A tracking cooling fan using geofence and camera-based indoor localization

Abstract

Highlights Human positions are tracked accurately by a camera-based indoor tracking system  Air flow is directed to the desired direction by using virtual geofences  Desired air speed is provided based on the PMV-SET thermal comfort model  Fan speed setting is adjusted by a calibrated mapping algorithm based on the estimation of occupant-fan distance  The proposed system can be used for thermal comfort improvement and energy conservation AbstractCompressor-based cooling systems have a large impact on energy consumption in modern buildings, particularly in the tropics. Elevated air movement by electric fans is a cost-effective cooling method for both energy saving and thermal comfort improvement. In this paper, a tracking cooling fan using geofence and camera-based indoor localization is proposed. Personal cooling service is provided based on the detection of the occupant in the area bounded by virtual geofences. The proposed camera-based indoor tracking system is able to accurately locate the positions of the occupant, determine the direction of air flow, and calculate the occupant-fan distance. The tracking fan is able to provide the needed air speed determined by PMV-SET thermal comfort model using a calibrated mapping algorithm. The effectiveness of the proposed system has been verified through experiments which show that the system is able to operate with low power while improving thermal comfort. The system can be used in an air-conditioned environment with higher temperature setpoint to save energy or in a naturally conditioned environment for thermal comfort enhancement.

Positioning Methods and the Use of Location and Activity Data in Forests

“…Geofence boundaries may be defined as a radius around a POI or by an irregular polygon, typically based on GNSS coordinates [178]. Geofencing has been suggested for a variety of spatial-awareness applications, including location-based services for tourism (e.g., recommending nearby sights) and advertising (e.g., offering coupons to passers-by) [179], fleet monitoring and management (e.g., tracking shipments) [178], smart cooling (e.g., activating fans only when individuals are present) [180], and emergency response (e.g., keeping traffic lights green when an ambulance or police vehicle approaches an intersection) [181].…”

Automated mobile sensing: Towards high-granularity agile indoor environmental quality monitoring

“…Furthermore, applications of personalized heating/cooling devices, aiming to reduce building energy use, augment such inhomogeneity [15,16,17,18,19,20]. Consequently, spatio-temporal monitoring of indoor environment can provide an comprehensive IEQ assessment.…”

Detailed experimental investigation of air speed field induced by ceiling fans

“…Raising the cooling set-point of compressor-based air conditioning systems saves substantial energy in humid and hot climates [1][2][3][4][5]. Electric fans can be used in conjunction to offset the impact of warmer temperatures on thermal comfort [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Ceiling fans are cost-effective and energy-efficient comfort cooling approaches commonly used in tropical and subtropical countries, mainly in residential buildings and semi-outdoor spaces.…”