ESA -Technology Transfer Programme and LBSs

BARCELONA -Framed by the spendid view from the 20th floor of the Mapfre Tower, Bruno Naulais, European Space Incubators Network Manager at ESA, explained some of the current initiatives of the ESA with potential for tech start-ups.

The new Galileo satellite will offer better resolution than GPS, precise timing via an atomic clock and a guaranteed signal (a boon indeed for LBS companies given occasional unreliability of GPS signals on mobile devices).

Bruno also covered other alternatives to GPS.Consisting of three geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations, EGNOS achieves its aim by transmitting a signal containing information on the reliability and accuracy of the positioning signals sent out by the US Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Russian Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS). It allows users in Europe and beyond to determine their position to within 2 metres, compared with about 20 metres for GPS and GLONASS alone.

In addition, new boosters are being developed as part of the ESA Technology Transfer Programme that will allow indoor usage of GPS, thus providing realtime navigation guidance at large scale indoor events (trade fairs).

A new centre for Innovation in Geospatial and Location Based Services is also being set up by ESA together with Oracle and TeleAtlas.

The ESA VC Fund Initiative is providing finance of up to €1.3m for innovative start-ups and they are seeing the key dealflow in the area of Location based products and services.

More info can be found at www.esa.int/ttp

KoreaComm 2008-PhotoBlog

ESA Living Labs-Mobile Lessons from Space

When it comes to exploring the frontiers, both geographical and cognitive, space agencies are difficult to beat. Many inventions originally conceived for space missions (one example amongst many, lithium ion batteries) have found their way into the consumer mainstream.

It therefore makes perfect sense to attempt to harness the know-how capability of space science for the benefit of the world of communications and related technologies.

Living Labs Global, together with the European Space Incubators Network of the European Space Agency, ESA, run by Bruno Naulais, and Barcelona's 22@ Initiative have organised a half-day event on the 19th November in Barcelona to explore how best to leverage space innovation within the start-up environment.

The event is limited to 50 participants so getting a seat may be a challenge. If you are keen to attend though, you can give it a try by following the title link. Otherwise, I will be reporting back on the event on this blog and provide highlights on the key points.