Revolutionary Quantum Compass Could Soon Make GPS-Free Navigation a Reality

Scitech Daily ^ | August 18, 2024 | Sandia National Laboratories

[BobL]

The China spy is already there.

[Alas Babylon!]

I see an east Asian, a European and a south Asian.

Is that not diverse enough?

[cymbeline]

Many pilots of ships and planes are acquainted with inertial navigation systems. Given a known starting location, they precisely sense acceleration in all three dimensions and, knowing that, can keep track of the vehicle’s position relative to that starting position.

This article describes a new way of precisely measuring acceleration. The article, like typical technical articles written for publicity purposes, begins with a snazzy picture and talks about what the gadget could do, and about the project sponsors. the excitement, etc.

[Red Badger]

It will be useful in space navigation................

[Erik Latranyi]

Autonomous vehicles

[chaosagent]

Sounds exactly like the Quantum Gyroscope that Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard were working on for the Air Force.

[bert]

Perhaps I misunderstood.

I assumed the chip would maintain a set direction. An AI vehicle or auto pilot requires GPS to make enroute heading changes.

[cymbeline]

“It will be useful in space navigation”

If it works. I’m still waiting for a quantum computer to appear that adds 2+2 and you program in c++.

[1FreeAmerican]

Yes - especially at the speed of plaid...

[riverrunner]

Without the need for a signal. it makes it a lot harder for people to track you.

Well the government let us peons have it.

[paulcissa]

How soon before they give the tech to the Chicoms?

It's a good bet they've already stolen the research data.

[HombreSecreto]

Good for defense but what if you wanted to preempt inbound mobile items using this? Maybe a home defense EMP to thwart those things flying around you and causing trouble?

[laxcoach]

I wonder if anyone at The Big Bang Theory will take credit given their season where the boys worked on a quantum vortex gyroscope 😀

[Red Badger]

Maybe it was the other way around.................

[Mogger]

inertial navigation systems.

Yes, just an improved INS.

Good thing to have for when the GPS is down.

[ridesthemiles]

Sounds like it can ALSO track every ‘smartphone’ out there.

[ridesthemiles]

I AM OLDER-—AND I DO THE SAME.

[catnipman]

“a device that controls light on a microchip”

could eventually revolutionize fiber optic data communications as well ...

[ansel12]

I’ve never used GPS anything, maps only here.

[GMThrust]

This is good stuff for when they take down the GPS system. What I find interesting in the photo is their clothing. They are not dressed in the full lab get-up which gives me the impression that this system is not that sensitive to extraneous interference.