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Geotate develops software-based GPS

vnunet: Geotate has developed a software-based GPS system that could overcome many of the challenges inherent in today’s geo-tagging systems in cameras, personal navigation devices and mobile phones.

Geotate was spun off from semi-conductor firm NXP, following the development of the ‘Capture and Process’ GPS platform.

The software captures and stores a short burst of available satellite data rather than taking the time, processing power and battery life to acquire a satellite fix.

The data is then processed via web-based services, either in real time or at a later date.

Geotate claims that this method dramatically reduces the cost and power requirements of handling GPS satellite signals, removing hurdles for the use of GPS signals in resource-limited devices such as cameras and location-loggers.

The company reckons that the technology will allow mainstream camera makers to enter into the market for GPS in consumer devices, a sector analyst firm IMS Research predicts will increase five-fold by 2011.

“New advances in GPS and location based services, such as geo-tagging, are driving growth of GPS into consumer devices such as cameras and laptops,” said IMS Research analyst Matia Grossi.

“We expect to see the market take off in 2008 with well over one million GPS-enabled cameras sold, and strong growth forecast for the next four years thanks to new disruptive technologies like geo-tagging coming of age.”

Capture and process Geotate gps NXP