Localization of a single source with orientation-aware smart devices

The advent of the smartphone and its impact on manufacturing are changing the technology landscape. The cost of smartphone components has decreased drastically in recent years due to mass production. Elements that have benefited from this revolution include sensing modules. It is now reasonable to assume that advanced wireless devices are orientation aware. This, coupled with the asymmetrical radiation characteristics of many antennas, offers an opportunity to enhance performance. This article explores how orientation awareness can improve multi-agent localization systems. The proposed algorithms leverage the spherical asymmetry of typical antenna radiation patterns. Findings are supported through numerical simulations and field measurements.