SBIR Phase I: Location Aware Computing Using Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在通过实现一种简单，廉价，但高度准确的位置感知技术（称为近场电磁测距（NFER））来改变真实的时间定位系统（RTLS）行业。拟议的研究将通过关注该技术的两个主要技术不确定性来评估一种全新的跟踪技术。首先，研究将确定天线小型化的限制，而不影响可靠的链路（即，标签可能有多小）。其次，研究将确定系统容量的限制（即，以特定更新速率可以跟踪多少项）。第一阶段将通过理论分析和原型系统的实际测试相结合来确定这些不确定性。真实的时间定位系统（RTLS）是射频识别（RFID）行业中一个重要且快速增长的部分。在当今世界的即时商务，供应链管理（SCM）需要廉价的RTLS，以提高效率和保持竞争力。诸如全球定位系统（GPS）、超宽带（UWB）和传统的飞行时间测距的已建立的技术不能在复杂的真实世界室内传播环境中令人满意地执行。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to transform the real time location system (RTLS) industry by bringing to fruition a simple, inexpensive, yet highly accurate location awareness technology called Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFER). The proposed research will assess a radically new tracking technology by focusing on the technology's two primary technical uncertainties. First, the research will determine limits to antenna miniaturization without compromising a reliable link (i.e., how small a tag is possible). Second, the research will determine limits to system capacity (i.e., how many items can be tracked at a particular update rate). Phase I will ascertain these uncertainties through a combination of theoretical analysis and real-world testing of prototype systems.Real time locating systems (RTLS) is an important and rapidly growing segment within the radio frequency identification (RFID) industry. In today's world of just-in-time commerce, supply chain management (SCM) requires inexpensive RTLS to improve efficiency and maintain competitiveness. Established technologies such as global positioning system (GPS), ultra-wideband (UWB), and traditional time-of-flight ranging are unable to perform satisfactorily within complicated real-world, indoor propagation environments.