I have not really talked about sensor fusion on this blog. It is very interesting and from the sounds of it we will have this technology pretty soon. Sensor fusion technology built into smart phones might be one of the biggest advances in location science in years. So many smartphones are going into production and use these days. In many developing countries smartphone people are skipping dumbphones and going straight to smart phones as their first device pick up. It makes a lot of sense in areas that do not have the infrastructure that developed nations do.
Sensor fusion as a whole is a really cool application of technology. It is worth an internet search so if you would like more detail then you should definitely go that route and get the details. Effectively the idea behind it is that you have many sensors in an area sharing information. This allows one device to utilize data from all of the sensors. In the case of location information all of these smartphones would share GPS, Cell Network, and WiFi data to create a much more accurate and precise location. The best part is that it would work in doors. Emergency fire response has needed technology like this for years. Being able to see where responders are in a dangerous indoor setting could save lives.
In a less important industry like archaeology this still has application. Often there are several people on a crew. If each member has a sensor fusion capable device then the recording accuracy and precision could be significant. The cost of getting high precision devices in the hands of all crew members would go down and quality of product would go up.
My job is going to be interesting in a couple years.