GPS 10 m accuracy has been put under reconsideration this week after engineers from Duke University have presented their new fresh and shiny SurroundSense system. The thing here is: GPS is a space-based satellite system where SurroundSense is an application that collects various type of data from your mobile phone and transmits it to a server where the data is processed into a distinct fingerprint which can show your location even indoors and with much better accuracy.And the great thing about SurroundSense is that it can run on almost any type of cell phone, it doesn't have to a very expensive smartphone. The system just requires a microphone (no problems here really), camera and accelerometer for this is the kind of data SurroundSense is using. By bringing all that in one engineers managed to calculate your location, and the more data you send them, the more accurate is the fingerprint, somehow.
But isn't it warring? Sanding real time pictures from your camera and talks that microphone catches, and yes, you got it right, leave SurroundSense on and it will eat up all the charge from the battery. I am fine with 10 m precision, you know.
