QinetiQ and Global Point Technologies -
Providing secure services in the global freight tracking market with the world's most compact tracking device

The world's most compact global tracking device has been developed by QinetiQ and Global Point Technologies (Global Point), in association with Durham University and the Centre of Excellence for Nanotechnology, Micro and Photonic Systems (CENAMPS).

This world-first technology delivers complete indoor and outdoor GPS tracking to freight and international logistics companies and is the result of the successful integration between QinetiQ's Q20 High Sensitivity (HS) GPS technology with wireless communications and operating software by Global Point.

For freight companies the problems of terrorism and criminal activity are significant and international. But with advanced wireless communications, combined with powerful GPS technology from QinetiQ, almost anything can be tracked in challenging environments where conventional GPS cannot operate.

Against the backdrop of tightening of security around world, and the introduction of new legislation, such as the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, international companies in the freight sector will use the device to significantly improve the security of freight movements. Loss of goods to companies and insurers through theft or "shrinkage" - a term which includes misplaced as well as stolen goods - is also a major problem which the technology helps to address through the provision of tampering alerts and real time status reports, which are used to track stolen goods and locate misplaced assets and equipment.

Theft and lost goods is equivalent to roughly 1.7% of total USA retail sales. In Europe, retail shrinkage and retail crime figures for all Western Europe including the UK, is close to $1bn per annum.

The ground breaking compact system requires no visible antenna and can be fitted to any moveable asset such as vehicles, containers, pallets or packages. It can report location and movement and can be used to track equipment, machines and people in environments where conventional GPS fails to produce a location fix, or takes too long or consumes too much power.

QinetiQ's proven HS GPS Q20 technology delivers a high degree of availability, both indoors and outdoors and is capable of reporting heading, speed and distance travelled in real time. Now, integrated with a flexible wireless reporting system, the all-new device offered by Global Point can provide status updates and history such as engine data location time and distance travelled.

The device will be launched by Global Point Technology at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes France this month.

Global Point Technologies and QinetiQ, Europe's largest science and technology research organisation, were assisted by professor Alan Purvis and his team of engineers at Durham University to optimise the mapping technology and hosting of back bone services. Global Point managing director John Davidson said that interest in the QinetiQ - Global Point integration is already attracting significant investor interest following an earlier injection of more than a quarter of a million pounds from a group of North East investors.