Scalable infrared sensor network for multiple three-dimensional indoor targets localisation

Abstract

This paper describes an Infrared Local Positioning System (IR-LPS) for localising multiple targets in three-dimensional space in an indoor environment. The IR-LPS utilises an infrared sensor network and is scalable in both the number of targets that can be tracked and in the number of sensors in the network. The system is lightweight, battery operated, requires no room-calibration in new environments and has processing embedded into the sensors. The IR-LPS was implemented and evaluated in a large open space laboratory and provided repeatable localisation with less than 0.1 m three-dimensional error up to 10 m and with a range of 30 m. The IR-LPS displayed the ability to localise both dynamic and static targets. The IR-LPS, configured with the minimum sized sensor network, displayed scalability with no increase in localisation error with an increase in the number of targets being localised (from 1 to 10).