Next Generation Indoor Airport Wayfinding Using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Localization and Pedestrian Physics: A Theoretical Framework
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Navigating crowded indoor environments like airport terminals is difficult because satellite GPS signals cannot pass through dense concrete and steel buildings. Additionally, current indoor navigation apps rely on static shortest-path algorithms that ignore real-time crowd congestion, often routing users directly into severe bottlenecks. To address this, this paper proposes a theoretical, mathematical navigation framework that models real-time pedestrian dynamics by integrating ultra-wideband (UWB) trilateration, traffic flow physics, and vector calculus. The terminal map was split into a spatial grid, and localized pedestrian slowdowns were modeled using Greenshields traffic mechanics to find a critical bottleneck threshold. A continuous scalar potential field was built by combining a destination potential with a crowd repulsion potential smoothed via two-dimensional Gaussian convolution. Navigation directions were then found using the negative gradient of the field, utilizing dynamic waypoints to avoid local minima traps. Real-time positioning was achieved by simplifying UWB anchor distance equations using least-squares estimation and a moving average filter. Mathematical modeling results showed that the dynamic model successfully routed users around high-density bottlenecks into open side corridors. While this model chose physically longer paths, it consistently reduced total travel time compared to traditional static algorithms.
Author: Kottapalli, Deekshita
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7203705033
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