Wi-Fi-Based Indoor Location System

Academic Program: Electrical Engineering

Purpose/Essence of the Project

A real-time indoor location system based on an ESP32 controller and Wi-Fi signals. The system collects signal strength (RSSI) data from several routers (APs, access points), compares them with pre-collected fingerprints, and identifies the user’s location. The result is displayed in real time in an app, as a moving dot on the map of the building.

Describe the Product/Project

An indoor location system based on an ESP32 controller and Wi-Fi signals. The system includes a hardware component (ESP32 controller) that collects signal strength (RSSI) data from three routers, and a software component (app) that presents the user’s real-time location as a moving dot on a map of the building. The system utilizes RSSI fingerprinting (signal strength samples collected in advance in each room as a fingerprint), and compares live measurements in real time to the stored fingerprints in order to identify which room the user is in.

How Was the Idea Born?

The idea was born from our shared background in RF. We wanted to develop a project that combines wireless signals with a practical application. We proposed several ideas, including a system that simulates wave propagation or a system to determine the optimal location for a home router. Finally, our supervisor suggested the idea of a Wi-Fi-based indoor location system, which suited our desired direction.

Why Did You Choose This Project?

Firstly, it combines our background in RF with a practical, relevant application. Secondly, indoor location is a technological challenge that has yet to be perfectly solved (GPS systems don’t work indoors) – thus there’s a real need for a cheap and accurate solution.

Is the Project Connected with a Personal Story of Yours or of Someone You Know?

During one of the team members’ military service in a technological unit, he worked on wireless signals and Wi-Fi networks, which sparked a great interest in him. This project allows us to apply our knowledge and interest to a practical civilian product.

What Need Does It Address and for What Population?

The system addresses the need for indoor navigation within large, closed facilities such as shopping malls, hospitals, airports, and public institutions, where GPS systems don’t work. The target population is anyone within a large, complex facility who wishes to know where they are and how to reach their destination – such as mall shoppers looking for a particular store, airport passengers looking for their gate, or hospital visitors looking for a specific ward.