Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Outdoors positioning'

Location-based services (LBS) are becoming an important feature on today’s smartphones (SPs) and tablets. Likewise, SPs include many wireless/sensors technologies such as: global navigation satellite system (GNSS), cellular, wireless fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth (BT) and inertial-sensors that increased the breadth and complexity of such services. One of the main demand of LBS users is always/seamless positioning service. However, no single onboard SPs technology can seamlessly provide location information from outdoors into indoors. In addition, the required location accuracy can be varied to support multiple LBS applications. This is mainly due to each of these onboard wireless/sensors technologies has its own capabilities and limitations. For example, when outdoors GNSS receivers on SPs can locate the user to within few meters and supply accurate time to within few nanoseconds (e.g. ± 6 nanoseconds). However, when SPs enter into indoors this capability would be lost. In another vain, the other onboard wireless/sensors technologies can show better SP positioning accuracy, but based on some pre-defined knowledge and pre-installed infrastructure. Therefore, to overcome such limitations, hybrid measurements of these wireless/sensors technologies into a positioning system can be a possible solution to offer seamless localisation service and to improve location accuracy. This thesis aims to investigate/design/implement solutions that shall offer seamless/accurate SPs positioning and at lower cost than the current solutions. This thesis proposes three novel SPs localisation schemes including WAPs synchronisation/localisation scheme, SILS and UNILS. The schemes are based on hybridising GNSS with WiFi, BT and inertial-sensors measurements using combined localisation techniques including time-of-arrival (TOA) and dead-reckoning (DR). The first scheme is to synchronise and to define location of WAPs via outdoors-SPs’ fixed location/time information to help indoors localisation. SILS is to help locate any SP seamlessly as it goes from outdoors to indoors using measurements of GNSS, synched/located WAPs and BT-connectivity signals between groups of cooperated SPs in the vicinity. UNILS is to integrate onboard inertial-sensors’ readings into the SILS to provide seamless SPs positioning even in deep indoors, i.e. when the signals of WAPs or BT-anchors are considered not able to be used. Results, obtained from the OPNET simulations for various SPs network size and indoors/outdoors combinations scenarios, show that the schemes can provide seamless and locate indoors-SPs under 1 meter in near-indoors, 2-meters can be achieved when locating SPs at indoors (using SILS), while accuracy of around 3-meters can be achieved when locating SPs at various deep indoors situations without any constraint (using UNILS). The end of this thesis identifies possible future work to implement the proposed schemes on SPs and to achieve more accurate indoors SPs’ location.

An important aspect of upcoming fifth-generation (5G) cellular communication systems is to improve the accuracy with which user equipments can be positioned. Accurately knowing the position of a user equipment is becoming increasingly important for a wide range of applications, such as automation in industry, drones, and the internet of things. Contrary to how existing techniques for outdoor cellular positioning deal with multipath propagation, in this study the aim is to use, rather than mitigate, the multipath propagation prevalent in dense urban environments. It is investigated whether it is possible to position a user equipment using only a single transmitting base station, by exploiting position-related information in multipath components inherent in the received signal. Two algorithms are developed: one classical point-estimation algorithm using a grid search to find the cost function-minimizing position, and one Bayesian filtering algorithm using a point-mass filter. Both algorithms make use of BEZT, a set of 3D propagation models developed by Ericsson Research, to predict propagation paths. A model of the signal received by a user equipment is formulated for use in the positioning algorithms. In addition to the signal model, the algorithms also require a digital map of the propagation environment. The algorithms are evaluated first on synthetic measurements, generated using BEZT, and then on real-world measurements. For both the synthetic and real-world measurement sets, the Bayesian point-mass filter outperforms the classical algorithm. It is observed how, given synthetic measurements, the algorithms yield better estimates in non-line-of-sight regions than in regions where the user equipment has line-of-sight to the transmitting base station. Unfortunately, these results do not generalize well to the real-world measurements, where, overall, neither algorithm is able to provide reliable and robust position estimates. However, as multipath-assisted positioning, to the best of our knowledge, has not been used for outdoor cellular positioning before, there are plenty of algorithm extensions, modifications, and problem aspects left to be studied - some of which are discussed in the concluding chapters.

