An RFID based indoor tracking method for navigating visually impaired people

Abstract

This paper tackles the RFID based tracking problem in an obscured indoor environment. The proposed solution is an integral part of a navigation aid for guiding visually impaired people in a store. It uses RF signal strengths and is based on the Bayes Decision Theory. An observation vector is formed by received radio signal strength indication values, transmitted from three transmitters at distinct frequencies in the UHF band. The indoor area is divided into square grids, where each grid is considered as a class. The problem of tracking is expressed as classifying the observed radio signal strengths to the most likely class. A classification rule is formulated by incorporating a priori assumptions appropriate for the studied model. The proposed approach is tested in a laboratory environment. The results prove that the proposed approach is promising in tracking especially when the tracked person is guided by a system.