Thanks to researchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, unmanned aerial vehicles can soon deliver packages to a specific spot on a customer’s back porch.
According to Phys.org, the new centimeter-accurate GPS system “could transform virtual reality and mobile devices.”
Though centimeter-accurate positioning systems are already used in fields such as geology, surveying, and mapping, the devices have always been too large and costly. Now, this precision can soon be found with the help of the average mobile phone.
Todd Humphreys, Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, worked with a student to establish a startup, Radiosense, to further develop the technology.
Phys.org reports that Humphreys and his team are “working with Samsung to develop a snap-on accessory that will tell smartphones, tablets, and virtual reality headsets their precise position and orientation.”
Related Stories
| Mar 10, 2014
Meet Tally – the Revit app that calculates the environmental impact of building materials
Tally provides AEC professionals with insight into how materials-related decisions made during design influence a building’s overall ecological footprint.
| Mar 10, 2014
Field tested: Caterpillar’s Cat B15 rugged smartphone
The B15 is billed by Cat as “the most progressive, durable and rugged device available on the market today.”
| Mar 10, 2014
5 rugged mobile devices geared for construction pros
BD+C readers share their most trusted smartphone and tablet cases. The editors select some of their faves, too.
Sponsored | | Mar 6, 2014
Rombald Inc. improves profits by customizing reports and managing multiple projects
By replacing spreadsheets with BillQuick, this growing consulting firm has greater visibility into its project financials.
| Mar 6, 2014
Must see: Tour Seinfeld's apartment with virtual reality headset
Fans of the show can now explore a virtual 3D model of the iconic New York residence, thanks to one Web designer's painstaking effort.
| Feb 27, 2014
3 reasons to apply computational fluid dynamics on your next project
From right-sizing mechanical systems to understanding the impact of design alternatives, CFD offers a host of benefits for the Building Team.
| Feb 27, 2014
Bluebeam Software launches Revu 12 for better field-ready document management and project collaboration
The latest version of the company’s flagship solution better enables users in document-intensive industries to digitally collaborate on project documents and more easily connect the office to the field.
| Feb 27, 2014
PocketCake lunches CPU designed for virtual reality simulations
The company's Virtual Reality Simulation Converter Assembly is three times more powerful than the average high-performance computer and allows for up to eight people to experience a virtual reality simulation at the same time.
| Feb 26, 2014
Use this app to streamline safety inspections
Using the iAuditor app, one of our Skanska teams developed electronic reports that make safety inspections more efficient, and that make it easier to address any issues emerging from them.
| Feb 26, 2014
Startup PocketCake aims to bring virtual reality simulations to the AEC masses
Founded in 2012, the development firm offers custom virtual reality simulations for the price of a typical architectural illustration.