This thesis is about learning at a residential outdoor education centre [pseudonym:- Wild Country Hall]. It poses and answers three questions: • How useful might discursive positioning be as a perspective on learning? • What are the discourses at Wild Country Hall and how are they different to schooling discourses? • How might neo-Liberal discursive practices, including performativity and current schooling orthodoxies have affected the pedagogic practices at this centre? The review of literature provides an overview of the key literature on outdoor, adventure and experiential learning, considering these through the lenses of learning as acquisition, participation and transformation, before discussing the literature on the discursive positioning of identity. Literature on the discursive practices of outdoor centres is then considered in relation to literature on neo-Liberalism and performativity in schools. The methodology is ethnographic. Participant observations were conducted over a period of five years whilst children were participating in both the organised adventure activities and the residential life of the centre. Searches of the centre’s documentary archives, and follow up interviews with 22 children (aged eight to 11) and three adults were used to add richness to the observational data, and especially to better understand reported participant gains. Analysis was undertaken by coding themes in the data using QSR NVivo N6. The findings suggest that acquisitional and participatory perspectives on learning are not totally adequate for explaining the reported changes in outlook and behaviour of the children who took part in the research. These benefits may be more usefully conceptualised as discursively re-positioned identity. It is suggested that the perspective on learning as discursive positioning may be usefully employed by those studying residential outdoor education in the future. The findings show a number of over-arching discourses that dominate the life of Wild Country Hall. These include place - including the appreciation, care of and respect for nature, the sense of awe and wonder, understanding and protecting the environment – risk, challenge and adventure; and consequent confidence and resilience building by children through facing and over-coming their fears. Whilst some of these fears are linked to the adventure activities of the centre (such as fears of heights, water), other fears are associated with the residential nature of the centre; encountering and coping with homesickness, living with new people, encountering strange customs and unfamiliar social practices. So important were these unfamiliar discourses to the participating children that they may be looked upon as ‘rites of passage’. The findings suggest that encountering unfamiliar discourses may explain the efficacy of learning at Wild Country Hall. Some of the pedagogic practices at Wild Country Hall were found to valorise what may be described as ‘classroom discourses’, and these have tended to formalise learning at the centre. It is suggested, therefore, that this outdoor centre has been influenced by performativity and classroom orthodoxy, themselves shaped by neo-Liberal agenda. These influences may be narrowing the range of discourses available and limiting the centre’s continuing ability to provide unfamiliar discourses, possibly to the detriment of children’s learning. The conclusion makes a number of recommendations for policy practice and research. Recommendations for policy and practice focus on the narrowing tendencies observed at this centre, suggesting shifts in policy to retain the distinctiveness of outdoor education centres. Recommendations for research suggest that follow-up studies would be useful to test the findings in other outdoor centres and other areas of learning, whilst more methodological work could be done on memory and data research sites where contemporaneous notation and digital recording may be difficult or impossible.

The thesis describes a proposal of iMi Partner, a.s. marketing strategies for entering new markets with Schwarzwolf outdoor brand. The proposal section contains a summary measure for the achievement of expanding the product into new markets and for strengthening the brand. The proposed section is preceded by a strategic analysis of external and internal environment of the company. Part of this work is devoted to the marketing as its theoretical starting point.

The present thesis is primarily motivated by the will to provide help for decisionmaking on the overall layout of a house or a housing development in the very early stages of design from the point of view of energy efficiency and thermal comfort. This study contributes towards a deeper understanding of thermal interactions between a house and its adjacent enclosed open spaces. It addresses the contribution of the yard design, i.e. placement, size and type towards the development of a comfortable microclimate within the yard itself, as well as the reduction of total energy demands of the house for mechanical heating and cooling. The focus is put on the applicability of the results and findings are expressed in form of a decision-making aid. This research also makes empirical and analytical assessments on the validity of some existing methods and tools that are used for understanding the nature of microclimates in small scales and proposes methods for their improvement, particularly when used in conjunction with standard tools for the assessment of indoor climates. These methods are also demonstrated through an exemplary application in an archetypal setting and the results of the exemplary case are analysed to reach a decision on the most advisable design layouts for the buildings in the example. As a result, this work emphasises on the importance of private outdoor spaces and how their careful design can benefit occupiers, investors and the environment.

Doctor en Ciencias, Mención Computación
En escenarios ubicuos, conocer la posición de un dispositivo es imperativo para proveer al usuario de servicios personalizados basados en location awareness, un aspecto de diseño clave en la mayoría de las aplicaciones ubicuas que dependiente de las capacidades de los dispositivos para sentir cambios en su ambiente de trabajo. No existe una solución que aborde todos los tipos de posicionamiento, pues distintos tipos de aplicaciones requieren información de posicionamiento variada en términos de exactitud, precisión, complejidad, escalabilidad, y costo. En escenarios ubicuos estándar, suele más de una estrategia de posicionamiento disponible, pero en general los dispositivos móviles no son capaces de determinar cuál es la más adecuada dado el contexto de trabajo del usuario. Además, este contexto está en constante cambio a medida que el usuario se mueve, perdiéndose conexiones a ciertos elementos del ambiente y ganándose otras. Aunque existen soluciones que abordan el posicionamiento en escenarios específicos de manera efectiva, hacerlo tomando en cuenta la mayoría de estos escenarios sigue siendo un problema abierto. La propuesta presentada en esta tesis es un modelo de posicionamiento sensible al contexto (CAMPOS), que permite a dispositivos que realizan actividades débilmente acopladas en escenarios ad-hoc al aire libre, elegir estrategias de posicionamiento adecuadas a su contexto, basado en variables contextuales predefinidas. El modelo elabora un "catálogo" de estrategias disponibles y los puntos de referencia, usando las variables contextuales como entrada para un clasificador RandomForest, el cual determina un orden de idoneidad para las estrategias de posicionamiento, lo que permite acceder a estrategias ajustadas al contexto del usuario. CAMPOS fue diseñado usando una metodología iterativa basada en casos de estudio. Primero, se realizó una revisión de literatura para determinar umbrales y valores promedio iniciales para las métricas y variables del modelo. Luego, se implementaron dos conjuntos de simulaciones; el primero para experimentar con distintos escenarios y configuraciones de dispositivos; y el segundo para evaluar el rendimiento del modelo. La batería de pruebas incluyó 27 plantillas de escenario, ejecutadas 15 veces para un total de 405 experimentos. Las variables observadas incluyen el efecto de variar la cantidad de beacons (dispositivos con capacidad de posicionamiento), la cantidad total de dispositivos, y el rango de comunicación. Todos los experimentos presentados en este trabajo se realizaron utilizando el ns-3, un simulador de redes de eventos discretos orientado a la investigación. El aporte de CAMPOS reside en que no es una nueva propuesta de estrategia de posicionamiento, ni busca mejorar el estado del arte en términos de precisión. En vez de ello, proporciona a los dispositivos de una red los medios para censar su entorno y determinar qué estrategia de posicionamiento es más adecuada para su contexto. Además, dado que CAMPOS es independiente del proceso formal de posicionamiento, si apareciesen nuevas estrategias de posicionamiento en el futuro, éstas podrían añadirse a CAMPOS con relativa facilidad, permitiendo que los dispositivos potencialmente tengan acceso a dichas estrategias a través del modelo.
El trabajo presentado en esta tesis ha sido financiado por el Programa de Becas NIC Chile, y parcialmente por Fondecyt (Chile), Proyecto 1150252

