microwave signals (each transponder its own frequency shift) and reradiate the frequency-transformed microwave signals back in the directions of beacons. Each beacon selects the low-frequency difference signals and measures the phase differences between these signals and the reference one. Based on these measurements the distances to objects are calculated.