A Review of Wireless Positioning Techniques and Technologies: From Smart Sensors to 6G

Abstract

In recent years, tremendous advances have been made in the design and applications of wireless networks and embedded sensors. The combination of sophisticated sensors with wireless communication has introduced new applications, which can simplify humans’ daily activities, increase independence, and improve quality of life. Although numerous positioning techniques and wireless technologies have been introduced over the last few decades, there is still a need for improvements, in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and performance for the various applications. Localization importance increased even more recently, due to the coronavirus pandemic, which made people spend more time indoors. Improvements can be achieved by integrating sensor fusion and combining various wireless technologies for taking advantage of their individual strengths. Integrated sensing is also envisaged in the coming technologies, such as 6G. The primary aim of this review article is to discuss and evaluate the different wireless positioning techniques and technologies available for both indoor and outdoor localization. This, in combination with the analysis of the various discussed methods, including active and passive positioning, SLAM, PDR, integrated sensing, and sensor fusion, will pave the way for designing the future wireless positioning systems.