Geotagging amongst first targets for novel gps chip
In a move which it believes will enable a range of new consumer products with new functionality, Air Semiconductor has unveiled Airwave-1, a chipthat tracks the user’s location continuously, but with negligible power drain.
According to Air, it is the only company with the technology capable of delivering instant and continuous positioning information to battery operated devices. It claims Airwave-1 requires as little as 1% of the power required by current GPS solutions, consuming 1mA when continuously tracking. Samples will be available in the summer of 2008.
One of the first targets will be digital cameras. Equipping these with an Airwave-1 chip will enable automatic ‘geotagging’ of images. Meanwhile, a mobile handset would be able to run autonomous location sensitive applications.
Airwave-1 is an adaptive device, containing rf and digital circuitry, as well as the software needed to calculate location data. It outputs location data in a format that enables simple integration into consumer devices.
Pictured are Air cofounders David Tester, left, and ceo Stephen Graham.
