Indoor GPS Is Accurate To Within 10 cm

BlinkSight, a fabless semiconductor company specializing in real-time location systems (RTLS), has released the first single-chip “indoor GPS” solution for RTLS and wireless sensor network applications. Based on the ultra-low power impulse radio technology developed by Imec and Holst Centre, the new chip enables real-time 3D location information that is accurate to within 10 cm.

The device combines digital processing elements and sophisticated analog radio functionality in a single chip. It can operate in the 3.1–4.8 GHz and 6–10 GHz bands for use around the world and seamless co-existence with other wireless technologies. Fabricated in standard 90 nm RF-CMOS, the chip features an embedded software-programmable, ultra-low power 128-bit vector DSP drawing engine operating at less than 16 pJ/cycle. The line-of-sight range is greater than 60 m, dropping to 20 m under obscured conditions. It can operate over five years from a standard coin cell.