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by zxcvgm 668 days ago
When I initially watched the demo video, I was wondering how the devices might locate each other. I thought it was using ultra wide band (UWB) like iPhones but now I see it’s just GPS. I’m not sure how many of these events are indoors vs outdoors, but it definitely won’t work indoors. Wonder how they might try to make it work indoors if there’s no additional hardware onboard.
1 comments

A device can't locate other devices via GPS (GNSS apparently, which includes GPS and other systems); it can only locate itself. GNSS is only a receiver; there's no way to transmit unless you have a satellite. [0]

Having located itself, the device has to transmit its location to other Totem Compasses via other means. It says it uses 2.4 GHz spectrum and some stripped down, low-latency protocol (why does low-latency matter here?).

[0] I can setup a local cellular transmitter; has anyone tried setting up a GPS transmitter and hack it to send other useful information besides PNT? Yes, I know you can send misleading PNT info; I'm talking about doing something useful.