Breakthrough could pave the way for next-generation GPS in drones, smartphones and self-driving cars, scientists say.
A new comb-like computer chip could be the key to equipping drones, smartphones and autonomous vehicles with military-grade positioning technology that was previously confined to space agencies and research labs. Scientists have developed a "microcomb chip" — a 5 millimeter (0.2 inches) wide computer chip equipped with tiny teeth like those on a comb — that could make optical atomic clocks, the most precise timekeeping pieces on the planet, small and practical enough for real-world use. This could mean GPS-equipped systems a thousand times more accurate than the best we have today, improving everything from smartphone and drone navigation to seismic monitoring and geological surveys, the researchers said in a statement . They published their findings Feb. 19 in the journal Nature Photonics . Up and atom "Today's atomic clocks enable GPS systems with a positional accuracy of a few meters [where 1 meter is 3.3 feet]. With an optical atomic clock, you may achieve a precision of just a few centimeters [where 1 centimeter is 0.4 inches]," study co-author Minghao Qi , professor of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue University, said in the statement. Related: How long is a second? "This improves the autonomy of vehicles, and all electronic systems based on positioning. An optical atomic clock can also…