Hyper-Accurate Positioning
Technology has come a long way from simple machines like the Archimedes screw and the pulley. Inventiveness paved the way for many advances in civilization with a substantial impact on people’s quality of life. Having just used your computer or smartphone, you already know that modern technology greatly benefits humankind.
One technology that was developed by the military back in the 1970s, and is a “gamechanger” in the field of positioning and navigation, is the „Global Positioning System“ (GPS). Since the 1990s, drivers, hikers, and adventurers have also known how helpful GPS is for navigation. Here comes the good news: researchers are working on a new GPS system called “Hyper-Accurate Positioning”. Want to learn more about this new technology and which companies are heavily involved? Then read on here.
What is hyper-accurate positioning?
Satellite systems have many applications. One of the earliest applications of this technology is GPS, which is now widely used in cell phones and vehicles for geolocation and navigation.[1]
If you are wondering how GPS works, you need to know that GPS-enabled devices use a receiver to receive signals from satellites (=transmitters) and then process these signals using algorithms. This then allows the speed and location of the receiver to be determined.
GPS and satellite systems have a specific error tolerance. In addition, satellites can be damaged or destroyed. Therefore, new ways to more accurately measure an object’s position are constantly being sought. Some technologies also minimize dependence on satellites.
Hyper-accurate positioning is an improvement in this technology. One of the most recent examples is China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3), which provides improved accuracy.[2]
Another example of hyper-precise positioning is quantum location. Instead of using satellite signals to triangulate location, velocity, and time, quantum physics is used here. This new technology looks at changes in atoms to calculate and locate their motion. Sounds complicated, right? It is. An early example is ColdQuanta’s quantum location system, currently on the International Space Station. It can be used where conventional satellite systems and the BeiDou system don’t work, such as underwater or in space.
Applications of hyper-accurate positioning:
- The Internet of Things (IoT).
Today, many devices are “smart” because they have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections that allow users to control them via cell phones or other devices.
Let’s take a look at Amazon’s Echo. You can easily connect your Echo or other “smart speakers” to other smart devices like air conditioners, TVs, hot air fryers, and many others. You can then control these smart devices via the app or by speaking to the AI assistant Alexa. This is called long-range IoT.
On the other hand, long-range IoT is when smart non-stationary devices communicate using location systems, especially outdoors. High-precision positioning can increase the range of IoT while making it more energy-efficient.
- Agriculture
GPS assists farmers by supporting real-time data collection and positioning, thereby serving farmers in planning, mapping, exploring, and monitoring their fields.[3] Agricultural drones can even be used to determine the condition of fields, the presence of pests, weed infestations, and more without having to travel to the field. Therefore, more accurate positioning can also be of great help to farmers.
- Entertainment
The geolocation application of GPS is not only used for practical navigation, such as driving, but also entertainment. Applications such as Pokémon Go and other similar games use GPS to determine the location of players as part of the augmented reality aspect. Better location systems can improve the accuracy and reliability of such games, making them more fun to play. This market has great potential, especially as more and more people are looking for high-tech entertainment.
- Disaster monitoring
Advanced tracking systems can help detect potential disasters such as landslides. With the proper application, they can serve as an early warning system. One example is detecting changes in the land surface that indicate landslides. This can help warn affected communities and take action to move them out of danger zones.
- Space and ocean exploration.
Space exploration can benefit from high-precision positioning, especially with quantum positioning systems. As far-reaching as satellites can be, they have their limitations, especially regarding distance. Satellite signals, for example, cannot penetrate the deep ocean and far into space.[4]
Final considerations
High-precision positioning has much to offer in highly specialized fields such as space exploration and practical areas such as agriculture. With potential application in the Internet of Things (IoT), it can even impact our daily lives, even in entertainment.
How can we benefit from Hyper-Accurate Positioning?
The following publicly traded companies are already major players in the market for Hyper Accurate Positioning and GPS in general:
- BCE Inc.: telecommunications
- NextNav Inc.: 3D geolocation service
- Ituran Location and Control Ltd.: wireless GPS communication products
- Trimble Navigation Limited: geodetic measurement instruments
- Stoneridge, Inc.: sensors and systems for intelligent automotive systems
- Garmin Ltd.: mobile navigation, GPS satellite communications
- CalAmp Corp.: software applications for IoT, data intelligence, and telematics products
Among the companies not yet listed, those that are part of the “High-BIAS2” (High Bandwidth Inertial Atom Source) project are of particular interest:[5]
- ColdQuanta — gyroscope based on ColdQuanta quantum technology (Cold Atom Quantum Technology)
- Alter Technology — compact laser modules
- Caledonian Photonics — compact high-power lasers
- RedWave Labs — drivers, controls, and sequencing
High-Bias2 is developing a quantum positioning system (QPS) that will enable vehicle navigation without a Global Positioning System (GPS) or Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal. I will keep you posted as soon as one of these companies is acquired or becomes publicly traded itself.
[1] https://www.geotab.com/blog/what-is-gps/ (18.04.2022)
[2] https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/02/24/1017805/hyper-accurate-global-positioning-available-worldwide/ (18.04.2022)
[3] https://www.gps.gov/applications/agriculture/#:~:text=GPS%20allows%20farmers%20to%20accurately,weed%20infestations%20in%20the%20field (18.04.2022)
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667325821002284 (18.04.2022)
[5] https://thequantuminsider.com/2021/05/02/quantum-positioning-system-project-moves-closer-to-safer-more-dependable-navigation-systems/ (18.04.2022)
All information provided here does not constitute investment advice or a purchase recommendation!
This post has been published on www.unleash-science.com.
