Intel touts location-aware computing

Intel last week showcased a novel form of identifying your location using radio, and new wireless communications technologies, at its developer forum in San Francisco.

The new location technology is a research project that triangulates the user's location using GSM, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

"We want widely available location-aware computing that people can use with today's technology," said Yatin Chawathe from Intel's research lab in Seattle.

"The biggest problem with GPS is that it doesn't work indoors or in cities with tall buildings. More importantly any new service must be privacy observant: the user has to have control."

Because wireless access points, Bluetooth phones and GSM phones all have unique identifiers, they can be used to provide an accurate fix on location.

Intel also outlined its progress with ultra wide band and wireless USB radio technologies.

Although the IEEE standards body is currently deadlocked on an official standard, Intel will be producing ultra wide band and wireless USB PC cards by 2005 which will be integrated onto silicon by 2007.