2011 European Satellite Navigation Competition
hitchOn (Smartphone Travel Application)
We were one of the five teams chosen to attend the USA Challenge in Portland, Oregon this year [2011]. We had five minutes to give a powerpoint presentation to a number of potential investors as well as navigation and technology experts. The first place winner instantly wins $1000. We are waiting to hear back on our status. Our idea was an innovative travel application for tourists and business travelers that utilizes a GNSS system to locate where a traveler is and uses that information as well as our database to provide useful information such as the prices of local goods, the level of danger at your current position, etc.
Here is our presentation to the judges for those that are interested:
Shen had one of the other contestants kindly record his elevator pitch for the team:
SWIPS (GNSS-enabled Water Sensor)
ESA has recently dedicated a lot of resources on finding commercializable ideas utilizing the Galileo satellite constellation, the European answer to the American GPS. They hope to use this satellite navigation competition to help jumpstart economy in the European region by providing funding to companies with innovative technological and commercializable ideas.
The competition for the year 2011 is now closed but our team managed to reach stage two. On Tuesday, July 26, at 10:15 AM Houston time, we presented to a panel of judges from Bavaria for the second round. Unfortunately, we did not pass on to the funding stage due to the stiff competition from already established companies.
Here is our presentation to the judges for those that are interested:
Below are are some resources which may provide to be useful for those interested in a similar topic divided into three sections of technical, commercial, and legal.
Technical
- Submerisible Sensor Design
- Data Storage & Transfer: Sensor Web [Article]
- Lassen iQ GPS Receiver System Designer Reference Manual
- Lassen iQ GPS Module Overview
- Water Pollution Sensor: UV Fluorometer [Article]
- UV Flourometer Manual
- Water Pollution Sensor: Microelectrodes [Article]
- Water Pollution Sensor: Electrodes [Article]
- Danube River Water Quality Characteristics
Commercial
- Appraising Inventions
- Science, Linkage, Market Orientation [Article]
- Technology Escrow and Your Market Valuation [Magazine]
Legal
- European Parliament Directive 2008 #105
- European Parliament Directive 2008 #56
- European Parliament Directive 2006 #11
This is just the first steps towards a distant destination of spaceflight so our team remains optimistic and will likely work on future projects together. Our team members include Neha Satak, Teejal Thakore, Anish Bhattacharya, and Shen Ge.