VIPS

VIPS is a brand-new Indoor Positioning System for measuring real-time, dynamic 3D position, speed and attitude (pitch/roll/yaw), to an accuracy of ±2 cm in areas where GNSS is not available, making it an ideal tool for applications both indoors and in urban areas.

Why VIPS?

Do you need to measure position, speed or attitude in areas where GNSS is not available?

Do you have a GNSS based product or technology that would benefit from an indoor extension capability?

Is your testing restricted to confined areas with a clear view of the sky?

Are you looking to extend your testing for a combination of indoor and outdoor scenarios?

Do you need an indoor positioning system that is easy to install and can be transferred to any of your facilities?

If so, you now have a reliable and easy to use alternative to GNSS that offers the same 2 cm accuracy and will extend your testing capabilities into any environment.

Additionally, you can seamlessly transition between GNSS (outdoors) and VIPS (indoors) offering a complete testing solution.

What can VIPS deliver?

Accuracy

VIPS delivers ±2 cm accuracy which is equivalent to GNSS with RTK corrections.

Dynamic Measurement

Option to measure velocity and attitude (pitch, roll and yaw), in addition to positioning. With an update rate of 100 Hz, the ±2 cm accuracy can be maintained at speeds of up to 300 km/h.

Indoor/Outdoor Transition

Transfer seamlessly from outdoor GNSS to indoor VIPS and vice-versa. VIPS can also achieve reacquisition and full accuracy in less than 0.2 seconds.

Data Recording

Connecting to a datalogger (eg. VBOX 3i) enables recording of VIPS data via Serial or CAN.

Portable

The VIPS beacons are small and lightweight which makes the whole system easy to transfer between locations and quick to change set up configurations within a test or usage environment.

Easy Installation

VIPS is easy to install with flexibility to prioritise set up time over accuracy. The self-survey option enables a basic VIPS system to be set up within 30 minutes with an impressive ±5 cm accuracy. To achieve the optimal ±2 cm accuracy the system can be installed using a total station to survey the exact beacon locations.

Low Power

VIPS beacons can be powered by 12 V batteries for temporary installations. Alternatively, the beacons can be hard-wired into any power network for longer-term installations.

Versatile Applications

VIPS has been designed in-house by RACELOGIC engineers allowing for bespoke adaptations and making it an ideal solution for integration in to existing technologies. We are always keen to hear from engineers, integrators and technical partners to explore new applications and collaborations.

How does VIPS work?

Using in-house technology developed by RACELOGIC, VIPS works by utilising a network of stand-alone, battery powered beacons which communicate using ultra-wideband (UWB). The beacons are placed around the perimeter of the operation area (eg floor plan of building or construction site), in known positions which have been manually surveyed using a handheld laser, Total Station or, if time is of the essence, a self-survey can also be performed. The accuracy of the known beacon positions directly corelates to the accuracy of the output measurement, allowing for flexibility in required accuracy verses set up time. The beacons are completely stand-alone, and the option of battery power makes deployment very rapid. A UWB receiver on the target object communicates with the beacons and uses trilateration to determine its position.

This data is combined with the measurements from a highly accurate inertial measurement system, proving real-time, 3D position to within 2cm. This industry leading accuracy is a result of our custom hardware, software and calibration routines. Additionally, the beacons are temperature calibrated to ensure accuracy in all conditions, from -30°C to +60°C.

What are the applications of VIPS?

The dynamic measurement offered by VIPS makes it an ideal automotive solution for high dynamic vehicle test and validation procedures which are normally performed outside using GPS. Examples include acceleration, braking, handling, crash testing, tyre testing and ADAS sensor validation.

The system can also be used to fill in gaps in GPS coverage in areas such as heavy tree cover, tunnels and urban canyons.

However, the flexibility of VIPS makes it suitable for any application that requires accurate measurement and recording of 3D positioning in sectors including construction, mining and motion capture.

VIPS is also compatible with steering robots, offering highly accurate path following and repeatability for autonomous guidance applications.

Additionally, VIPS is ideal for integration in to existing technologies and product ranges. We are always keen to hear from engineers, integrators and technical partners to explore new applications and collaborations.

What is the VIPS Technical Specification?

Update rate

Up to 100 Hz
Speed accuracy

±0.1 km/h
Position accuracy

About 2 cm
Latency

50 ms
Max. speed

270 km/h
Distance between beacons

50-100 m (depending on update rate)
Frequency bands

2 (user-selectable)
Max. number of receivers

2 (per band)
Size

124 mm diameter, 74.5 mm height
Weight

350 g

Power requirements

7 - 30 V DC, 100 mA
Operating temperature

-30°C to +60°C
Communication

RS232, CAN, WiFi
Centre frequency

3993.6 / 6489.6 MHz
Bandwidth

1331.2 MHz / 1081.6 MHz
Transmit power

-41.3 dBm/MHz
Time to first fix

< 0.2 s
Min. number of beacons

4 (position only), 6 (position + velocity)
Max. number of beacons

250

What else do I need to know about VIPS (FAQs)?

How much does it cost?

The cost will depend on the number of beacons you require to sufficiently cover your location. Please provide as much detail as possible regarding the location where you will install VIPS when asking for a quote and we will come back to you with a specific solution.

How many beacons would I need?

You will require a beacon placed roughly every 50 m in your facility. The target object needs to see a minimum of 4 beacons at all times, but 6 or more beacons gives the best accuracy.

What size area can the system cover?

The maximum distance between beacons is 25-50 m, and up to 250 beacons can be used on one site.

Can the system be installed permanently?

Yes, we can advise you on how to fit a system to your own building/test track/tunnel etc.

Can it use GPS when available?

Yes, the system can incorporate a GPS RTK engine and will seamlessly swap to the most accurate system available at the time.

Can I use the system to bridge gaps in satellite coverage outside?

Yes, VIPS can also be used outside as an alternative to GNSS, in areas with limited or no satellite signal.

Note that you would require a minimum of 6 beacons to cover any area, and the beacons require a power connection or battery supply.

What makes VIPS superior to GPS, is that it can acquire lock and achieve full accuracy in less than 0.2 s, so there is virtually no delay waiting for the system to lock onto the beacons.

Is it compatible with steering robots?

Yes, it is compatible with steering robots, offering highly accurate path following and repeatability. We used the self-survey method to set up the system for this video, which took 2 people just 30 minutes to install, with no accurate measuring tools necessary.

How many target objects can use the system?

Currently, up to two objects can be used at the same time. We will shortly be expanding this capability to 5 objects using the same hardware.

How accurate are the measurements?

If the beacons are surveyed using a Total Station, the positional accuracy is < 2 cm. If the self-survey mode is used (seeding the system with rough positions to within 5 m), the positional accuracy is 5-10 cm. The speed is accurate to within ±0.1 km/h, the pitch/roll ±0.1° and yaw ±0.5°.

Is the position and speed calculated on the target object?

Yes, the receiver includes a powerful processor which provides real-time information to the VBOX.