Digi-Key at embedded world 2023 with u-blox

West and Svensson spent their session talking about the new high precision GNSS development tools from u-blox: the XPLR-HPG Series. Following an introduction to himself and u-blox, Svensson went on to talk about high precision positioning and how it can be achieved.

High precision positioning can be achieved by combining global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, with real time kinematic (RTK) technology. "If you install one receiver with a known location, it calculate the arrow and send that to the second receiver," says Svensson, as he went on to describe the benefits of the technology and u-blox’s application within it.

HPG solutions enable centimetre to sub-meter accuracy in seconds to minutes, depending on the selection of components, configuration options, and correction data inputs.  The platform delivers the next level of scalable GNSS high precision technology, which is paving the path for new navigation applications such as unmanned vehicle navigation, automated driving and various machine automation applications.

Rising demand for scalable high precision technology

The demand for scalable high precision technology is growing rapidly, as evident in the automotive world with next generation ADAS and V2X applications, and in robotics with applications such as UAVs and robotic lawnmowers.

This added precision has created a rising demand for this technology. "Slow moving robots like lawnmowers but also delivery robots will see some uses in some cities." Says Svensson. Yet some cities, Svensson continued, are putting speed limitations on these devices due to current limitations on precision.

The u-blox solution

Svensson tells West us how u-blox is delivering the next level of scalable GNSS high precision technology to address these hurdles.

They have two explorer kits in its XPLR-HPG series –one compact and one modular – with the XPLR-HPG-1 being a flexible platform for u-blox high precision GNSS solutions.

“We have developed a board with every component necessary to evaluate and start doing prototyping and proof of concept with our opensource components.” Svensson concludes as he explains what separates u-blox solutions from similar ones on the market.

A device with an integrated u-blox high precision GNSS receiver module can be flexibly re-configured also in the field, to operate in the desired solution type, according to the available correction data or service.