“Seen & Heard” is a monthly feature of GPS World magazine, traveling the world to capture interesting and unusual news stories involving the GNSS/PNT industry.
Texas Sues GM for Allegedly Selling Drivers’ Data
The Texas Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit against General Motors (GM), alleging that the company unlawfully collected and sold driving data from more than 1.5 million Texas drivers. The lawsuit claims that GM gathered detailed information from vehicles manufactured since 2015. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that GM deceived customers by compelling them to enroll in data collection services during the vehicle “onboarding” process, without fully disclosing how their information would be used. The collected data was reportedly used by third-party companies to generate “driving scores” which were then sold to insurance providers.
3D Scans Reveal Medieval Secrets
The Grote Kerk in Naarden, Netherlands, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the North,” is undergoing a 3D scanning project to uncover the secrets of its medieval ceiling murals. A team of researchers from various Dutch universities are collaborating to create a detailed digital 3D model of the church’s barrel vault, covering 700 square meters of painted planks and beams. The project aims to shed light on long-standing mysteries surrounding the artwork’s origins, including the identities of the artists and the precise timeframe of their creation. Researchers will use advanced 3D scanning technology to produce high-resolution digital replicas of the murals, allowing researchers to examine the artwork in extraordinary detail.
Archaeologists Unearth Hidden Empire
Archaeologists from the University of Cádiz in Spain have discovered 57 Roman Empire-era sites in the Sierra de Cádiz regions, revealed what researchers believe to be an undiscovered part of the Roman empire. The team used multispectral cameras and lidar to detect these hidden sites. The team has begun on-site excavations, including work at the Roman villa of El Canuelo in Bornos, and plans to continue its research to gain a more comprehensive view of Roman settlement in the region.
Mapping Secrets of the Seafloor
Oceanographers from the Schmidt Ocean Institute used advanced sonar technology to map a massive underwater mountain in Nazca Ridge, 900 miles off the coast of Chile. The team employed a hull-mounted sonar system on their research vessel, R/V Falkor, to create detailed maps of the seafloor. In addition to sonar mapping, the team used an underwater robot to explore the mountain and surrounding areas. This robotic technology allowed them to document rare marine life, including the ghostly white Casper octopus and unusual siphonophores nicknamed “flying spaghetti monsters”.
