Is It Really GPS If It Doesn't Use Satellites? 298
cartechboy writes: "GPS was originally developed by the military, but today it's in your smartphones, and soon, possibly your watches. Now the British military is developing something called quantum compass. The concept is a GPS-style navigation for submarines that doesn't use satellites. The quantum compass uses the movements of super-cooled subatomic particles to pinpoint a vessel's location. These particles, stored in a vacuum, react to the Earth's magnetic field. The movements caused by this interaction can be used for location positioning. At the moment, the Ministry of Defense's prototype resembles a '1-meter long shoe box,' so the next step is to miniaturize it. It could then be used by individual soldiers, as well as huge ships and submarines. Not only is it useful, but it's secure too—the technology is apparently interference-proof. Is this the future of navigation systems, or the reinvention of the compass? Possibly both."
Re:For smartphone? Don't think so... (Score:2, Funny)
By having a stellar array of really cool apps! Not lame ones, like Facebook or Twitter.
Re:Man-portable supercooling? (Score:5, Funny)
Doesn't anyone listen to the Doctor. Whenever the Brits make advanced technology meant to be shared with the world for the common, it is part of some evil plot to take over the human race! Why don't they just call it Asmos.
Re:Well ... (Score:5, Funny)
you might as well call navigating by the stars GPS
That'd be galactic positioning system.
Re:Durability? (Score:4, Funny)
Could build the input stage with valves. It'll make your location sound better.
Re:Well ... (Score:5, Funny)
Next Up! (Score:4, Funny)
Next up in our quest to solve the world's semantic quibbles: is it a metric system if it isn't SI?
Discuss among yourselves.
Re:Man-portable supercooling? (Score:3, Funny)
Is a shark-portable version a possibility?