Transforming virtual reality, mobile devices.

PositionGPS

A centimeter-accurate GPS-based positioning system that could revolutionize geolocation on virtual reality headsets, cellphones, and other technologies--making global positioning and orientation far more precise than what currently is available on a mobile device--has been developed at the University of Texas, Austin.

The researchers' system could allow unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver packages to a specific spot on a consumer's back porch, enable collision avoidance technologies on cars, and allow virtual reality headsets to be used outdoors. The new GPS, coupled with a smartphone camera, could be used to build quickly a globally referenced 3-D map of one's surroundings that greatly would expand the radius of a virtual reality game. Currently, VR does not employ GPS, which limits its use to indoors and usually a two- to three-foot radius.

"Imagine games where, rather than sit in front of a monitor and play, you are in your backyard actually running around with other players," says lead researcher Todd Humphreys, assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. 'To be able to do this type of outdoor...

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