ROHM Introduces Guidepost Cell - a New Indoor High-Accuracy Location Detection Infrastructure Powered by Energy-Harvesting DSC (Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells)

SAN DIEGO, June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ROHM, in collaboration with Ritsumeikan University and Information Services International – Dentsu, Ltd. (ISID), recently announced Guidepost Cell (TM), a unique indoor location detection infrastructure that supplies highly precise positional data to smartphones and other mobile devices to determine a user's location inside buildings, underground malls and other interior areas using low-power 802.11-compliant wireless beacon protocol.

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Demand-Driven Technology

A variety of mobile devices that utilize Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and other outdoor location detection services have been produced in recent years. However, GPS operation is often spotty or non-existent indoors, driving the demand for better performance. As a result, several new positioning methods are currently being researched, including broadcasting GPS signals indoors or diverting radio waves transmitted from wireless LAN base stations.

In response to this burgeoning market need, ROHM, Ritsumeikan University and ISID co-developed Guidepost Cell technology, which utilizes advanced location detection and energy harvesting methods to enable an expected positional accuracy within 1 meter (3'), while requiring no external power source for operation.

Key Guidepost Cell Advantages

• High-accuracy location detection - Configuring its Wi-Fi infrastructure for indoor location detection instead of communication using low-power beacon transmission enables Guidepost Cell to provide high-accuracy location detection with minimal power consumption
• Low operating costs - Guidepost Cell utilizes ROHM's dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) technology that efficiently harvests energy from indoor lights, eliminating the need for an external power supply while reducing installation and electricity costs
• Application compatibility - Standard 802.11 wireless transmission protocol ensures compatibility with smartphones and other portable devices

Dye-sensitized Solar Cell (DSC)

Key Features

• Designed to generate electricity efficiently under indoor lighting. Industry-leading power generation: 48uW/cm2 under 1000 lux
• Available in various shapes, sizes, and colors to fit a number of applications. (In contrast to its competitors, ROHM is focusing on R&D of compact high-efficiency DSCs.)

Applications

Indoor power sources for low-power electronic devices such as wall clocks and calculators as well as next-generation systems such as indoor sensor networks.

ROHM Semiconductor
Vijendra Kuroodi
Principal Systems Architect
785 N. Mary Ave. # 120
Sunnyvale, CA. 94085
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ROHM Semiconductor

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