SkyTraq’s S2525F8-BD-RTK multi-constellation RTK receiver is designed for UAV and mobile platforms.
SkyTraq Technology, a fabless GNSS positioning technology company, is introducing the S2525F8-BD-RTK, a cost-effective, low-power single-frequency RTK receiver for unmanned aerial systems and mobile platforms requiring centimeter-level position accuracy.
The S2525F8-BD-RTK multi-constellation RTK receiver supports GPS, BDS, QZSS, and SBAS, simultaneously tracking up to 28 satellites. With its 25 x 25 millimeter form factor, 300-mW power consumption and 3 gram weight, it is designed for any outdoor applications requiring high-precision RTK positioning.
S2525F8-BD-RTK supports both base station and rover modes. As a rover, it receives RTCM 3.0 or 3.1 data from a base station, or raw measurements from another S2525F8-BD-RTK receiver serving as base station, and performs carrier phase RTK processing to achieve relative positioning with 1 cm + 1 ppm position accuracy within 10-Km baseline.
Its compact evaluation board has serial interface connector supporting direct connection to Ardupilot and Pixhawk autopilots for UAS testing. A Bluetooth 2.1 module is included on-board to simplify outdoor evaluation using Bluetooth-connected smartphone or tablet to receive remote base station data via NTRIP client software over the Internet.
S2525F8-BD-RTK engineering sample, datasheet, reference design and evaluation kit will be available in October. Volume production delivery to customer begins in November 2015.
VP says company remains “bullish”on in-car Wi-Fi, sees need for both embedded, bring-your-own-device solutions
Mercedes-Benz has been in the news in the past month for offering connected car service as standard for five years on all new vehicles, one of the longest multi-year offers yet. But it isn’t just big news for Mercedes; it’s also a testament to Verizon’s continued investment in connected car technology.
Verizon is one of the longest tenured telematics providers in the U.S. market and has worked with Mercedes-Benz since 2009, said Mike Peterson, vice president and general manager of OEM business for Verizon Telematics, in an exclusive interview with GPS World.
“Mbrace has the widest breadth of services, including remote connection for door lock/unlock, remote vehicle start, a feature that consumers have been asking for for a long time as evidenced by after-market industry,” Peterson said. “We’re also delivering diagnostics data to dealers and adding the ability to access certain apps on the head unit without the user tethering their phone — that’s the big new thing.”
Verizon is exhibiting mbrace at CTIA Super Mobility 2015 in Las Vegas this week. mbrace services include navigation, location apps, remote safety and security features, and advanced travel assistance.
Embedded connectivity is a more expensive alternative to the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model. Despite the embedded vs. BYOD debate in the industry at-large, Peterson doesn’t see one way as better than the other.
“Part of it is always demographics. With Mercedes-Benz customers, while the majority are connected with smartphones, the simplicity of having to use a radio head unit as opposed to their phones will be the right experience to create for premium customers,” Peterson explained. “Other price sensitive brands will continue to see BYOD as the way to go.”
Peterson admits the decision to equip all vehicles with the service is in part designed to prime customers so that the technology becomes a must-have. But, he adds, that the connected car creates a relationship between the manufacturer and consumer that benefits both, particularly with regard to safety.
While Verizon is the telematics provider to six OEMs in the U.S., including Volkswagon and Hyundai, Peterson doesn’t take the credit for decisions like the one Mercedes made when extending mbrace’s reach.
“I would call it a partnership heavily influenced by automakers. At the end of the day, the automaker decides what equipment to put into their vehicles. We provide all service, but they very much protect what goes into their car.”
One feature of mbrace that Peterson calls “a big deal” is the ability to turn your vehicle into a Wi-Fi hotspot. It’s a feature that has gotten caught between customer demands and regulator concerns that those increased demands will lead to spectrum-sharing that hampers the progress of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications.
“We are quite bullish on Wi-Fi in the car. You’re already equipping the vehicle with a connected device that’s Wi-Fi capable,” Peterson said. “We’ve done considerable research, and it’s all come back very positive.”
GPS World reports live from CTIA Super Mobility 2015 in Las Vegas Sept. 8-11, organized by CTIA—The Wireless Association. The Western Hemisphere’s largest mobile innovation summit brings together 35,000 professionals who work in the mobile technology industry, including leaders in wireless, indoor location, connected car and Internet of Things (IoT), among many others.
