8:45 AM - 9:00 AM
[G05-1-02] Static and kinematic experimental evaluation of a UWB ranging system for positioning applications
Ultra Wideband (UWB) is a rapidly evolving radio-based technology leading to low range uncertainty (< 10 cm) even at long (up to hundreds of meters) ranges. Compared to other radio-based technologies, such as RFID and Wi-Fi, the bandwidth characteristics of UWB offer remarkable NLoS functionality and increased multipath resistance which are of great importance for complex indoor environments. This study presents the results of the analyses undertaken for a number of tests using a commercial UWB system both in static and dynamic conditions. Static experiments involve assessing the capabilities of the system in terms of position accuracy (precision and trueness), availability, maximum range operation, as well as examining the influence of antenna orientation and the surrounding environment (e.g. the Fressnel zones) in distance measurements. Kinematic positioning is performed by implementing the multi-lateration technique on a roving UWB node, while vehicle kinematics are recorded using a geodetic (tactical) grade GNSS/INS system to provide the reference trajectory. The UWB position solution is improved through range calibration while range error maps are generated to support statistical analyses. Both an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and an Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) are implemented for trajectory extraction and compared against the reference trajectory to assess their impact on the position solution.