IMU-Based Indoor Navigation System for GPS-Restricted Areas

Abstract

Indoor positioning system is a challenge for most military operations because conventional technologies like GPS do not work in indoor conditions. Also at this point in time there is no proven technology that is globally accepted that provides indoor navigation and positioning. In this project a indoor positioning system based on a combination of technologies and features is proposed that can provide the best possible solution to this requirement. This project uses a combination of 3D accelerometer to provide information about the movement of the person. A 3D 360° Digital magnetometer which provides information about the direction of movement. A Gyroscope which provide information about the person’s orientation and finally a barometric pressure transducer that uses atmospheric pressure as reference to calculate the height or elevation of the individual. Thus using these multiple inputs and a slew of processing and calculations can provide information about the movement and location of a person in 3D space additionally this information can be transmitted using wireless communication technologies to keep track of the respective position on soldiers inside a building where GPS and other conventional technologies do not work. If every soldier is provided with a device like this then a military operation can be coordinated easily from a remote location by knowing the respective location of all the soldiers. The location of various soldiers can be plotted on a software like LabVIEW on a remote computer terminal in a control room away from the danger zone.