Preface

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to attend the IPIN2012 conference, being held from 13-15 November at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

The development of Positioning and Navigation technologies, and the applications dependent upon them, are experiencing an explosive growth, both in the R&D labs as well as in the marketplace. Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS, GLONASS, and the soon to be deployed Galileo and BeiDou, have pioneered low-cost, ubiquitous Positioning and Navigation. The applications are myriad, ranging from land, air and maritime navigation; military and security-related operations; agriculture, mining and construction; geodesy, surveying and mapping; machine automation and robotics; transportation; emergency response and disaster management; personal location-based services; and others. The utility of GNSS is such that it can be used anywhere on (or above) the Earth's surface, under all weather conditions, 24 hours a day, provided measurements can be made simultaneously to a minimum of four GNSS satellites. However it remains a challenge for space-based Positioning and Navigation technologies to provide the necessary results when direct line-of-sight to the satellites is not possible as in the case of Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation (IPIN).

The IPIN2012 is the 3rd in the annual series of IEEE IPIN conferences that showcase advances in indoor positioning. Unlike outdoor environments, where GNSS is the universal technology solution, the special challenges of indoor positioning mean that as yet there is no indoor equivalent to GNSS, and hence this area of research is undergoing tremendous innovation, as different technology solutions are proposed, developed and tested. These technologies include approaches based on measurements of range using radio signals, acoustic signals, signal strength, magnetic, inertial sensors, vision, radar, and a variety of hybrid systems. This conference will provide a strong scientific program, enjoyable social functions and, importantly, an opportunity to meet with colleagues from all over the world. IPIN2012 will feature keynote speakers, oral presentations, panel sessions, interactive posterposter sessions, an exhibit and technology demonstrations. Researchers from Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia will provide updates on established and emerging technologies.

On behalf of the School of Surveying & Geospatial Engineering, UNSW, and the organising committee, I look forward to welcoming you to IPIN2012.

Chris Rizos
Chair of IPIN2012

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