Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) based Indoor Localization using Fingerprinting Techniques

Positioning technologies have been created over the last few decades to provide users with location and navigation services by utilizing technological advancements in digital circuitry. GPS was one of the first positioning systems to be created (Global Positioning System). This system is a location-based navigation system that operates through satellites. Using GPS used to necessitate special (expensive) hardware, but smartphone technology has made it possible to use GPS on our handheld devices without the need for any additional equipment. We're all familiar with this; we use GPS on our smartphones for navigating in our daily lives. For outdoor location, GPS has become the de facto standard. However, due to the lack of Line-of-Sight (LoS) inside buildings, GPS cannot be used in our indoor environments. Positioning systems for indoor environments (market) are being developed since humans spend more time indoors than outdoors. Indoor positioning systems have been developed using a variety of available signal technologies (such as WiFi, ZigBee, Bluetooth, UWB, and others) depending on the context and application scenario. The Bluetooth-Low Energy (or Bluetooth Smart) protocol was first released in 2010. This signal technology was created with the goal of being low-cost and energy efficient. Apple Inc. and Aruba (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) introduced Beacon technology, which uses the Bluetooth Low Energy standard to communicate with smartphones and provide context and location awareness. The fact that all new smartphones (and tablets) include the BLE protocol can be exploited to aid in the development of low-cost, energy-efficient, precise, and accurate indoor positioning systems (by making use of Beacon and smartphone). The BLE protocol has the potential to become the de facto standard for the Internet of Things phenomenon, and so a BLE-based localization system in an indoor environment might become an integrated part of IoT.