GPS World

Category: Applications

  • deCarta Powers POI Search for Major Mobile Handset Maker

    Advanced Search Engine Replaces Google Local Search in 122 Countries

    deCarta, Inc., an independent LBS platform company, is now providing the local search function for a worldwide, top-five mobile handset manufacturer. deCarta has been hosting and running the search service since August 7 using its advanced geosearch engine — L2 — and has replaced the search service previously provided by Google. The service delivers millions of responses per day to this handset manufacturer’s local search and mapping application to users in 122 countries.

    deCarta’s L2 is a high-performance, scalable local search engine with single line input and intuitive user interface. deCarta sources and indexes map and POI (points of interest) content from a wide variety of sources globally but also enables customers to easily index, control and search on their own content. The customer service announced utilizes TomTom map and POI content.

    deCarta’s L2 can be used as a pure geocoder for address search, or for POI search, or simultaneously as a combination of the two mixed in a single-line search query — with the additional ability to tune this behavior at runtime. This gives developers maximum flexibility and creativity in producing their applications. deCarta recently expanded country coverage to enable its customers to offer global services.

    The L2 Search engine is an integral component of deCarta’s LBS platform which provides specialized geospatial technologies for maps, routing, navigation, geocoding, local search and geo-data integration and processing. deCarta provides its white-label LBS platform to companies that wish to offer their own customized, branded LBS services as opposed to utilizing industry standard services such as Bing or Google.

    deCarta has two deployment options for its platform: a hosted LBS Platform Service (PaaS) or, alternatively, customers can self-host either on-premise or in a cloud service such as Amazon’s AWS.  Both approaches utilize deCarta’s REST API architecture and can scale to support billions of maps and searches and millions of users per month.

    “We are quite happy with the market reaction to L2 since its introduction last year,” said J. Kim Fennell, CEO of deCarta. “We’re seeing large mobile, telematics and automotive customers switch to L2 in competition against other local search engines and geocoders such as Google, Bing, Nokia/Here and Pitney Bowes. Customers appreciate L2’s technology advantages, customization capabilities, flexible content offerings, less restrictive license terms and our superior customer service — all of which creates a more satisfied end customer experience.”

    L2 enables deCarta’s customers to offer flexible, advanced local search capabilities that are on par with Google Maps but beyond other search engines. Examples include:

    • Single line entry of POI or address or both
    • Fast typeahead, predictive entry – ideal for mobile devices
    • High tolerance for misspellings and partial entries
    • Random ordering of address parameters
    • Search for a POI near a POI such as “ATMs near AMC Theater” or “Parking near SFO”
    • Search for POI near a specific address, i.e. “Parking near 1234 Main Street”

    Furthermore, L2 can be integrated with deCarta’s patented “Search Along A Route” technology. This combined with the ability to index custom content and boost result rankings gives automotive OEMs and service providers the ability to offer more advanced and helpful “driver-centric” connected car services.

    For more information visit www.decarta.com or go to the demo at http://labs.decarta.com. Developers can find technical details at http://developer.decarta.com.

  • Agenda, Speakers Announced for Connected Fleets USA

    Telematics Update has announced the agenda and speaker line-up for Connected Fleets USA 2014, formerly known as Telematics for Fleet Management USA. The conference and exhibition will take place November 20-21 in Atlanta, Georgia. The early registration discount ends September 26.

    As growth is seen in goods movement and driver shortages, integration of the connected fleet in the supply chain, service bays, and transport infrastructure is crucial to maintain growth in the U.S. and abroad. Experts anticipate that there will be more investment, mergers and acquisitions, and consolidation in a rush to deliver the best-in-class solution to drive fleet optimization.

    The speakers just announced to take the stage at Connected Fleets USA will be reflecting this change. They include some of the largest fleet rental/leaser, OEMs and companies from across the value chain such as Donlen, Hertz Equipment Rental, ARI, Ryder, Daimler, John Deere, Microsoft, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and up-and-coming start-ups like Peloton Technology and Metro Tech, Inc.

