Navigation

Pulsars have been proposed as a space navigation system in the past. Now NASA has demonstrated the viability of the idea, with an experiment showing that a spacecraft can constantly and automatically calculate its position by tracking the perfectly-predictable X-ray signals from an array of pulsars.

GPS can be a useful inclusion in a drone's navigational toolkit. But there are areas where the technology just doesn't cut it. Nvidia researchers are currently working on a navigation system that relies on visual recognition and computer learning to make sure drones don't get lost in the woods.

​If you want GPS-enabled navigation on your motorcycle, you can of course just mount your smartphone on the handlebars. According to Steven Friedlander, however, trying to look at that little screen while riding isn't an ideal setup. His alternative? Gloves that'll show you where to go.

There’s a whole world out there full of things we have no idea about – different types of radiation, sounds, and colors - and a new body sensor called the North Sense is here to help you experience a part of this augmented reality.

Add-on head-up displays are a nice option for those who want to upgrade their car, but can't afford a car upgrade. We spent around a month with the Navdy HUD and found it to be a welcome addition to our dashboard.

Rand McNally's tablet-based OverDryve system adds voice-controlled navigation, connectivity, a dash cam and more to any dashboard.​

To help avoid the inconvenience of losing a GPS navigation signal in tunnels, a system of wireless transmitters, known as Waze Beacons, have been developed that can send navigation signals directly to mobile devices via Bluetooth

The all-new Garmin Rino 700 Series works as a touchscreen-based navigator, 5 W two-way radio and weather tracking system. It also plays nice with your phone, bringing smart features onto its own touchscreen.

​While navigation apps may be great for finding your way around, they do require you to hold onto your smartphone. That's why German startup feelSpace has developed its navigation belt. Worn over or under the clothes, it guides you by buzzing your waist via a series of built-in actuators.​

One place GPS is of no use to anyone is underwater. But the seas may soon have high-precision positioning systems of their own, through a DARPA program aimed at providing US Navy submersibles with a new means of navigating the ocean's depths. ​

You've got a cycling computer, a headlight, and a handlebar stem on your bike. Why bother with all three, when they could be combined into one device? That's the thinking behind SpeedX's new SpeedForce.

​Cyclists trying to navigate unknown city streets have a growing amount of options available. Now Onomo is looking to get in on the action with a navigation system that works like a compass and points the rider in the direction of their destination but leaving them to work out the rest. ​