Arastronaut: An Open Source UWB/IMU Hardware and Software for Indoor Positioning

Arastronaut is an open-source<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sup><sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sup>https://github.com/mehtivakili/Arastronaut platform integrating hardware and software components to achieve high-precision indoor positioning. At its core, the system leverages ultra-wideband (UWB) technology for ranging, while incorporating an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to enable future sensor fusion capabilities. The system utilizes readily available, costeffective components including an ESP32 microcontroller, a UWB transceiver, and an IMU. The architecture prioritizes real-time operation and modularity for flexible tag/anchor deployment. Currently, the software implements two way ranging (TWR) with time division multiple access (TDMA) for precise distance measurement and robust time synchronization. Furthermore, it incorporates sensor-specific calibration algorithms for enhanced accuracy. An elegant graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed to facilitate user accessibility, streamline calibration processes, and enable seamless data fusion for sensor fusion applications. Experimental results validate the performance of individual UWB and IMU modules, demonstrating the platform's potential for centimeter-level indoor localization and paving the way for future integrated sensor fusion implementations.