Imagine your GPS suddenly going haywire in a crucial moment, and you’ll understand why the US Army is investing in a backup plan. The Army just placed an $11 million bet on Tern, an Austin-based company developing a new way for devices to figure out where they are, even without traditional GPS.
Tern's technology is like "Google Maps for the battlefield," as they put it. Instead of relying on satellites, which can be jammed or spoofed (meaning someone tricks the system into thinking it’s somewhere it isn't), Tern uses signals from everyday things like Wi-Fi, cell towers, and even TV broadcasts. Think of it this way: if GPS is like finding your way using big, clear road signs, Tern’s tech is like navigating by listening to all the whispers and chatter around you, piecing together your location from many different sources.
This matters because GPS, while incredibly useful, has a big Achilles' heel: it can be disrupted. For military operations, losing GPS can be catastrophic, affecting everything from drone navigation to troop movements. By investing in Tern, the Army is looking for a resilient alternative that can keep critical systems running smoothly, even in challenging environments where satellite signals are unreliable or under attack.
While Tern's immediate focus is military applications, the underlying technology has broader implications. As more of our everyday devices become reliant on precise location data, from self-driving cars to delivery drones, having a robust and jam-proof way to pinpoint location becomes increasingly important. This investment highlights a growing trend in critical infrastructure, where companies and governments are seeking redundant (backup) systems to prevent single points of failure, similar to how major tech companies are diversifying their AI models beyond just one provider like OpenAI or Google.
This move by the US Army signals a larger push towards ensuring foundational technologies, like location services, are secure and resilient against sophisticated threats. For you, it’s a reminder that the digital infrastructure we rely on is constantly being re-evaluated and strengthened. You might consider checking if your own smart devices offer alternative navigation methods beyond GPS, if available, for critical tasks.
The US Army's investment in Tern underscores a critical global need for reliable location tech beyond traditional GPS.