April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Location Awareness at VT Using Place Lab
Triiip BowenTim Buennemeyer
Ingrid BurbeyVinit Joshi
ECE5564 Semester Project
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Agenda
• Problem Statement• Background• Topology• Methodology• Application Approach• Challenges
Encountered
• Successes Achieved• Resulting Applications• Recommendations
and Future Work• Project Artifacts• Conclusion• Questions
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Problem Statement
• Can location determination be achieved using existing RF signals at VT and the surrounding community?
• If so, then employ the technology to develop and enhance location applications.
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Location Awareness Background• 802.11B/G wireless access points are a key
component of today’s network infrastructure
• Immature ubiquitous systems are emerging in the public and private sectors
• Changes in information technology and networking industry have led to location awareness technologies that hinge on mapping signal strengths of wireless access points.
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Place Lab Background• Developmental, general-area location estimation tool
suite using WiFi, Bluetooth, GSM, & GPS• Limited documentation and NO PL user’s guide• 2 methods to map access points:
– “PlaceLabStumbler” can discover and map access points by measuring signal strengths
– Use known access point locations
• Logs are uploaded to the global PL database• Downloaded “Beacons” used to estimate user location
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Place Lab Topology
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Methodology
• Understand the Software• Gain Foothold Presence at
VT and Area– Place Lab Stumbling– Mapping
• Application Development• Create Users Guide
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Evolutionary Application Approach
• Indoor Location Awareness– Torgersen
• Outdoor Location Awareness– Downtown Guide
• Indoor/Outdoor Location Awareness– Assistive Technology Accessible Points
• Mapwad Creation Utility
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Challenges Encountered• Uncommented Code and NO Java Expert in Group• Permission to Upload VT_WLAN Logs• Quirky PL Software Errors• No SW Support• PL Stumbling Crashes
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Successes Achieved
• 3000+ Beacons Discovered & Uploaded• PL Capability Established at VT & Local Area• Numerous Maps Geo-Referenced (mapwads)• Applications Implemented• Utilities In-Progress
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Successes Achieved
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Resulting Applications
• Downtown Guide• Assistive Technology Guide (NE Campus)• Where am I? Landmark Guide• Utilities
– Mapwad Builder– Scene Analysis (Fingerprint)
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Recommendationsand Future Work
• Identify Accurate Mapping Source• Refine Utilities• “Stumble” Using GSM and Bluetooth Modes• Expand Across Campus• Use Known Access Point Locations• Scale Application for Use on PDA• Refine Application and Team w/ VT for Use and Data
Collection (VT Marketing and Campus Tour Guide)• Potential New Applications:
– Network Security– Track Visitors– Campus Police
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Project Artifacts
• Mapwads with “Places”– Montgomery County– Blacksburg– Downtown– NE Campus– ADA Access on Campus– Torgersen
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Project Artifacts (2)
• User’s Guide• 3000+ Beacons Uploaded to PL & Wigle Net• “Where Am I” Tour (Driving & Torgersen)• Basic Fingerprint Code Developed & Tested• Merged PL Stumbler & “Where Am I”
– Middleware Layer – Graphical Front End for Location Application
• Mapwad Builder Utility
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Conclusion
• PL does NOT provide accuracy required for Indoor Navigation
• Location Error is Directly tied to Mapping Source, Procedure, and Human Error
• PL baseline has been established!!• Lots of work still to be done• Available for YOU to work on over the
Summer! (It can be done in a week….)
April 26, 2005 Location Awareness Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Using Place Lab
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Questions