Browse Topic: Global positioning systems (GPS)
ABSTRACT Localization refers to the process of estimating ones location (and often orientation) within an environment. Ground vehicle automation, which offers the potential for substantial safety and logistical benefits, requires accurate, robust localization. Current localization solutions, including GPS/INS, LIDAR, and image registration, are all inherently limited in adverse conditions. This paper presents a method of localization that is robust to most conditions that hinder existing techniques. MIT Lincoln Laboratory has developed a new class of ground penetrating radar (GPR) with a novel antenna array design that allows mapping of the subsurface domain for the purpose of localization. A vehicle driving through the mapped area uses a novel real-time correlation-based registration algorithm to estimate the location and orientation of the vehicle with respect to the subsurface map. A demonstration system has achieved localization accuracy of 2 cm. We also discuss tracking results
ABSTRACT Automatic guided vehicles (AGV) have made big inroads in the automation of assembly plants and warehouse operations. There are thousands of AGV units in operation at OEM supplier and service facilities worldwide in virtually every major manufacturing and distribution sector. Although today’s AGV systems can be reconfigured and adapted to meet changes in operation and need, their adaptability is often limited because of inadequacies in current systems. This paper describes a wireless navigated (WN) omni-directional (OD) autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) that incorporates three technical innovations that address the shortfalls. The AGV features consist of: 1) A newly developed integrated wireless navigation technology to allow rapid rerouting of navigation pathways; 2) Omnidirectional wheels to move independently in different directions; 3) Modular space frame construction to conveniently resize and reshape the AGV platform. It includes an overview of the AGVs technical features
ABSTRACT Geotechnical site characterization is the process of collecting geophysical and geospatial characteristics about the surface and subsurface to create a 3-dimensional (3D) model. Current Robot Operating System (ROS) world models are designed primarily for navigation in unknown environments; however, they do not store the geotechnical characteristics requisite for environmental assessment, archaeology, construction engineering, or disaster response. The automotive industry is researching High Definition (HD) Maps, which contain more information and are currently being used by autonomous vehicles for ground truth localization, but they are static and primarily used for navigation in highly regulated infrastructure. Modern site characterization and HD mapping methods involve survey engineers working on-site followed by lengthy post processing. This research addresses the shortcomings for current world models and site characterization by introducing Site Model Geospatial System
ABSTRACT Global Positioning System (GPS) technology has become absolutely indispensable to today’s warfighter. GPS signals provide Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) data that are needed by virtually every critical military system. Digital radio networks require precise time to operate. Direct and indirect fires systems need precise coordinates to accurately determine firing data. Individual soldiers and vehicles need positioning and navigation data to coordinate offensive and defensive maneuver. Battle management systems require the location of every friendly unit in order to provide commanders with an understanding of the battlefield. The list goes on and on. In short, PNT has become a critical element in the ability to shoot, move, and communicate. The dependency on PNT is well understood. The Secretary of the Army recently testified to Congress, “Having accurate PNT information is fundamental to our forces’ ability to maintain initiative, coordinate movements, target fires
ABSTRACT Leader-follower autonomous vehicle systems have a vast range of applications which can increase efficiency, reliability, and safety by only requiring one manned-vehicle to lead a fleet of unmanned followers. The proper estimation and duplication of a manned-vehicle’s path is a critical component of the ongoing development of convoying systems. Auburn University’s GAVLAB has developed a UWB-ranging based leader-follower GNC system which does not require an external GPS reference or communication between the vehicles in the convoy. Experimental results have shown path-duplication accuracy between 1-5 meters for following distances of 10 to 50 meters. Citation: K. Thompson, B. Jones, S. Martin, and D. Bevly, “GPS-Independent Autonomous Vehicle Convoying with UWB Ranging and Vehicle Models,” In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 16-18, 2022
ABSTRACT The VICTORY initiative has been broadly adopted across the US Defense ground vehicle community. Last year, PEO GCS generated Acquisition Decision Memorandums (ADM) guiding the Platform community to incorporate VICTORY architecture in many vehicle modernization efforts, as well as new start vehicle programs. The community can generally agree that VICTORY is driving the vehicle architecture in a positive direction, providing a much more efficient architecture to enable current, and future, technology integration. A major component of the VICTORY standards addresses the distribution of GPS-supplied information for position, heading, elevation, and timing. The vast majority of major subsystems on today’s military ground vehicles utilize GPS data in some form. These systems include fire control computers, navigation and blue force tracking equipment, ISR assets, electronic warfare devices, personal navigation equipment, laser range finders, command & control (C2) computers, UAV’s
