Epson cranks out "world's smallest" GPS module
By Darren Murph 
posted December 18th 2006 5:19PM
posted December 18th 2006 5:19PM
Apparently Epson is hoping that small is in, as the firm is pumping out yet another "world's smallest" object, and this time it's a wee-sized GPS module. Crafted specifically for tiny applications like mobile handsets, the S4E19863 measures just 7- x 6- x 1.28-millimeters and purportedly holds the title for "world's smallest GPS chip." Already available in NTT DoCoMo's FOMA 903i series, Epson has begun shipping these things in bulk, hoping to add GPS functionality to other miniscule handsets as well. Built to receive even the faintest signals indoors and out, the chip also boasts "3GPP-compliant positioning modes (MS-Based, MS-Assisted and Autonomous)" to offer greater compatibility across the board. Plus, we bet it's just a matter of time before these tiny positioning modules are up and running in some streamlined dog collar for the "anxious pet owner" crowd.[Via Far East Gizmos]
"Plus, we bet it's just a matter of time before these tiny positioning modules are up and running in some streamlined dog collar for the "anxious pet owner" crowd."
Anxious pet owners or paranoid parents who end up chipping their kids...
At that stage, they like to be called "Pet Parents". Seriously.
Imagine this in the yet to be released LG KE850 phone/media player.
It may be the worlds smallest, but would be more interesting if it was the worlds lowest power usage. GPS is great if you have a whacking great big battery, ie. mobile phone. But when you start to talk about dog collars and other tiny tracking devices, GPS becomes way too power hungry. Someone who can figure out a way to get a GPS module to acquire satellites and fix it's location without having to crank out big correlations or be able to do them without sucking loads of juice will be a very wealthy someone.
You are right. And don't forget that if you attach one of these to a dog collar you will also need to add a power hungry TRANSMITTER to match the POWER HUNGRY GPS. With out the trasmitter, the gps chip would be uselss as a tracking device.
So first off, how can I get one and what is standing in the way of making my own little gps trackers to stick in all my goodies?
I'm guessing this needs a processor of some kind to handle the gps and of course power.
I'd like to see an engadget how-to about making these things and linking them up to a web tracker... You know... It'd be fun.
I think using this chip (given the size among other things), might be beyond the ability of the average DIY'er (it looks big in the photo, but I've had chips that look big online then when I get them they are less than 3mm wide... not something a person can work with unaided by a machine). With that said, I have very minor electronics experience (self-taught stuff, I can make you a battery to USB charger or with some help in coding - god how I hate coding beyond PHP - turn a NES or SNES controller into a generic USB device/bluetooth/or wireless RF or maybe a funky dancing LCD light display but that's about it) and even I'm interested in using this.
I'd like something I could turn on and put in my pocket, then let friends via a restrictive website + some Google API code see where I am. I don't know if such a device exists for consumers. I know AMP (yelled very loudly as they do in their annoying commercials) lets you see other users on a map via their cellphones and you can get a cellphone that acts as a turn by turn GPS directional device (although I wouldn't trust one as far as I could chuck it) but I don't know if any product exists that would transmit your cords in a way where they could be displayed online. Obviously the technology exists though, even Google has a service that tracks cabs. I've been in one of the cabs they track in Portland, and they use a 6inch touchscreen LCD screen that shows current location via GPS on a very simple map which they can switch and see where other taxis are at and when a new person needs to be picked up - like when someone calls dispatch - they can see how far away it is and if they want to take it the fare... it's all pretty cool and I'm sure has some stuff hidden away under the seat).
If anyone knows of a consumer level device like this, or better yet, knows of a DIY guide or at least some place to get into I'd be very thankful. Maybe I can find a way to hijack my phone's GPS chip and 3G (well it's CDMA2000 1x so it's technically not 3G but it gets the job done) using a java app... but it's probably suck the juice out in 3 hours or less. Damn, well I'm going to go contact the people that are working on the Google Taxi project, but if anyone else gets any leads regarding DIY GPS projects (the holy grail being one that can additionally send network data back to a PC without paying a monthly charge or something), please reply to this comment or e-mail me directly at oshidori@gmail.com - Thanks!
- Tony R.
I can see these chips one day eventually being added to wrist watches.
transmitting the coords back to "the network" - your home PC, skynet, blog, website - is the main problem.
the only thing I can think of in terms of lowest power requirements combined with highest availability is cell phone networks. GPRS would work fine, it's a tiny amount of data, no need for 3G. so at the very least a cell transmitter and a SIM card. not super-power hungry, especially if it was dedicated to doing just that. unfortunately you would need a big, bad mobile operator to play along. or you create a MVNO just for this purpose.
Has this GPS chip been prooven that it works indoors? How reliable is it?
There are a few good alternative and complimentary positioning technologies to GPS for indoors, like Wi-Fi location systems, or TV-based positioning. Http://indoorLBS.com features these.