Indoor Localization using Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals

Abstract

In this paper, we exploit the wireless signals of the two most common wireless standard used in indoor environments i.e. Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for localization application. We demonstrate that by inferring wireless signals, we can keep a track of localization that can provide key performance indicators in maintaining a healthy and active life of elderlies. As WiFi and BLE operate at multiple transmission power levels, the localization accuracy can vary. In this regard, we investigate the feasibility of the WiFi and BLE wireless signals in tracking the location of an elderly in a cluttered home environment. We use fingerprinting localization algorithm for location estimation. We first demonstrate that both wireless standards can be used for indoor localization. We further present the results for localization estimated from multiple transmission power levels for WiFi and BLE. The results show WiFi signals to be more stable compared to BLE signals. However, despite operating at much low transmission power levels BLE provides comparable results that are sufficient for locating elderlies in an indoor environment.