Context. Localization and positioning services are nowadays very extended and the growth is still continuing. Many places already provide wireless tracking systems to monitor the people or material movements, specially indoors. The new arising ZigBee wireless technology provides an efficient network management and a low battery consumption, making it appropriate for location purposes in portable devices like mobile phones. Objectives. The aim is to locate a ZigBee device located inside a golf ball that has been lost within an outdoors area. An Android phone connected to a ZigBee device via USB will serve as coordinator of the localization network and by giving on-screen instructions and guidance provided by the conceptual Decision Support System (DSS). Methods. The measurement used in the localization process is the Received Signal Strength (RSS). With this data, the distance between the sensors can be estimated. However to obtain an accurate position several readings from different sensors might be needed. This paper tests the precision levels of the ZigBee modules varying the number of sensors in the localization network and using the triangulation method. Results. The precision is the main variable measured in the results, which reaches distance variation of less than 1 meter in cases where the triangulation approach can be applied. For the localization process, the use of less than three sensors lead to very poor results, obtaining a wrong localization in around 30\% of the cases. Also, movement patterns were discovered to improve the localization process. All this data can be used as an input for the DSS for future improvements. Conclusions. This study proves that outdoor positioning with ZigBee devices is possible if the required level of precision is not very high. However, more studies concerning localization with less than three sensors have to be conducted to try to reach the goal of one-on-one localization. This study opens the door for further investigations in this matter.

This thesis aimed to investigate the way in which distance runners modulate their speed in an effort to understand the key processes and determinants of speed selection when encountering hills in natural outdoor environments. One factor which has limited the expansion of knowledge in this area has been a reliance on the motorized treadmill which constrains runners to constant speeds and gradients and only linear paths. Conversely, limits in the portability or storage capacity of available technology have restricted field research to brief durations and level courses. Therefore another aim of this thesis was to evaluate the capacity of lightweight, portable technology to measure running speed in outdoor undulating terrain. The first study of this thesis assessed the validity of a non-differential GPS to measure speed, displacement and position during human locomotion. Three healthy participants walked and ran over straight and curved courses for 59 and 34 trials respectively. A non-differential GPS receiver provided speed data by Doppler Shift and change in GPS position over time, which were compared with actual speeds determined by chronometry. Displacement data from the GPS were compared with a surveyed 100m section, while static positions were collected for 1 hour and compared with the known geodetic point. GPS speed values on the straight course were found to be closely correlated with actual speeds (Doppler shift: r = 0.9994, p < 0.001, Δ GPS position/time: r = 0.9984, p < 0.001). Actual speed errors were lowest using the Doppler shift method (90.8% of values within ± 0.1 m.sec -1). Speed was slightly underestimated on a curved path, though still highly correlated with actual speed (Doppler shift: r = 0.9985, p < 0.001, Δ GPS distance/time: r = 0.9973, p < 0.001). Distance measured by GPS was 100.46 ± 0.49m, while 86.5% of static points were within 1.5m of the actual geodetic point (mean error: 1.08 ± 0.34m, range 0.69-2.10m). Non-differential GPS demonstrated a highly accurate estimation of speed across a wide range of human locomotion velocities using only the raw signal data with a minimal decrease in accuracy around bends. This high level of resolution was matched by accurate displacement and position data. Coupled with reduced size, cost and ease of use, the use of a non-differential receiver offers a valid alternative to differential GPS in the study of overground locomotion. The second study of this dissertation examined speed regulation during overground running on a hilly course. Following an initial laboratory session to calculate physiological thresholds (VO2 max and ventilatory thresholds), eight experienced long distance runners completed a self- paced time trial over three laps of an outdoor course involving uphill, downhill and level sections. A portable gas analyser, GPS receiver and activity monitor were used to collect physiological, speed and stride frequency data. Participants ran 23% slower on uphills and 13.8% faster on downhills compared with level sections. Speeds on level sections were significantly different for 78.4 ± 7.0 seconds following an uphill and 23.6 ± 2.2 seconds following a downhill. Speed changes were primarily regulated by stride length which was 20.5% shorter uphill and 16.2% longer downhill, while stride frequency was relatively stable. Oxygen consumption averaged 100.4% of runner’s individual ventilatory thresholds on uphills, 78.9% on downhills and 89.3% on level sections. Group level speed was highly predicted using a modified gradient factor (r2 = 0.89). Individuals adopted distinct pacing strategies, both across laps and as a function of gradient. Speed was best predicted using a weighted factor to account for prior and current gradients. Oxygen consumption (VO2) limited runner’s speeds only on uphill sections, and was maintained in line with individual ventilatory thresholds. Running speed showed larger individual variation on downhill sections, while speed on the level was systematically influenced by the preceding gradient. Runners who varied their pace more as a function of gradient showed a more consistent level of oxygen consumption. These results suggest that optimising time on the level sections after hills offers the greatest potential to minimise overall time when running over undulating terrain. The third study of this thesis investigated the effect of implementing an individualised pacing strategy on running performance over an undulating course. Six trained distance runners completed three trials involving four laps (9968m) of an outdoor course involving uphill, downhill and level sections. The initial trial was self-paced in the absence of any temporal feedback. For the second and third field trials, runners were paced for the first three laps (7476m) according to two different regimes (Intervention or Control) by matching desired goal times for subsections within each gradient. The fourth lap (2492m) was completed without pacing. Goals for the Intervention trial were based on findings from study two using a modified gradient factor and elapsed distance to predict the time for each section. To maintain the same overall time across all paced conditions, times were proportionately adjusted according to split times from the self-paced trial. The alternative pacing strategy (Control) used the original split times from this initial trial. Five of the six runners increased their range of uphill to downhill speeds on the Intervention trial by more than 30%, but this was unsuccessful in achieving a more consistent level of oxygen consumption with only one runner showing a change of more than 10%. Group level adherence to the Intervention strategy was lowest on downhill sections. Three runners successfully adhered to the Intervention pacing strategy which was gauged by a low Root Mean Square error across subsections and gradients. Of these three, the two who had the largest change in uphill-downhill speeds ran their fastest overall time. This suggests that for some runners the strategy of varying speeds systematically to account for gradients and transitions may benefit race performances on courses involving hills. In summary, a non – differential receiver was found to offer highly accurate measures of speed, distance and position across the range of human locomotion speeds. Self-selected speed was found to be best predicted using a weighted factor to account for prior and current gradients. Oxygen consumption limited runner’s speeds only on uphills, speed on the level was systematically influenced by preceding gradients, while there was a much larger individual variation on downhill sections. Individuals were found to adopt distinct but unrelated pacing strategies as a function of durations and gradients, while runners who varied pace more as a function of gradient showed a more consistent level of oxygen consumption. Finally, the implementation of an individualised pacing strategy to account for gradients and transitions greatly increased runners’ range of uphill-downhill speeds and was able to improve performance in some runners. The efficiency of various gradient-speed trade- offs and the factors limiting faster downhill speeds will however require further investigation to further improve the effectiveness of the suggested strategy.

