GPS World

Tag: online forum

  • EUSPA to hold GNSS Signal Simulator Manufacturers Forum in December

    EUSPA to hold GNSS Signal Simulator Manufacturers Forum in December

    To bridge the gap between chipset and receiver manufacturers and GNSS simulator manufacturers, EUSPA, together with the European Commission and the Joint Research Centre (JRC), is organizing a GNSS Signal Simulator Manufacturers Forum on December 13.

    The online forum will aim to help signal simulator manufacturers keep their products up to date by presenting the latest service interface control documents (ICDs), including those for the Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication, the Galileo High Accuracy Service and for the I/NAV improvements. The forum will also serve as a channel for addressing GNSS signal simulator manufacturers’ needs, questions, and concerns.

    Manufacturers use ICDs to access information provided from a GNSS satellite’s Signal in Space (SiS) or from such terrestrial means as the internet. However, before a manufacturer can turn this information into a new product or service, they must first test it – which is where GNSS simulators come into play.

    Signal simulators play a critical role within the GNSS product pipeline. Chipset and receiver manufacturers have rapidly evolving needs. In order to keep up, GNSS signal simulators must be regularly updated. To do this, however, simulator manufacturers must know what those needs are.

    “Whether it be a personal navigation system or smart watch, before a device or application that relies on GNSS signals hits the market manufacturers need to ensure it works,” says Fiammetta Diani, Head of Market, Downstream and Innovation at EUSPA. “GNSS simulators allow manufacturers to test the accuracy of their receivers by simulating such real-world factors as vehicle and satellite motion, signal characteristics and atmospheric effects.”

    In addition to being a source of market intelligence, EUSPA offers the downstream market a range of funding opportunities, including the Fundamental Elements scheme. Part of EUSPA’s market uptake strategy, Fundamental Elements is an EU R&D funding mechanism supporting the development of EGNSS-enabled chipsets, receivers and antennas.

    Interested parties can register for the GNSS Signal Simulator Manufacturers Forum by emailing [email protected]. The deadline for registration is December 8.

  • Orolia Academic Partnership Program to support PNT research

    Orolia Academic Partnership Program to support PNT research

    Program will support positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) research at colleges and universities around the world

    Orolia has created the Orolia Academic Partnership Program (OAPP) to build a community to help foster global PNT research and collaboration at top engineering schools and research institutions.

    Orolia will provide qualified institutions with access to the company’s signature Skydel GNSS simulation engine, an advanced GNSS and PNT testing and simulation tool.

    Webinar scheduled

    Orolia will host a webinar on Dec. 14 at 11:00 a.m. EST to introduce OAPP and answer questions about the program and Skydel. Register here.

    Orolia also created an online forum to support its vision to form an interactive community focused on the future of GNSS and PNT research and education.

    The forum allows users to interact with other users and Orolia experts, share information, ask questions and receive feedback. A host of white papers, application notes and detailed technical documents are also available.

    The Skydel platform

    Skydel is an innovative GNSS simulation platform that leverages software, advanced graphics cards and software-defined radios. Users can build custom signals and connect to other systems and devices (such as sensors and inertial measurement units) through Orolia’s open-source plug-in capabilities.

    Skydel also includes the ability to generate and test the vulnerability of GNSS/GPS with integrated interference, jamming and spoofing capabilities. Because Skydel leverages commercial off-the-shelf  hardware, it can run independently of simulation vendors’ hardware.

    “Skydel platform’s versatility and capabilities allow users to perform tests in the field, in the lab, and at home — whether you are running a turnkey system provided by Orolia, our partners, or through your own proprietary hardware,” said Lisa Perdue, director, PNT Testing and Simulation at Orolia. “Unlike other GNSS simulators, Skydel is the only professional platform offering a plug-in architecture that provides real-time and direct access to the core simulation engine. This plug-in architecture unlocks a new range of application and customization that is impossible to imagine with traditional instruments.”

    Perdue added that plug-ins can be shared with the open-source community to leverage all the benefits from a collaborative ecosystem. “We believe this modern architecture is the perfect approach to support academic research as well as allowing users to go further into system integration and customization,” she said.

    The University of Stuttgart in Germany is an academic partner. (Photo: Regenscheit, Universität Stuttgart)
    The University of Stuttgart in Germany is an academic partner. (Photo: Regenscheit, Universität Stuttgart)

    Stuttgart Institute a Pioneer

    More than 40 schools throughout North America, Europe, South and Central America and Asia-Pacific are enrolled in OAPP, including the Institute of Navigation (INS) at the University of Stuttgart in Germany, where Skydel is fueling pioneering student research.

    “Skydel allows our students to carry out complex field tests, such as simulating laboratory scenarios in real time and using radio hardware to send signals to commercial or self-developed receivers,” said Thomas Hobiger, INS. “We can compare our navigation solutions with the simulated trajectories while showing the absolute accuracy of our algorithms, meaning the deviation from the actual position.”

    Hobiger added the INS wants graduates to be well-prepared for the demands of the industry and future innovation. According to Statista consumer research, the installed base of GNSS devices worldwide stood at 6.4 billion units in 2019. The Asia-Pacific region led the way, accounting for 3.4 billion GNSS devices, with forecasts suggesting this is set to rise to 5.1 billion devices by 2029.

    “OAPP members can contribute to this community to share their advancements, upload code or make their work available to others in our GitHub repository,” Perdue said. “The goal is to ensure that members can access ideas and expertise of other users across the globe.

    “The need for continuous and reliable GNSS signals as well as methods to protect those signals from jamming, spoofing or meaconing is growing exponentially worldwide,” Perdue said. “These are the main reasons why engineering students should gain valuable experience using a platform that provides accurate PNT simulation and measurement.”