The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has developed an innovative real-time indoor mapping solution that can generate precise maps under any lighting or environmental conditions, with minimal dependence on pre-existing infrastructure.
The technology, called ‘UbiqMap’, leverages radio frequency-based imaging to create detailed maps of indoor environments using a technique called ‘Radio Tomographic Imaging’ or RTI, IIT Madras informed.
As pointed out by IIT Madras, the RTI systems traditionally rely on a network of wireless transceivers deployed at fixed, known locations. As these transceivers communicate, the wireless signal strength weakens when obstructed by structures. This reduction in signal power is analyzed to reconstruct the structural layout or floor map of the area.
UbiqMap removes this dependency on pre-installed infrastructure, and employs wearable transceivers that can be easily worn by rescue personnel.
{{/usCountry}}UbiqMap removes this dependency on pre-installed infrastructure, and employs wearable transceivers that can be easily worn by rescue personnel.
{{/usCountry}}As team members move through the environment, these devices automatically determine their positions and continuously update the floor map, providing an accurate and real-time layout of the area.
UbiqMap can also be effectively combined with state-of-the-art SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) techniques to enhance performance further.
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First responders gain access to accurate, up-to-date maps of indoor spaces, even in low-visibility or partially accessible environments, empowering them to plan evacuation routes and allocate resources more effectively, as per IIT Madras.
Notably, this technology is expected to be beneficial for first responders during disaster relief operations as traditional infrastructure often becomes inaccessible or unreliable during public safety emergencies.
Furthermore, UbiqMap also has the potential to become a foundational technology for smart cities and autonomous systems, enabling advanced mapping operations in complex indoor environments.
It may be mentioned here that the research on UbiqMap was led by Dr. Ayon Chakraborty, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Madras. Dr Chakraborty's team includes Amartya Basu, MS Student at IIT Madras, and Kush Jajal, M.Tech Student at IIT MAdras.
The research team has also filed for an Indian Patent for this technology. The work has also been published in the reputed, peer-reviewed journal IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing (DOI: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10634790)
Dr. Ayon Chakraborty, elaborated on this technology, and said that public safety incidents, particularly search and rescue operations, are often hindered by lack of accurate and up-to-date indoor building plans.
“Even when maps are available, they typically fail to capture real-time dynamics essential for effective mission planning during disasters. Our technology offers first responders a robust and portable tool to image indoor environments without dependence on visual line of sight or extensive computational resources, making it an invaluable asset in complex, time-critical scenarios,” highlighted Dr. Chakraborty.
Shedding light on the current status of the technology and a tentative timeline for field implementation, Dr. Chakraborty said, “We have successfully tested the technology in a controlled setup within a few residential units at IITM campus. These trials allowed us to validate the system’s functionality, though the movement and localization of the transceivers were carefully managed during the tests.”
He added, “An important ongoing focus is optimizing the choice of wireless frequency. This involves balancing better indoor penetration with higher imaging resolution—an essential tradeoff in the design of wireless sensing systems. Additionally, we are integrating UbiqMap with visual modalities using sensor fusion. Currently, we are in the process of prototyping a wearable version of the technology to prepare for field trials in real-world scenarios.”