NEVERLOST: Navigation Environment Merging Virtuality, Ecotone, and Reality for Localization Of SubjecTs

Eudald Sangenis and Andrei M. Shkel

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	This paper presents a navigation environment, NEVERLOST, specifically designed for firefighters and first responders to localize and navigate in indoor environments. Challenging indoor conditions demand safe, accurate, and high-precision navigation solutions. NEVERLOST addresses two primary technical challenges: 1) real-time position tracking using foot-mounted IMU, and 2) optimal route planning to targets. The framework addresses these challenges through a dual-interface platform, that leverages Augmented Reality (AR) with a Magic Leap 2 (ML2) to overlay navigational information onto the real-world view of firefighters. The dual-interface platform facilitates coordination between firefighters and fire commanders: commanders handle strategic planning, including target selection and mission oversight on a digital map, while firefighters navigate indoor environments, and communicate their indoor position in real-time. An experimental evaluation was conducted in a multi-floor indoor setting demonstrating a navigation error of 0.74 meters over a 141.84-meter trajectory. Index Terms—Foot-mounted IMU, Inertial Navigation, Augmented Reality, A* Algorithm.
Published in:	2025 IEEE/ION Position, Location and Navigation Symposium (PLANS) April 28 - 1, 2025 Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek Salt Lake City, UT
Pages:	63 - 67
Cite this article:	Sangenis, Eudald, Shkel, Andrei M., "NEVERLOST: Navigation Environment Merging Virtuality, Ecotone, and Reality for Localization Of SubjecTs," 2025 IEEE/ION Position, Location and Navigation Symposium (PLANS), Salt Lake City, UT, April 2025, pp. 63-67.
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