The overall aim was to describe how persons with dementia (PwDs) reflecton being outdoors and to investigate the support provided by a passivepositioning alarm (PPA) in making daily life safer for PwDs and theirspouses. Repeated conversations were held with 11 PwDs living in their own homesregarding their reflections on being outdoors (Study I). Interview study with14 spouses to a person with dementia (PwD) with their reflections on differentkinds of information and communication technology (ICT) devicesthat were used or can be used in the daily care of PwDs (Study II). An ethnographicapproach with participant observations and conversations withfive couples, a PwD and his/her spouse, describing and exploring their useand experiences of using a PPA, over time, in daily life (Study III). An experimentalsingle-case ABAB-design with three cases, a PwD and hisspouse, investigating the effects of using tracking technology on independentoutdoor activities and psychological well-being (Study IV). In summary, the results of the thesis show that being outdoors was describedby the PwDs as a confirmation of their identity, the `Self´. The useof ICT in daily care of PwDs was described by the spouses as shifting betweentheir own needs for safety and security and the perceived need forsafety and security from the perspective of the PwD. The use of a PPA indaily life among PwDs living in their own homes can give a sense of freedom,support and strengthen the feeling of independence for both PwDsand their spouses as well as give a feeling of safety and security for themboth. Use of the PPA may also increase PwDs’ independent outdoor activitiesand decrease spouses’ worries.

