October 21, 2015 —The 2015 edition of the European Satellite Navigation Competition GSA Special Prize was awarded to Rafael Olmedo for the KYNEO project. The project develops inexpensive, flexible Galileo and EGNOS enabled modules that allow ubiquitous positioning data for applications in the Internet of Things.
Described as an open innovation platform for the GNSS of Things, the basis of the KYNEO concept is a perceived need to be able to fast prototype applications and devices in the rapidly developing field of the Internet of Things. According to Olmedo, a variety of Internet of Things platforms are looking for positioning systems that can be flexible and adapted to a variety of situations and circumstances. To serve this objective, the product works as an open-source software for the creation of interactive electronic objects.
“There is a huge development community for digital electronic products out there, and our aim with KYNEO is to provide a great positioning tool for this community,” says Olmedo. “The first KYNEO products are already available to order via our website, but we will also sell via the many open hardware platforms that already serve the developer community.”
“The Internet of Things is a potentially massive global market for European GNSS programmes, offering many benefits to the end users,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Open source programmes like the KYNEO project will not only prove to be competitive in their own right, but will also open doors to related services and other opportunities.”
The project was selected from a record-breaking 192 entries. Entries came from 29 different countries, with 72 entries coming from individuals and 59 from start-up companies. The award was announced during a special awards ceremony, held on the opening day of the Satellite Masters Conference in Berlin.
About the European Satellite Navigation Competition
Since 2004, the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) has been rewarding the best services, products, and business cases that utilize satellite navigation in everyday life. Over this time, ESNC has evolved into an international innovation competition – one that recognises the best ideas in the field of satellite navigation. Entries come from a wide range of companies, research institutes, students and individuals.
“The GSA Special Prize nicely complements the Agency’s focus – getting closer to the end user and helping them benefit from European space technology,” said GSA Executive Director, Carlo des Dorides. “Whether through competitions like this, or through such funding programmes and Horizon 2020 and Fundamental Elements, it’s by supporting innovative applications like KYNEO that the GSA will be able to succeed at its mission.”
Each year, the GSA Special Topic Prize awards the most promising European GNSS application idea. The winner of the GSA prize has the opportunity to realise his or her idea at a suitable EU incubation centre for six months, with the option of an additional six months based on evaluation after the first period. The award criteria is based on the uniqueness and originality of the idea, its business (and social) potential, the credibility of the corresponding team, and the application’s use of unique EGNOS/Galileo features.
About the European GNSS Agency (GSA)
As an official European Union Agency (EU), the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA) mission is to support EU objectives and achieve the highest return on Europe’s investment in global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), in terms of benefits to users and economic growth and competitiveness, by:
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