Google has reaffirmed its commitment to Project Tango, moving it from the Advanced Technology and Projects Group (ATAP) to a new home inside the company itself, reports Digital Trends.
Project Tango, unveiled in 2014, aims to make it possible to create a 3D model of the space around a smartphone. For instance, a user can map an area, such as a home, by walking around with the phone.
ATAP is Google’s mobile-focused project development laboratory, and shifting Tango from there to a new base suggests Google is happy with the way the project is progressing and ready to take it to the next level, Digital Trends reports.
Google has been collaborating with universities, research labs, and industrial partners in nine countries to concentrate the past 10 years of research in robotics and computer vision into a mobile phone.
Project Tango devices contain customized hardware and software designed to track the full 3D motion of the device, while simultaneously creating a map of the environment. These sensors allow the device to make over a quarter million 3D measurements every second, updating its position and orientation in real-time, combining that data into a single 3D model of the space around you.
Early prototypes run Android and include development APIs to provide position, orientation, and depth data to standard Android applications written in Java, C/C++, as well as the Unity Game Engine.
TextBuster, a device by Access 2 Communications that prevents drivers from accessing text, email and Internet functions while driving, allows GPS to function while driving.
It does not interfere with inbound and outbound calling. The firmware technology behind TextBuster sends a blocking signal to the user’s phone automatically, every time the user enters the vehicle.
TextBuster will not interfere with any other hands-free or Bluetooth items in the vehicle, according to the company. It is a patent-pending device that will disable the data functions to the driver’s phone only while inside the vehicle without interfering with inbound and outbound calls. It includes two components, the mobile app, which is a free download, and a small “brain box” that is mounted under the dash.
Ohio-based Access 2 Communications developed the distracted driving device with the hopes of significantly reducing the number of preventable distracted driving fatalities worldwide.
TextBuster will be available in Target stores nationwide starting in mid-November, according to TextBuster.
PCTEL has introduced two new fleet-management antennas intended to make high-speed data communications easier. The high-performance antennas include LTE, Wi-Fi, and GPS capabilities in a single low-profile housing.
The first new antenna is a magnetic-mount version of PCTEL’s 5-port multiband fleet management antenna, designed to support temporary installations such as rental vehicle fleets. The 5-port GPS and communications antenna provides outstanding performance for critical fleet management applications, PCTEL said.
LTE MIMO, GPS Multiband Antenna with Magnetic Base
High-performance, low loss cable and high-quality connectors
Rare earth magnets for outstanding pull force resistance
The second new antenna is a sleeker, more aerodynamic fleet-management antenna designed for public safety or other vehicular applications requiring a smaller footprint, making it PCTEL’s most compact multiband GPS and communications option.
This photo shows the corrugated conduit covering the RG174 cable with Tallysman’s TW2410 antenna.
Tallysman’s enclosed antennas now come with optional armored corrugated cable. The standard RG174 cable is encased in a corrugated conduit of tough plastic, which maintains its functionality between the temperatures of -40 to +150C.
The extra protection increases the resilience of the antenna for use in precision agriculture, machine-to-machine, and other rugged applications.
Tallysman is a manufacturer of high-performance, high-quality products for a wide range of GNSS applications.
Mojio, an open platform for connecting cars, has announced a partnership with Dooing, a new team management platform for businesses that can dispatch jobs and track teams.
“With Dooing, any business can dispatch jobs and track teams on the move, from three people to thousands,” said David Barton-Grimley, a Mojio developer and co-founder of Dooing. “iOS and Android apps are used to manage field staff, assigning and tracking a job’s life cycle from start to finish with reports on key performance metrics. Enterprises and startups alike can build Dooing into their own products with our API.”
With the partnership Mojio says businesses can narrow down on fuel consumption, prevent breakdowns with diagnostics insights and track in real time.
“Mojio is the first platform we’ve integrated into Dooing, enabling Mojio customers to track jobs with live fleet data,” Barton-Grimley said. “Additionally, we’ve added to the ability to track and report on key metrics like fuel consumption and distance traveled down to the specific job.”
