EUREKA PROJECT > 4948 MOBILE-gEO PPP
- SUMMARY
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PORTUGAL
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PORTUGAL
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High Precision Positioning product with enhanced mobile interfaces for Surveying
The Mobile-gEO PPP aims to develop a product for high-precision positioning in mobile devices to be applied in surveying (topography and cadastral) which includes enhanced graphical front-end (Mobile-gEO Positioning) and a receiver based on precision real-time techniques (PPP).
Status > ANNOUNCED - 28-Jun-2009 Technological Area Market Area Start Date > 02-Mar-2009 Duration > 29 Months Participating countries > PORTUGAL, BELGIUM | Main contactEvolve Space Solutions, Lda Eng. Nuno Duro > Engineering Director Organisation type > SME |
Project Description
The project aims at developing a precise positioning product prototype to be applied to topography and cadastral survey areas. The prototype consists of two parts: a) An enhanced graphical front-end for a mobile device (Mobile-gEO Positioning). b) A PPP receiver, implementing recent real-time precise positioning techniques. These two parts are interrelated since the PPP receiver will provide precise positioning data to the front-end device, which uses it to display geographic information to the user. A brief description of these two components is presented below: a) Mobile-gEO (EVOLVE and ESTEREOFOTO) The purpose of Mobile-gEO is the visualisation and manipulation of geographic information data on a mobile device. The product is targeted at professionals in the areas of cartography, topography and cadastral survey. The data is presented in a three dimensional view and the navigation is based on the device’s multi-touch screen and accelerometers, which allow the user to manipulate the view in various angles and directions. The application is also capable of importing and exporting GIS (Geographical Information System) data from multiple sources. The mobile device requires an external receiver (based on RTK (Real Time Kinetics) or PPP techniques) to acquire the positioning data. This external device communicates with Mobile-gEO through Bluetooth or other interfaces. b) PPP (SEPTENTRIO) The PPP receiver implements the PPP algorithm, which is a recent precise positioning method. This method obtains positioning corrections from commercial satellites (e.g. JPL, Omnistar, Starfire) and is able to accurately calculate positions (decimetre-level accuracy). After applying the corrections, the data is relayed to the front-end device via a Bluetooth interface, at a frequency of 1Hz (once every second). The main advantage of this method over others (like RTK, for example) is the fact that it has global coverage and does not require a supporting ground infrastructure. The two parts (which are independently developed) should be integrated into a single prototype to be commercialised. The resulting product aims to serve nuclear geographical information sectors, where it is extremely important to manage precise positioning. These sectors include for example agriculture, fishing, architectural and urban planning, and structure classifications. But most important of all, this product could be an essential tool for cadastral surveys by taking advantage of its ability to conciliate a 3D graphical interface with precise positioning. In this area, the Portuguese territory is a primary target given the emerging market. It could also be implemented in topography works, bringing mobility and precision together.
Technological Development Envisaged
USER INTERFACES The current technology on the high precision market uses an unattractive graphical interface which is often difficult to navigate and not very intuitive to the final users. POSITIONING Most of the products available use RTK technology which requires a ground infrastructure to acquire precision data. PPP technology based products are now emerging but the algorithms typically take 10 to 15 minutes of convergence time to obtain stable and reliable position information. Every time signal tracking is lost (e.g. due to tree foliage, buildings, cranes, etc.) the same convergence time is required. This is not an acceptable situation for surveyors or other end-users and therefore the convergence time is the prime parameter under investigation. COST This type of high precision positioning product is normally very costly.
Main contactSeptentrio Satellite Navigation NV Mr. Alain Suskind > Program Manager Organisation type > SME |
Contribution to project
The major innovation in this project for SEPTENTRIO is making the current PPP technology viable for commercial applications other than the (benign) maritime environment. More specifically, with PPP-technology it typically takes 10 to 15 minutes of convergence time to obtain stable and reliable position information. Every time signal tracking is lost (e.g. due to tree foliage, buildings, cranes, etc.) the same convergence time is required. This is not an acceptable situation for surveyors or other end-users and therefore the convergence time is the prime parameter under investigation. This reacquisition (fixing the carrier phase ambiguities) and stabilisation is today one of the major drawbacks in using PPP-technology in real-time applications, as it takes a long time. Another research topic is the communication interface between the GNSS receiver and the handheld device through Bluetooth technology.
Expertise
SEPTENTRIO SATELLITE NAVIGATION N.V., designs, manufactures, markets and supports high-end dual-frequency GNSS receivers with the best possible performance at a very competitive price. Targeted at original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), SEPTENTRIO’s core technology is being applied in precise positioning, timing and attitude determination applications.
Main contactEvolve Space Solutions, Lda Eng. Nuno Duro > Engineering Director Organisation type > SME |
Contribution to project
The main contribution to the project is the development of the MOBILE-GEO front-end solution for the surveying sector. The foreseen solution is supported by a handheld 3D front-end with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) capability. The front-end presents several advantages over its competitors, such as the easy and user-friendly navigational capabilities, several communication options (3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) as well as a lower cost. EVOLVE has been supporting the development of the generic MOBILE-GEO infrastructure since mid-2008 and this project will allow the application of such developments for a specific purpose.
Expertise
Currently, EVOLVE's main activity is the provision of consultancy services in the aerospace market. The core expertise is in Verification & Validation of software, in particular services to review and test satellite ground control systems. The main customers are the European Space Agency (ESA) and European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). Since 2008, EVOLVE has been implementing a product-oriented strategy based on developing the following R&D activities: * VIRTU product development, a virtualisation tool for automatic testing and configuration of applications in distributed environments; * iMoted, immersive systems applied to space for the usage of emerging remote devices to operate Space Systems; * Mobile-gEO, geographical information application for mobile devices that combine some of the new features of mobile technologies (such as accelerometer and multi-touch) with geo-reference capabilities.
Main contactESTEREOFOTO, Geoengenharia S.A. Eng. Carlos Fonte > C.O.O. Organisation type > SME |
Contribution to project
The contribution from the organisation to MOBILE-GEO PPP resides in a transfer of knowledge, namely in cartography and topography areas. It will act in the beginning of the project in the preliminary studies to identify the user’s requirements and to identify potential markets. It will contribute to the definition of the user’s graphic interface. In the final phase of the project, it will conduct the necessary tests and demonstrations for clients. It will also participate in the promotion and dissemination of results, principally in the commercial exploration plan. A major innovation in this project for SEPTENTRIO is making the current PPP technology viable for commercial applications other than the (benign) maritime environment. More specifically, with PPP technology it typically takes 10 to 15 minutes of convergence time to obtain stable and reliable position information. Every time signal tracking is lost (e.g. due to tree foliage, buildings, cranes, etc.) the same convergence time is required. This is not an acceptable situation for surveyors or other end-users and therefore the convergence time is the prime parameter under investigation. This reacquisition (fixing the carrier phase ambiguities) and stabilisation is today one of the major drawbacks in using PPP technology in real-time applications, as it takes a long time. Another research topic is the communication interface between the GNSS receiver and the handheld device through Bluetooth technology.
Expertise
The main core business of ESTEREOFOTO is Geographic Information Technologies. Its activities are based on the application of technological solutions to the promotion of geographic services and products.