Overview
Driven by Germany's demographic change, i.e. a rapidly aging and shrinking society, there will be more and more people in the future who are dependent on a barrier-free way of finding themselves also in interior spaces. Today's systems for localization in interior spaces are very error-prone and environment-dependent. The currently achievable indoor localization accuracy is in the range of up to several meters, which is often inaccurate for location-critical applications.
The aim of the project is to develop a system that provides the required precision for effective indoor navigation while being safe and user-friendly. The ASSIST2 system is intended to provide easy-to-use and cost-effective navigation support in buildings based on standard commercial technology. Building operators can offer the system at low installation and operating costs.
The system is based on a novel combination of acoustic location with radio technologies. The rooms are equipped with acoustic and Bluetooth receivers. Via a software application on the smartphones of the users, an exact localization and navigation is then possible. The user interface is adapted to the special requirements of the elderly. This allows them to be guided safely and precisely through ducts, recognize branches and can move independently in rooms or staircases without bumping into barriers.