UWB Indoor Localization: Accuracy Evaluation in a Controlled Environment

This paper presents a comprehensive study on the precision of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology for indoor positioning in controlled environments. In this study, we evaluate the positioning accuracy of Decawave DWM1001 sensors based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard within two different spatial configurations: a $3 \times 3$ meter area and a $3 \times 12$ meter area.Our method involved deploying a network of four anchors and one tag in these two setups and conducting a series of empirical measurements to assess the technology’s performance. Our findings demonstrate the high accuracy of UWB localization, particularly in smaller spaces. However, our experiments uncovered challenges in larger areas, where environmental factors play a significant role in influencing the accuracy and reliability of positioning measurements, compared to the high accuracy promised by the UWB technology positioning and shown by our simulations in ideal conditions. We experimented a high level of accuracy in the smaller $3 \times 3$ meter area, with an average error of 6.950 cm at a 1 -meter height. The larger $3 \times 12$ meter area exhibited increased error rates, with an average error of 9.339 cm at the same height.