    Connected Fleets USA 2014 will look into ways to capitalize on the integration of solutions in the supply and create solid partnership models that will increase profitability and drive the connected fleets in the mature North American market

    “It will be critical that companies evaluate the opportunity present from the integration of connected fleets into the wider enterprise and embrace key breakthroughs in the wider connected ecosystem to create an indispensable connected vehicle service package to add value to fleet operators and carriers,” Daniel Pavey, Connected Fleets USA 2014 project director, said.

    Topics and Trends

    The trends and topics to be discussed include:

    • Connectivity is the future of transportation. Explore case studies and the roadmap for autonomous vehicles and V2V/V2I technology that can be leveraged to improve transport infrastructure, mobility, goods movement and traditional fleet manager needs.
    • Enterprise and telematics converge. Integrate vehicle and telematics data to the wider connected ecosystem,  including enterprise resource planning, work order management and maintenance bays to map opportunities where connectivity can ease bottlenecks in the supply chain.
    • Complete the leasing puzzle. Overcome the complexities of fleet leasing by integrating back-end analytics from embedded and aftermarket solutions for a seamless approach for improved driver performance and vehicle life-cycle to engage government, small local and large long-haul fleets.
    • The law of connectivity. Review current and potential proposals for data logging and vehicle-to-vehicle communication to assess legal opportunities and challenges for automated and connected vehicle technologies including liability, litigation and privacy to anticipate potential roadblocks.
    • The investment drive. Investigate the motivation and strategies of private equity, industry players, and government investment, including improving congestion and road safety, widening portfolios and entering new markets to position solutions for investment.
    • Smarter services through data sharing and analytics. Crack open the OEM platform to create a sandbox of data that combine vehicle, driver and environmental data to offer a more precise service portfolio.

    Other sessions will be held on topics such as integration with the advanced connected transport project; commercial data ecosystem, platform and partnerships; and exclusive case studies and panel discussions from Donlen, Hertz Equipment Rental, ARI, Daimler, John Deere and Volvo.

    For the complete Connected Fleets USA 2014 conference program and speaker line-up, visit the conference website.

    Newly Announced Speaker Line-up

    The connected fleet specialists set to speak this year include:

    • Nick Ehrhart, Vice President Business Development, Donlen
    • Mike Dennis, Group Director Maintenance Operation, Ryder Systems, Inc.
    • Casey J Littleton, HERC Global Product Manager – Telematics, Hertz Equipment Rental
    • Shawn Meredith, Manager, Strategy & Product Management, Daimler Trucks North America
    • Conal Deedy, Director, Connected Vehicle Services, Volvo Trucks
    • Edward Olson, Program Manager, Telematics, John Deere Power Systems
    • Ernesto Chaves, Transportation Planning Manager, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
    • Peter Vanderminden, Industry Manager, Manufacturing & Supply Chain, Microsoft
    • Mohammad Poorsartep, Research Scientist, Texas A&M Transportation Research Institute
    • Joshua Switkes, Founder and CEO, Peloton Technology Inc.
    • Christian Kotscher, CEO, MetroTech Net Inc.
    • Clem Driscoll, President, C.J Driscoll & Associates
    • Scott Mattson, Director, William Blair & Co

    and many other specialists from across the value chain. The full speaker line-up is available on the website.

    For the complete Connected Fleets USA 2014 conference program and speaker line-up, access the e-brochure or contact the Telematics Update team at [email protected]. Register before September 26 to take advantage of a $300 saving on all conference passes.

     

     

  • Indoor Location Has Major Growing Pains, but Big Upside

    A number of factors are holding the proximity marketing/indoor positioning markets back: standardization issues, consumer acceptance/privacy, retailer awareness and the technology itself. However, as one location executive put it, it may be the one way that retailers with brick and mortar stores can compete with Amazon and other online giants. 

    Indoor location and proximity marketing may be the way large and small brick and mortar stores can compete with online retailers in the future, said panelists at the New York Place conference, held July 22. But all of this indoor location market talk doesn’t mean much if consumers don’t find a need for it.