Mojio, the only open-platform connected car device — according to the company — has plans to continue growing its ecosystems of drivers, partners and developers.
US Fleet Tracking‘s GPS trackers allow companies to monitor its fleet drivers’ speeds.
Monitoring a driver’s speed may reduce the risk of an increase in insurance premiums, ticket costs, and fuel and maintenance costs. The company’s GPS trackers store speeding information, meaning drivers may increase performance knowing their speed is being observed.
DigPilot, a Norwegian supplier of surveying equipment and instruments for building and construction, has developed a flexible 3D machine guidance system based on Septentrio’sAsteRx2eH OEM GNSS receivers.
AsteRx2eH is a single-board dual-frequency dual-antenna 272-channel GPS/GLONASS OEM heading receiver, which provides 20-Hz data output of position, heading and pitch/roll data to the machine guidance system. As a member of Septentrio’s AsteRx family of compact OEM boards, the AsteRx2eH receiver is built around the same advanced GNSS chipset and shares the family’s all-in-view GPS and GLONASS tracking and advanced signal processing algorithms for robust tracking and high-precision positioning, even in challenging environments.
The DigPilot machine guidance system uses wireless technology for all of the installed sensors, instead of being hard-wired into the machine. All the components come packed in a hardened plastic case for transportation from one machine to another. The sensors can be clipped into brackets on the excavator arm and cab and calibrated to the machine and bucket in a matter of minutes, Septentrio said. The operator uses an intuitive graphics display on a rugged touchscreen console to control the arm and shovel following a preloaded grade plan.
The DigPilot machine guidance systems have been documented to improve on-the-job safety, productivity and quality of work while reducing costs dramatically. With the DigPilot system, companies can move the 3D guidance system around the fleet of construction equipment as needed, at a fraction of the cost of installing hard-wired systems on multiple machines, Septentrio said.
DigPilot customers are also using APS-3 GNSS RTK receivers from Altus Positioning Systems, a Septentrio company, in conjunction with the on-board machine guidance system for high-precision site surveys and as-builts.
“With the Septentrio OEM receivers we know we can count on the highest levels of accuracy, reliability, ruggedness and performance,” said Jan Floberg, CEO and founder of DigPilot. “We tested all other available GNSS products on the market before deciding on Septentrio. The AsteRx2eH outperforms the other brands in its ability to obtain and hold fix and heading in the rugged terrain of western Norway. We have deployed over 1,000 systems to date.”
Altus and Septentrio products will be on display at World of Concrete in Outdoor Booth 032025 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Feb. 3-6.
Handheld’s Algiz 10X rugged tablet now has Windows 8, a faster processor.
Handheld Group is upgrading its Algiz 10X tablet. With the upgrade, the rugged tablet for field professionals now features the Windows 8.1 Pro operating system, which is downgradable to Windows 7. Windows 8.1 Pro offers enhanced features to help users connect to company networks, access one PC from another, encrypt data and more.
The upgraded Algiz 10X also has a more powerful processor that speeds startup and operation, increases software compatibility and doubles processor performance. Its has an integrated u-blox GPS receiver with WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS capability.
Like all of Handheld’s rugged PDAs, smartphones and mobile computers, the Algiz 10X is specifically developed for field workers in industries such as geomatics, logistics, forestry, public transportation, utilities, construction, maintenance, mining, military and security. It is IP65-rated and meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military standards — protected against dust, water, vibrations, drops and extreme temperatures. It has a 10.1-inch touchscreen, weighs 1.3 kilograms (2.9 pounds) and is 32 millimeters (1.2 inches) thick.
“By using the very latest operating system available from Microsoft, customers can now enjoy quicker startup and operation, increased software compatibility and improved support for touchscreen-based tablets, among other benefits,” said Johan Hed, Handheld’s director of product management.
