. 24/7 Space News .
Using Satellites To Automatically Direct Civil Engineering Machines

"The principle of IMAGIN can be applied to any civil engineering machine, whatever its task," explains Christophe Pichot, Strategy and Business Development Manager of French lead partner, THALES-Navigation.
Brussels - Dec 30, 2003
EUREKA project E! 2294 IMAGIN -- the "Integrated Machine Guidance Instruments" -- uses satellite navigation to automatically guide and control road and rail construction machines with incredible accuracy.

The IMAGIN device is a special dual-frequency Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver that is attached to an engineering machine and uses the GPS system to plot and check its exact position at any moment in time. Once a project is described by a civil engineer and the instructions transferred to the IMAGIN on-board computer, the motor grader, bulldozer or excavator is then automatically controlled by comparing its actual and desired positions, making corrections as required.

"The principle of IMAGIN can be applied to any civil engineering machine, whatever its task," explains Christophe Pichot, Strategy and Business Development Manager of French lead partner, THALES-Navigation.

It has been used successfully on bulldozers, hydraulic excavators and marine survey ships, but most demanding in terms of accuracy and speed is the control of motor graders that are used in the final finishing of road or railway construction where high levels of accuracy are required over tens of kilometres.

"Although automatic control has been possible using laser guidance, the IMAGIN GPS system makes it possible to work accurately in automatic mode, guaranteeing the quality of the work, preventing excessive cutting of the material and reducing waste," says Pichot. "After the initial installation it doesn't require expensive manpower or maintenance as the machine progresses."

GALILEO European satellite

THALES-Navigation is already involved in the development of the GALILEO European satellite-based positioning system, so plans to incorporate it into the IMAGIN technology are already in place. "We have already been involved in the specifications of GALILEO signals, and hope to be one of the first companies in the world to develop a combined GPS / GALILEO as a GALILEO prototype for the European authorities," says Pichot.

Each of the project partners have taken the benefits of IMAGIN and adapted them to other niche markets, including professional offshore applications such as small and medium-scale marine surveys, and they expect their turnovers to triple as a result.

This was Pichot's first EUREKA project and he was extremely impressed. "Being involved in a EUREKA project forced our company to acquire a clearer and deeper view (both technical and commercial) of a market segment which is still very new and innovative," he says. "EUREKA is an excellent initiative to develop international cooperation in innovative technological and technical areas particularly suited to application-orientated projects."

Related Links
EUREKA
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express

Delta 2 Launches Last GPS Series 2R Bird
Cape Canaveral - Dec 22, 2003
A Boeing Delta II rocket has successfully deployed a Global Positioning System (GPS) IIR-10 satellite for the U.S. Air Force. Liftoff of the Delta II occurred at 3:05 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 17A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The deployment sequence was completed in 68 minutes at 4:13 a.m.



Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only














The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.