Hybrid Visible Light and Ultrasound-Based Sensor for Distance Estimation

Optical Camera Communications in Healthcare: A Wearable LED Transmitter Evaluation during Indoor Physical Exercise

This paper presents an experimental evaluation of a wearable light-emitting diode (LED) transmitter in an optical camera communications (OCC) system. The evaluation is conducted under conditions of controlled user movement during indoor physical exercise, encompassing both mild and intense exercise scenarios. We introduce an image processing algorithm designed to identify a template signal transmitted by the LED and detected within the image. To enhance this process, we utilize the dynamics of controlled exercise-induced motion to limit the tracking process to a smaller region within the image. We demonstrate the feasibility of detecting the transmitting source within the frames, and thus limit the tracking process to a smaller region within the image, achieving an reduction of 87.3% for mild exercise and 79.0% for intense exercise.

Analysis and Experiment of Wireless Optical Communications in Applications Dedicated to Mobile Devices with Applicability in the Field of Road and Pedestrian Safety

Current developments and the need for high-performance devices that provide safe and reliable communications present a future perspective by using visible light as an alternative solution that can substantially improve road and pedestrian safety. The daily use of smartphones is imperative; thus one can build on this premise a system dedicated to the aforementioned problem. However, the problem of the visible light communication channel (VLC) is highly dynamic and becomes extremely unpredictable in terms of exposure to noise sources. Developing applications dedicated to direct communications with infrastructure and vehicles using portable devices is becoming a challenge and at the same time a necessary solution. The article proposes the shaping of an emission–reception architecture dedicated to adaptive fuse light communications using OCC (optical camera communication) but also standard VLC communications using ambient light sensors via an Android application. This approach aims to provide a first step in shaping information-sharing applications using VLC communications. As far as we know, this approach has not been implemented in external VLC systems. The performance of the architecture and the application was demonstrated by practical tests that confirmed the capacity of the technology even if we are in the first stage.

Survey on Optical Wireless Communications-Based Services Applied to the Tourism Industry: Potentials and Challenges

In this paper, we explore the potential applications of Optical Wireless Communications in the tourism industry, considering both indoor and outdoor scenarios and different transmission speeds. They range from high-speed atmospheric outdoor links (Free-Space Optics (FSO)) to indoor systems based on high-speed lighting networks (known under the trade name LiFi©) or low-speed services support the Internet of Things networks, using visible light (VLC) or IR emitters, with receivers based on either on classical photodiodes or in image sensors, known as Optical Camera Communications. The avant-garde applications of this technology have been studied focusing on three possible use scenarios: the traveler himself, in what we have called TAN (Tourist Area Network); the tourist facility, which includes not only the hotel but also leisure areas (theme parks, museums, natural protected areas) or services (restaurants, shopping areas, etc.); and the entire destination, which can be both the city or the territory where the tourist is received, within the paradigm of the Smart Tourist Destination (STD). In addition to the classic services based on radio frequency and wired broadband networks, these technologies will make it possible to meet the tourist's challenging needs, the establishment, and the destination. Besides, they cover the services imposed by the new marketing services related to location or context and feed the big data systems used to study tourist behavior.

A Recursive Algorithm for Indoor Positioning Using Pulse-Echo Ultrasonic Signals

Low frequency ultrasounds in air are widely used for real-time applications in short-range communication systems and environmental monitoring, in both structured and unstructured environments. One of the parameters widely evaluated in pulse-echo ultrasonic measurements is the time of flight (TOF), which can be evaluated with an increased accuracy and complexity by using different techniques. Hereafter, a nonstandard cross-correlation method is investigated for TOF estimations. The procedure, based on the use of template signals, was implemented to improve the accuracy of recursive TOF evaluations. Tests have been carried out through a couple of 60 kHz custom-designed polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hemicylindrical ultrasonic transducers. The experimental results were then compared with the standard threshold and cross-correlation techniques for method validation and characterization. An average improvement of 30% and 19%, in terms of standard error (SE), was observed. Moreover, the experimental results evidenced an enhancement in repeatability of about 10% in the use of a recursive positioning system.

