NaviGadget

Trimble today introduced a thumbnail-sized, surface-mount, high sensitivity GPS receiver called Copernicus II. The idea with Copernicus II is to enable manufacturers to easily integrate GPS to a mobile device with minimal impact on its size or battery life at a very economical price. The new module can be used in portable handheld, battery-powered applications such as Bluetooth appliances, sport accessories, personal navigators or cameras.

Copernicus II features a 12-channel GPS receiver in a 19mm x 19mm x 2.5mm form factor and can be sensitive to detect signals even at -160dBm. It consumes 120 milliwatts of power on average when continuous tracking so it is pretty energy efficient too.

The Copernicus II GPS receiver is expected to be available in the third quarter of 2008.

Ericsson just announced that they’ll be teaming up with Dell to provide laptops that will support tri-band HSPA mobile broadband networks beginning second quarter of this year.

The mobile broadband mobile will provide high speed downloads and uploads, but the real reason why this is on Navigadget is that the same module will also integrate a GPS receiver to be used with positioning applications such as GPS navigation.

The idea is that the new HSPA / GPS module should be inexpensive so you won’t feel much of a difference when you’re purchasing your next Dell.

MTI Micro last week unveiled a new embedded micro fuel cell prototype design for handheld GPS devices called Mobion. Mobion powered GPS prototype provides three times as much energy as GPS devices powered by four disposable AA batteries and can generate up to 60 hours of continuous power and provide weeks instead of days of typical usage.

This new Mobion powered GPS prototype also includes a USB interface, allowing you to use it as an independent energy source for a variety of purposes, including for recharging mobile phones, digital cameras, portable media players and other handheld electronic devices. The Mobion powered GPS prototype can be immediately recharged by refilling it with methanol.

Honda of Japan is about to release a new service that will tap into police databases all over the country to bring drivers a ‘crime’ rating for each region on their GPS navigation system.

The system will be in use as early this week in Japan and will consider incidents where cars have been stolen or broken into in the past.

The system may be feasible in a country like Japan where crime rates are relatively low but in the U.S. this could overcrowd your display very very fast… read »

Wavecom today announced a combination of cellular, satellite and GPS technology on a single device called Wavecom Q52 Omni Wireless CPU. It is based on Wavecom Wireless Microprocessor technology which enables cost saving by integrating these three technologies on a single processor.

Designed for even the harshest environmental conditions, the Q52 Omni was created to enable remote monitoring and control of assets absolutely anywhere in the world.

In addition the new Q52 Omni supports the unique, secure Wavecom Intelligent Device Service offer, which provides customers with access to a web-based service platform for upgrading and monitoring networked machines.

People at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have a plant-a-tree campaign where you can donate a small amount (only $5.50) for them to plant an actual baby tree in the Sebangau National Park in Borneo, Indonesia. You can watch the animation at mybabytree.org to learn more, and even select how many trees you want to plant.

In the end all you’ll get a is KML file with the exact location of your tree so you can watch your tree grow day by day in Google Earth :)

Available seeds are D. Costulata, A. Scholaris, and S. Belangeran… read »

NavJacket, which we mentioned here at Navigadget last December made an appearance again. To recap, this jacket is designed for the slopes, giving skiers flexible display on the sleeve and the audio instructions in the hood. It is designed by O’Neill Europe and navigational capabilities are brought in by MyGuide.

If you didn’t believe us the first time now we have the video to prove that it exists:

Also see the flash movie at NavJacket’s mini site. read »

Microsoft unveiled their new technology called LucidTouch which lets you control a handheld with your fingers that are behind the screen. It does this by using “pseudo-transparency” which lets you see your fingers as a shadow.

This new technology could revolutionize the way we look and browse around maps and specially could be useful when dealing with small screens and big fingers.

The current prototype uses a webcam to capture the location of your fingers but you can be sure Microsoft will find a better way to do this when designing an actual product.

Check out the video:

via

Dutch inventors from Arnhem-Nijmegen University designed this indoor navigation system for those elderly people in nursing centers who seem to get lost a lot.

Instead of relying GPS signals which provide poor or no coverage indoors this system uses Wi-Fi to get a position fix. Keeping in mind the computer skills of people over 55 this experimental navigator was only fitted 5 buttons. As far as user interface they used big icons for things such as ‘bathroom’ or ‘cup of coffee’ to help them navigate throughout the building… read »

The UK army is planning to equip their front lines forces with a new target locator that embeds a GPS receiver.

The new Surveillance System and Range Finder (SSARF) allows the user to find the exact location and distance of enemy forces quickly and even determine the most appropriate and accurate artillery firepower to use.

The new GPS equipped range finder is all-weather, can function day and night, lightweight, uses thermal imaging, and laser range finder of up to 5km.

It is contract worth £30 million with Thales UK which is expected to start being used as early as 2009… read »