A Robust Microservices Framework for Indoor Tracking System Development

Abstract

The demand for indoor tracking systems is steadily increasing across various applications. While GPS is effective for outdoor localization, indoor localization presents distinct challenges related to hardware, algorithms, architecture, and infrastructure. Many researchers have focused on developing algorithms or hardware solutions to address these challenges. In response, we designed and implemented a robust, innovative framework utilizing microservices to achieve a scalable, fault-tolerant, flexible, and multi-platform indoor localization system. Our system employs RFID hardware for tracking, with data storage managed by a PostgreSQL database. The architecture incorporates RabbitMQ and the Spring framework, utilizing the Java programming language. The proposed framework was tested using a graphical user interface (GUI) within a metallic underground mine, demonstrating scalability by successfully deploying 7 and 22 RFID readers. The system supports development across various platforms, including web, desktop, and mobile, and is compatible with Mac, Linux, and Windows operating systems. The tracking accuracy was measured at 5.12 meters within a 300-meter metallic mining gallery. Overall, the microservices-based framework proved highly suitable for indoor tracking systems. © 2024 IEEE.