Proximity Sensor for Measuring Social Interaction in a School Environment

Social interactions are characterized by being very diverse and changing over time. Understanding this diversity and dynamics, as well as their emerging patterns, is of great interest from social, health, and educational perspectives. The development of new devices has been made possible in recent years by advances in applied technology. This paper presents the design and development of a novel device composed of several sensors. Specifically, we propose a proximity sensor integrated by three devices: a Bluetooth sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) unit and an accelerometer. By means of this sensor it is possible to detect the presence of neighboring sensors in various configurations and operating conditions. Profiles based on the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) exhibit behavior consistent with that reported by empirical relationships. The present sensor is functional in detecting the proximity of other sensors and is thus useful for the identification of interactions between people in relevant contexts such as schools.