Through-Wall Tracking Using Variance-Based Radio Tomography Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a real-time through-wall tracking method using variance in received signal strength within wireless networks, enabling imaging and tracking of moving objects behind walls.

Contribution

It proposes a novel variance-based radio tomography approach combined with Kalman filtering for real-time through-wall motion tracking.

Findings

Effective imaging and tracking over 780 sq ft area

Real-time performance demonstrated with 34-node network

Utilizes multipath signal variance for localization

Abstract

This paper presents a new method for imaging, localizing, and tracking motion behind walls in real-time. The method takes advantage of the motion-induced variance of received signal strength measurements made in a wireless peer-to-peer network. Using a multipath channel model, we show that the signal strength on a wireless link is largely dependent on the power contained in multipath components that travel through space containing moving objects. A statistical model relating variance to spatial locations of movement is presented and used as a framework for the estimation of a motion image. From the motion image, the Kalman filter is applied to recursively track the coordinates of a moving target. Experimental results for a 34-node through-wall imaging and tracking system over a 780 square foot area are presented.