back in Kernow

I am back at FoAm-Kernow, Penryn, home of the Sonic Kayak. Our last outing together was their spectacular launch at the Swansea Science festival back in 2016. However, research has still been going on here, most recently adding turbidity and air pollution sensors as well as a more sensitive GPS system. The sensitivity and we hope therefore reliability of this GPS system has been enabled by using positon data from Galileo, the new European satellites, GLONASS , the Russian satellites as well as the US satellite system, ie. the GPS we’re all familiar with and have been using until now. With all the GPS related sonic bike learnings/mishaps that have occurred over the years, I’m particularly interested in this, so when we head off to Trevassack Lake(above) to test the new kit’s accuracy, it is with much anticipation.

( NOTE – driving to the lake after long London train journey and I am alight with the beauty of these tiny twisting green lanes sunk in ancient deciduous woodland following more ancient routes. Rare. )

At the lake we test the kit walking around the car park and are delighted. It performs with 100% accuracy so things for tomorrows’ workshop look good. Yes, I am here to contribute to a day exploring the possibility of using the Sonic Kayak as a navigational instrument for people with visual impairments to enable independant kayaking. Initiated by Access Lizard Adventure with FoAM-Kernow we’ll also have noise researcher Dr Jo Garret and GPS developer James Duffy on board. The forecast is also good so we go find Cornish ale and discuss strategies.