Method for improving GPS high-positioning using microwave absorbers for walking movement support

This paper describes a method to eliminate multipath effects by using the shield cover of a microwave absorber to improve Global Positioning System (GPS) positioning accuracy. We studied a walking movement support system for visually impaired people. The system provides audio guidance regarding the direction of movement and pedestrian signals based on the location of the intersection and the pedestrian’s GPS position. Because a pedestrian device is a wearable terminal, we want to obtain highly accurate location information with a simple mechanism that can be comfortably worn on the body. In this study, we propose a method using a shielding cover with a microwave absorber to improve the GPS positioning accuracy in environments where multipath, a major cause of positioning error, occurs. This method does not require any modification to the hardware or software of the GPS receiver, and the multipath is prevented by adjusting only the height and position of the shielding cover. In a walking experiment using the proposed method, we confirmed that the shielding plate, set at an open angle of 90 degrees, can provide positioning without being affected by multipath in an environment where there are buildings on both sides of the path.