ABSTRACT This work presents the development of a high fidelity Simulation In the Loop/Hardware In the Loop simulation environment using add-ons to Autonomous Navigation Virtual Environment Laboratory (ANVEL) and a navigation unit developed by Auburn University’s GPS and Vehicle Dynamics Lab (GAVLAB) in support of the United States Army’s Autonomous Ground Resupply Science Technology Objective. The developed add-ons include a real time interface for ANVEL, Inertial Measurement Unit module, Wheel Speed Sensor module, and a GPS module that allows simulated signals or generated Radio Frequency signals. The developed add-ons allow for faster development of navigation algorithms and controllers due to a readily available, highly accurate truth from ANVEL and can be configured to introduce realistic errors from sensors, hardware, and GPS signals such that algorithm and controller robustness can be easily examined
ABSTRACT This paper presents a new concept in GNSS navigation: Sequential Lock GPS (GPS-SL). The new concept and prototype provide a variety of advantages for robustness, solution maintenance, and jamming resistance. Under normal circumstances, GNSS receivers need to receive signals from four satellites simultaneously to get a fix on position and the receiver time bias. If three or less satellites are visible given the occlusions provided by the environment, or because someone/something is intentionally or unintentionally jamming the space, no benefit is provided to the navigation solution. In other words, four or more simultaneous satellites give you a fix, three or less simultaneous satellites usually do not contribute (with some caveats) at all
ABSTRACT Global Positioning System (GPS) technology has seen increased use in many different military applications worldwide, beyond navigation. The Warfighter uses GPS to enhance Situational Awareness on the battle field with systems such as Land Warrior, Blue Force Tracker, TIGR, and various electronic mission planning tools in locations where the GPS signals are normally not available. For example, this includes the inside of a HMMWV, Stryker, or MRAP. GPS retransmission, or the art of repeating a live GPS signal, has evolved into a technically advanced solution to provide GPS signals to the Warfighter mounted inside ground vehicles, protecting themselves from sniper and IED threats, while providing mobility and Situational Awareness from vehicle mounted communication & navigation systems. The objective of this technical paper is to communicate a relevant understanding of how this technology is being embraced by the Warfighter to accomplish their mission safer and more efficiently
A new scientific technique could significantly improve the reference frames that millions of people rely upon each day when using GPS navigation services, according to a recently published article in Radio Science
Radio frequency (RF) and microwave signals are integral carriers of information for technology that enriches our everyday life – cellular communication, automotive radar sensors, and GPS navigation, among others. At the heart of each system is a single-frequency RF or microwave source, the stability and spectral purity of which is critical. While these sources are designed to generate a signal at a precise frequency, in practice the exact frequency is blurred by phase noise, arising from component imperfections and environmental sensitivity, that compromises ultimate system-level performance
In the early 2010s, LightSquared, a multibillion-dollar startup promising to revolutionize cellular communications, declared bankruptcy. The company couldn’t figure out how to prevent its signals from interfering with those of GPS systems
RMIT University’s Arnan Mitchell and University of Adelaide’s Dr. Andy Boes led an international team to review lithium niobate’s capabilities and potential applications in the journal Science. The team is working to make navigation systems that help rovers drive on the Moon — where GPS is unable to work — later this decade
A fundamentally different approach to wind estimation using unmanned aircraft than the vast majority of existing methods. This method uses no on-board flow sensor and does not attempt to estimate thrust or drag forces. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida Traditionally, remotely piloted aircraft systems, or drones, have used onboard flow sensors to measure wind effects, producing in-flight metrics on which operators rely. Leveraging GPS instead, however, might provide more robust measurements, leading to safer, more efficient flights, according to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University researchers. As most drones weigh less than 55 pounds, even mild gusts of wind can disrupt their flight, which makes finding creative solutions to monitor and predict hyperlocal weather conditions essential to flying without disruption or unplanned landings
The safety of students during transportation on school buses is a paramount concern for both parents and schools. Although GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking systems are commonly used, they are limited in their ability to identify which students are on board. To ensure the safety and security of the students, this paper proposes a student authentication system based on facial recognition, people counter along with GPS vehicle tracking. This is intended to explore the advantages of these three technologies combined together for student authentication, the implementation process, and how it can improve the safety of school bus transportation
Researchers have developed an algorithm that can “eavesdrop” on any signal from a satellite and use it to locate any point on Earth, much like GPS. The study represents the first time an algorithm was able to exploit signals broadcast by multi-constellation low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, namely Starlink, OneWeb, Orbcomm, and Iridium
