WLAN-based, indoor medical residents positioning system

This paper presents research and development of a WLAN-based, indoor, positioning system for dynamically and transparently recording medical residents location and time spent in each location. The developed system is prototyped using an increasingly popular wireless technology: IEEE 802.115 that is currently deployed in the hospitals where OU residents are trained. This paper discusses the positioning methodology, overall system architecture, and the developed software algorithms. It describes in detail the developed and prototyped system, including mobile software, positioning server, middle tiered software, and Web monitoring application. The prototype is implemented utilizing received signal strength intensity (RSSI) technique to instantaneously determine the positions of a mobile station. The developed system features many advantages: real-time information, low cost, low power consumption requirement, and transparency to the users.