    “I am in an aisle at a grocery store and you sent me a coupon for cat food, and I don’t have a cat, I am not going to be interested. The retailer gets to own the data by providing a great experience to the consumer, not the spontaneous ‘you are in a store — here’s some information,’” said John Dempsey, Datalogix head of mobile and video.

    While having a broad picture of a consumer’s “mobile moment” is important, there is something to be said about bombarding a consumer with too many location-based applications, said Doug Kilponen, Wanderful Media chief operating officer. “There are a limited number of apps consumers are willing to have, but not 200 different ones. It’s one thing to have an app for say, Target, but trying to find out what is broadly available during shopping makes shopping too much work,” he said. “Trying to find out what’s available becomes too much work as there are too many options [for the consumer].”

    From a retailer’s perspective, they want consumer’s data, and will share it with partners, but they also want control, said Catherine Lindner, Shelfbucks chief marketing and merchant officer, who was an executive at Walgreens.  “If you think about your own shopping behavior, there is only a few places you actually go to and spend money — a grocer, drug store.  That retailer wants your data, and it makes sense,” she said.  “How do we spend the money to grow the business?  The idea that there is one bucket of money to transfer is not going to happen.”

    One company says that consumers don’t want to be “advertazed” by retailers. “Their job is to show you Calvin Klein, but sometimes there is not enough information or context.  They hijack moments, rather than create them,” said Scott Townsend, Urban Airstrip director of agency programs.

    Still, retailers are increasingly using indoor location as part of their mobile strategies. Jewelry chain Alex and Ani has three beacons in their Boston and New York stores, said Ryan Bonifacino, Alex and Ani vice president, digital strategy. “We really want to prove that this [indoor location] can really work.  We really want to get in front of people who wouldn’t have discovered us,” he said.

    Indoor Location Standardization? What Standardization?

    Like any new technology and market, industry standardization will have growing pains, and a lot of the problem may be with the retailers, said panel members. “There are issues with standardization. If Walmart puts a [indoor positioning] in to its store — they don’t care if it works anywhere else,” said Don Dodge, Google developer advocate.

    Indoor location is the classic chicken-before-the-egg situation, said Chris Goodall, Trusted Positioning founder and CEO. “There currently are no standards for indoor [positioning], maybe we need it.  Databases are not standardized,” he said.

    A lot of the reason that standardization has not be resolved is that no big application, the old killer app, has appeared. “Indoor is something that has not emerged yet, it’s a long tail story,” said Dan Ryan, ByteLight co-founder and CEO.  “Every location company is trying to build a network — and naturally attract developers.”

    Making Proximity and Indoor Location Relevant to Retailers 

    Some retail chains like Walgreens have used indoor positioning technology for years and are considered some of the major early adopters. However, making consumer-purchasing behavior data relevant to retailers is the only way for indoor marketing to take off.

    The concept of geofencing each store has been tested in several locations. One company envisions an image of a celebrity greeting consumers in a store with an offer. “Walgreens focused on not invading people’s privacy. But they basically asked users, what’s important to them when they walk into a store,” said aisle411 founder and CEO Nathan Pettyjohn. “[Bluetooth Low Energy] beacons can do this very elegantly.  When a consumer walks through a store, perhaps they see a celebrity popping out to greet them.”

    In many successful mobile marketing campaigns, all have a common theme — proximity components always enhance sales, said James Smith, Verve chief revenue officer.  “Every one of our studies says it drives sales. Sometimes we hear that geofences don’t work — my answer to that is they are in the wrong places,” he said. “A person can go into a place 15 days later and a beacon locks on them — the retailer is happy because it works. Consumers are more empowered because they have a research device in their hand to go where they want to go.”

    Case Study: Walkbase

    A Finland-based company is delivering market research to retailers that examines consumers’ in-store shopping behavior and loyalty patterns. Walkbase, which signed a deal with Helsinki airport operator Finavia, started in 2007 when it spun off from an indoor location company.

    “It’s a retail tool that analyzes indoor performance of marketing campaigns and [sales] conversion. It measures when consumers come into a store — do they bounce out or are they engaged?” said Juha Mattsson, Walkbase vice president, sales and marketing.  “A retailer can launch a campaign that is affected by a consumer’s indoor journey. Whether that is through coupons, or not, as some retailers don’t want that.”

