Ekahau's client software works in conjunction with the company's Positioning Engine software, to accurately position Wi-Fi enabled devices within a Wi-Fi coverage area. According to Ekahau, the Positioning Engine is entirely software-based, and can be deployed over existing Wi-Fi networks without requiring the addition of overlay infrastructure, antennas, or sensors.
The Positioning Engine technology -- the result of 10 years of research by the Complex Systems Computation Group at the University of Helsinki, according to Ekahau -- is based on signal strength site calibration, and uses relative signal strengths from multiple Wi-Fi access points to determine position. The company claims an average accuracy of 1 meter (3.5 feet) when supported by signals from five to seven access points indoors, with no interference. When used with three to five access points, the average accuracy reduces to 2 to 3 meters (about 7 to 10 feet). If higher accuracy is required, "dummy" access points can be used with their power on, but without having to connect them to a network.
Site calibration takes about one hour per 12,000 square feet, according to Ekahau, which adds that people, furniture arrangement, doors, and other minor environment changes don't affect the calibration.
A free 30-day evaluation version of the Positioning Engine is available for download,
here.
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