An Augmented Reality Assisted Indoor Navigation System

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Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Perustieteiden korkeakoulu | Master's thesis

Date

2024-01-22

Department

Major/Subject

Human-Computer Interaction and Design

Mcode

SCI3020

Degree programme

Master's Programme in ICT Innovation

Language

en

Pages

40

Series

Abstract

Augmented reality-based location services address the demand for immediate indoor navigation, transforming individuals' perspectives and engagement with their surroundings in real-time. This thesis aims to investigate the technologies and applications of location-based services and develop a prototype for indoor navigation that implements augmented reality to assist users in locating themselves within a building using their smartphones. Indoor positioning technologies can be classified into radio frequency-based and non-radio frequency-based systems. Radio frequency signals are common technologies used for indoor positioning because of the widespread presence of wireless communication systems and their fast improvement. Non-radio frequency-based systems are computer vision, inertial measurement units, visible and non-visible light communication, ultrasonic signals, and magnetic fields. The precision levels vary from less than a centimeter to a few meters, and the infrastructure demands of these systems differ significantly, ranging from almost none to highly specialized and expensive equipment. Location-based services can be applied in various domains, such as guiding users through buildings, providing contextual information in real-time, games that leverage knowledge of physical surroundings, and healthcare services. In domains where smartphones are applicable, computer vision algorithms play a crucial role by processing the camera feed of devices. Consequently, it also enables augmented reality features, which blur the boundaries between developed applications and their surrendering physical world. The implemented augmented reality-assisted Unity application allows for seamless navigation within buildings. The application uses image processing and inertial sensors to locate users and provide guidance through 2D map checkpoints and 3D augmented markers. The results of experiments show that the prototype maintains consistency in tracking paths during navigation with an average positioning accuracy between 2 and 4 meters. The application makes Indoor navigation feasible, but there is room to enhance its performance.

Description

Supervisor

Ylä-Jääski, Antti

Thesis advisor

Ylä-Jääski, Antti

Keywords

indoor navigation, unity, augmented reality, computer vision

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