Precise local-positioning for autonomous situation awareness in the Internet of Things

This paper reviews different wireless local positioning principles and explains the interaction between local positioning and the Internet of Things (IOT). The principle, performance and use of recent local positioning systems in the context of the IOT are shown in detail for typical applications. The first application is the accurate real-time localization of transportation vehicles using local positioning radar. The second application is the loading state characterization of goods in the proximity of a forklift enabling fully automated warehouse management. The third application is the dynamic localization of UHF-RFID tags with a handheld reader, which provides helpful augmented reality for logistics personnel. The final application is the real-time localization of tools for production monitoring. The developed ultrawideband (UWB) locating system is based on a pulsed frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar principle. By using assisting inertial sensors and advanced fusion algorithms, highly accurate 3D localization was achieved even in complex industrial environments with dense multipath channels and shadowing.