Technologies
26 May 2021 5 min

Published: Nick Rose

Last update 19 MAY 2023

How ultrasonic local positioning system works

Technologies
Navigine - How ultrasonic local positioning system works
26 May 2021 5 min

Published: Nick Rose

Last update 19 MAY 2023

With the global development of the Internet, information on people and asset location are becoming more and more important for business process optimization in companies. Many technologies, which calculate object coordinates and send them for processing to the specialized platform, are used for indoor navigation. One of such technologies is ultrasonic indoor positioning. The system has a great potential for implementation into the infrastructure of companies and enterprises since it can define object location to within several centimeters.

The technology is based on using ultrasound that defines the spectrum of sound waves with a frequency that is too high for human perception (more than 20 kHz). The ultrasonic location system is based on the ascending/ descending signal transmission mode so during the installation the number of receiving devices is not limited. Ultrasonic positioning is considered a more effective solution in comparison with GPS since, while positioning, it doesn’t require direct visibility between transmitters and signal readers.

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Working principles and advantages of the ultrasonic system

The working principle of ultrasonic positioning is based on the ToF (Time-of-flight) method, i.e. on measuring the signal propagation time from the sensor to the receiver. Special tags that transmit ultrasound impulses are applied for measuring distance. The network of receivers scans these signals and sends data into the central system that uses multilateration for calculating the location with an accuracy of up to 3 cm.

The key advantages of ultrasonic positioning are the following:

  • Work in real-time – the frequency of signal updating varies from a sub-second to 3 seconds.
  • High accuracy – thanks to the technology one can get highly accurate information related to the object location to within several centimeters.
  • Application in different use cases – can be used in any industrial scenarios.
  • Minimal set of equipment – a few sensors ensure maximum coverage of the place.
  • Low maintenance costs – long-lasting batteries are used in the devices.
  • Quick installation – is realized, mainly, wirelessly. Thanks to the battery power, it is possible to perform the operational deployment of the system with fine-tuning.
  • Possibility of remote management - for simpler diagnostics and program updating.

Spheres of application of the ultrasonic positioning system

In recent years the ultrasonic indoor positioning system has been widely used in many industrial scenarios, including offices, hotels, warehouses, healthcare.

Healthcare

Ultrasonic positioning simplifies the search of rooms in medical institutions and makes it possible to increase patient satisfaction from the work of the clinic. By employing an asset tracking platform, the management can monitor staff performance, change the task status in real-time and considerably improve the current processes of the medical facility. Moreover, the technology ensures medical equipment tracking, which allows optimizing its movement and defining availability in real-time.

Hotel business

In hotels and other hospitality facilities, the ultrasonic position tracking system improves user experience and let customers to shorten the time spent on searching points of interest. Using this system, guests can quickly find their rooms, cafes, conference halls, and other necessary places. Thereby, the application of the system helps to get additional income from tenants and increases the hotel's profit.

Offices

Ultrasonic positioning allows managing office processes more simply. It can simplify the movement around business centers and improve the interaction between employees. The technology ensures:

  • Navigation in real-time.
  • Building routes to rooms.
  • Staff location tracking.
  • Gathering data on office staff movement.

The system can quickly optimize logistics in office premises and present the company as an innovative environment for business.

Warehouses

For the enterprises that manage warehouses, the technology will be extremely useful for tracking goods and equipment. With its implementation, the company can get a precise tool for asset tracking that will optimize logistic processes and minimize expenses on performing warehouse operations. The system tracks certain objects at the warehouse and provides data on their movement in real-time.

Navigine specializes in implementing indoor navigation and offers positioning systems that perform ultrasonic object tracking. We are always open to cooperation and glad to provide our software solutions for creating mobile and web applications.

Do you have a project where ultrasonic indoor positioning technologies can be used? Discuss more in a private free consultation:

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