Proximity Detection through Sensing Technologies

Dear Colleagues,

How close are you to another person? How far are you from an artwork? Who is nearby? These are a few of the many research challenges encountered while coping with a growing trend often referred to as proximity. Proximity refers to the capability of estimating the distance between objects, people, or a combination of them in an automatic way, so as to automatize specific actions.

Some notable examples are the possibilities of broadcasting advertisement messages when people get close to a point of interest, opening a door when people walk towards a direction, or advising people when they come in touch with an infected subject.

This Special Issue moves towards this direction. In particular, we call for novel scientific contributions addressing the many facets of proximity by exploiting sensing technologies such as Bluetooth, WiFi 6, ultra-wideband, and the upcoming 5G. The goal is to detail the current state of the art of proximity and how it can be implemented with available or nearly available technologies that change the way we perceive the surrounding environment.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

Dr. Michele Girolami
Dr. Filippo Palumbo
Dr. Stefan Knauth
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Detecting gatherings among people (social interaction detection)
• Indoor localization systems for proximity estimation
• 5G networks for proximity and location-aware applications
• Bluetooth low-energy beaconing and beyond
• Improving accuracy and reliability of location-based services
• Device-free proximity detection
• Location beyond navigation—asset and network management
• Geo-fencing and microlocations
• Hyperlocal marketing
• Technologies for short-distance phone-to-phone ranging