Automated georeferenced user position tracking for contextual information retrieval on construction sites

Abstract

This paper presents research that is evaluating the capability of an automated location-based methodology in identifying and retrieving contextual project information on indoor and outdoor construction sites for supporting decision-making tasks of site personnel. Under this methodology, construction entities visible in a user's field of view at any given time and location can be identified and cross-referenced with corresponding design and "as-built" data residing in construction databases and management information systems. The presented research attempts to achieve this by integrating outdoor positioning technologies together with location-based wireless technologies. Outdoor positioning techniques have been investigated and validated in other research efforts [1] [2] through the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and magnetic orientation tracking devices. For indoor environments, this paper aims at identifying Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) indoor positioning technique, a cheap, easily deployable and universally compatible location system for indoor use.