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Archives

Out in Front: Ten Big Ones in Five

January 1, 2011 - By

At the opposite end of this book, my esteemed colleague Eric Gakstatter gives you his Top Five news stories of the recently passed year, from a system point of view. Spend five minutes here in this column, and I’ll toss up the Top Ten for GNSS business, as reported in this magazine. Not the biggest money deals or revenue generators, at least not in the short term. But the most significant in terms of breaking new ground, pushing out frontiers, integrating with other technologies — the modes through which industry grows and prospers. read more

This article is tagged with , , , , , and posted in From the Magazine, Opinions

Innovation: The Distress Alerting Satellite System

January 1, 2011 - By

Taking the Search out of Search and Rescue
In 1997, a Canadian government study determined that an improved search and rescue system would be one based on medium-Earth orbit satellites, which can provide full global coverage, can determine beacon location, and would need fewer ground stations. This month’s column examines the architecture of the GPS-based Distress Alerting Satellite System and takes a look at early test results. read more

On the Edge: Five Big Ones in Ten

January 1, 2011 - By

Look back with me at the five 2010 GNSS events that most affected surveying, mapping, engineering, construction, and natural resource users. Each one had, or could have had, a significant effect on you and your work. read more

This article is tagged with , , , , and posted in GNSS, Survey

Qualitative Motion Analysis: INS/GNSS in Care-Giving Applications

January 1, 2011 - By

A pocket tracker for elderly people and Alzheimer’s patients consists of a smartphone using GNSS, WLAN, RFID, and GSM for basic positioning, communication channels, and an accelerometer triad for collapse and motion detection. It seeks to determine not only the quantitative where but the qualitative how: has the user lost balance, fallen, or ceased moving? read more

This article is tagged with , and posted in Mobile

Dynamic Duo: Combined GPS/GLONASS Receivers in Urban Environments

January 1, 2011 - By

The impact of adding GLONASS to HS-GPS is assessed using a software receiver operating in an actual urban canyon environment. Results are compared with standard and high sensitivity GNSS receivers and show a significant improvement in the availability of position solutions when GLONASS is added. An assisted high sensitivity receiver architecture is introduced which enables high fidelity signal measurements even in degraded environments. read more

This article is tagged with , , , , and posted in OEM

The System: GLONASS Blows Itself off Course

January 1, 2011 - By

Surplus fuel loaded in error onboard the launch rocket caused loss of three new GLONASS satellites on December 5. The mishap burdened the DM-3 booster rocket with an excess of 1.5 to 2 tons of fuel, causing it to deviate from its course after blast-off and dive into the Pacific Ocean instead of reaching orbit altitude — dashing hopes for an imminent,... read more

This article is tagged with , , and posted in GNSS