Anyone intent on building a matchbox sized GPS tracking unit now has a golden opportunity to do just that — system supplier Round Solutions now offers all of the necessary parts for such to be completed.
The micro-miniaturized parts include the “Aarlogic GPS 3T” (1125 mm³) and “OriginGPS 1315” (1387 mm³) GPS modules with embedded antenna. The “Telit GE865” (1452 mm³) GSM module is capable of transmitting geodata as text messages or GPRS on four different bands and can react to incoming messages. It uses the embedded GSM antenna “GXE474” with dimensions of 581 mm³ only. The SIM card is no longer plugged into the unit but soldered in place in the form of a tiny chip (27 mm³). Thus, the space occupied by the main parts has been reduced five times from 16000 mm³ to 3200 mm³. Everything fits into a matchbox-sized case in which there is still room for a battery and an environmental sensor unit (microphone, camera, etc.). Free access to the test server facilitates the use of geodata. “We also offer the digital maps, the MapEngine and the source code for complete tracking servers free of charge”, explains the Company’s Technical Director, Harald Naumann, with reference to features made possible by public-domain software such as OpenStreetMaps and Openlayers.