The new Algiz 10X also has the powerful Intel quad-core N2930 1.83 GHz processor with 2.16 GHz boost. This processor allows for both higher performance and cooler running temperatures. Compared to the Algiz 10X’s previous processor, the N2930 more than doubles performance benchmarking, RAM support, number of cores and performance per watt.
“We have dramatically increased performance levels without sacrificing operating time or mechanical design,” Hed concludes. “We have also improved our wireless communication support. Besides 802.11 b/g/n on 2.4 GHz, we now support both 802.11ac and 802.11a on 5 GHz. The upgraded Algiz 10X also supports LTE, which provides substantially faster data speeds, both up- and downstream, and increased overall network coverage.”
Key features of the Algiz 10X version 2:
Powerful Intel quad-core N2930 1.83 GHz processor
128 GB SSD, expandable via microSD
4 GB of DDR3 RAM
Windows 8.1 Industry Pro (downgradeable to Windows 7)
10.1-inch touchscreen with high-brightness MaxView screen technology
IP65 rating and conformity to stringent MIL-STD-810G test standards
LTE capability with a fully integrated modem and antennas
Integrated u-blox GPS receiver and WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS capability
Antenna pass-through connectors for both GSM and GPS
Several connectivity options, including WLAN and BT, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, VGA and RS232 ports
The upgraded Algiz 10X is available now and orders can be placed immediately.
You may have heard about “NMEA data” with respect to GPS.
NMEA is an acronym for the National Marine Electronics Association. NMEA existed well before GPS was invented. According to the NMEA website, the association was formed in 1957 by a group of electronic dealers to create better communications with manufacturers. Today in the world of GPS, NMEA is a standard data format supported by all GPS manufacturers, much like ASCII is the standard for digital computer characters in the computer world.
The purpose of NMEA is to give equipment users the ability to mix and match hardware and software. NMEA-formatted GPS data also makes life easier for software developers to write software for a wide variety of GPS receivers instead of having to write a custom interface for each GPS receiver. For example, VisualGPS software (free), accepts NMEA-formatted data from any GPS receiver and graphically displays it. Without a standard such as NMEA, it would be time-consuming and expensive to write and maintain such software.
What makes NMEA a bit confusing is that there are quite a few “NMEA” messages, not just one. So, just like there are all kinds of GPS receivers with different capabilities, there are many different types of NMEA messages with different capabilities. Furthermore, NMEA data can be transmitted via different types of communications interfaces such as RS-232, USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UHF and many others.
NMEA Message Structure
To understand the NMEA message structure, let’s examine the popular $GPGGA message. This particular message was output from an RTK GPS receiver:
13 denotes number of satellites used in the coordinate
1.0 denotes the HDOP (horizontal dilution of precision)
495.144 denotes altitude of the antenna
M denotes units of altitude (eg. meters or feet)
29.200 denotes the geoidal separation (subtract this from the altitude of the antenna to arrive at the Height Above Ellipsoid (HAE).
M denotes the units used by the geoidal separation
1.0 denotes the age of the correction (if any)
0000 denotes the correction station ID (if any)
*40 denotes the checksum
The $GPGGA is a basic GPS NMEA message. There are alternative and companion NMEA messages that provide similar or additional information.
Here are a couple of popular NMEA messages similar to the $GPGGA message with GPS coordinates in them (these can possibly be used as an alternative to the $GPGGA message):
In addition to NMEA messages that contain a GPS coordinate, several companion NMEA messages offer additional information besides the GPS coordinate. Following are some of the common ones:
$GPGSA – Detailed GPS DOP and detailed satellite tracking information (eg. individual satellite numbers). $GNGSA for GNSS receivers.
$GPGSV – Detailed GPS satellite information such as azimuth and elevation of each satellite being tracked. $GNGSV for GNSS receivers.
$GPGST – Estimated horizontal and vertical precision. $GNGST for GNSS receivers.