GPS World digital editor Bethany Chambers and Wireless editor Janice Partyka will be reporting all week here on GPSWorld.com, on Facebook and on Twitter @GPSWorld. This convention is far from conventional in its use of multimedia to fuel the excitement surrounding all things mobile; the show has an official DJ in Los Angeles-based Bella Foxx and an emcee in Saturday Night Live’s Michael Che. Keynotes also follow the multimedia theme this year, with DreamWorks CEO & cofounder Jeffrey Katzenberg, Wikipedia founder Michael Wales and iHeartMedia Chairman Bob Pittman scheduled to appear.
GPS World talks to Taoglas VP of North American Sales Tim Dolan on the show floor in Las Vegas about the Storm Antenna. He explains what makes it unique to the market–and what comes next.
TeleCommunication Systems Inc. Senior Vice President of Commercial Solutions Jay Whitehurst introduces VirtuMedix at CTIA Super Mobility 2015. The telemedicine solution utilizes location-based services to connect patients with clinicians in their area.
Olivier Pauzet, vice president of marketing and market strategy at Sierra Wireless, details AirVantage connectivity services for fleet tracking and the recent addition of Google cloud integration.
Jorge Pineda, vice president of sales for Queclink Wireless Solutions, shares information on the company’s U.S. and international sales plans for 2015 and beyond, with a focus on fleet tracking and global LTE expansion.
Parsec Technologies CEO Michael Neenan introduces the company’s LTE/GPS antenna. The antenna, which you can find out more about at parsec-t.com, is already in production and available for sale, and Neenan previews how the antenna will be used further in a watch coming out later this year. Find out more about the Texas-based company’s antenna, touted for its flexibility and interoperability.
Janet Jaiswal, vice president of enterprise marketing, and Gurinder Dhillon, senior director of Internet of Things (IoT) platforms and analytics, demonstrate how AerCloud and AerVoyance work together to enable rapid development, deployment and monitoring of IoT solutions.
Telit, a global enabler of the Internet of Things (IoT), has announced a new release of the Telit IoT Portal. The portal consolidates a suite of advanced connectivity management functions with the company’s deviceWISE IoT Application Enablement Platform.
The service enables companies to deploy, configure and manage end-to-end IoT deployments from a single, cloud-based portal, Telit said. The portal is designed to make it easy to “connect thing to apps” by seamlessly integrating any device, production asset or remote sensor with web-based and mobile apps and enterprise systems, across any wireless network.
The newly added connectivity management addresses all aspects of mobile communication provisioning, including seamless integration with Mobile Network Operators (MNO) and Connected Device Platforms (CDP). Users can activate or de-activate devices, manage SIM cards, analyze connection quality, and set all provisioning and data plan parameters. This platform function is especially useful in preventing data overage and overall data cost management. The advanced CDP integration feature aggregates federated data across multiple wireless networks — a valuable capability when operating IoT deployments in different countries and regions around the world.
From the same portal, users have continuous access to all the comprehensive functions of the deviceWISE IoT Platform, including device onboarding, edge-intelligence, data collection, data transport, data storage, data delivery and application integration. Developers can connect, collect and control anything with a single, standardized API set that is common across device integration, connectivity management and application development.
“The developer-friendly Telit IoT Portal provides instant and full access to the mature and comprehensive features and all the necessary tools and resources for your IoT project,” said Alon Segal, CTO, Telit IoT Services. “No upfront investment is required and companies can focus on developing compelling applications that help transform their business, not the engineering of underlying technology infrastructure.”
The Telit IoT Portal reduces risk, time-to-market, complexity and cost of deploying solutions for monitoring and control, industrial automation, asset tracking and field service operations across all industries and market segments around the world. Additionally, customers can enjoy professional maintenance and support and ongoing upgrades to new features and capabilities. Access a free trial of the Telit IoT Portal.
The new release of the Telit IoT Portal will be featured at Telit DevCon, Sept. 8 in Las Vegas, and live demonstrations of will be held at CTIA Super Mobility 2015, booth #5032, which takes place Sept. 9-11 in Las Vegas. Those attending Telit DevCon can learn how industry leaders use the IoT to create new markets, transform their business and achieve measurable return on investment.
sensewhere’s crowdsourcing technology enables precise location information, with no additional infrastructure, in areas where there is no or inaccurate GPS satellite data such as indoors or in tight urban areas.
