LPS Concept Diagram

LPS Prototype Hardware and Software

The Local Positioning System (LPS) is a system designed to compute accurately the positions of moving objects in indoor space. Using LPS tags as active transmitters, the LPS is able to detect and track multiple targets in real-time. The LPS tag is a small device worn by a target and consists of a micro controller and an infrared emitting diode (IRED). The IRED sends out a tag identification number (TIN), a unique sequence of on and off flashing, to signal its presence to the tag detector of the system.

The system is comprised of multiple remote units connected to a host computer over Ethernet. Each remote unit has a CMOS digital camera chip, a low-cost FPGA, and an embedded microprocessor. Tracking and recognition of tags are performed by each remote unit. The resulting 2-D coordinates of the tags are transferred to the host computer for further processing. From the 2-D coordinates of multiple cameras, the host computer is able to calculate the 3-D location of a tag, based on a calibrated coordinate system.

Currently, the system can also behave like a web cam, using OpenGL graphics to display images captured by the remote units. Since the host computer is connected to the remote units using UDP/IP over Ethernet, they can be situated anywhere the network or the Internet can reach.

Earlier versions of the LPS have been demonstrated in Japan. In June 2003, part of the new hardware was also brought to the Intelligent Systems 2003 conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The LPS is envisioned to have many practical applications. A hospital can use this technology to track and secure valuable health care assets, to quickly locate doctors and nurses in emergency situations, and to limit the access of personnel to authorized zones. Another potential application of the LPS is acting as a virtual guide that tracks visitors and provides them with real-time orientation and exhibit information in a large, and possibly confusing, museum.

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Description of 496 Project Activities

Designing Local Positioning System on a Single FPGA

Using Ethernet as a transmission media and LPS tags as active transmitters, the LPS is able to detect and track multiple targets remotely but in real-time. To design this system at a very low cost while still preserving high performance, we propose to implement the image processing algorithms into a single Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The prototype currently used is NIOS development kits Cyclone version from Altera company. The related link is Local Position System .

In this project, you will migrate the well-designed processing algorithm from a commercial ARM processor into an embedded NIOS processor inside the FPGA. At the same time, the necessary interface will be designed by the SOPC builder. The more background information can be referred to Local Position System

In summary, the project requires:

• Understanding the Local Position System processing flow
• Learning how to use SOPC builder to create the user-define peripherial
• Designing C program for the embedded NIOS processor
• Migrating the pre-well-designed algorithm from current XScale processor into embedded NIOS

Skills Useful

• Linux programming
• FPGA programming
• C/C++ programming
• Video and image processing
• Tcl/Tk
• Schematic Design and PCB Layout
• Multi-sensor fusion

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