Position information provided by devices such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) plays a significant role in various aspects of our modern world. Many mobile phones especially those (e.g. smartphones) recently manufactured have navigation facility so that the users are able to locate themselves whenever the built-in GPS receiver can detect the signals transmitted from at least four GPS satellites. In addition, built-in motion sensors in smartphones such as accelerometers, digital compasses, gyroscopes and even barometric pressure sensors can be used for relative positioning using dead reckoning. Position information is vital to all location-based services either for mobile users or for wireless service providers such as identification of nearby services (such as the nearest gas station, ATM, or restaurant) as well as personal and asset tracking. Navigation and tracking is particularly useful in indoor environments. With position information, for instance, customers can locate a desired service or items in shopping malls; doctors, nurses, and patients can be located in large hospitals; and visually impaired people can more readily navigate indoors.
The importance of position based services is also indicated by the fact that there are a number of international conferences directly associated with and dedicated to positioning. The IEEE/ION Position, Location and Navigation Symposium (PLANS) focuses on positioning and navigation, while the International Conference on Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation (IPIN) focuses completely on positioning and navigation indoors. Although the general issue of positioning has been investigated extensively, there are still challenging problems associated with navigation and tracking indoors. Current typical GPS receivers do not work satisfactorily indoors since the satellite signals are blocked by roofs, walls, and nearby buildings. To overcome this problem a number of ground-based positioning systems such as those based on Wi-Fi and ultra wideband (UWB) have been developed. Due to the rich multipath and non-line-of-sight radio propagation indoors however, these indoor systems may not be able to continuously provide position information with desirable accuracy for navigation and tracking. This special issue intends to seek innovative ideas, methods, and techniques which can be employed to enable reliable and ubiquitous navigation and tracking services in adverse radio propagation environments.
About the Topics of Interest
In particular, the topics of interest include but are not limited to
- Multipath and non-line-of-sight mitigation
- Range and position error modeling and measurement
- Positioning and localization algorithms
- Positioning systems using antenna array and beamforming
- Advanced signal sensing and processing
- RFID positioning
- UWB positioning
- Wi-Fi positioning
- New signals of opportunity
- Motion sensors assisted positioning
- Multi-sensor fusion techniques
- Indoor GNSS
- New navigation technologies
Submission Format and Guideline
All submitted papers must be clearly written in excellent English and contain only original work, which has not been published by or is currently under review for any other journal or conference. Papers must not exceed 25 pages (one-column, at least 11pt fonts) including figures, tables, and references. A detailed submission guideline is available as “Guide to Authors” at www.elsevier.com/locate/phycom.
All manuscripts and any supplementary material should be submitted through Elsevier Editorial System (EES). The authors must select as “SI – Navigation & Tracking” when they reach the “Article Type” step in the submission process. The EES website is located at: http://ees.elsevier.com/phycom/
All papers will be peer-reviewed by three independent reviewers. Requests for additional information should be addressed to the guest editors.
Editor in Chief
Georgia Institute of Technology
Kegen Yu (Lead Guest Editor)
University of New South Wales
Radio Technology Consultant
Vienna University of Technology
Manuscript submission: 30 August 2013
Acceptance notification: 30 November 2013
Final manuscript due: 30 January 2014
Publication: April 2014