Published May 20, 2026 | Version V1.0

RSSI-Based Indoor Positioning System on ESP32 with Kalman Filtering and Trilateration

  • 1. Independent Researcher

Description

This work presents an RSSI-based indoor positioning system implemented using ESP32 microcontrollers and Wi-Fi signal strength measurements. The proposed system estimates the location of a target node using trilateration from multiple anchor nodes.

To improve localization accuracy in indoor environments, a Kalman Filter is applied to reduce RSSI fluctuations and measurement noise. The system combines wireless communication, signal processing, and mathematical localization techniques to provide low-cost indoor positioning suitable for smart buildings, IoT applications, and robotics.

The implementation includes:
• ESP32-based anchor and target nodes
• RSSI acquisition and filtering
• Distance estimation using path loss models
• Trilateration-based coordinate estimation
• Real-time localization visualization

Experimental results demonstrate improved stability and positioning accuracy after Kalman filtering compared to raw RSSI measurements.

Keywords: ESP32, Indoor Positioning System, RSSI Localization, Kalman Filter, Trilateration, Wireless Sensor Networks, IoT, Localization.

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Additional details

Dates

Submitted
2026-05-20

Software

References

  • M. R. Bshara, U. Orguner, F. Gustafsson, and L. Van Biesen, "Fingerprinting localization in wireless networks based on received-signal-strength measurements: A case study on WiMAX networks," IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, 2011.
  • P. Bahl and V. N. Padmanabhan, "RADAR: An in-building RF-based user location and tracking system," IEEE INFOCOM, 2000.
  • R. E. Kalman, "A New Approach to Linear Filtering and Prediction Problems," Journal of Basic Engineering, 1960.