Scanning method for indoor localization using the RSSI approach

This paper presents a scanning method for indoor mobile robot localization using the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) approach. The method eliminates the main drawback of the conventional fingerprint, whose database construction is time-consuming and which needs to be rebuilt every time a change in indoor environment occurs. It directly compares the column vectors of a kernel matrix and signal strength vector using the Euclidean distance as a metric. The highest resolution available in localization using a fingerprint is restricted by a resolution of a set of measurements performed prior to localization. In contrast, resolution using the scanning method can be easily changed using a denser grid of potential sources. Although slightly slower than the trilateration method, the scanning method outperforms it in terms of accuracy, and yields a reconstruction error of only 0. 08 m averaged over 1600 considered source points in a room with dimensions 9.7 m × 4.7 m × 3 m. Its localization time of 0. 39 s makes this method suitable for real-time localization and tracking.