Noise-Adaptive Visible Light Communications Receiver for Automotive Applications: A Step Toward Self-Awareness

Visible light communications are considered as a promising solution for inter-vehicle communications, which in turn can significantly enhance the traffic safety and efficiency. However, the vehicular visible light communications (VLC) channel is highly dynamic, very unpredictable, and subject to many noise sources. Enhancing VLC systems with self-aware capabilities would maximize the communication performances and efficiency, whatever the environmental conditions. Within this context, this letter proposes a novel signal to noise ratio (SNR)-adaptive visible light communication receiver architecture aimed for automotive applications. The novelty of this letter comes from an open loop signal processing technique in which the signal treatment complexity is established based on a real-time SNR analysis. So, the receiver evaluates the SNR, and based on this assessment, it reconfigures its structural design in order to ensure a proper signal treatment, while providing an optimal tradeoff between communication performances and computational resources usage. This approach based on software reconfiguration has the potential to provide the system with enhanced flexibility and enables its usage in resource sharing application. As far as we know, this approach has not been considered in vehicular VLC systems. The performances of the proposed architecture are demonstrated by simulations, which confirm the SNR-adaptive capacity and the optimized performances.

Noise-Adaptive Visible Light Communications Receiver for Automotive Applications: A Step Toward Self-Awareness

Visible light communications are considered as a promising solution for inter-vehicle communications, which in turn can significantly enhance the traffic safety and efficiency. However, the vehicular visible light communications (VLC) channel is highly dynamic, very unpredictable, and subject to many noise sources. Enhancing VLC systems with self-aware capabilities would maximize the communication performances and efficiency, whatever the environmental conditions. Within this context, this letter proposes a novel signal to noise ratio (SNR)-adaptive visible light communication receiver architecture aimed for automotive applications. The novelty of this letter comes from an open loop signal processing technique in which the signal treatment complexity is established based on a real-time SNR analysis. So, the receiver evaluates the SNR, and based on this assessment, it reconfigures its structural design in order to ensure a proper signal treatment, while providing an optimal tradeoff between communication performances and computational resources usage. This approach based on software reconfiguration has the potential to provide the system with enhanced flexibility and enables its usage in resource sharing application. As far as we know, this approach has not been considered in vehicular VLC systems. The performances of the proposed architecture are demonstrated by simulations, which confirm the SNR-adaptive capacity and the optimized performances.

RSS Indoor Localization Based on a Single Access Point

This research work investigates how RSS information fusion from a single, multi-antenna access point (AP) can be used to perform device localization in indoor RSS based localization systems. The proposed approach demonstrates that different RSS values can be obtained by carefully modifying each AP antenna orientation and polarization, allowing the generation of unique, low correlation fingerprints, for the area of interest. Each AP antenna can be used to generate a set of fingerprint radiomaps for different antenna orientations and/or polarization. The RSS fingerprints generated from all antennas of the single AP can be then combined to create a multi-layer fingerprint radiomap. In order to select the optimum fingerprint layers in the multilayer radiomap the proposed methodology evaluates the obtained localization accuracy, for each fingerprint radio map combination, for various well-known deterministic and probabilistic algorithms (Weighted k-Nearest-Neighbor—WKNN and Minimum Mean Square Error—MMSE). The optimum candidate multi-layer radiomap is then examined by calculating the correlation level of each fingerprint pair by using the “Tolerance Based—Normal Probability Distribution (TBNPD)” algorithm. Both steps take place during the offline phase, and it is demonstrated that this approach results in selecting the optimum multi-layer fingerprint radiomap combination. The proposed approach can be used to provide localisation services in areas served only by a single AP.

