Fujitsu and Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) are developing a system based on ultra wideband (UWB) technology they claim offers better directions to blind users than GPS when they are indoors.

The companies say there are currently GPS-based audio guides for the blind under development for outdoors but the coverage from the satellite-based technology is inferior to that from short-range UWB technology when it comes to providing directions indoors. Providing precise location-based services is one of the uses mooted for emerging UWB technology.

In the case of Fujitsu and NICT’s trial, base stations measure the distance between a user’s smartphone and their desired destination and then offer audio directions with what they claim is a margin of error of 30 centimetres.

The user is equipped with both a UWB positioning system-based mobile station which delivers location data via Bluetooth to the user’s smartphone running an Android-based mapping application.

The smartphone used in the trial is a Fujitsu-manufactured Docomo Next series Arrows X LTE F-05D. The mapping app is based on Android 2.3.

In the future the partners plan to develop additional sensors for the UWB-based system that can detect physical obstacles outdoors. They also thinking about additional services such as offering directions to visitors in locations such as hospitals.

The trial uses impulse radio UWB technology, or IR-UWB which is particularly suitable for establishing precise locations. The technology uses frequencies in the 7.25-10.25 GHz band in Japan.