A wearable hybrid IEEE 802.15.4-2011 ultra-wideband/inertial sensor platform for ambulatory tracking

Abstract

Ultra-Wideband (UWB) transceivers and low-cost micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) based inertial sensors are proving a promising hybrid combination for location specific wearable applications. While several hybrid systems have been proposed to date, current approaches consider inertial sensors and UWB as ad-hoc components working in isolation. As a result issues surrounding extensive infrastructure requirements, synchronization, and limitations associated with the mutual sharing of inertial data have arisen. In an attempt to address such limitations, this paper presents a fully-coupled architecture whereby standardised IEEE 802.15.4-2011 UWB is employed for both ranging and as a mechanism for exchanging inertial data between the nodes of a network. A proof-of-concept system is implemented and tested for a single ambulatory use case scenario. Basic fusion algorithms are employed and the preliminary results show the benefits of a fully-coupled approach when compared with traditional standalone inertial navigation.