La Context-awareness, è un insieme di features tecniche che permette di offrire una vasta gamma di servizi dove le informazioni “seguono” gli utenti. Tali servizi promettono di fornire le informazioni di cui l’utente necessita nel momento giusto, al posto giusto e nel modo più semplice, veloce e opportuno. La prima parte della mia attività di ricerca si è focalizzata su un sottoinsieme di aspetti associati alla Context Awareness. Il lavoro si colloca in un progetto di ricerca finanziato dalla Comunità Europea: il progetto SIMPLICITY. Simplicity propone una generalizzazione del concetto di “portabilità”, permettendo agli utenti di muoversi senza vincoli tra differenti applicazioni distribuite e diversi servizi, utilizzando tecnologie di rete ed apparecchiature eterogenee. A partire da questi obiettivi la mia ricerca si è concentrata proprio sul Profilo d’utente prendendo come punto di partenza il Generic User Profile proposto dal 3GPP(GUP). Il mio lavoro si è focalizzato su un ripensamento dell’ architettura proposta dal 3GPP e la struttura che alla fine ne deriva ricopre ed estende tale modello. La ricerca si è successivamente spostata sul contenuto del profilo utente e quindi sui dati che tale profilo doveva contenere. Nella tesi è presentato anche il concetto di Simplicity Device(SD), un dispositivo portatile, che permette agli utenti di “portare” da un terminale ad un altro la propria identità digitale, i propri dati personali e le proprie preferenze. L’utilizzo congiunto di un profilo d'utente personale e di un dispositivo hardware (SD), permette di ottenere una configurazione automatica, trasparente, e personalizzata, di terminali, dispositivi, e servizi. Nei sistemi in cui “le informazioni devono seguire gli utenti”, ecco che ci si trova a parlare di localizzazione, ossia di individuazione della posizione dell’utente in movimento. In tale prospettiva, nella seconda parte di questa tesi, il problema della localizzazione e i cosiddetti “Location Based Services” (LBS) hanno rivestito notevole interesse. Anche in questo caso l’attività si inquadra in un altro progetto di ricerca Europeo: il progetto SMS (Simple Mobile Services). In particolare i servizi SMS promettono di fornire all’utente mobile non servizi e informazioni generiche ma contestualizzate e quindi basate, tra l’altro, sulla posizione e area geografica in cui si trova nel momento in cui richiede le informazioni e i servizi stessi. Nella tesi è descritto lo studio ed implementazione di un’architettura di supporto per servizi Location Based nuovi o già esistenti. Essa è strutturata su più livelli e le interfacce realizzate consentono l’accesso semplice alle funzionalità dei livelli sottostanti. In particolare esse sono state progettate come strumenti che sollevino gli sviluppatori dai problemi relativi all’acquisizione del dato di posizione e che allo stesso tempo nascondano i dettagli delle tecniche che permettono la localizzazione stessa. Il sistema è slegato dalla particolare tecnologia di localizzazione utilizzata e ingloba in sé più tecnologie di localizzazione essendo in grado di scegliere quale utilizzare a seconda del contesto. Parallelamente l’architettura è stata pensata in modo tale da poter essere utilizzata anche in situazioni in cui non è possibile determinare la posizione corrente di un utente. L’architettura e le location API implementate, costituiscono un sistema per lo sviluppo di applicazioni Location Based per scenari sia Indoor che Outdoor. La soluzione proposta è altresì in grado di gestire in modo trasparente e senza interrompere la continuità del servizio la transizione tra spazi Indoor e Outdoor. Nella tesi sono descritti e analizzati i dettagli implementativi di ogni livello dell’architettura. Sono stati realizzati due moduli software che forniscono servizi di navigazione e localizzazione sia in spazi aperti che chiusi. I due Navigatori realizzati offrono le stesse interfacce grazie a un contenitore generico dell’informazione di posizione che entrambe utilizzano. I dettagli della definizione, implementazione e originale utilizzo di tale fondamentale oggetto, chiamato “Position object” sono altresì oggetto di questa trattazione.
“Context-awareness lets computing technology to provide services to people at any time, any where, with any media but also specifically to communicate the right thing at the right time and in the right way”. Within the research field of context-aware services, researchers from industry and academia have been working on solutions for this problem for the last decade. In the first part of my research work I focused on a subset of the research field of context aware-services. The work has been performed in the context of the SIMPLICITY project. The personalization concept is based on a user profile which realizes a common underlying information model for all the elements of the Simplicity architecture. In this perspective the first part of this dissertation focuses on my specification and development of the Simplicity User Profile (SUP) to provide highly personalized context-aware services with reduced interactional complexity for the end-user. I started from the work carried out in 3GPP on the GUP but I extended and improved that approach. In this dissertation I also present the concept of the Simplicity Device (SD) which is an enhanced mobile phone that stores and handles personal information, user preferences and policies. The SD, by the simple act of “plugging” it into a terminal, becomes the “virtual” identity of the end-user. It allows the enforcement of user-personalized mechanisms to exploit service fruition, to drive automatic adaptation to terminal capabilities, and to facilitate service adaptation to various network technologies and related capabilities. The SUP, the SD together with a brokerage framework simplify the process of using current and future “services” providing a user-friendly solution. To best meet the mobile user’s current and continuously changing context, location-aware capabilities represent an important issues to be addressed. Hence the second part of this thesis consider Location-Awareness and Location Based Service(LBS). The work was performed in the framework of an another IST Project, named Simple Mobile Services (SMS). SMS services will target specific locations visited by specific classes of mobile user with specific needs. In this perspective my research activity was devoted to define, project and implement a Localization and Navigation architecture that, in many ways, enable the simple creation and development of new context-sensitive services or supply existing applications with location awareness. The driving idea was to develop simple to use interfaces leveraging the developers and the users the complexities related to the acquisition of a position information as well as hiding the particulars of the positioning technologies employed. Moreover the overall architecture is conceived to support situations in which determining the exact position of a mobile terminal is not a strict requirement, but it is enough to identify the terminal position within a radius or inside an area (e.g., rooms indoor, or zones outdoor). The software architecture also makes a combined use of indoor and outdoor location-sensing technologies being able to solve localization problems independently from the environment and the location technology in use. It also realizes a transparent and automatic switch mechanism from indoor to outdoor (and vice versa) situations without breaking the continuity of the service usage. To prove the feasibility of the entire architecture a prototypical implementation has been developed using J2ME CLDC on Java enabled phones. Both the indoor and outdoor implemented navigation applications provide the same interfaces, thanks to the general purpose definition of the same position information container used for both of them. The definition and implementation process of this object, named Position object, is here presented.

碩士
國立交通大學
土木工程系所
106
In this paper, we focus on outdoor material positioning. Due to the development of wireless sensor technology, outdoor positioning and indoor positioning are widely popular with research scholar. Outdoor positioning are usually based on GPS(Global Positioning System) but the positioning error of mobile phone fall between 5 to 10 meters. Most of existing literature are using beacon in indoor positioning. It use high density and short distance transmission to estimate the distance between transmitter and receiver. Because there is a little literature about using beacon in outdoor positioning, we try to use beacon in outdoor positioning in this paper. BLE(Bluetooth Low Energy) is one of the most common positioning technology how it works is measuring the signal strength to estimate its distance between transmitter and receiver. In this paper we use collection of signal strength data with temperature and relative humidity to build a regression model. We also try back-propagation of supervised neural network to reduce the error of estimating the distance between transmitter and receiver from regression model, and we get 0.426(m) average error with 89.6% accuracy. Subsequently, we use three known coordinates of beacons in triangulation algorithm to find out the coordinate of phone. In this paper, we use Bayesian Regularization of back-propagation neural network to forecast coordinates of phone, and we get 0.6356 (m) average error better than 2.143(m) average error of using regression model.