Northrop Grumman Woodland Hills, CA 224-200-7539
This SAE Aerospace Standard (AS) defines implementation requirements for the electrical interface between: a Aircraft carried miniature store carriage systems and miniature stores b Aircraft parent carriage and miniature stores c Surface-based launch systems and miniature stores The interface provides a common interfacing capability for the initialization and employment of smart miniature munitions and other miniature stores from the host systems. Physical, electrical, and logical (functional) aspects of the interface are addressed
While a majority of transportation and mobility solutions rely on in-vehicle sensors and the availability of the global positioning system (GPS) for absolute localization, alternate paradigms leveraging smart infrastructure have started becoming a viable solution for localization without needing GPS. However, the majority of approaches involving smart infrastructure require a means for wireless communication. In this article, we describe a novel method that can accurately localize the vehicle without using GPS and wireless communication by leveraging embedded digital and analog information on the roadside signage. The embedded information consists of a digital signature which can be used to cross-reference the ground truth (GT) location of the signage, as well as geometric information of the signage. This information is directly leveraged by on-vehicle sensors to generate absolute localization information. Specifically, the smart infrastructure consists of signage that is visible
This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) describes methods that are known to have been used by aircraft manufacturers to evaluate aircraft aerodynamic performance and handling effects following application of aircraft ground deicing/anti-icing fluids (“fluids”), as well as methods under development. Guidance and insight based upon those experiences are provided, including: Similarity analyses. Icing wind tunnel tests. Flight tests. Computational fluid dynamics and other numerical analyses. This ARP also describes: The history of evaluation of the aerodynamic effects of fluids. The effects of fluids on aircraft aerodynamics. The testing for aerodynamic acceptability of fluids for SAE and regulatory qualification performed in accordance with AS5900. Additionally, Appendices A to E present individual aircraft manufacturers’ histories and methodologies which substantially contributed to the improvement of knowledge and processes for the evaluation of fluid aerodynamic effects
Nowadays, real-world emissions and consumption behaviour of Light Duty (LDV) and Heavy Duty (HDV) vehicles are key factors in achieving greenhouse gas (GHG) targets. With the introduction of EURO VI in 2013 there were already low emission levels and real fuel consumption of new HDV vehicles. Furthermore, the available public literature regarding fuel consumption of European HDV vehicles is not very extensive. Hence, the development of an experimental activity related to HDVs real consumption measurement and the subsequent data analysis can be considered in this field. To this end, the fuel consumption data of four rear-loader garbage Diesel trucks, managed by a multiservice company in the Southern Italy, were collected during real use. Vehicles in pairs have different technical characteristics (i.e. engine capacity and maximum load capacity of the garbage). In this paper, we describe the methodology implemented to analyze the complete set of data (collected through questionnaires) from
The GPS Radio Occultation and Ultraviolet — Colocated (GROUP-C) experiment was originally conceived in 2010 as a CubeSat mission, combining a compact GPS occultation receiver and high-sensitivity far-ultraviolet (FUV) photometer experiment to be flown as a Space Test Program experiment. The concept was to incorporate a commercial off-the-shelf GPS receiver and a small second-generation FUV photometer to replicate the space weather portion of the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3) mission at lower cost. In the same timeframe, the Air Force Space and Missile System Center initiated the Space Environment NanoSatellite Experiment (SENSE) to demonstrate several CubeSat technologies for space environment sensing, which included the Compact Tiny Ionospheric Photometer (CTIP) and the Compact Total Electron Content Sensor (CTECS
While stereo cameras and computer vision guide Deere's “limited release” 8R autonomous tractor, Bear Flag's lidar tech will augment future machines. Q&A with Deere's Joe Liefer John Deere got “really serious” about autonomy in 2019, according to Joe Liefer, senior product manager of autonomy at John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group. Three years later - after forming an in-house development team and acquiring some tech-startup expertise - the machinery maker revealed a fully autonomous tractor at CES 2022 that it claims is ready for large-scale production. Based on Deere's 8R tractor, the machine combines a TruSet-enabled chisel plow, GPS guidance system, advanced AI and six pairs of stereo cameras that enable 360-degree obstacle detection and distance calculation. The autonomous 8R tractor also continuously checks its position relative to a geofence and is accurate to within less than 1 inch (25 mm), Deere claims. Farmers monitor and control it from a smartphone app
NASA’ Deep Space Network (DSN), a sort of GPS system for space, relies on atomic clocks for extreme accuracy. Any modern navigation system must accurately time radio signals to triangulate a location. But the need for accuracy is even higher in space, where great distances can compound even tiny errors
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