Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2017 | Short communication
Classification of indoor-outdoor location using combined global positioning system (GPS) and temperature data for personal exposure assessment
Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine | Issue 1/2017
Login to get accessAbstract
Objectives
The objectives of this study was to determine the accuracy of indoor-outdoor classification based on GPS and temperature data in three different seasons.
Methods
In the present study, a global positioning system (GPS) was used alongside temperature data collected in the field by a technician who visited 53 different indoor locations during summer, autumn and winter. The indoor-outdoor location was determined by GPS data alone, and in combination with temperature data.
Results
Determination of location by the GPS signal alone, based on the loss of GPS signal and using the used number of satellites (NSAT) signal factor, simple percentage agreements of 73.6 ± 2.9%, 72.9 ± 3.4%, and 72.1 ± 3.1% were obtained for summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. However, when temperature and GPS data were combined, simple percentage agreements were significantly improved (87.9 ± 3.3%, 84.1 ± 2.8%, and 86.3 ± 3.1%, respectively). A temperature criterion for indoor-outdoor determination of ~ Δ 2°C for 2 min could be applied during all three seasons.
Conclusion
The results showed that combining GPS and temperature data improved the accuracy of indoor-outdoor determination.