BLE-Based Contact Tracing: Characterization of Distance Estimation Errors and Mitigation Options

IF 1.6 4区计算机科学 Q3 COMPUTER SCIENCE, INFORMATION SYSTEMS

IEEE Pervasive Computing Pub Date : 2023-01-01 DOI:10.1109/mprv.2023.3323747

Barbara Nußbaummüller, Bernhard Etzlinger, Karin Anna Hummel

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Contact tracing is an accepted means to keep track of human infection chains during epidemics. Contact tracing smartphone apps such as deployed during the recent COVID-19 pandemic are widely based on distance estimation by privacy-preserving use of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Yet, the BLE received signal strength indicator used for distance estimation is too weakly correlated with the distance in real scenarios. Major impacting factors are varying body shielding and signal propagation characteristics of the environment. We present a method that adjusts the common BLE pathloss model with a context factor, which can be experimentally derived based on phone carry position and environment detection. Experiments with a smartphone testbed show that the distance estimation error can be reduced to about 1 m for four major carry positions in short-distance indoor and outdoor settings. This result is an encouraging first step towards reliable privacy-preserving contact tracing.

查看原文本刊更多论文

基于ble的接触跟踪:距离估计误差的表征和缓解方案

接触者追踪是流行病期间跟踪人类感染链的一种公认手段。最近在COVID-19大流行期间部署的接触者追踪智能手机应用程序广泛基于使用低功耗蓝牙(BLE)保护隐私的距离估计。然而，用于距离估计的BLE接收信号强度指标与实际场景中的距离相关性过弱。主要的影响因素是不同的身体屏蔽和信号传播特性的环境。我们提出了一种基于手机携带位置和环境检测的实验推导出的基于环境因素的普通BLE路径损耗模型调整方法。在智能手机测试平台上进行的实验表明，在短距离室内和室外设置的四个主要携带位置，距离估计误差可以降低到1 m左右。这一结果是朝着可靠的隐私保护接触追踪迈出的令人鼓舞的第一步。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

IEEE Pervasive Computing 工程技术-电信学

CiteScore

4.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： IEEE Pervasive Computing explores the role of computing in the physical world–as characterized by visions such as the Internet of Things and Ubiquitous Computing. Designed for researchers, practitioners, and educators, this publication acts as a catalyst for realizing the ideas described by Mark Weiser in 1988. The essence of this vision is the creation of environments saturated with sensing, computing, and wireless communication that gracefully support the needs of individuals and society. Many key building blocks for this vision are now viable commercial technologies: wearable and handheld computers, wireless networking, location sensing, Internet of Things platforms, and so on. However, the vision continues to present deep challenges for experts in areas such as hardware design, sensor networks, mobile systems, human-computer interaction, industrial design, machine learning, data science, and societal issues including privacy and ethics. Through special issues, the magazine explores applications in areas such as assisted living, automotive systems, cognitive assistance, hardware innovations, ICT4D, manufacturing, retail, smart cities, and sustainability. In addition, the magazine accepts peer-reviewed papers of wide interest under a general call, and also features regular columns on hot topics and interviews with luminaries in the field.