A pioneering navigation device which can tune into different satellite networks around the world is being developed by researchers at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) in partnership with a Nottingham company.
Satellite navigation receivers (commonly known as 'sat navs') are traditionally reliant upon one network. This will be the first time a receiver has been created which can gather information from a number of sources, including the US Global Positioning System (GPS), the European Galileo system and similar satellite systems currently being developed across the world.
DMU has been awarded £113,000 by the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and East Midlands Development Agency (emda) to take part in the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Nottingham Scientific Ltd (NSL). NSL is an East Midlands-based company which specialises in the commercial exploitation of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) technology.
As products built using the technology will be more adaptable than traditional GNSS receivers, they will be at less risk of becoming obsolete due to advances in the satellite systems sector.
The project will use Software Defined Radio (SDR) to decode the incoming data from the satellite. Traditional GNSS receivers operate in the same way as analogue radio receivers, tuning into a specific radio channel. SDR uses software-based algorithms to enable the device to retune itself to any of the world's different GNSS systems.
Dr John Gow is the lead researcher on the project and has been working with SDR for many years.
Dr Gow said: "This partnership represents a remarkable opportunity to drive the outcomes of the latest research in SDR technology rapidly into mainstream commercial developments.
"The flexibility of SDR has immense potential as the technology itself enables a greater degree of 'future-proofing' of GNSS systems. This will also significantly reduce electronic waste caused by the rapid obsolescence of the highly-specific architectures required by non-SDR systems."
Eric Goodyer, who will manage the project, runs DMU's Telematics Teaching Lab, which is sponsored by Orange Mobile Communications and Lincolnshire based Linkwave Ltd.
Mr Goodyer said: "We are very excited about this project. The East Midlands is set to become the UK's centre of excellence for Galileo, GPS and positioning technology, and we are pleased to be at the heart of research in this important area."
This latest award is one of a series of successful grant applications Mr Goodyer has made in recent years, which now exceeds half a million pounds.
KTPs are a national initiative to strengthen UK competitiveness and stimulate innovation through partnership of a commercial business and a higher education or research organisation.
David Wallace, emda's Innovation and International Director, said: "The East Midlands has a strong portfolio of organisations closely related to GNSS and telematics. emda is pleased to support DMU in taking forward this project, which is another great example of how we are investing in the expertise and experience within the region to build systems and applications that will boost markets in the future."