Tencent Holdings Ltd., a provider of Internet services in China, has completed a strategic investment in sensewhere Ltd., a provider of indoor location solutions based in Scotland. Tencent has also secured a license to use sensewhere indoor positioning software as part of its Tencent Map Location software development kit (SDK) that is available to numerous users across Tencent mobile platforms and mobile services of Tencent affiliate companies.
The investment will help sensewhere develop potential partnerships in China’s mobile Internet space, deliver its mobile advertising service, fuel expansion of the company and its indoor location solutions. As part of the arrangements, sensewhere will be Tencent’s preferred vendor for location-based advertising services in China.
“This investment by Tencent will be significant for the company and is an endorsement of our technology, strategy and ability to deliver low cost, highly scalable and highly accurate Universal indoor positioning,” said sensewhere CEO Rob Palfreyman. “I am thrilled with the collaboration, and having Tencent as a strategic investor will help take sensewhere to the next level and assist us growing our customer base, building new Location Based Services and investing further in R&D.”
“The investment by Tencent highlights the advantage of sensewhere’s indoor positioning technology over other solutions and further cements our position as a leading Indoor Positioning System (IPS) provider,” said sensewhere Chairman Jim Devine. “The planned roll out of multiple services to millions of users across China and contiguous territories which incorporate sensewhere’s enabling technology represents a major step forward towards our goal of providing a truly global solution for indoor positioning.”
sensewhere believes that its seamless, automatic solution for IPS and easy integration with mobile applications and devices will be the driving force behind emerging technologies, such as automatic beacon mapping, wearable technology, artificial intelligence, mobile advertising and using its live database to power next-generation location-based services.
“We believe that a superior, universal indoor positioning technology will deeply influence how people interact with each other, and significantly change how companies communicate with consumers and conduct commerce indoor across online and offline platforms,” said Julian Ma, corporate vice president of Tencent in Mobile Internet Group. “sensewhere’s unique, highly scalable approach will greatly enhance Tencent Map’s indoor positioning capabilities and enable our users to navigate indoor in a much more accurate and convenient manner.”
The video below explains sensewhere’s indoor location technology.
Garmin’s eTrex Touch 25, 35 and 35t outdoor handhelds have an updated user interface and 2.6-inch capacitive touchscreen display. The eTrex Touch series also features activity profiles for navigation for multiple activities and an enhanced track manager to start and stop recording.
The eTrex Touch series has a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver with GLONASS support and HotFix satellite prediction to locate users’ position quickly and precisely, even in heavy cover and deep canyons. All units have a three-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which gives directional information even when standing still. The eTrex 35 and 35t also have a barometric altimeter to get more accurate altitude, elevation and climb information, as well as indications of weather changes.
Garmin, www.garmin.com
Fleet Management
Supervisor App for Fleets
The Supervisor app for the FieldMaster suite of mobile applications allows managers to leave the office and still have visibility into their fleet and mobile workers from their smartphone or tablet, as well as manage day-to-day operations remotely.
FieldMaster Supervisor is available with Trimble Fleet Management and Work Management. Features include viewing the team’s locations on a map; seeing their job progress, including tasks at risk; finding the nearest worker to another team member or customer; turn-by-turn navigation; inspecting job performance and documenting status in the field; and receiving vehicle and driver performance alerts in real-time.
NovAtel’s SPAN GNSS/INS technology is now available on the company’s OEM625S dual-frequency SAASM GPS plus civil RTK receiver. SPAN offers system developers with SAASM requirements the benefit of continuously available 3D positioning, velocity and attitude (roll, pitch, yaw) for their defense applications. Authorized defense customers need access to the Precise Positioning Service (PPS) for DOD applications. When keyed, the existing OEM625S board-level receiver provides an RTK PPS solution by taking the raw measurements from an L-3 XFACTOR SAASM and applying them to NovAtel’s RTK algorithm. SPAN technology couples NovAtel’s precision GNSS receivers with robust IMUs to provide a more reliable, stable solution, even during short periods of time when satellite signals are blocked or unavailable.
The Averna RP-6100 series is an RF tool offering high-performance record-and-playback and real-time simulation in one platform for RF application validation.
