Using Scanning API for indoor location

[SamanthaBandini]

I'm going to realize an indoor positioning application using Cisco Meraki.

I have only one access point (MR33) for now. It follows a couple of questions to which I can not find an answer at the moment.

1. I have only one AP, so it is not able to calculate the information of the position x and y. From the Scanning API is there an information from which we can calculate the distance from the AP?
   Using RSSI? I wondered if it was possible to use the "rssi" data sent to calculate a very approximate distance in the following way: 

   d = 10 ^ ((P-Rssi) / 10n) (n ranges from 2 to 4).

   (This is commonly seen as rssi change the distance formula) But I understood that the information given in 'rssi' value is actually the Signal To Noise, and therefore not the RSSI used in that formula. Any tips? Using UNC? In my case 'unc' value is very variable even with only one AP, going from 0 to 49. Could I use this in any way?
2. Is there a way to access this Meraki information more frequently? Since Scanning APIs POSTs arrive at intervals of 60 secs. The only alternatives are to create a device that sniffs these probe requests or use an app installed on mobile devices?

[PhilipDAth · Accepted solution]

First note that devices in sleep mode (screen off) might only send beacon requests every 10 minutes - so don't expect to get minute by minute data for each device - no matter which method you use.

To get an RSSI from the Meraki number in dBm:

RSSI - 95 = signal strength in dBm

It's hard to find, but buried deep in this document:

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Monitoring_and_Reporting/Location_Analytics

Personally, I would just create my own table of measurements relating the Meraki returned RSSI to distance.

[PhilipDAth]

If you use an app on the device then you could get very precise data.  You could return potentially return a GPS reading.

[PhilipDAth]

You could also take a look at the MV12 cameras and see if its people counting analytics might solve your problem.

[SamanthaBandini]

Hi, thank you for your fast reply.

I already took a look at these cameras and they seemed like a good alternative, but I did not find any APIs to receive this information programmatically. Are APIs provided or will be provided to receive information from this camera in the future?

[PhilipDAth]

Currently there are no APIs, but they are in development.