Modelling and Experimental Assessment of Inter-Personal Distancing Based on Shared GNSS Observables
In the last few years, all countries worldwide have fought the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) by exploiting Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to perform contact tracing. In parallel, the pandemic has highlighted the relevance of mobility and social distancing among citizens. The moni...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/8/2588 |
| _version_ | 1797538575622864896 |
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| author | Alex Minetto Andrea Nardin Fabio Dovis |
| author_facet | Alex Minetto Andrea Nardin Fabio Dovis |
| author_sort | Alex Minetto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the last few years, all countries worldwide have fought the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) by exploiting Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to perform contact tracing. In parallel, the pandemic has highlighted the relevance of mobility and social distancing among citizens. The monitoring of such aspects appeared prominent for reactive decision-making and the effective tracking of the infection chain. In parallel to the proximity sensing among people, indeed, the concept of social distancing has captured the attention to signal processing algorithms enabling short-to-medium range distance estimation to provide behavioral models in the emergency. By exploiting the availability of smart devices, the synergy between mobile network connectivity and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), cooperative ranging approaches allow computing inter-personal distance measurements in outdoor environments through the exchange of light-weight navigation data among interconnected users. In this paper, a model for Inter-Agent Ranging (IAR) is provided and experimentally assessed to offer a naive collaborative distancing technique that leverages these features. Although the technique provides distance information, it does not imply the disclosure of the user’s locations being intrinsically prone to protect sensitive user data. A statistical error model is presented and validated through synthetic simulations and real, on-field experiments to support implementation in GNSS-equipped mobile devices. Accuracy and precision of IAR measurements are compared to other consolidated GNSS-based techniques showing comparable performance at lower complexity and computational effort. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:33:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f39a4774a52446569c2359864317da56 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:33:23Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-f39a4774a52446569c2359864317da562023-11-21T14:31:53ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-04-01218258810.3390/s21082588Modelling and Experimental Assessment of Inter-Personal Distancing Based on Shared GNSS ObservablesAlex Minetto0Andrea Nardin1Fabio Dovis2Department of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET), Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET), Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET), Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, ItalyIn the last few years, all countries worldwide have fought the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) by exploiting Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to perform contact tracing. In parallel, the pandemic has highlighted the relevance of mobility and social distancing among citizens. The monitoring of such aspects appeared prominent for reactive decision-making and the effective tracking of the infection chain. In parallel to the proximity sensing among people, indeed, the concept of social distancing has captured the attention to signal processing algorithms enabling short-to-medium range distance estimation to provide behavioral models in the emergency. By exploiting the availability of smart devices, the synergy between mobile network connectivity and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), cooperative ranging approaches allow computing inter-personal distance measurements in outdoor environments through the exchange of light-weight navigation data among interconnected users. In this paper, a model for Inter-Agent Ranging (IAR) is provided and experimentally assessed to offer a naive collaborative distancing technique that leverages these features. Although the technique provides distance information, it does not imply the disclosure of the user’s locations being intrinsically prone to protect sensitive user data. A statistical error model is presented and validated through synthetic simulations and real, on-field experiments to support implementation in GNSS-equipped mobile devices. Accuracy and precision of IAR measurements are compared to other consolidated GNSS-based techniques showing comparable performance at lower complexity and computational effort.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/8/2588Global Navigation Satellite Systemcollaborative positioningcollaborative measurementsdistance estimationsocial distancingmobile devices |
| spellingShingle | Alex Minetto Andrea Nardin Fabio Dovis Modelling and Experimental Assessment of Inter-Personal Distancing Based on Shared GNSS Observables Sensors Global Navigation Satellite System collaborative positioning collaborative measurements distance estimation social distancing mobile devices |
| title | Modelling and Experimental Assessment of Inter-Personal Distancing Based on Shared GNSS Observables |
| title_full | Modelling and Experimental Assessment of Inter-Personal Distancing Based on Shared GNSS Observables |
| title_fullStr | Modelling and Experimental Assessment of Inter-Personal Distancing Based on Shared GNSS Observables |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modelling and Experimental Assessment of Inter-Personal Distancing Based on Shared GNSS Observables |
| title_short | Modelling and Experimental Assessment of Inter-Personal Distancing Based on Shared GNSS Observables |
| title_sort | modelling and experimental assessment of inter personal distancing based on shared gnss observables |
| topic | Global Navigation Satellite System collaborative positioning collaborative measurements distance estimation social distancing mobile devices |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/8/2588 |
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