Could these be your backup GPS?

Between Global Positioning Systems and the lack of privacy on the Internet, you might think someone could track you down anywhere.

But GPS-enabled devices are not perfect. Some areas are GPS dead zones, and if the satellite signal can’t locate you, you’re lost to anyone using the system.

So, Researchers at North Carolina State and Carnegie Mellon Universities have developed an ingenious solution – a shoe with radar embedded in the heel (see prototype on the right).

Right now, the most common way to track people down in GPS dead zones is to use an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The IMU measures your speed and direction and figures your position relative to your last known GPS location. The problem is that the more time that passes since your last known GPS location, the more inaccurate the IMU estimation becomes.

The radar shoe works by tracking the distance between the foot and the ground. If that distance doesn’t change for a while, the shoe knows you’ve been standing still. This prevents the IMU from assuming you have been walking a certain distance at a certain pace.

Radar shoes may not be necessary for everyone, but they would improve the safety of people who spend a lot of time underground, including miners, construction workers, and engineers working on tunnels or large infrastructure projects.

Images:
Ana_Cotta/Flickr
Carnegie Mellon University and North Carolina State University

Filed under: Computer, e-News, Electrical

Tags: Computer, Electrical