碩士
國立虎尾科技大學
電機工程系碩士班
105
This paper mainly discusses the positioning and tracking of the target algorithm based on the swarm algorithm of artificial intelligence in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), and designs a rescue system that can be used for outdoor positioning and tracking. The positioning and tracking of targets in wireless sensing networks can achieve fast, high performance and accuracy. In the application of wireless sensor network technology, target location and tracking has been one of the problems to be discussed. The methods include Angle of Arrival (AOA), Time of Arrival (TOA) and arrival Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA), etc. In the practical application of these methods, its equipment is very expensive; therefore, many related researches of target positioning and tracking often use the Receive Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) method. The advantage of the RSSI is that the device is easy to obtain and the computational complexity is low. Therefore, we will use RSSI as the basis for estimating the distance between the target point and the algorithm individual (Mobile Node). However, when the wireless signal is sent from the transmitter to receiver, the reflection, scattering, and other physical characteristics of the various barriers would cause the received RSSI value have a substantial error. Therefore, we propose Hybrid Swarm Algorithm (HSA) to slove the problem. Using the property of mobile individuals (Mobile Node) to locate and track objects in the outdoor space. In the case, it can reduce the influence of improper placement of the individuals on the target location and tracking, and can also reduce the cost of search time, work force and cost, and increase the success rate of positioning or tracking. In this thesis, we used the characteristics of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN), which used the individual''s ability of communication between individuals and supervised learning for target localization and tracking. In addition, we use the RSSI value as objective function to implement target positioning and tracking and compare the performance of single Swarm Optimization algorithm with that of Hybrid Swarm Algorithm. In this thesis, we set algorithm individuals (Mobile Node) as receiver and target point as transmitter. We use distance between receiver and transmitter to produce the RSSI value of channel model for initial to simulate real world conditions. Using the algorithm to simulate the habit of bio foraging. Individual of algorithm will move to the direction of the largest food source (RSSI value). We estimate the location of the target point by the moving individual. We could reduce the estimation error that caused by RSSI variation via the information sharing mechanism. On the other hand, we have to use more individuals to track the target positioning and tracking. A study to improve the accuracy of target positioning and tracking with less amount of individuals is addressed. To enhance the efficiency of positioning and tracking, the Regional Segmentation Method (RSM), Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) and Dynamic Individual Selection (DIS) are proposed in this paper. Simulations show that these methods can be significantly shorten the target positioning and tracking time, and have good precision performance.

碩士
淡江大學
電機工程學系碩士班
94
The mobile positioning service has become a hot issue over the past few years in wireless communication. The Signal strength (SS), the Angle of Arrival (AOA) and Time of Arrival (TOA) techniques have been proposed for providing location services in wireless mobile position systems. In this paper we present a method for the enhanced accuracy of mobile location. This method is to mix and combine AOA and TOA in wireless mobile position system and to pick out mobile locations to enhance the accuracy of location estimation. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed location scheme gives much higher location accuracy than the method that only uses TOA or AOA location technique. The major technical challenge is Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) problems in the wireless mobile position system. In this thesis, we focus on the NLOS mitigation issue. NLOS mitigation algorithms are proposed to combat such NLOS errors based on TOA and AOA position techniques. Finally, the performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by computer simulations. Simulation results show that the proposed schemes are effective in decreasing NLOS errors.

碩士
國立成功大學
電機工程學系碩博士班
92
The thesis presents a data fusion approach of combining GPS and PL positioning sensors. Although GPS service has been widely used in navigation, it is subject to signal obstruction problem. A pseudo satellite (PL) can be used to augment the positioning service, enhancing the overall coverage and accuracy. In this thesis, an extended Kalman filter is formulated to process GPS and PL measurements. The filter is adaptive in the sense that its state and associated covariance are adjusted in response to the availability of GPS/PL signals. An indoor/outdoor navigation experiment is established to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach.

碩士
國立交通大學
資訊科學系
90
Location-based services have been a hot topic for several years. Lots of technologies are addressed in recent years. There are three kinds of solutions for positioning: handset-based, network-based, and software-based solutions. We choose software-based solution to determine user’s location because it is low-cost and simple for network operators or users. In the thesis, we proposed a method to evaluate the accuracy for software-based positioning by calculating the area of segment. Furthermore, we could adjust the power range of base stations in order to improve the accuracy in positioning.

碩士
國立聯合大學
電子工程學系碩士班
106
The main purpose of this paper is to use the Global Positioning System (GPS), Wi-Fi, the Smartphone with sensor and Dijkstra's algorithm to achieve National United University (NUU) campus navigation system. The campus navigation system will track the user's current location and to find the shortest path for desired location. This system is developed with Android Studio and test on the Android smartphone. The campus navigation system can be divided into the navigation and the positioning systems. First, the navigation system will plan the shortest path by using the Dijkstra's algorithm according to the user’s destination. The navigation routes involve both of indoor and outdoor paths. Second, the positioning system tracks the user’s location and determines the user’s location is indoor or outdoor. Indoor positioning system uses of Wi-Fi signal strength in the fingerprinting and inertial positioning with accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer. However, outdoor positioning system uses of GPS on NUU campus map. For outdoor navigation, Google map will be involved and it covers entire NUU campus. In our experiment, we used multi-scale method to solve the problem of map distortion. Experiment results showed that our NUU campus navigation system has a good performance to achieve the goal of campus navigation.

