IIT-Madras develops ground-breaking wi-fi indoor mapping know-how for catastrophe response

NEW DELHI: Researchers on the Indian Institute of Expertise (IIT) Madras have developed a cutting-edge, real-time indoor mapping know-how that may perform successfully below any lighting or environmental situations, with minimal reliance on pre-existing infrastructure. The innovation, named UbiqMap, holds transformative potential for catastrophe response and public security missions.
UbiqMap employs a way referred to as Radio Tomographic Imaging (RTI), which makes use of radio frequency (RF) indicators to generate correct flooring maps of indoor environments. Not like conventional RTI methods that rely upon a hard and fast community of wi-fi transceivers, UbiqMap introduces a conveyable and dynamic system utilizing wearable transceivers. These units are worn by rescue personnel and mechanically observe motion and placement, repeatedly updating the format of the constructing in actual time.
“This know-how addresses a vital problem in catastrophe administration—entry to correct and up-to-date indoor maps, which are sometimes unavailable or outdated throughout emergencies,” stated Ayon Chakraborty, assistant professor within the Division of Pc Science and Engineering, who led the undertaking. The analysis crew additionally included MS pupil Amartya Basu and MTech pupil Kush Jajal.
The system was examined efficiently inside managed settings on the IIT-Madras campus, the place it demonstrated dependable imaging of indoor areas. The crew is now engaged on enhancing the know-how by balancing radio frequency selections for optimum decision and indoor penetration, integrating visible inputs via sensor fusion, and growing a wearable prototype for real-world subject trials.
A patent has been filed for the know-how, and the analysis has been peer-reviewed and printed within the IEEE Transactions on Cellular Computing.
UbiqMap stands out amongst current mapping options as a consequence of its independence from visible line of sight and low reliance on computing sources, making it notably worthwhile in cluttered, poorly lit, or structurally compromised environments. It may possibly additionally establish materials properties of constructing parts, aiding responders in route planning and security assessments.
Designed for affordability and flexibility, the know-how can work in tandem with current methods like cameras and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) instruments, additional enhancing its efficiency. By offering first responders with real-time situational consciousness, UbiqMap is poised to grow to be an important instrument in managing high-risk, time-sensitive operations.
In future purposes, the system might additionally profit sensible constructing administration, indoor robotics, and warehouse navigation, providing scalable options for each emergency and industrial use instances.