An Indoor Positioning System for Improved Action Force Command and Disaster Management

Institute for Building Informatics

Indoor Positioning System ISCRAM2009

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Ulrich WalderUniv.-Prof. Dipl. Ing. ETH Dr. techn.

Thomas Bernoulli, MSc

Thomas Wießflecker, Dipl. Ing.

Graz University of Technology Austria

An Indoor Positioning System for Improved Action Force Command and Disaster Management



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Content•

Why do we need indoor positioning?

•

What technologies exist?

•

The TU Graz CADMS (Computer Aided Disaster Management System)

•

Achieved results

•

Future research and civil applications

Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria



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Why do we need Indoor Positioning?Action Force Command•

Real-time information about the situation of deployed teams and the affected areas is needed!

Disaster Management•

Urban development ► higher density ► large roofed areas

•

High vulnerability against fire, flood and terror



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Traditional Indoor Positioning Systems•

Based on preinstalled infrastructure–

HS-GNSS (GPS)

–

Wireless LAN–

Ultra Wide Band

–

RFID–

Cameras

Many disadvantages:•

Either not possible (GPS),

•

too expensive,•

too time-consuming or

•

not accurate enough


Better solution withDead Reckoning System



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TU Graz IPS –

what is it?Positioning Equipment for Deployment ForcesHardware

inertial measurement unitlightweight wearable computerhead mounted display

Software motion pattern analysis intelligent sensor-map interactionhands free, speech driven user interaction

IPS is the core of a Disaster Management SystemCommand StationHardware

computer / notebook

Network

WLAN or UMTSSoftware

operation command and control system




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Accelerations

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

227 227.5 228 228.5 229 229.5 230

time

ax -

ay -

az

Step recognition with new sensor calibration



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Upd

ate

Engi

ne

data storing

local position data

remote position data

status information

network

floor plansdwg, dxf, atl

standardized XML format

sign

allin

g

status information

correctedposition data

additional building information

CAFM

Real-

time

verification andcorrection

communication

graphic display

within a lightweight application running in the control room and on-site

System Architecture



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Building Information Model (BIM)•

Graphic data is available in developed countries for most major facilities from CAD or CAFM Systems

•

Standardised formats are defined (dwg, dxf, ifc-XML)•

Aerial photos can replace precise maps

Integration of Computer Aided Facility Management Data

and Real-time Information in Disaster Management



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Enhanced BIM Data → “Intelligent Maps”•

Pure graphic data are enhanced by attributes for walls, transition objects (doors, stairs, etc.) and the surrounding

•

Local position is verified permanently with corresponding map•

Repositioning is automatically performed if necessary

•

A hands-free graphic user interface allows for user corrections

Integration of Computer Aided Facility Management Data

and Real-time Information in Disaster Management



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TU Graz Indoor Positioning System

System benefits1.

No installations in buildings necessary

2.

High positioning accuracy (< 2 m)

3.

Small and handy system (foot or hip mounted)

4.

Maps can easily be derived from floor plans

5.

Autonomous operation in case of transmission interrupts

6.

Great potential for civil applications




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Typical Results -

Outdoor Test




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Typical results(in a heavily disturbed magnetic fieldenvironment next to a railway track)




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Typical results(hip mounted sensor)




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Communication Network


802.11 link

low data rate link

comm and andcontrol center

mobiledevices



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Static Sub-model

3 destroyedcolumns →

removed elements



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.

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.<IfcRelDefinesByProperties

id="i2"><HasProperties>

<IfcBeam><GlobalId>295H6hv1z5T</GlobalId><Name>Element4931</Name>

</IfcBeam><IfcPropertySet>

<HasProperties><IfcPropertySingleValue>

<Name>ReferenceToFE</Name><NominalValue>BEAM61</NominalValue>

</IfcPropertySingleValue></HasProperties>

</IfcPropertySet></HasProperties>

</IfcRelDefinesByProperties>.

Link of the Static Sub-model with the BIM

BIM -

XML (graphic + object sub-model)

Input file for structural analysis (static sub-model)



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Future Research•

Augmented reality applications

–

Personal guidance

–

Personal safety

•

Install CADMS on mobile phones

Where ever you go –

you know where you are!




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Thank you for your attention!