    Mattsson says that the company is operating primarily in Europe — and is waiting for what indoor technologies will win. “It is just a matter of time before the market takes off. Retailers are very interested in these types of consumer spending analytics,” he said. “We will be launching a U.S. white paper on in-store optimization as it’s all about education. We also are rolling out a version 2.0 of our product in the third quarter.”

    In other LBS news:

    • According to published reports, Michael Halbherr, CEO of Nokia’s HERE mapping unit, will be stepping down. Halbherr, who is based in Berlin, steps down after eight years at the company.  As recently as 2012, HERE, then called Navteq, had been losing money but had stabilized recently. Cliff Fox, HERE senior vice president, will be acting CEO until a replacement is found.
    • I will be covering CTIA’s Super Mobility Week in Las Vegas, Sept. 8-11.  To arrange an interview with me for Wireless LBS Insider, or to submit press releases, contact me at [email protected].

     

  • Connected Car Isn’t a Smart Car

    Janice Partyka
    Janice Partyka

    The most interesting thing in mobile and location in 2014 is the connected vehicle. Back in the early 1990s, a bigger vision of smarter highways began to be explored. The technology was refined, and resulted in successful demos of cars talking to each other and to roadside infrastructure like traffic lights. If you lived in Southern California, you might remember seeing platoons of automated vehicles zipping along a closed section of Route 15.

    Since those heady days, the timing and visioning for smart highways and vehicles were tempered by the massive cost of the infrastructure required. Now we are seeing the “connected vehicle” starting to roll out of the doors of dealerships, but with a different and more limited type of connectivity than we started to envision in the 1990s.

    Reminiscent of the mission started decades ago, a new year-long “smart car” project and demo will be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The objective of the smart car project is to determine whether wireless communication between vehicles can improve safety  Three thousand cars, buses and trucks will utilize data recorders and a technology similar to Wi-Fi that can transmit information about accidents or hazardous traffic conditions.

    Drivers participating in the demo will be warned of sudden changes in traffic patterns or potential collisions through data transmitted from similarly equipped cars and roadside devices. Eight major automakers will provide vehicles and engineering assistance to the study.

    Currently, some new car models are equipped with active safety devices that can alert drivers if they are drifting out of a traffic lane or traveling too close to another car. But the smart car demo differs because will share safety information with other smart cars on the road.

    The smart car system can give drivers visual or audio warnings about sudden traffic changes experienced by another connected vehicle. Several cameras installed in the connected vehicles will also capture data on how the drivers respond to accidents and sudden changes in traffic conditions.

    Today’s connected vehicle is sometimes referred to as a smartphone on wheels, a limited vision of what can be. Now is the time to determine if the savings of fewer accidents or increased capacity on our roads will outweigh the cost of new infrastructure and added functionality in vehicles.

     

     

  • Majority Support FCC Rule Requiring Carriers to Provide Accurate Indoor Locations

    A new survey of more than 1,000 consumers found a dramatic gap between the limited location requirements for cell-phone carriers and broad public expectations that wireless callers can be found by emergency responders if they dial 9-1-1 in an emergency.

    According to the survey, two-thirds of cell-phone owners (66 percent) thought that wireless companies could help emergency responders locate them at least to their block, if they call 9-1-1 from inside their homes. Only 6 percent of cell-phone owners correctly responded that the information would likely only be accurate to the neighborhood level or worse.

    When told that current FCC regulations do not require cell-phone carriers to provide an accurate location for callers inside buildings, 83 percent said it was very or critically important to public safety for the FCC to adopt a rule to require cell-phone companies to generate that information. Reinforcing those findings, 79 percent said the FCC should begin enforcing the rule within two years, with nearly half (46 percent) saying the FCC should begin enforcement immediately.

