Scientists from the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory ( DSTL ) and UK National Physical Laboratory ( NPL ) are in the process of developing a novel navigation system for submarines , live asquantum positioning , which could be 1000 prison term more exact than current scheme . The prototype is expect to be trialed on land in 2015 and , if successful , the squad hope that it could eventually be commercialized and used in the civilian world .
poor boy bank on accelerometers for navigation after they submerge since GPS does n’t work underwater . Accelerometersare devices that measure out the power of speedup . They ’re surprisingly common ; the rotation of your overbold telephone screen with your movement is down to this technology .
Although they ’re wide used , unfortunately these seafaring system can be inaccurate in vessels . “ Today , if a grinder goes a day without a GPS fix we ’ll have a navigation impetus of the order of a kilometre when it coat , ” DSTL ’s Neil Stansfield toldNew Scientist . “ A quantum accelerometer will reduce that to just 1 time . ”
This “ quantum compass ” is base on aNobel - prizewinning discoverywhich described how lasers can trap and cool a cloud of atoms to just above downright zero . Once the atom reach this temperature they get to a quantum state that is particularly sensitive to extraneous forces . By tracking change in the atoms with a optical maser , calculations can be made to determine size of the force which corresponds to the motion of the submarine .
This young technology should also make navigation systems less susceptible to interference . “ There is nothing in cathartic that could be used- dedicate the cognition we have now- to disrupt one of these [ fresh ] twist , ” Bob Cockshott of the NPL secernate theFinancial Times .
Although there is still some tweaking to be done , the team go for to eventually be able to shrink the gimmick for use in other applications . concord to John Powis , former navigator on Royal Navy submarines and head of the NATO Submarine Rescue Service in Faslane , this technology could be very useful in warfare . “ The hero does not need to experience its situation in m and centimeters , but a projectile like a missile or shell might , ” he toldNew Scientist .
squad drawing card Stephen Till of DSTL , however , ideate its eventual program in a variety of commercial products such as car and wandering phone . “ We ’re convinced the size and power will come down for broad use,”he added .
