Google Maps and the Location Sensor (running simultaneously to achieve better Accuracy)

[SteveJG]

@Warbirdguy1

on the internet about this

With regards to App Inventor and the LocationSensor, have you read this?

• Using the Location Sensor
  It is a great place to begin understanding how things work.

@Warbirdguy1

accurate, down to approximately 1 meter.

Google Maps makes use of all the satellite constellations your device is capable of using; the MIT location sensor only uses the original GPS constellations when achieving a satellite fix. Using more satellites increases Accuracy (see the link). 1 meter? Highly unlikely as the hardware in most, if not all cell phones, is incapable of a position resolution of 2 meters at best. Don't use AI to create a self driving car.

@Warbirdguy1

How can one achieve the same level of detail and update intervals as Google Maps in their MIT Inventor app?

One way is to LockProvider to gps and set TImeInterval at something other than the default setting which is 60000 ms (one minute) while using the MIT LocationSensor.

Another way is to use a Location extension that can make use of all the available satellite constellations your phone is capable of. There are at least two I am aware of.

There are other sophisticated ways that involve complex algorithms to improve Accuracy if you program in Java or other languages which can make use of these algorithms (as does Google Maps). These libraries are not accessible using AI but Java can.

Search for community discussions highlighted with the word LocationSensor and/or Map to read more about how users can improve quality of their AI location/gps apps. There are dozens of these discussions.

@Warbirdguy1

While the aforementioned Inventor App is running AND I have the Google Maps app in the process to navigating to any destination I notice the updating marker location accuracy in the MIT Inventor app is SIGNIFICANTLY more accurate,

Simultaneously running Google Maps and an App Inventor gps app? Didn't know that was possible. It appears App Inventor is hitching a ride on the location determined by Google Maps and it affects the location values AI 'sees'. Will have to see if I can reproduce that sometime.