Projects Profile
Project Title
Development of Prototype Low-cost GPS Receivers for High Precision Real-time Applications
Partnership
Dr Xiaolin Meng from The University of Nottingham
Professor Chuang Shi from Wuhan University
Project Aim
By systematically assembling the existing technologies, algorithms and software developed by the IESSG and Wuhan University, the proposed project will focus on the use of low-cost GPS receivers for higher accuracy applications, using network real-time kinematic GPS (NRTK GPS) facilities. A prototype GPS positioning system that can deliver real-time positioning with decimetre accuracy, to meet the requirements of this middle market, will be developed during the project.
Inspiration for the projects
Location awareness has already become an indispensable utility in our modern life. GPS positioning is playing an essential role which cannot be replaced by other positioning technologies. The embedded GPS receivers in the mobile phones are currently working standalone for personal entertainment or navigation purposes and can only provide a positioning accuracy of several tens of metres.
Network real-time kinematic (NRTK) GPS positioning represents the latest development in GPS technology. By using sparsely distributed reference GPS stations, the data centre of a NRTK GPS facility can provide mobile users with highly accurate and timely corrections wirelessly through GSM/GPRS connections to increase positioning reliability, continuity, productivity, accuracy and mobility. A dedicated NRTK facility has been established within the Institute of Engineering Surveying and Space Geodesy (IESSG) of The University of Nottingham in the last two years. Like other countries many Chinese cities have also established NRTK facilities.
There currently exists a potential market somewhere between the current low-cost mass-market sectors and the professional sector. For this market the current standalone handheld GPS receivers cannot deliver the required accuracy although they are inexpensive. Furthermore, although the geodetic GPS receivers can easily provide the accuracy they are too expensive and cumbersome to use. This proposal will directly address this middle market sector.
Innovation Elements
The latest low-cost GPS receivers have the capacity to acquire very low strength GPS signals and some of them can even work indoors. Network real-time kinematic (NRTK) GPS positioning represents the latest development in GPS technology. By using sparsely distributed reference GPS stations, the data centre of a NRTK GPS facility can acquire real-time ranging measurements from these stationary receivers and then through an integrated real-time computation, the centre can provide mobile users with highly accurate and timely corrections wirelessly through GSM/GPRS connections to increase positioning reliability, continuity, productivity, accuracy and mobility.
The proposed work will focus on assembling the existing technologies, algorithms and software packages and through necessary further development a prototype positioning system will be developed using low-cost GPS receivers and the NRTK GPS facilities for delivering real-time positioning accuracy of up to a decimeter level.
Commercial Potential and Further Development
The commercial potentials can be split into two broad areas: The Consumer Market and the Professional Market. The Consumer Market is centred around the development of Location Based Services (LBS) to a new level that offers much more attractive user benefits and will open up many new applications currently not possible. Nokia, for example, will be a key prospect as they aspire to offer “great location user experiences” and are publicly quoted as needing higher precision opening up a more useful user experience. In China a similar company would be China Mobile.
The technology will underpin a large potential Professional Market, currently limited by the cost of high precision equipment and a degree of accuracy not required. The professional market would be reached via Leica and others, offering them the potential to open up a new market for themselves.