碩士
國立臺北科技大學
電資國際專班
107
Recently, Location Based Services (LBSs) are becoming a key technology for enhancing the applicability of Internet-of-Things (IoT) to offer seamless, intelligent and adaptive services in academia and industry to create smart world due to the growth of multiple built-in sensors on mobile devices and wireless technology. Satellite-based positioning (e.g., GPS) do not work well for urban and suburban outdoor positioning for the success of IoT deployment because of Line of Sight (LoS) problems and it requiring much power. Besides, most satellite-based positioning systems are not cost-effective. Hence accurate and efficient positioning services is a major challenge in urban and suburban environments. In this paper, we propose an accurate, cost-efficient and robust Fingerprinting Outdoor Positioning Scheme(DFOPS) in a scalable environment using hybrid Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) algorithms. DFOPS contains Wi-Fi and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signal values from each reachable Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) and three temporary deployed Unmanned Arial Vehicles Base Stations (UAV-BSs), respectively, to construct a radio-map. Due to signal unreachable and shadowing effects, the signal values are missed. Accordingly, we fill the missing values of the radio-map using mean of RSS values at each reference point. Since we collect multiple RSS measurements at each reference points over time with different mobile devices to mitigate signal variations during constructing a radio-map. We apply Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) to remove outliers, extract unique features from raw data, reduce Wi-Fi and OFDM features, speed up learning processes, and optimize the proposed algorithm performances. The proposed hybrid SVM+LSTM model (i.e., DFOPS) is the sequential combination of classification and regression model, which is SVM with Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel as classifier and LSTM as regression model. In this model, to limit the search space and improve the positioning performance, we primarily apply SVM classifier as a coarse positioning that predicts the class of a mobile user inferred from the class-based signal distribution. Secondly, by adding the SVM predicted class of the mobile user as one feature to the signal reading of the target IoT device, we use an input to the LSTM model. Then, the LSTM model is used to figure out the current positioning (latitude, longitude) of the mobile user. The proposed system is evaluated on experimental datasets in real environment in three different scenarios. To assess the trustworthiness of the SVM classifier, we compare with k-Nearest Neighbor(k-NN), Random Forest, and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) algorithms in all our proposed scenarios. The experimental result shows that SVM has better positioning performance in all scenarios than the others. The proposed DFOPS model achieved positioning errors less than 1.5 m are 87.46%, 92.74% and 99.23% for Scenario-I (original collected Wi-Fi and OFDM signal), Scenario-II (reduced the Scenario-I signal features using PCA) and Scenario-III (reduced the Scenario-I signal features using LDA), respectively. The model achieved no more than 1.29 m position estimation errors. This shows that the proposed model achieves a promising and reasonable positioning services of the IoT devices in wireless environment.

The demand for outdoor precise location is increasing with the development of new applications such as autonomous vehicles, exploration robots and wireless sensor networks. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is the go-to system for outdoor localization. This thesis focuses on developing new methods for GNSS single-point positioning (SPP) model, where no access to a reference station or precise GNSS parameters is needed. We investigated the limitations of the standard method, least- squares adjustment (LSA), and we derived the Cramer-Rao bounds for the SPP estimation problem. We also investigated different techniques to formulate the positioning problem with the goal to increase the accuracy. A new method is developed by reformulating the problem as difference-of-convex program (DC program) and utilizing convex-concave procedure (CCCP) to solve the positioning problem without linearizing the observation equations. In addition, we examined the potential of multiple-receiver systems in increasing the accuracy. We formulated the multiple- receiver SPP estimation problem, and we proposed to configure the multiple receivers in a fixed equilateral triangle to exploit the symmetry and the geometrical constraints of the configuration. We extended the use of LSA in multiple-receiver system. We also developed a modification of LSA algorithm, named least-squares adjustment extension (LSAE), that utilizes attitude information and the constraints of the multiple-receiver system. In addition, we developed a new algorithm to optimizes the SPP estimates over the equilateral triangles Riemannian manifold, which enforces the geometrical constraints of the multiple-receiver system. Furthermore, we derived the constrained and the unconstrained Cramer-Rao bounds (CRB and CCRB) for the multiple-receiver SPP problem. Moreover, we investigated the influence of both attitude information and the equilateral triangle baseline length on the algorithms’ performances and the derived CCRB. Finally, we carried out a numerical analysis by implementing the algorithms and the bounds in MATLAB, where we tested the algorithms on simulated GNSS scenarios. The proposed multiple-receiver methods provide more precise estimates for the SPP problem in comparison to the single receiver methods.

碩士
亞洲大學
電腦與通訊學系碩士班
96
In this paper, we propose the applications based on in-door and out-door positioning systems. In the part of in-door positioning system, we introduce the positioning system based on Wi-Fi technology. In addition, it is applied to the children’s security and to prevent them from lost. Furthermore, we use the ant algorithm to search the optimal path for out-door positioning system. This approach has been proved that it is better than other well-known searching methods. Hence, this paper applies such an algorithm as the path searching solution as the emergency rescue mechanism. Finally, the lost tourists searching problem of the amusement park is adopted to illustrate the proposed scheme.

