The World’s First Quantum Compass Can Put GPS To Retirement

Dhir Acharya - Nov 14, 2018

Scientists have developed a new compass which doesn't rely on satellite signals to function like GPS and offers high accuracy.

GPS has become a crucial part of various modern devices like smartphones, cars or even airplanes. Nevertheless, its technology isn’t perfect, especially when you’ve got no signal. But, scientists have come up with a solution.

Quantum compass

Scientists at the Imperial College London have developed a quantum compass, as they call the device. This creation's operation doesn’t depend on satellites like GPS, so you can say it can navigate even without a signal.

At the National Quantum Technologies Showcase, researchers described the device as closer to a smartphone accelerometer. An accelerometer measures your phone’s moving speed so that it can give you driving instructions, indicate traffic on Google Maps, etc. However, this sensor does not use external references for recalibrating, so the longer they work, the less accurate they become compared to GPS.

But this quantum accelerometer uses supercooled atoms, which give it an incredible accuracy. The atoms are cooled down until they show quantum behavior, meaning it acts as both wave and particle. As an atom moves, its wave characteristics are affected by acceleration, and scientists can take advantage of this to see how it’s moving with a notable level of precision.

Despite being portable, the device is currently too large for gadgets like a smartphone. Yet, that doesn’t mean we have to wait for further development to enjoy its benefits, the device has already helped astronauts so much.

Since satellites signals can only be received on Earth or low-Earth orbit, astronauts cannot use GPS in space. Once GPS is out of low-Earth orbit area, it becomes useless. To overcome this inconvenience, NASA has installed transmitters on Earth to send signals up to space so that they can control unmanned space missions.

Still, when humans come to space, they need to know where their own position. And it takes hours or even days for radio signals to travel forth and back between astronauts and the Earth. This quantum compass, instead, can detect the spacecraft’s location accurately, this can play a vital role once we start mapping the reaches of deep space.