02 – How to calibrate stairs

Stairs #

Correctly calibrating stairs can make the difference between a good and a bad floor detection accuracy. Fortunately, calibrating stairs is pretty simple: as a rule of thumb, calibrate the lower part of the stairs in the lower floor, and the upper part in the upper floor. Keep reading for a detailed explanation.

Single Flight Staircase #

To achieve a seamless change between floors (e.g. from the ground floor to the 1st floor), you should first calibrate the lower half:

1. Select the floor lowest floor (ground floor (0) in this example) in the Situm Mapping Tool app.
   
2. Start the calibration at the bottom of the stairs (tap your location).
3. Move up and tap again when you reach, approximatelly,  the middle section of the staircase (represented by the red line, below).
4. Stop and turn around, tapping again at the same spot before you start walking down the stairs. 
5. Walk down the stairs and tap again when you reach the ground floor.
6. Save the calibration.

The indicated taps are represented by the green arrows in the image below:

After that, you should calibrate the upper half of the staircase:

1. Select the floor upper floor (1st floor(1) in this example) in the Situm Mapping Tool app.
2. Start the calibration at the top of the stairs (tap your location).
3. Move down and tap again when you reach, approximatelly, the middle section of the staircase (represented by the red line, below).
4. Stop and turn around, tapping again at the same spot before you start walking up the stairs. 
5. Walk up the stairs and tap again when you reach the 1st floor.
6. Save the calibration.

These taps are represented by the red arrows in the below image:

Double-Flight Staircase #

A double-flight staircase is any type of staircase composed of two levels and a landing between them. In the picture below, like in the previous example, the red arrows represents the change of levels and the arrows represent how calibration taps should be done for best results.

To achieve a seamless change between floors (e.g. from the ground floor to the 1st floor), you should first calibrate the lower half:

1. Select the floor lowest floor (ground floor(0) in this example) in the Situm Mapping Tool app.
   
2. Start the calibration at the bottom of the stairs (tap your location).
3. Move up and tap again when you reach, approximately,  the middle section of the staircase (represented by the red line, below).
4. Stop and turn around, tapping again at the same spot before you start walking down the stairs. 
5. Walk down the stairs and tap again when you reach the ground floor.
6. Save the calibration.

After that, you should calibrate the upper half of the staircase(1st floor in this example):

1. Select the floor upper floor (1st floor(1) in this example) in the Situm Mapping Tool app.
2. Start the calibration at the top of the stairs (tap your location).
3. Move down and tap again when you reach, approximatelly,  the middle section of the staircase (represented by the red line, below).
4. Stop and turn around, tapping again at the same spot before you start walking up the stairs. 
5. Walk up the stairs and tap again when you reach the 1st floor.
6. Save the calibration.

These taps are represented by the red arrows in the below image:

Please note that these instructions are valid for any two floors in the building, as long as they are accessible through double-flight staircases.