RAPID: 6Fit-a-Part: A Device for Physical Distancing

这项研究建议创造一种定制的可穿戴设备，当另一台类似的设备冒险太近时，它会提醒用户，从而帮助拉近身体距离。通过警告人们潜在的违反安全距离的行为，这项研究旨在防止新冠肺炎的传播，降低在杂货店、药店、医院、仓库等公共场所接触新冠肺炎的风险，并缓解公共卫生担忧。建议的装置可以固定在衣服上，可以作为臂章佩戴，也可以夹在常见的物品上，如购物车、篮子和行李。利用无线测距技术，该设备不断测量与附近类似设备的距离，如果在近距离检测到另一台设备，就会发出警报。它不会被用户身体的信号阻挡吓倒，但会忽略相邻房间或相邻过道中的设备，因为病毒不太可能跨越这些屏障传播。现有的智能手机无线测距技术无法做到这一点，因此有必要进行这项研究。这项工作分析了无线反射和信号强度变化，提高了距离测量的可靠性，并促进了无线传感科学的发展。这项研究希望提供工具，在保持谨慎和避免新的新冠肺炎浪潮的同时，能够更快地恢复正常。这项研究创造了一种定制的可穿戴设备，它可以确定自己与附近所有类似设备的距离，并在没有保持安全距离时向用户发出警告。建议的设备使用超宽带(UWB)无线信号进行通信，允许在真实世界的多路径环境中进行准确的距离估计(测距)，这是智能手机上现有的无线技术无法实现的。这项工作将有两个核心贡献：(I)用于对等距离测量的改进的测距协议，以及(Ii)环境感应技术，在(A)直接视线测量、(B)跨越物理屏障(如墙)的测量和(C)受信号身体阻挡影响的测量之间执行三向区分。需要修改现有的测距协议，因为UWB距离测量基于多个无线分组交换精确的定时信息--这种机制在不协调的情况下可能会导致严重的无线冲突。环境感知是必要的，以避免错误警报。例如，当两个设备靠近但被一堵墙隔开时，可能会发生误报(滋扰警报)。相反，当一个人自己的身体阻止无线信号导致错误的距离测量时，可能会发生假阴性。这些贡献预计将促进无线传感和多设备测距方面的知识，同时通过改进物理距离的实施使公共场所更加安全，影响甚至超过COVID-19。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This research proposes to create a custom wearable device that aids physical distancing by alerting the user when another similar device ventures too close. By warning people of potential safe-distance violations, this research aims at preventing the transmission of COVID-19 and reducing the risk of exposure at public places including grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals, warehouses, and mitigating public health concerns. The proposed device can be attached to clothing, be worn as an arm-band, or clamp to common objects, such as shopping carts, baskets, and luggage. Using wireless distance measurement technology, the proposed device constantly measures the distance from similar nearby devices, raising alarm if another one is detected in close-range. It would remain undeterred by signal blocking from the user's body, yet ignore devices in an adjoining room or neighboring aisle, since virus transmission across such barriers is unlikely. Existing wireless distance measuring technology on smartphones is unable to make this distinction, necessitating this research. This work analyzes wireless reflections and signal strength variations improving the reliability of distance measurements, and advancing the science of wireless sensing. This research hopes to provide the tools that will enable quicker restoration of normalcy while remaining cautious and avoiding new COVID-19 waves.This research creates a custom wearable device that determines its distance from all similar devices in the vicinity and warns users when safe distance is not maintained. The proposed device communicates using ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless signals allowing accurate distance estimation (ranging) in real-world multipath environments, which existing wireless technology on a smartphone cannot achieve. This work will have two core contributions: (i) a modified ranging protocol for peer-peer distance measurements, and (ii) an environment-sensing technique, performing a 3-way distinction between (a) direct line-of-sight measurements, (b) those across physical barriers (like walls), and (c) those affected by body-blocking of the signals. Modifications to existing ranging protocols are required since UWB distance measurements are based on multiple wireless packets exchanging precise timing information--a mechanism that can lead to severe wireless collisions when left uncoordinated. Environmental sensing is required to avoid false alarms. For example, false-positives (nuisance-alarms) may occur when two devices are close-by but separated by a wall. Contrarily, false negatives can occur when a person's own body blocks wireless signals causing erroneous distance measurements. These contributions are expected to advance knowledge in wireless sensing and multi-device ranging, while enabling safer public places through improved implementation of physical distancing, with impact even beyond COVID-19.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.