TeleConsult Austria GmbH

Sensor-Augmented EGNOS/Galileo Receiver
for Handheld Applications in Urban and
Indoor Environments (SARHA)

Aims
Combine a modern Satellite Navigation receiver with augmentation sensors and integrate the hybrid navigation software directly on the receiver hardware. The project will demonstrate its capabilities for personal mobility applications in unfavourable environment such as urban canyons and even indoors.

Brief Description
The first design studies and prototypes of combined communication and navigation systems have already been developed and some have even been demonstrated in various field tests. Although the results are promising, the systems are still far from being introduced into the market. Main obstacles are still system complexity, dimensions/weight, reliability, limited operation areas and cost. Before such systems can be used in real service situations, the next step towards a more user-oriented product has to take place. Such development requires close cooperation between GPS/EGNOS/(Galileo) receiver manufacturers; application experts and specialists in sensor fusion and system integration.

Based on their extensive experience in the development of sophisticated GPS/EGNOS/(Galileo) products and applications, a team of SME companies and a research institute have come together to develop a user-friendly ‘Sensor-Augmented EGNOS/Galileo Receiver for Handheld Applications in Urban and Indoor Environments (SARHA)’.

The SARHA project will concentrate on the decisive factors for user acceptance:

Higher integration of components to reduce dimensions and weight;
Easy handling and high automation;
Robustness of the system;
Maximum use of commercial components to reduce cost;
Integration of data communication functionality.

Project Partners
    TeleConsult Austria GmbH, Austria (lead)
    OECON GmbH, Germany
    u-blox AG, Switzerland
    Dynatronics AG, Switzerland
    École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland

Financing
    Galileo Joint Undertaking, under FP6 of the European Union

Status
    Successfully completed in 2007