An Arduino-based indoor positioning system (IPS) using visible light communication and ultrasound

A versatile outdoor and indoor position detection mobile prototype has been successfully constructed and tested. The receiver consists of a GPS module, a GSM shield, a visible-light data receiver, and two ultrasonic sensors, all controlled by an Arduino Mega and an Arduino Uno microcontroller. Each ultrasonic sensor detects distance in the X and Y axis respectively. The transmitter system consists of four LED shields each attached to an Arduino Uno which is programmed to transmit the global position relevant to the indoor position of the LED lamp. When a person is outdoors, the GPS module receives global position from the satellite. When a person goes indoors, his or her global position will be given by the LEDs and ultrasound sensors. The location data can be transmitted via GSM to a monitoring system or to an individual smartphone. This system is extremely useful in elderly care service. It ensures specific accuracy in locating senior citizens during cases of emergency.