The RP-6100 can capture all GNSS bands, as well as HD Radio, Wi-Fi, LTE, radar, and cognitive radio — plus impairments — to advance RF projects and harden product designs. It features up to four channels, 160 MHz of recording bandwidth, tight channel synchronization, an extended frequency range of 10 MHz to 6 GHz and 14-bit resolution. The RP-6100 can be equipped with Skydel Solutions’ software-defined, real-time GNSS simulator, which delivers easy setups, integrated maps, dynamic scenario creation, high precision and tight parameter controls to enable highly repeatable simulations of current and future GNSS conditions, as well as corner cases.
The AirPrime WP Series of smart wireless modules is designed for the development of connected products. The WP Series provides an integrated device-to-cloud architecture enabling developers to build a Linux-based product using a single module that sends user and product data to the cloud. The AirPrime WP series offers an application processor, GNSS receiver, and cellular modem with an optional ultra-low power mode that reduces power consumption by 200 times, opening up new use-case possibilities for cellular connectivity.
Spectracom’s Geo-PNT integrates precision references for position, attitude, and timing. Photo: Spectracom
A new combination master clock and GPS-aided inertial navigation system is now available from Spectracom to reduce redundant subsystems in mobile applications. The Geo-PNT integrates precision references for position, attitude, and timing all in one box. Applications include radar, optoelectronic sensing, electronic warfare, satcom on the move, and mobile test platforms.
Geo-PNT benefits any mobile intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform because signal/electronic intelligence applications require precision positioning, navigation, and timing references. Electro-optic sensors and other imaging technologies, antenna steering, and encrypted communications always need a combination of precision motion compensation, geolocation, time stamping, and frequency reference.
The high degree of integration within the Geo-PNT supports the goals of low size, weight and power (SWaP) and cost optimization while achieving a high level of performance for ISR platforms and mobile communications systems. A single subsystem for all PNT functions in a volume of about 40 cubic inches is about three times less than the traditional approach of deploying dedicated devices.
The Geo-PNT is a highly configurable platform to provide the capabilities needed for the mission:
Single-box solution combining precision local oscillator, inertial motion unit (IMU), and GPS receiver.
Configurable output interfaces for timing and navigation.
Standalone or RTK/differential GPS, commercial (non-ITAR) or SAASM GPS receiver.
Choose from a variety of IMUs to meet performance specifications.
NTP server, precision 1PPS, 10 MHz with low phase noise.
Rugged and tested to MIL-STD-810G.
Low SWaP (< 0.7 liters, <0.8 Kg, <10 watts).
“Our time and frequency technology, combined with geodetics positioning and navigation capability in the same module, provides an opportunity for platform designers to lower SWaP requirements while staying within the limits of today’s demanding system specifications,” said Rohit Braggs, Spectracom’s sales and marketing VP.
Geo-PNT is the latest example of Spectracom’s flexible configure-to-COTS approach. The use of commercial technology reduces lead time and offers the lowest cost of ownership for both standard and semi-custom configurations. Hardware and software can be adapted to meet the needs of the application.
Samsung Electronics Co. has acquired the mobile-technology business of U.K.-based Cambridge Silicon Radio PLC for $310 million. The agreement includes patents to the firm’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS location innovations. Samsung said the move would allow its semiconductor unit to strengthen its line-up of mobile-device processors.
Samsung competes for business from other handset makers against the chip-makers Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Intel, reports BBC News. The firm’s chips are used in its Galaxy handsets as well as Apple’s iPhones and iPads.
Joep van Buerden, CSR’s chief executive, said his firm offered important technologies, but was aware of a trend in which larger firms were acting to integrate many functions into a single chipset, reducing demand for specialist parts, BBC News reported.
“I believe under Samsung’s ownership the handset operations will be in a better place to prosper in the global handset market,” Buerden said. “I would like to thank all our colleagues who will be transferring to Samsung for their outstanding service.”
CCS Insight analyst Geoff Blaber pointed out in a Yahoo! article that Samsung’s move came soon after the acquisition of Nanoradio, a Swedish Wi-Fi chipset company, which happened June 1. “It underlines Samsung’s commitment to strengthening its vertical advantage by extending silicon capability most notably in Wi-Fi and GPS,” he said.
About 310 members of CSR’s technology and handset team will move over to the South Korean firm.