Rarely does the $GPGGA message have enough information by itself. For example, the following screen requires: $GPGGA, $GPGSA, $GPGSV.
VisualGPSView screenshot. (Photo: VisualGPC LLC)
The following screen, focused on the time capabilities of GPS, requires a slightly different set of NMEA messages: $GPGGA or $GPRMC or $GPZDA, $GPGSA, $GPGSV.
NMEATime. (Photo: VisualGPC LLC)
The above screenshot examples are useful for the general GPS user. The $GPGST message is particularly useful for high-precision GPS mapping and surveying. In fact, I would say it’s a requirement for high-precision users. The reason is that GPS metadata is very important for the high-precision user as a method of assisting in determining the quality of a particular GPS coordinate. Typical GPS real-time metadata used in understanding the quality of the GPS coordinate include: PDOP, number of satellites tracked, correction method and horizontal/vertical standard deviation values. If a GPS receiver user has the ability to see this information in the field during data collection, they have a level of confidence in the precision of the GPS data they are collecting. If you’ve used RTK before, you probably recall the familiar horizontal RMS (HRMS) and vertical RMS (VRMS) values displayed on your data collection device. The $GPGST message generates those values.
DD.MMMMMMM, DDMM.MMMMM, or DDMMSS.SSSSS
One of the challenges in dealing with raw NMEA data (data not using a software like VisualGPS to decode it for you) is the format of the GPS coordinate. It’s not user-friendly. It’s expressed in DDMM.MMMMM; degrees, minutes and decimal minutes. To display the coordinate in a different format, there’s a useful Excel spreadsheet published by the UK Ordnance Survey.
UK Ordnance Survey Coordinate Calculator
To use the spreadsheet, simply enter the GPS coordinate in the format you have, and the spreadsheet will calculate and display the GPS coordinate in the other two formats.
Click here to download the UK Ordnance Survey Excel spreadsheet coordinate calculator.
Hemisphere GNSS is offering the Vector V104, a tiny high-accuracy, dual-receiver GPS compass and the latest addition to its precise heading and positioning product line.
“Our Vector V104 provides an astonishing level of accuracy in such a small form factor,” said Chuck Joseph, Hemisphere president and CEO. “The smart, compact design offers better than 2° heading accuracy and sub-meter DGPS position accuracy without requiring maintenance or calibration and while being immune to magnetic interference.”
Based on the company’s patented Crescent Vector technology, the Vector V104 integrates two GPS antennas, a multi-axis gyro, and a tilt sensor into a single, easy-to-use system. The dual-integrated antennas provide both heading and position data, and the gyro and tilt sensor improve system performance and provide backup heading information if the GPS-based heading is ever lost.
The Crescent technology provides highly accurate code phase management and outstanding multipath mitigation. This results in excellent accuracy and stability, enabling the user to install the V104 in areas where competing products have difficulty.
“As the world’s smallest GPS compass, the V104 will significantly change the onboard experience in navigation, making it more accurate, easier to install, and more cost efficient,” said Anders Bergström, founder and senior partner of True Heading AB, who sells a custom-branded V104 as the Vector Compact into the marine market.
An alternative to traditional gyro and fluxgate compass sensors, the Vector V104 offers a choice of either serial or NMEA2000 communications and is designed for a wide array of applications, especially in the marine, GIS mapping, and machine control markets.
The U.S. Geological Survey citizen science project, The National Map Corps, has realized remarkable response. In less than two years, the volunteer-based project has harvested more than 100,000 “points.” Hundreds of volunteer cartographers are making significant additions to the USGS ability to provide accurate mapping information to the public.
Each point represents a structure or manmade feature on a map that has been verified and updated, and then submitted to support The National Map and US Topo maps.
Using crowd-sourcing techniques, the USGS Volunteer Geographic Information project known as The National Map Corps (TNMCorps) encourages citizen volunteers to collect manmade structure data in an effort to provide accurate and authoritative spatial map data for the USGS National Geospatial Program’s web-based map products.
