Barometric phone sensors: more hype than hope!

ABSTRACT

The inclusion of the barometer sensor in smartphones signaled an opportunity for aiding indoor localization efforts. In this paper, we therefore investigate a possible use of the barometer sensor for detecting vertically oriented activities. We start by showing the accuracies of various commodity measurement devices and the challenges they bring forth. We then show how to use the barometer values to build a predictor that can detect floor changes and the mode (elevator, escalator, or stairs) used to change floors with nearly 100% accuracy. We validate these properties with data collected using 3 different measurement devices from 7 different buildings. Our investigation reveals that while the barometer sensor has potential, there is still a lot left to be desired.

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Index Terms

• Applied computing

  • Computers in other domains

    • Personal computers and PC applications

• Computer systems organization

  • Embedded and cyber-physical systems

    • Sensors and actuators