Ping-Pong: Using smartphones to measure distances and relative positions

Abstract

A novel system for realtime range and geometry estimation of a group of smartphones colocated in a shared physical space is presented. The system uses offtheshelf devices and employs audible signals to estimate interdevice (pairwise) distances. Coordinated sound synthesis and processing of a pair of pitched sounds allows to estimate the distance between two devices based on the travel time. To overcome the absence of a centralized clock to coordinate measurements, a synchronous communication channel was used. When four or more devices are present, it is possible to estimate their relative positions in a threedimensional space, by minimizing an equation error norm. The system works both on closed and open spaces. We believe that such system opens the possibility for new ways of interaction that could benefit musical expression, social interaction and gaming. © 2013 Acoustical Society of America.