QinetiQ’s high sensitivity GPS took “best new electronic, communication or internet protocol product” at IFSEC’s annual industry innovation awards.
The award comes at the same time as QinetiQ released an upgraded version 2 of the software that drives the Q20 GPS chip. This covers a variety of GPS applications, from asset tracking to personnel location.
The current Q20 module, 1000 times more sensitive than standard GPS devices, has more than 50,000 units deployed in TETRA radios used by UK police forces and other public safety bodies. The GPS-enabled TETRA radio, manufactured by Sepura, TETRA terminal suppliers, works in extremely low signal environments, such as city centres and even inside buildings, the firm reports. This allows the police and other users to know the precise location of staff once they have left vehicles, particularly when officers are working in potentially dangerous places.
What they say
Ian Pirie, Director of GPS Telematics at QinetiQ, said: "We are delighted to receive this important award for our world beating Q20 GPS module. The award is also a reflection of Sepura’s success in taking our technology to market and making an important contribution to the safety of the police and other users. We understand the need to continue to innovate to bring further value to our customers. This week’s release of the Q20 software upgrade demonstrates our commitment to meet that need and our desire to push the boundaries of what can be achieved by QinetiQ’s high sensitivity GPS."
Current GPS solutions can result in problems of availability if a GPS unit is turned on indoors because signal acquisition is traditionally very difficult to achieve under these circumstances. QinetiQ’s new Q20 software overcomes these problems and is able to quickly acquire a signal indoors, the firm claims. This is particularly important when the unit has been indoors for a prolonged period, for instance when used to track an expensive item of stock that has been stored in a warehouse or when needing to locate a GPS-tagged prisoner who is confined within a building. The upgraded Q20 will bring further benefit, it is claimed, through a faster time to first fix (TTFF) in indoor mode. The unit also operates with reduced power consumption, a consideration when the GPS unit is used in a battery-powered, self-contained unit.