    “When people dial 9-1-1 on their cell phones, they think the operator can find their location to send help,” said Jamie Barnett, director of the Find Me 911 Coalition and former chief of the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. “Unfortunately, the carriers have chosen cheaper, less-effective location technologies, and people are dying because emergency responders can’t find them. If you call 9-1-1 on your cell phone inside or in an urban canyon, the carriers’ technologies will often fail to accurately locate that call. Happily, technologies exist now that can find callers indoors and save lives. The carriers’ responsibilities should match consumer expectations that they can be found when they dial 9-1-1 from indoors.”

    Survey respondents also said that they would be willing to vote with their wallets, with nearly two-thirds (63 percent) saying they would consider switching cell-phone companies to a provider who could more accurately and reliably find 9-1-1 callers.

    Among the survey’s findings:

    • Most think all wireless 9-1-1 calls can be found. By a 7-1 margin, respondents thought that emergency responders could find their cell phone’s location if they dialed 911 in an emergency (59.0 percent to 8.5 percent).
    • Indoor callers think 9-1-1 locations are accurate to the block or house level.  Two-thirds of respondents (66 percent) said that cell-phone companies would share location information accurate at least to their block, and 55 percent believed it would be accurate at least to their house if they called 9-1-1 while at home.
    • Cell phones are the most common way to reach 9-1-1. Of respondents who have dialed 911, 57 percent most recently used a cell phone, not a traditional land line.
    • Half of 9-1-1 calls come from indoors or urban canyons. On their last 911 call from a cell phone, half of the respondents were inside a physical building (42 percent) or in an urban canyon (8 percent), where GPS technology is not reliable.
    • Most deeply concerned over lack of indoor location requirements. More than two-thirds of respondents (69 percent) said they would be extremely or very concerned if they learned that cell-phone companies were not required to provide an accurate indoor location to emergency responders.
    • Proposed FCC rule is vital to public safety. A large majority (83 percent) said the proposed rule is critically or very important to public safety in their communities.
    • FCC should implement requirements of rule within two years. Four-fifths (79 percent) said the FCC should begin enforcing the rule within two years, with nearly half (46 percent) saying the FCC should begin enforcement immediately.
    • Most oppose any delay in indoor location requirements. A large majority (71 percent) oppose any delay in implementation of the FCC’s rule.
    • Consumers willing to switch companies for better 9-1-1 accuracy.  Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) would consider switching their cell provider to a company with a more accurate system for 911 callers, with one in three (30 percent) saying they would definitely or probably do so.

    According to FCC estimates, at least 10,000 lives a year could be saved by improvements in response time through the FCC’s proposed rule.

    The survey was conducted online among 1,048 adult cell-phone owners in the US from August 15-18, 2014.  The survey was conducted via SurveyMonkey.com using a custom audience sample selected from the site’s 30 million users.  The survey had a margin of error of +/- 3 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.

    Find Me 911 is an effort supported by more than 200,000 individuals, as well as national and local organizations. The individuals and organizations represent a broad range of 911 operators and first responders — emergency medical services personnel, fire fighters and police.  Find Me 911 seeks to ensure that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) move forward quickly to establish a reasonable, measurable level of location accuracy for emergency calls made indoors, enabling first responders to locate emergency calls from wireless phones from all locations rapidly and efficiently.

  • Trimble Offers GNSS Reference Receiver, Seismic Recorder

    Trimble Offers GNSS Reference Receiver, Seismic Recorder

    The Trimble SG160-09 SeismoGeodetic system.
    The Trimble SG160-09 SeismoGeodetic system.

    Trimble has introduced an integrated GNSS reference receiver, broadband seismic recorder and a force-balance triaxial accelerometer for infrastructure and precise scientific applications.

    The Trimble SG160-09 SeismoGeodetic system provides real-time GNSS positioning and seismic data for earthquake early warning and volcano monitoring as well as infrastructure monitoring for buildings, bridges, dams, as well as other natural and manmade structures.

    The announcement was made at the Second European Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (2ECEES) in Istanbul, Turkey.

    The Trimble SG160-09 SeismoGeodetic system combines the innovation, reliability and data integrity of both the Trimble and REF TEK brands into a single instrument, Trimble said. The system integrates seismic recording with GNSS geodetic measurement in a single compact, ruggedized package. It includes a low-power, 220-channel GNSS receiver powered by the latest Trimble-precise Maxwell 6 technology and supports tracking of both GPS and GLONASS signals plus the Galileo E1 frequency.

