LocoMatrix Uses GPS Mobile Games to Inspire School Kids

GEOLOCATION GAMES PLATFORM CUSTOMISABLE FOR EDUCATION CONSULTANTS ACROSS UK

LocoMatrix (www.locomatrix.com) is a UK geo-location tech company based in Brighton, developing unique and creative ways to employ the GPS capabilities of today’s smartphones to aid education and inspire school children.  They have recently launched their Invisible Buildings Project for Education Consultants across the country to use and enthuse ‘would be archaeologists’ and history classes at a primary school level.
 

Company director Richard Vahrman believes that by unlocking the potential of geo location and augmented reality technology on mobile platforms, schools and educational consultants can use LocoMatrix games to grab the attention of school children and get them involved in exciting outdoor projects.

“The beauty of geolocation and augmented reality is that you can do it in any school playing field or open space”, comments Vahrman. “Rather than expensive field trips, new technology makes it possible to take the experience to the children.”

With the latest project, Invisible Buildings, LocoMatrix offers teachers the opportunity to have an  education consultant visit a school and deliver an engaging ‘Time-Team’ style experience.  Using GPS technology and augmented reality, children can find virtual archaeological sites in any open space, and then take their findings straight back to the class room for analysis and further discovery.

A video of the school children getting to grips with the Invisible Buildings project at Rayleigh Primary School in Essex can be viewed at www.locomatrix.com.

LocoMatrix also offers the opportunity to custom build different versions of the game to suit the requirements of the school curriculum or third party education consultants.  For any idea based on the idea of geolocation and augmented reality games, the team at LocoMatrix can help build a bespoke package that can deliver more than just outdoor activities, with an online ‘research lab’ to take the learning experience back into the classroom.

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For more information please contact:
Jools Moore
Naked Ape Communications
jools@naked-ape.co.uk
0771 773 4606

About LocoMatrix:

Richard Vahrman – COO

After gaining a BSc in Biology from Hatfield Poly, Richard worked with Prof. Heinz Wolff at the Clinical Research Institute in Harrow, later helping set up the Institute of Bioengineering at Brunel University, specialising in building robotic equipment for the European Space Agency. He then started up MultiAxis where he invented and marketed a novel method for tracking containers within the dairy industry. On moving to Brighton, he started up Brighton Web, a web hosting and design company, which is still operating with around 200 clients.

Moira Nangle – CEO

Moira has spent the last 13 years at Virgin Atlantic where she is currently Director of Organisational Development. In this role she is responsible for Human Resources, Recruitment, and Learning and Development. She has been instrumental in developing the strategic planning process and turning strategy into action. Particular interests are strategy execution, group dynamics and identification, development and fulfilment of potential. She is also a Board member for a number of regional and national charities. She speaks regularly at conferences both in the UK and abroad, most recently for the NHS and ING bank.

Navevo’s Pronav PNN300 Benefits Drivers of Horseboxes and Trailers

THE SATNAV WITH A HORSE TRAILER ON THE BACK!

The UK’s growing equestrian industry can now benefit from an improved satellite navigation service from Navevo aimed squarely at drivers of horse-boxes, trailers and commercial vehicles.  The new ProNav PNN300, incorporating the new ProNav Dimension™ software, includes features designed specifically for long vehicles or those with large trailers, making it easier for the equestrian community to navigate the UK countryside.

ProNav PNN300

Marketing director David Guiver commented, “We offer a solution that’s perfectly suited to the equestrian industry in the UK, with the most up to date software on our GPS units that will ensure hassle-free transportation for horse-riders and equestrians across the country.”

The navigation system also uses UK wide historic HGV traffic data to provide more accurate journey times and estimated times of arrival, ensuring drivers don’t arrive late to race meetings or point to points.  

The ProNav PNN300 incorporates another truck navigation ‘market first’ which is its ‘Dynamic ETA™’ feature. Historically navigation systems have provided relatively inaccurate, unreliable journey times for stimated times of arrival (ETAs). Using historic traffic information sourced from real-time floating vehicle data, the PNN300 can analyse the day and time of travel and calculate an accurate ETA based on actual large vehicle traffic speeds at that time. For example, a journey on the M25 during Monday morning’s rush hour will provide a much longer ETA than exactly the same journey conducted during lunchtime.   

Unique ProNav PNN300 features include:   

• Navevo’s new ProNav Dimension™ software for fast calculation of routes incorporating NAVTEQ Transport data covering height, weight, width and other restrictions to optimise your routes across the UK, whether for a single trailer box, or large commercial equine transport
• Exclusive point of interest data such as London loading bays, as well as HGV petrol stations and truck stops (suitable for large equestrian vehicles)
• Dynamic ETA™ using real-time floating vehicle data from Journey Dynamics™ helping provide better fuel efficiency and improved time and journey management
• ERN data for London based companies and professional drivers to circumnavigate route restrictions such as the London Lorry Control Scheme during controlled hours

 

Other ProNav Dimension™ software features include hazard warnings for steep hills, crosswinds, risk of grounding and sharp bends; text to speech that provides clear voice instructions including local road names; and audible and visual warnings of fixed safety cameras.  The PNN300 also features a new slim-line hardware design, with a large 5 inch touch screen, Bluetooth hands-free and an FM transmitter making turn-by-turn voice instructions clearly audible on the vehicle’s in-cab radio.   

With a suggested retail price of £249.99 incl. VAT, the ProNav PNN300 will be available around the end of August via the Road Haulage Association’s online shop, PIE (Public Information Exchange), and Fonebitz stores located at over 32 motorway service stations across the country.

Additionally, Navevo have updated the current PNN200 unit with the new ProNav Dimension™ software.  This new PNN220 unit will also be on sale at the end of August with a suggested retail price of £199.99 incl. VAT.   

For more information please go to www.pronav.co.uk or call 01462 476444     

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For further details please contact Jools Moore – Naked Ape Communications   

T: 0771 773 4606   

E: jools@naked-ape.co.uk   

    

About ProNav:   

ProNav is a leading GPS brand used by professional intercity and cross country long haul drivers throughout Europe, Australia and the US. Developed by Navevo, the UK’s leading specialist GPS software developer, it provides turn-by-turn street navigation for large vehicles including HGV’s, Trailers, Buses & Vans featuring the latest NAVTEQ Transport data. For additional information please visit: www.pronav.co.uk.   

About Navevo:   

Navevo, the UK’s leading specialist GPS software developer and offers a full range of navigation solutions and location based plug-ins designed to operate on Windows Mobile hardware platforms including PNDs, PDAs and Smartphones. Navevo owns and develops all of its navigation software, providing the flexibility to meet market demands, create unique propositions and get them to market quickly. As well as developing its own products, Navevo is also the navigation software behind a number of leading GPS brands. Navevo has also been awarded the ‘2008 Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Innovation in European Telematics’ for its ProNav HGV Navigation System. For additional information please visit: www.navevo.com