Initialization

Initialization is the process of providing NEON with enough information to solve the user’s heading, scale and drift error. When the software first starts up, it has no information about how the user walks or in what direction they are facing. It requires the user to walk around to calibrate to that user’s specific gait.

Initialization is similar to Google Maps. When a user starts the app in a parking garage, the user will have to travel some distance before it locks on to the heading. The main way to initialize in Personnel Tracker is with a couple of ad hoc beacons.

Initialization Status

The initialization Nav Lock status displays 1-4 bars indicating the ability to maintain the current 2D location accuracy in areas without GPS or infrastructure. The “Nav Lock” is on the top toolbar of the app.

More bars can be obtained by performing a user check-in, or by walking around an area with GPS, infrastructure (BLE Beacons, UWB Beacons, Stairs, Elevators, etc.). If the “Nav Lock” status displays a floor number, it indicates floor level accuracy will also be maintained.

Double Check-ins

A quick way to initialize is with double check-ins. The user will check in first at their location, then walk about ten meters, and check in again.

First Check-in

The user will walk to an easily identifiable location on the map (typically a hallway intersection or doorway) and check in on the Personnel Tracker app by placing a pin at their actual location. Once the check-in is applied, the user’s location will update to that location. It is common for the heading to be off during the first couple of steps. This will be corrected with the second check-in.

Second Check-in

The user walks about 10 meters and performs another check-in. After completing the second check-in, initialization will either succeed or fail. If it succeeds, the nav lock status will display four green bars. If it fails, the user should walk 10 meters and check in again.

Beacons

Beacons can be used to automatically correct the user’s location. There are two types of beacons that NEON uses: Drop Beacons and Placed Beacons. Placed beacons are placed in Mapper Mode and are uploaded to the cloud for all users within the subscription to use. Drop beacons can be placed in Personnel Tracker, and instead of being uploaded to the cloud, their location is written to the beacon from the user that places it.

Note: The use of beacons is optional.

For example, three UWB beacons can be placed 10 meters apart in a right-angle formation. The user can walk by each beacon to get an automatic correction to that beacon. When the user walks to the third beacon, they should be initialized. The beacons are displayed in the image below with the green Tracking Unit icons. Once initialization is achieved the user can walk around in areas of the building that do not have beacons.

Features

Features are stairs, elevators, entrances, and WiFi Grids. Features may be placed in NEON Command and mapped using Mapper Mode. They are automatically synced with the Personnel Tracker app when it has internet connectivity and can be used to initialize the user.

The user can walk through a building feature to get a correction to that feature to initialize. The user can get initialized by walking through two or more features.