    The system includes both the SG160-09 and utilization of Trimble’s CenterPoint RTX correction service, which provides on-board GNSS point positioning. Based on Trimble RTX technology, the service utilizes satellite clock and orbit information delivered over cellular networks or Internet Protocol (IP), allowing cm-level position displacement tracking in real-time anywhere in the world. The SG160-09 system will be available for purchase without the RTX correction service for those applications using real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning.

    The seismic recording sensor includes an ANSS Class A, low-noise, force-balance triaxial accelerometer with the latest, low-power, 24-bit A/D converter, which produces high-resolution seismic data. The internally built accelerometer has +/- 4g full scale output, large linear range, high resolution and sensitivity, which makes it ideal for both portable and permanent deployment. The SG160-09 processor acquires and packetizes both seismic and geodetic data and transmits it to system operators using an advanced, error-correction protocol with back-fill capability providing data integrity between the field and the processing center.

    The SG160-09 system is ideal for earthquake early warning studies and other hazard mitigation applications, such as volcano monitoring, building, bridge and dam monitoring systems. The SG160-09 system features a variable size industrial grade USB drive to support real-time telemetry data transmission. In the event of a telemetry link outage, the data is stored on the USB drive and can be re-transmitted to the centralized processing station as soon as the communication link comes back up, allowing no data loss during the system operation.

    The Trimble SG160-09 system is optimized for field use with instrument mounted or externally mounted GNSS antenna configurations. The lightweight yet rugged SG160-09 consumes very little power and can be used for projects with remote connectivity and in extreme weather conditions. Because the SG160-09 combines both GNSS and strong motion in a single instrument, site installation time is reduced, data communications flow through a single pathway, and station power infrastructure is streamlined, making the SG160-09 a cost competitive solution compared to other systems on the market today. It has an IP67 rating, which means it is sealed against dust and can be submerged in water up to a meter for approximately 30 minutes. The SG160-09 also meets MIL-STD 810F standard for drops, vibration and temperature extremes.

    “The SG160-09 is another example of Trimble’s on-going focus in GNSS and seismic technology for the scientific and engineering communities,” said Ulrich Vollath, general manager for Trimble’s Infrastructure Division. “Trimble has developed a combined state-of-the-art GNSS receiver with a high-dynamic range, low-noise accelerometer that provides dynamic monitoring with the flexibility required for today and tomorrow’s challenges.”

    The Trimble SG160-09 SeismoGeodetic system is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2014.

  • Topcon Offers 3D Indicate Grade System

    Topcon Offers 3D Indicate Grade System

    I-33_Topcon-WTopcon Positioning Group has announced a multi-platform 3D indicate grade system, the i-33. The new system features GNSS technology and a graphical display designed to provide a powerful indicate system at an economical price.

    The i-33 allows for quick installation and easy operation on many types of grading and earth-moving machinery, according to Topcon. It is designed for use on a dozer, scraper or any type of machinery used for cut or fill operations.

    “The new system brings the productivity of GNSS-based 3D grade control for all types of applications,” said Kris Maas, Topcon’s manager of machine control product marketing.

    “Indicate GNSS systems have not been an economical reality for many contractors or types of work. In other words, the return on investment for a traditional 3D-MC system did not make it practical for bulk earthmoving or less utilized equipment,” Maas said. “With i-33, the game has changed. Its low cost and quick installation make it the perfect solution for use on multiple pieces of equipment or even sharing between machines. Basically, it eliminates over- or under-cutting and ensures material is moved exactly where it needs to be the first time.”

    The GX-30 graphical display control box keeps the operator “visually informed as to final grade so adjustments can easily be made, eliminating redundant passes and helping to further reduce the need for onsite grade checking,” Maas said.

    The system also includes the new MC-i3 GNSS receiver with Vanguard technology, offering single or dual GNSS antenna configurations, allowing the system to work in a wide variety of applications. The MC-i3 also allows connection to Topcon’s Sitelink3D site management solution that provides real-time data control, machine tracking, reporting and planning in one solution to maintain conformance and improve productivity through all job phases.

