ANT, Android & Inertial Sensing

Abstract

Approaches to streaming sample data in real time from wireless inertial measurement sensor units to an Android smartphone for sports and event applications using ANT wireless networking are evaluated. Data compression, sensor unit synchronization and general ANT networking issues are discussed in the real time sample streaming context. Test and sample applications are developed and tested, and the overall conclusion is that ANT wireless networking does not provide enough bandwidth for this type of applications - at least not with the number of sensors and the sample rate required for the intended applications. Still ANT wireless networking is found to be useful for control and configuration tasks as showed in a field trial, and potentially useful for transferring data from short measurements sessions at reasonable but not real time speed or for real time streaming of sample data in sensor configurations where a small number of sensors or a low sample rate is used. Moreover other options for future development of the system such as alternative networking systems are discussed.