Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
An Indoor Positioning System for
Improved Action Force Command and
Disaster Management
Ulrich Walder
Univ.-Prof. Dipl. Ing. ETH Dr. techn.
Thomas Bernoulli, MSc
Thomas Wießflecker, Dipl. Ing.
Graz University of Technology
Austria
1

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
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 2

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
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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Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
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,
Better solution with
• too time-consuming or
Dead Reckoning System
• not accurate enough
Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria 4

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
TU Graz IPS – what is it?
Positioning Equipment for Deployment Forces
Hardware inertial measurement unit
lightweight wearable computer
head mounted display
Software motion pattern analysis
intelligent sensor-map interaction
hands free, speech driven user interaction
IPS is the core of a Disaster Management System
Command Station
Hardware computer / notebook
Network WLAN or UMTS
Software operation command and control system
Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria 5

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
50
Accelerations
40
30
20
ax - ay - az
10
0
227 227.5 228 228.5 229 229.5 230
-10
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Step recognition with new sensor calibration
time
-40
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Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
System Architecture
floor plans additional building
graphic display
dwg, dxf, atl information
CAFM within a lightweight
application running in the
standardized XML
control room and on-site
format
data storing
Update
Engine
verification and
correction
communication
local position
signalling
data
Real-
time
remote status status corrected
position data information information position data
network
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Indoor Positioning System
Integration of Computer Aided Facility Management Data and
Real-time Information in Disaster Management
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
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
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Indoor Positioning System
Integration of Computer Aided Facility Management Data and
Real-time Information in Disaster Management
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
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
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Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
TU Graz Indoor Positioning System
System benefits
1. 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
Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria 10

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
Typical Results - Outdoor Test
Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria 11

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
Typical results
(in a heavily disturbed magnetic field
environment next to a railway track)
Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria 12

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
Typical results
(hip mounted sensor)
Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria 13

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
Communication Network
com m and and
control center
m obile low data rate link
devices
802.11 link
Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria 14

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
Static Sub-model
3 destroyed
columns →
removed
elements
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Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
Link of the Static Sub-model with the BIM
. .
<IfcRelDefinesByProperties id=\"i2\"> .
<HasProperties> BEAM 1996 JOINTS 952 951 0.0
BEAM 1997 JOINTS 953 952 0.0
<IfcBeam>
BEAM 1998 JOINTS 954 953 0.0
<GlobalId>295H6hv1z5T</GlobalId>
BEAM 1999 JOINTS 955 954 0.0
<Name>Element4931</Name> BEAM 2000 JOINTS 956 955 0.0
</IfcBeam> *
<IfcPropertySet> , COLLAPSED BEAMS
INACTIVE BEAM 61
<HasProperties>
INACTIVE BEAM 62
<IfcPropertySingleValue>
INACTIVE BEAM 63
<Name>ReferenceToFE</Name> *
<NominalValue>BEAM61</NominalValue> , SUPPORT CONDITIONS
</IfcPropertySingleValue> N N N N N N JOINTS 33 TO 64 72 73 81 82
*
</HasProperties>
, ELEMENTMESH DRAWINGS
</IfcPropertySet>
DRWAWING SCALE 100. VIEWPOINT -1. -2. .5 ELEMENTS
</HasProperties> *
</IfcRelDefinesByProperties> .
. .
BIM - XML (graphic + Input file for structural
object sub-model) analysis (static sub-model)
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Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
Future Research
• Augmented reality applications
– Personal guidance
– Personal safety
• Install CADMS on mobile phones
Where ever you go – you know where you are!
Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria 17

Indoor Positioning System
ISCRAM2009
Institute for
Building Informatics
Thank you for your attention!
Ulrich Walder, Graz University of Technology, Austria 18