Global Calibration Based on Local Calibration for an Ultrasonic Location Sensor ∗

The ability to quickly construct a human activity observation system is required in order to conduct field research on human activities. The authors have developed an ultrasonic location system, which is a type of location sensing system for observing human activities. The present study attempts to establish a systematic method for quickly constructing an ultrasonic location system in various environments. A calibration function that can be used in various environments is one of the basic functions of the ultrasonic location system. In the present paper, we propose a new calibration method, “global calibration based on local calibration (GCLC),” for calibrating the 3D positions of ultrasonic receivers placed arbitrarily in a daily-use environment. The proposed method requires a relatively small number of transmitters and is independent of room size. In addition, we describe two constraints that can be used in conjunction with the GCLC method. The performance of the GCLC method was investigated in an experimental room (4.0×4.0×2.7 m), in which 80 ultrasonic receivers were attached to the ceiling. A portable system based partly on the proposed method is also presented herein. Keywords— human activity obervation, ultrasonic location sensor, calibration.

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