RIS Optimal Element Selection for Enhanced Indoor Positioning Systems

This paper proposes the use of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) to customize the Received Signal Strength (RSS) distribution in an indoor environment for an Indoor Positioning System (IPS). RIS is a promising technology that can improve wireless communication by manipulating the propagation of electromagnetic waves. Considering RSS distribution as an essential factor that directly affects the accuracy and reliability of indoor location estimation, in this study, we propose a novel IPS architecture that incorporates RIS as an intermediate layer to control the signal propagation between the transmitter and receiver. Then, intelligently search for RIS elements that can directly and freely change the RSS value in any particular positioning of the environment. Consequently, any arbitrary distribution of the RSS and radio map can be customized in an indoor environment without requiring RIS to change its configuration in time slots in order to support multi-users. By designing a radio map of an indoor environment, RIS can improve the accuracy and reliability of IPS, making it a valuable technology for various applications such as indoor navigation, asset tracking, smart building applications, and indoor augmented reality.