Triple-mode location-aware Android portable system for field operations

Abstract

The goal of this research project is to create a portable system that makes use of easy-to-find and affordable Android devices for field operations where current positions of the operators are essential. A system that can be deployed virtually anywhere consists of location-aware Android application, Android mobile device(s), and a microcontroller module. By utilizing the Global Positioning System hardware on the mobile device and the spatial database and algorithms, the mobile application can send alerts to the users based on their current locations and the criteria of their missions. This portable system can be used in online mode where an active Internet connection is available, semi-online mode where a Local Area Network is deployed, or offline mode where it is completely self-contained. Using a microcontroller module instead of a computer server gives the system the flexibility and ease of setting up that are much needed in the field. Our experiments in the field showed that the system is suitable for field uses such as ground survey missions. The Location-Based Services along with the spatial algorithm yielded the correct and acceptable results for real use.