Optical Boundaries for LED-Based Indoor Positioning System

Overlap of footprints of light emitting diodes (LEDs) increases the positioning accuracy of wearable LED indoor positioning systems (IPS) but such an approach assumes that the footprint boundaries are defined. In this work, we develop a mathematical model for defining the footprint boundaries of an LED in terms of a threshold angle instead of the conventional half or full angle. To show the effect of the threshold angle, we compare how overlaps and receiver tilts affect the performance of an LED-based IPS when the optical boundary is defined at the threshold angle and at the full angle. Using experimental measurements, simulations, and theoretical analysis, the effect of the defined threshold angle is estimated. The results show that the positional time when using the newly defined threshold angle is 12 times shorter than the time when the full angle is used. When the effect of tilt is considered, the threshold angle time is 22 times shorter than the full angle positioning time. Regarding accuracy, it is shown in this work that a positioning error as low as 230 mm can be obtained. Consequently, while the IPS gives a very low positioning error, a defined threshold angle reduces delays in an overlap-based LED IPS.

Considerations on Visible Light Communication security by applying the Risk Matrix methodology for risk assessment

Visible Light Communications (VLC) is a cutting edge technology for data communication that is being considered to be implemented in a wide range of applications such as Inter-vehicle communication or Local Area Network (LAN) communication. As a novel technology, some aspects of the implementation of VLC have not been deeply considered or tested. Among these aspects, security and its implementation may become an obstacle for VLCs broad usage. In this article, we have used the well-known Risk Matrix methodology to determine the relative risk that several common attacks have in a VLC network. Four examples: a War Driving, a Queensland alike Denial of Service, a Preshared Key Cracking, and an Evil Twin attack, illustrate the utilization of the methodology over a VLC implementation. The used attacks also covered the different areas delimited by the attack taxonomy used in this work. By defining and determining which attacks present a greater risk, the results of this work provide a lead into which areas should be invested to increase the safety of VLC networks.

Study and Validation of Eavesdropping Scenarios over a Visible Light Communication Channel

The security and privacy provided by Visible Light Communication (VLC) technologies is an area that has been slightly addressed due to the misconception that, since light does not go through solid objects like walls, VLC-based communications cannot be eavesdropped on by outside observers. As an upcoming technology, VLC is expected to be used in multiple environments were, due to radio frequency RF overuse or limitations, RF solutions cannot or should not be employed. In this work, we study the eavesdropping characteristics of a VLC-based communication. To evaluate these concerns, a two-step process was followed. First, several simulations of a standardly used scenario were run. Later on, experimental tests were performed. Following those tests, the results of the simulations and the experimental tests were analyzed. The results of these simulations and tests seemed to indicate that VLC channels can be eavesdropped on without considerable difficulties. Furthermore, the results showed that sniffing attacks could be performed from areas outside the expected coverage of the VLC infrastructure. Finally, the use of the simulation such as the one implemented in this work to recognize places from which sniffing is possible helps determine the risk for eavesdropping that our VLC-based network has.

Fusing Bluetooth Beacon Data with Wi-Fi Radiomaps for Improved Indoor Localization

Indoor user localization and tracking are instrumental to a broad range of services and applications in the Internet of Things (IoT) and particularly in Body Sensor Networks (BSN) and Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) scenarios. Due to the widespread availability of IEEE 802.11, many localization platforms have been proposed, based on the Wi-Fi Received Signal Strength (RSS) indicator, using algorithms such as K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN), Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) and Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE). In this paper, we introduce a hybrid method that combines the simplicity (and low cost) of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and the popular 802.11 infrastructure, to improve the accuracy of indoor localization platforms. Building on KNN, we propose a new positioning algorithm (dubbed i-KNN) which is able to filter the initial fingerprint dataset (i.e., the radiomap), after considering the proximity of RSS fingerprints with respect to the BLE devices. In this way, i-KNN provides an optimised small subset of possible user locations, based on which it finally estimates the user position. The proposed methodology achieves fast positioning estimation due to the utilization of a fragment of the initial fingerprint dataset, while at the same time improves positioning accuracy by minimizing any calculation errors.