SiRF founder Kanwar Chadha, who had been with CSR for three years after its acquisition of SiRF in June 2009, left CSR earlier this summer and is rumored to be starting a new venture.
TRUSTe has introduced TRUSTed Mobile Ads, a unified mobile advertising privacy management solution. TRUSTed Mobile Ads support mobile browsing and application privacy preferences across all platforms and devices. The solution addresses the evolving privacy compliance standards, growing consumer privacy concerns, and complicated technology requirements unique to the mobile ecosystem.
Developed in partnership with mobile advertisers, publishers, networks and platforms, TRUSTed Mobile Ads provides an end-to-end privacy management solution that enables businesses to deploy advertising capabilities such as behavioral targeting, while providing consumers with transparency, choice, and control over the collection and use of their personal information, TRUSTe said. The solution builds upon TRUSTe’s web advertising privacy management solution, TRUSTed Ads, and its mobile privacy management solutions, TRUSTed Apps, TRUSTed Mobile Websites, and the recently released Free Mobile Privacy Policy Service.
“The need for a standardized cross-platform approach to mobile privacy is essential to maximize mobile advertising opportunities, address growing regulatory concerns and build trust for consumers,” said Chris Babel of TRUSTe. “With TRUSTed Mobile Ads, TRUSTe wants to bring our success as the largest DAA-approved online behavioral advertising compliance provider to the mobile ecosystem. With the support of our partners, we are fully committed to helping the industry take a proactive stance for mobile privacy compliance and consumer confidence.”
Millennial Media, provider of mobile advertising, announced that mMedia, its newest self-service mobile solution, has emerged from private beta to full release.
Within mMedia, developers and advertisers will be able to reach more than 200 million global mobile users via Millennial Media’s advertising platform, according to the company. mMedia complements Millennial Media’s full-service mobile advertising solutions, renowned for their scale across multiple regions of the world.
mMedia allows mobile app developers, franchises, and small or independent businesses to utilize mobile as a strategic piece of their marketing strategy. mMedia campaigns can be set up quickly, and advertisers will have access to a comprehensive dashboard that puts them in control of bids, creative, targeting, and more, the company said.
“mMedia extends our mobile ad platform to developers and advertisers who are looking for a complete self-service solution,” said Chris Brandenburg, Co-Founder and CTO, Millennial Media. “Whether their goals are to monetize an app or to promote a business, the technology behind mMedia helps our developer and advertiser partners unlock the power of mobile and drive results that will scale their businesses.”
In addition to traditional mobile targeting methods, mMedia includes a self-service hyper-local targeting feature. Advertisers can draw a virtual fence around their desired targeting area to deliver zone-based advertising with ease. Once drawn, the advertiser’s ads will reach users within that designated area.
Developers can now access mMedia through the same portal they currently use to monetize their mobile applications and sites.
Rosum Corporation commented on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation’s April 10 hearing on “VoIP and the Future of 9-1-1 Services.” Rosum also responded to recent remarks by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin on the need for more accurate location determination of E9-1-1 calls from mobile devices.
“There are multiple trends in consumer telephony today that highlight the need for reliable ‘in-building 9-1-1’ location capability”, said Skip Speaks, CEO of Rosum Corporation. Speaks noted four specific trends: the growth in wireless-only subscribers who use their wireless handset as a primary line, the growth in users of nomadic VoIP services and users of VoIP lines as a primary line, data showing the bulk of wireless 9-1-1 calls are made indoors, and the emergence of home base stations that need to be located indoors for activation and 9-1-1 purposes.
Speaks continued, “As these new capabilities enter the home, they expand the definition of the home telephone. One can expect that a 9-1-1 call made over the traditional home phone connected by copper wire will result in first responders going to the right address. While substantial resources have been invested by providers of wireless and Internet telephony service to implement E9-1-1 service, it is clear that there is still work to be done to ensure that accurate, actionable location information is consistently delivered to our first responders. We encourage the Senate Commerce Committee and the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a thoughtful review of the future of 9-1-1 services, with a focus on in-building 9-1-1 performance. There is every reason for consumers to expect rapid and accurate response to 9-1-1 calls regardless of the technology they have chosen.”
Rosum also presented on the subject of “Reliable Location for In-Building 9-1-1 and First Response” at the Geospatial Integration for Public Safety Conference, co-organized by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA), on April 16 in New Orleans.