  • The JAVAD GNSS TRIUMPH-F1 UAV

    JAVAD GNSS is introducing its new unmanned aerial vehicle with the dramatic flourish of a video showing the UAV in flight, accompanied by the “Also Sprach Zarathustra” theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

    The TRIUMPH-F1 unmanned aerial vehicle is based on the JAVAD GNSS TRIUMPH-1. TRIUMPH-1 is the company’s field-tested high-precision geodetic GNSS receiver with 864 channels to track all current and future GNSS signals.

    When used on the ground, the TRIUMPH-F1 can function as a TRIUMPH-1 base or rover. The four motor arms (for eight motors) are detachable. There are four screw inserts in the bottom to attach the TRIUMPH-F1 to a pole mount for field use.

    Learn more here.

  • NovAtel Introduces New IMU to SPAN Line of GNSS Products

    NovAtel Introduces New IMU to SPAN Line of GNSS Products

    NovAtel IMU-ISA-100C.
    NovAtel IMU-ISA-100C.

    NovAtel Inc. has added the IMU-ISA-100C as an inertial measurement unit (IMU) option to its SPAN GNSS+INS line of positioning products. The IMU-ISA-100C is a high-performance, near navigation-grade IMU designed for platform stabilization, general-purpose navigation, photogrammetry, remote sensing, and ground mobile-mapping applications.

    Commercially exportable, the IMU-ISA-100C integrates easily with a NovAtel SPAN capable receiver to provide a tightly coupled 3D navigation solution, NovAtel said. Offering customers continuous position, velocity and attitude (roll, pitch and azimuth) measurements, a SPAN system is stable and available even through periods when satellite signals are blocked or unavailable.

    With the IMU-ISA-100C, customers will receive near navigation-grade performance, at an affordable price point.  The product also features a new enclosure designed to maximize versatility for a range of applications.

    “The compelling aspect of this product is its value — it is a high-end SPAN solution, delivering extremely precise positioning, at an attainable price point,” said Siamak Akhlaghi, NovAtel’s product manager, SPAN. “And without the export constraints, it can be shipped internationally in a timely fashion.”

  • Royal Institute Hosts New Navigation Conference

    Royal Institute Hosts New Navigation Conference

    INC_2015_logoThe Royal Institute of Navigation is launching a new international conference series, tackling some of the biggest issues across the domains of modern navigation: land, sea, air and space.

    The RIN is now accepting abstracts for the conference.

    The International Navigation Conference 2015, set for February 24-26, 2-15, is planned as a first event in a new series of world-class conferences. The first conference will highlight the state of the art in fields such as GNSS and Galileo, indoor positioning, autonomous transport, security and resilience of navigation in the world of cyber attacks, and new quantum technologies. The event will be of special interest to the maritime, aviation, PNT, transport, research and development and security communities.

    Speakers, and the topics they will discuss, include:

    • Privacy In Tracking (smartphones and indoor navigation) – Google
    • Security and resilience — Dana Goward, president and executive director, U.S .Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation
    • Multi-Constellation GNSS — Gian Gherado Calini, GSA
    • Multi-Sensor Integration — Professor Dorota Grejner-Brzezinska, The Ohio State University
    • Quantum Technologies — Sir Peter Knight, professor of Quantum Optics and Senior Research Investigator, Imperial College London
    • Emerging Trends and Current Challenges — Colin Beatty FRIN, CBiL
    • Autonomy in transport — BAE, ASTREA
    • Legal Aspects of Navigation — Professor Frans von der Dunk, Institute of Space Law, Leiden University

    To learn more, visit the conference website.

  • Topcon Releases Next-Generation 3D Laser Scanners

    Topcon Releases Next-Generation 3D Laser Scanners

    GLS-2000 laser scanner by Topcon.
    GLS-2000 laser scanner by Topcon.

