Localization System based on Handheld Inertial Sensors and UWB

In this paper we developed a novel indoor localization system based on Ultra-wideband (UWB) landmarks and inertial sensor as a guidance system for emergency responders. The wake-up technology is also equipped in the system to extend the lifetime of landmarks. While in sleep mode our landmarks have an overall power consumption of 66 mu W making them ready-to-use in case of an emergency for up to 5 years. The landmarks are small and cost-efficient and may be integrated into the building infrastructure, e.g. into smoke detectors. Additionally, we have developed a handheld device for firefighters which wakes up the UWB-landmarks. The inertial sensors are integrated in the handheld device for tracking purpose. The IMU and the UWB based position information are then fused by unscented Kalman filter to enhance the tracking accuracy. The experimental results show that the proposed system is able to outperform both standalone systems.