[Cyborg] indoor positioning system using magnetometer

Eric Boyd mrericboyd at yahoo.com
Tue Jul 10 14:33:36 UTC 2012


http://www.extremetech.com/computing/132484-indoor-navigation-on-your-smartphone-using-the-earths-magnetic-field-just-like-a-homing-pigeon

It's hard for me to believe that the magnetic field at each location 
would be globally unique - at least at that resolution.  Seems more 
likely that you have to give the app a rough location (e.g. this 
building, or here's a nearby wifi/cell tower location...) and from there 
it can pin-point you.

Also, anyone else notice the curious total fixity of the cell phone 
angle and location with respect to the camera & floor?  They must have 
had some kind of fancy rig to hold them that rigidly.  Maybe some smoke 
& mirrors?  It also makes me wonder how well the indoor positioning app 
works if the phone tilts, or shakes...

Still, really cool technology.  I imagine it would be super useful for 
things like google glass :-)

Eric




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