“I am 80 years old. I work three days a week for a golf course trapping moles and gophers,” said a prominent citizen scientist volunteer who goes by the handle Mole Trapper. “I spent 11 years volunteering for a fish and wildlife agency. When the big landslide at Oso, Washington, happened, I went on the USGS website and discovered the map corps. I worked summers while in high school for a surveyor who was very precise, and he told me an inaccurate survey is worthless. I hate inaccurate maps, so this program was just right for me. I hope my work is as accurate as it can be, but if it isn’t, I plead old age.”
Structures being updated include schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important public buildings. The data being collected by volunteers becomes part of The National Map structures dataset, which is made available to users free of charge.
“I am retired from an unrelated field, but I have loved maps and travel all my life,” explained another active volunteer who goes by fconley. “When I saw that USGS was looking for volunteers, I immediately joined, first working with paper maps and quads. As digital mapping, satellite imagery, and GPS became more available I was enthralled. With the imagery now accessible, it is almost like being able to travel sitting at my desk. At times, locating structures seems similar to solving puzzles or detective work. This whole project is not only enjoyable,it makes me feel that I am making a lasting and useful contribution. I am thankful for the opportunity to be involved in this fascinating endeavor.”
Beginning as a series of pilot projects in 2011, The National Map Corps has grown state by state to include the entire U.S. By August 2013, volunteers were editing in every state in the country and the U.S. territories. To date, the number of active volunteers has grown to 930, including some participants who have collected in excess of 6,000 points.
To show appreciation of the volunteers’ efforts, The National Map Corps instituted a recognition program that awards “virtual” badges to volunteers. Each edit submitted is worth one point towards the badge level. The badges consist of a series of antique surveying instruments and images following the evolution of land survey and moving to aerial observation of the Earth’s surface, such as pigeon-mounted cameras and hot-air balloons. Additionally, volunteers are publicly acknowledged (with permission) via Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
The gvSIG Association has published the final version of gvSIG 2.1. This is the first version based on the new architecture oriented to users, and offers many new features, the association said.
Besides the new functionalities and the correction of a great number of errors that were detected through community collaboration, the association wants to highlight the availability of a distribution for Linux 64 bits and portable versions for Windows as well as Linux.
Along with the gvSIG 2.1 release, gvSIG has published a new gvSIG website that includes the old gvSIG Association website as well as the project website. It will also serve as a knowledge portal about gvSIG technology. The new website features gvSIG’s catalog of products, such as gvSIG Roads or gvNIX.
“We want to take advantage of this announcement to thank all the people that have collaborated in making this new version reality, and all the entities that have counted on the gvSIG Association services to solve their needs on geomatics, helping to guarantee the sustainability of the project,” the association said in a statement.
Features in the latest version include:
Legends
– Expresions
– Proportional symbols
– Graduated symbols
– Dot density
– Quantities by category
– Charts (pies and bars)
– Import/export SLD
Copy/paste geometries
Lateral buffer
Split line
Consecutive numbers function
Duplicated records function
Derived geometries
Chart document
Map sheets (map series)
Connection with OpenStreetMap services
New symbol libraries: Geology, POI Cities, Commerce, Military-APP6, Collective Mapping, Colors, AIGA, Weather
PostGIS 2.x support (raster and vector)
Layout
– Insert chart
– New layout with TOC (table of contents) included.
– New grid functionalities.
Portable views (thematic maps plugin)
Advanced dissolve geoprocess
Labeling
– Advanced labeling
– Halo option
– Always show label option
Raster
– Set projection to layer
– Change data type
– Create multi-file layer
– Convert to grayscale
– Integration of tools in the geoprocessing toolbox
Google has reaffirmed its commitment to Project Tango, moving it from the Advanced Technology and Projects Group (ATAP) to a new home inside the company itself, reports Digital Trends.
TextBuster, a device by Access 2 Communications that prevents drivers from accessing text, email and Internet functions while driving, allows GPS to function while driving.
