Unified Fingerprinting/Ranging Localization in Harsh Environments

• Published in: International journal of distributed sensor networks Vol. 2015; no. 11; p. 479765
• Main Authors: Prieto, Javier, De Paz, Juan F., Villarrubia, Gabriel, De la Prieta, Fernando, Corchado, Juan M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01.01.2015; SAGE Publications; Sage Publications Ltd. (UK); Sage Publications Ltd; Wiley
• Subjects: Algorithms; Analysis; Devices; Engineering research; Estimation theory; Expenses; Fingerprinting; Localization; Location-based systems; Position (location); Remote sensors; Wireless networks; Wireless sensor networks
• ISSN: 1550-1329; 1550-1477; 1550-1477
• DOI: 10.1155/2015/479765

Context-awareness in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) relies mainly on the position of objects and humans. The provision of this positional information becomes challenging in the harsh environmental conditions where WSNs are commonly deployed. With an antagonistic philosophy of design, fingerprinting and ranging have emerged as the key technologies underpinning wireless localization in harsh environments. Fingerprinting primarily focuses on accurate estimation at the expense of exhaustive calibration. Ranging mainly pursues an easy-to-deploy solution at the expense of moderate performance. In this paper, we present a resilient framework for sustained localization based on accurate fingerprinting in critical areas and light ranging in noncritical spaces. Such framework is conceived from the Bayesian perspective that facilitates the specification of recursive algorithms for real-time operation. In comparison to conventional implementations, we assessed the proposed framework in an indoor scenario with measurements gathered by commercial devices. The presented techniques noticeably outperform current approaches, enabling a flexible adaptation to the fluctuating conditions of harsh environments.