    Topcon Positioning Group announces the release of the newest edition to the GLS line of laser scanners, ­ the GLS-2000. Featuring an expanded field of view, the GLS-2000 is designed to pair with ScanMaster v3.0 software for quickly capturing and processing 3D point-cloud data.

    “The GLS-2000 is the fastest and most versatile scanning system in its class,” said Charles Rihner, vice president for the Topcon GeoPositioning Solutions Group. “With a scan range of more than 350 meters, the GLS-2000 is capable of accurately capturing long-distance measurements in applications where access is limited due to safety or logistics concerns.”

    Using Topcon Precise Scan Technology II, the GLS-2000 is designed to emit pulse signals three times faster than earlier models. “Using faster pulse signals enables timing to be detected more precisely, which results in reduced noise and higher-accuracy data,” said Rihner.

    “With the on-board control software, scanning can simply be started with the touch of a button. Even entry-level users can intuitively operate the GLS-2000 that comes complete with a color graphical display,” said Rihner.

    Additional features include a full-dome scanning range, user selectable Class 3R or 1M laser, and an exclusive laser plummet function that measures instrument height with a one-touch operation.

  • Everbridge Adds Mobile, GIS Enhancements to Unified Critical Communication Suite

    Everbridge has launched a Summer Release of its Unified Critical Communication Suite with new mobile, GIS, and expanded alerting enhancements that enable Everbridge customers to deliver unified critical communications and situational intelligence within the context of their recipient’s needs, roles, and locations.

    As enterprise mobility, BYOD, and other unified communications drivers continue to converge in an increasingly global, yet unpredictable world, organizations deploy Everbridge’s Unified Critical Communication Suite to respond and collaborate during both emergency and operational incidents, the company said.

    The latest release expands upon the recently launched spring release, offering new features designed to unify multi-modal, critical communications for diverse industries, including corporations, state and local government, healthcare, financial services, and higher education. The summer release includes new updates to Everbridge’s recently unveiled IT Alerting solution — specifically designed for IT Operations teams to improve communications and collaboration during incidents, resolving issues faster, and maximizing IT system uptime.

    Additional upgrades to the summer release include:

    PrecisionGIS: Everbridge’s rich GIS functionality now includes three new map-based targeting capabilities:

    • Geofencing: This new feature enables users to draw simple or multiple complex polygons to define boundaries and control the behavior of addresses located inside or outside the “fence.”
    • Custom Base Maps: Everbridge supports commercial mapping applications, including Google, Bing and ESRI, and now enables organizations to overcome existing gaps with commercial maps by customizing the base map used within the Everbridge suite. The base maps can include the geographical or infrastructure information users need to make more informed decisions when preparing and targeting a message.
    • Point-Address Geo-Coding: Users can now manage and provision all addresses down to the parcel level to ensure the data is accurate and precise enough for critical communications. This enables an advanced level of custom and granular geocoding capabilities beyond what is available via commercial geo-coding applications.

    Rich Text Formatting: The Everbridge suite provides enhanced rich text formatting support for email, enabling users to send the right message to the right contact path. Users can now deliver full-featured, unique messages, including entire web pages without modification, optimized for Phone, SMS, Email, and Push Notification contact paths.

    Mobile Enhancements: New mobile device registration simplifies user access and improves Mobile Member opt-in. New enhancements also include “silent mode” override for Android mobile devices to ensure that critical messages get delivered at all times.

    On-the-Go Alerting: This new partner functionality enables users to create and transmit customized alert messages directly from an iPad application. Users can draw affected areas directly on a map, while sending and receiving notifications through IPAWS communications channels.

    On-Call Scheduling: Everbridge now provides robust on-call scheduling to automate outreach to on-call teams with rotating coverage or complex shift changes. Seamlessly integrated with Everbridge notifications, on-call scheduling eliminates the need for manual call lists and handwritten calendars.

    “The new enhancements to our summer release reflect our continuing commitment to product investment and innovation,” said Imad Mouline, CTO of Everbridge. “Our customers are confronted daily with new challenges and opportunities related to mobility, business continuity, emergency notification, secure messaging, and more. We will continue to evolve our suite to meet these challenges—unifying critical communications across modalities and devices on a global scale.”