iBeacon is a new alternative power-based indoor positioning system developed based on Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology. iBeacon has the advantages of being low-powered and low-cost compared with the other indoor positioning systems. iBeacon is specialised in the detection of proximity and it has been deployed in public areas for information broadcasting purposes. In this paper, iBeacon will be studied for (1) the accuracy of BLE signal and (2) the feasibility of proximity function. Experiments on an iBeacon Unit are carried out to generalise the calibration procedure. It was found that the origin of error comes from a relationship between received signal strength indicator (RSSI) fluctuation and distance, implying that the increasing error with distance is due to signal fluctuation. The determination of effective range can form the basis for iBeacon's proximity function for practical usages. The aim of this paper is to form a basis for a paradigm shift of location-based services (LBS) from Navigation to Proximity when low-energy short-distance technology is involved.
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Tsz Ming Ng (2015) studied this question.
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