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January 2001
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Skier to use GPS in training phase of "Lauberhorn 2001": A World Cup downhill ski race to be held in Switzerland
KANATA, CANADA, Jan. 11 , SiGEM antennas are being used during the training phase of the Lauberhorn 2001, a World Cup downhill ski race which takes place in Switzerland on January 13th and 14th. A former member of the Swiss National Ski Team members will test the hill with a SiGEM antenna attached to his helmet. Organizers of the race will demonstrate the skier's position and velocity during complicated portions of the run by merging video and GPS signals in a television broadcast.
"We're taking this opportunity to demonstrate to skiers how GPS
technology can help them in their training by tracking their position and
velocity as they go through each portion of a difficult run," said Dr. Jan
Skaloud of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. "By combining video with GPS technology that can track the exact time and position of each move, skiers will be able to figure out how to get down a slope in the fastest way possible and will see exactly when and where they are making errors.
"We chose SiGEM's antenna because of its compact size and excellent
quality," continued Dr. Skaloud. "SiGEM's antennas are very small and they
perform better than some very large antennas that we have tested. The size is
important because we are attaching the antennas to the skiers' helmets. The
quality is important because these skiers move down the hills very fast and
can lose the signal at any time - SiGEM's antennas pick up the signal very
quickly so we can track the entire run."
SiGEM recently introduced a second generation of its antenna, with better
waterproofing and durability - making it very suitable for this type of
application. The antenna features a custom-designed high-performance patch
that can pick up weak satellite signals in areas where there is disruption and noise in the atmosphere; it also uses up to a third less power consumption than other antennas on the market. It is ideal for portable GPS systems, and, though designed for use with SiGEM's GPS receiver modules, works equally well with third party GPS devices.
"We are very proud that our antenna is being used to track human
positioning at this dynamic sporting event," said Herb Woods, President and
CEO of SiGEM. "When you have portable, high-quality products like the ones
that SiGEM offers, the possibilities for GPS technology are endless."
About SiGEM
SiGEM,
based in Kanata, Canada, with offices in Arizona and the UK, (http://www.sigem.com
) develops and markets hardware, software and services for the global wireless location-tracking industry. Its patented products utilize GPS and wireless communications technologies for cost effective, energy efficient, two-way location tracking and messaging. SiGEM provides its ePiNG tracking services for a range of applications over private networks and the open Internet. The company's mission is to improve the productivity and security of its customers and business partners. The company has strategic alliances with some of the industry's key players including Telus, Cellemetry, Bell Mobility and ST Microelectronics. SiGEM provides tracking solutions for the transportation, insurance and consumer markets.
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