01 Aug 2012

ST Microelectronics and CSR join forces on indoor navigation

UK-based Cambridge Silicon Radio and ST Microelectronics, Switzerland, have combined technologies to navigate visitors to Taiwan's Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipan through its latest exhibition.

ST and CSR have integrated ST's MEMS devices with CSR's positioning technology to produce an indoor-positioning system that they say overcomes the challenge of poor Global Navigation Satellite Systems visibility in indoor environments.

Integrated to standard smartphones available at the museum, the system will navigate visitors through the collection, playing audio information as the user approaches each exhibit.

“For those who have not yet had the chance to experience the kind of seamless, detailed deep indoors navigation we have created, this hands-on demonstration will give attendees a true vision of what the next wave of location technology will offer,” said Dave Huntingford, Director of Location Product Management at CSR.

SiRFstarV architecture gathers real-time information from GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and Compass satellites systems, Wi-Fi, cellular and other radio-based systems, as well as multiple MEMS sensors, including accelerometers, gyros and compasses.

It then combines this real-time information with ephemeris data, mapping, cellular base-station and Wi-Fi access point location data and other cloud-based aiding information using the SiRFusion platform.

Housed in ultra-compact packages, STMicroelectronics MEMS achieve a high level of motion-control detection, embedding the most useful smart functions and minimising power consumption.

For example, ST’s compasses integrate a 3-axis digital accelerometer with a 3-axis digital magnetic sensor in a single package to enhance advanced navigation features and smart location-based services.

"The combination of our accurate indoor-navigation technology with the latest exhibition of Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei showcases the power of this innovation," added Patrick Boulaud, STMicroelectronics regional vice president, Analog, MEMS and Sensors, Greater China and South Asia Region.

Most popular news in Wireless technology