Using Bluetooth for in-home positioning services
Helping Spirits
The GPS tracking service isn't precise enough to provide positioning information within a home. Home automation expert Gunnar Beutner decided to harness the invisible spirits of Bluetooth for a home-grown indoor positioning system.
Imagine coming home on a cold winter's day; it's already cosily warm, the lights are switched on automatically, and a favorite song is playing through the speakers. Everyday users can already implement this scenario without great difficulty. Software tools such as the open source Home Assistant [1] offer various components for determining the presence of home residents. GPS location capabilities, combined with automation rules, result in some interesting applications for heating and lighting control.
In most cases, however, GPS is not a suitable solution for automating light switches for the rooms within a house. The signal quality of GPS inside buildings is often too poor to allow fast detection, and it is not precise enough to allow location down to the room level.
A few commercial systems offer in-home positioning services. These systems usually rely on a series of sensors that receive signals from portable radio beacons. They then calculate their position based on the signal strength or the time difference of the received signals. However, most systems are proprietary and not intended for private users. One promising tool within this category is the DecaWave DWM1000 [2], which claims to have a detection accuracy of up to 10 centimeters indoors. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any manufacturer-independent information on its suitability for everyday use.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Framework Laptop 13 Pro Competes with the Best
Framework has released what might be considered the MacBook of Linux devices.
-
The Latest CachyOS Features Supercharged Kernel
The latest release of CachyOS brings with it an enhanced version of the latest Linux kernel.
-
Kernel 7.0 Is a Bit More Rusty
Linux kernel 7.0 has been released for general availability, with Rust finally getting its due.
-
France Says "Au Revoir" to Microsoft
In a move that should surprise no one, France announced plans to reduce its reliance on US technology, and Microsoft Windows is the first to get the boot.
-
CIQ Releases Compatibility Catalog for Rocky Linux
The company behind Rocky Linux is making an open catalog available to developers, hobbyists, and other contributors, so they can verify and publish compatibility with the CIQ lineup.
-
KDE Gets Some Resuscitation
KDE is bringing back two themes that vanished a few years ago, putting a bit more air under its wings.
-
Ubuntu 26.04 Beta Arrives with Some Surprises
Ubuntu 26.04 is almost here, but the beta version has been released, and it might surprise some people.
-
Ubuntu MATE Dev Leaving After 12 years
Martin Wimpress, the maintainer of Ubuntu MATE, is now searching for his successor. Are you the next in line?
-
Kali Linux Waxes Nostalgic with BackTrack Mode
For those who've used Kali Linux since its inception, the changes with the new release are sure to put a smile on your face.
-
Gnome 50 Smooths Out NVIDIA GPU Issues
Gamers rejoice, your favorite pastime just got better with Gnome 50 and NVIDIA GPUs.