Posted on 11/12/2018 4:19:29 AM PST by BenLurkin
Scientists have demonstrated a "commercially viable" quantum accelerometer that could provide navigation without GPS or other satellite technology. The device uses lasers to cool atoms to extremely low temperatures, and then measures the quantum wave properties of those atoms as they respond to acceleration.
[T]his quantum 'compass' isn't ready to replace the accelerometer in your phone. It's only truly ready for ships, trains and other large vehicles where size and power requirements aren't major factors. It could keep transportation networks humming even if GPS fails outright. The researchers also expect the underlying concepts to help with science studies, such as looking for gravitational waves.
(Excerpt) Read more at engadget.com ...
Cruise missiles and drones could use this.
Especially cruise missiles and drones for which weight, power and size (and cooling) are not considerations.
Cruise missiles originally used terrain mapping, drones are more of less the same. You can supplement terrain mapping with inertial navigation using conventional accelerometers, and I am sure that they already do.
If you need an accelerometer to navigate a train, you’re on the wrong track, Casey Jones.
It sounded interesting, but I was thinking it would have been through quantum entanglement. Then I thought about the measurement paradox and realized I am not a quantum physicist.
Accelerometer navigation would be next to worthless without major computational power, and the device is hardly portable, so this seems to be a solution that is as complicated and fallible as the GPS system it is intended to replace.
What you said.
Lots of application.
The first model has just been demonstrated in the lab.
It will likely shrink down, but it does require high power.
Minature accelerometers have been used for decades already.
They fill in the gaps from GPS for smart weapons.
This one is so potentially accurate and reliable, it would not need the GPS.
The whole point of the device is to be portable.
It just is not as portable as we would like it for most applications, yet.
The first GPS units were much bigger, and took more power than the current ones.
Inertial navigation was used long before GPS.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_navigation_system
Trains?
Unless, of course, you wat to make sure there's not another train on the same track or siding. Have you ever seen an overpass for trains, like you see for automobiles?
BTTT
Okay but what’s wrong with GPS? Beleive me if the satellites are taken out the navigation app on your phone will be the least of your problems.
Okay but what’s wrong with GPS? Beleive me if the satellites are taken out the navigation app on your phone will be the least of your problems.
Anchor Crankers rejoice!
Inertial navigation was used successfully long before GPS.
Inertial was compact enough, and accurate enough for Navy aircraft, such as the P-3 Orion, many years ago.
I remember working on the "Carousel IV" in the 70s, for commercial aviation. The accelerometers were mounted on a rotating platform, a carousel, to improve the accuracy. By rotating, the errors in the acceleration signal would somewhat cancel out. The device was a bit larger than the micromachined accelerometer chips in your cell phone.
The developers were quite proud that the device allowed an airplane to fly from Europe to LA, and only miss the airport by a mile, or so.
Sounds like a Inertial Navigation System. I use to work on the old version of a INS back in the 80s. This would be a Quantum Inertial Navigation system.
Before GPS, a lot of Aircraft systems used INS for navigation.
The first units weight about 40 pounds, at least the ones I work on. Big black box.... The antennas were huge too.
That is pretty darn good!
As good as most celestial navigation on ships.
Thanks for that.
Some folks gotta get out more.
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