碩士
國立雲林科技大學
電機工程系
106
Monocular Visual Odometry (MVO) based on dead reckoning positioning method not only can eliminate the deployment cost of positioning infrastructure of multilateration or proximity matching positioning methods, but also can avoid external electromagnetic interference or internal multipath echoes. MVO simply requires a low-cost and easy-to-install monocular camera to achieve indoor/outdoor positioning functionality for applications of robotics, portable computing, augmented reality, and automobile electronics. In order to improve the issues of positioning estimation drift and vulnerability to environmental variation of conventional Semi-Direct MVO, this thesis proposes Compact ORB (CORB) MVO positioning based on conventional Feature-Based MVO to raise the robustness of depth descriptors of feature extraction and simplify the mapping procedure of conventional ORB Visual SLAM. Experimental results show the positioning estimation of CORB MVO is more accurate, reliable, and instant than that of conventional Feature-Based MVO and Semi-Direct MVO, under various indoor/outdoor spaces. On the other hand, CORB MVO proposed by this thesis has been implemented into Android portable device seamlessly and smoothly to accomplish indoor/outdoor augmented reality navigation. This implementation is suitably applied to versatile augmented reality navigation services, like path directions, event guidance, merchandise seeking, social searching, and so on.

碩士
國立臺灣海洋大學
通訊與導航工程學系
106
This study combined the convolutional neural network (CNN) image recognition, satellite positioning, and fuzzy control for outdoor patrol applications of an omnidirectional wheeled mobile robot (WMR). The GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) differential positioning algorithm is used for dynamic locator systems. The Dijkstra’s algorithm and ant colony optimization algorithm are applied to plan the target path. SICK LMS100 laser rangefinder, fuzzy controller, network camera and image recognition processing are installed in the wheeled mobile robot to perform outdoor patrol tasks. The GNSS real-time dynamic positioning system provides current position information of the robot and determines the starting and ending position of the robot's patrol path. The robot is equipped with two network cameras, one camera is for shooting the patrol process, and the image is immediately sent back to the central control center to give the central control officer a view of the current patrol situation; the other uses the Haar-like featrues to search for faces in the image, and uses adaptive boost (AdaBoost) to find the correct face position and uses the convolutional neural network for further identification. The SICK LMS100 laser rangefinder scans for obstacles in patrols. When an obstacle is encountered, the control schem uses fuzzy controller to avoid obstacles. The entire control system was written by LabVIEW 2014 and MATALB R2013a. If intruders were detected during the patrol, the control system will automatically intercept the intruder's image and record the current location information. The image and location information will be sent to the control center via WiFi. The control center can instantly obtain the image and location of the intruder. The purpose of this research is to achieve a safer patrol protection by the robot and to replac the manpower. Once a stranger is identified, the robot can issue a warning in time and return it to the control center. The experimental results show that the system designed in this study can enable the wheeled mobile robot to complete the outdoor patrolling task and successfully detect the intruder during the patrol process. Keywords: convolutional neural network, GNSS RTK positioning system, fuzzy control, laser rangefinder, Dijkstra-ant algorithm , WMR, path planning.

Dissertação de mestrado em Sistemas de Informação
Nos dias de hoje, os dispositivos móveis são objetos indispensáveis na vida das pessoas, tendo um forte impacto no dia-a-dia delas. Estes dispositivos integram várias tecnologias, as quais são constantemente exploradas em várias áreas, dentro delas o posicionamento no interior de edifícios. Neste momento existem várias aplicações que determinam a posição de pessoas, objetos com grande precisão, mas em ambientes exteriores usando o sistema de localização GPS. Contudo estimar a posição de uma pessoa num ambiente interior com grande precisão é mais complexo, por isso muitos investigadores exploram cada vez mais esta área. Normalmente, para estimar a posição no interior de edifícios pretende-se utilizar as infraestruturas instaladas neles e assim proporcionar soluções de baixo custo. Nesta situação, os sistemas de posicionamento baseados na técnica Wi-Fi fingerprinting são os que mais se destacam. Para a implementação desta técnica, normalmente são usados os dispositivos móveis das pessoas. As pessoas ao estarem dentro de um edifício, os dispositivos móveis conseguem detetar pontos de acesso Wi-Fi e recolhem dados sobre eles, juntamente com o respetivo nível de sinal detetado e enviam esses dados a um serviço que estima a localização, comparando as fingerprints com um mapa de rádio previamente construído. O propósito desta dissertação centra-se em melhorar um sistema de posicionamento, já existente, baseado na técnica Wi-Fi fingerprinting, que posiciona tanto em ambientes interiores como exteriores. Então são descritas e implementadas soluções de melhoria do sistema. Também é apresentada uma solução para verificar a disponibilidade dos serviços do sistema de posicionamento, que consiste na implementação de uma ferramenta de monitorização.
Nowadays mobile devices are indispensable objects in people’s lives and they have a strong impact in their daily routines. These devices integrate several technologies, which are constantly explored in several areas, e.g. indoor positioning. Currently there are several solutions that estimate the position of people, with great precision, in outdoor environments using the positioning system GPS. However, estimating the position of a person in an indoor environment with great precision is more complicated, so many researchers increasingly explored this area. Normally, to estimate the indoor position the installed infrastructure is utilized therein and thus providing low-cost solutions. In this situation, the positioning systems based on fingerprint technique are the most distinct. To implement this technique, mobile devices of people are normally used. While individuals are inside buildings, mobile devices can detect Wi-Fi access points, and collect data on them, including the respective detected level signal, and sent the collected data to a service that estimates the location by comparing the fingerprints with a pre-built radio map. The purpose of this dissertation focuses on improving an existing positioning system based on Wi-Fi fingerprint technique. This system works in indoor and outdoor environments. Solutions that improve the system are described in this document along with a presentation of the implemented solutions. It is also presented a solution to check availability of the positioning system services, consisting of a monitoring tool.