Researchers increase GPS precision to centimeter-accurate

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.”

In a recent survey conducted by Building Design+Construction, more than 75% of respondents indicated they currently use BIM or plan to use it. Respondents were also asked to comment on their experiences with BIM, what they liked and disliked about BIM, and what BIM-related advice they would give to their peers.

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BIM Clarification and Codification in a Louisiana Sports Museum

The Louisiana State Sports Hall of Fame celebrates the sporting past, but it took innovative 3D planning and coordination of the future to deliver its contemporary design.

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GREENBUILD 2011: Johnson Controls announces Panoptix, a new approach to building efficiency

Panoptix combines latest technology, new business model and industry-leading expertise to make building efficiency easier and more accessible to a broader market.