Most of us have experienced the scenario of trusting our smartphones or GPS navigators to get us somewhere, and then all of the sudden your device misplaces your whereabouts. Often GPS signals can be blocked in dense urban areas or lost in rural foliage, which is usually when we need it the most.  Hopefully that will be changing over the next couple of years thanks to a small company called Locata, based out of Canberra, Australia.

Most people probably don’t know what goes into creating GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals. First you have to launch a constellation of at least 24 satellites that must be synchronized using atomic clocks installed in each one, then they must be augmented by expensive GNSS receivers on the ground, and finally it needs the support of a space agency for at least a decade. As you can imagine the cost is in the billions.  Locata essentially does the same thing as GPS, but rather than relying on satellites in orbit, it works with radio transmitters on the ground broadcasting signals over the 2.4GHz radio channel. Locata’s ground-based equipment (‘LocataLite’ transmitters) project a radio signal over a localized area that is a million times stronger on arrival than GPS. It also has the ability to pinpoint locations within a couple of inches rather than GPS’ 10-25 feet. The other major advantage with this new positioning technology is that it can be used indoors. Google and Nokia have expressed interest in this because it allows them to map out and guide clients through giant shopping malls, concert venues, and large concrete megaplexes.

Currently Locata is being used to locate drilling equipment in Australia, and is being marketed for big businesses. Recently the US military (ironically the creators of GPS technology) have signed a contract with Locata which, for many, has solidified their place in the field of global positioning. They aren’t currently focusing on consumer applications due to the size and cost of the transmitters, but Nunzio Ganbale, CEO and co-founder, predicts that the units will be small and cheap enough to be available for smartphones within the next five years. At first Locata technology will be a supplement to GPS, but it could become the standard positioning technology over time.