RACELOGIC Ltd is a
technology
Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...
company based in
Buckingham
Buckingham ( ) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the 2011 Census. The town lies approximately west of Central Milton Keynes, sou ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
The company specialise in the development of
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
,
CAN-bus
A Controller Area Network (CAN bus) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other's applications without a host computer. It is a message-based protocol, designed originally for m ...
,
Inertial
In classical physics and special relativity, an inertial frame of reference (also called inertial reference frame, inertial frame, inertial space, or Galilean reference frame) is a frame of reference that is not undergoing any acceleration. ...
and video based equipment, designing applications for use in vehicle testing, motorsport, marine, defence, film, and
GNSS
A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning. It allows satellite navigation devices to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude/elevation) to high pre ...
device testing.
RACELOGIC manufacture
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
data loggers
A data logger (also datalogger or data recorder) is an electronic device that records data over time or about location either with a built-in Scientific instrument, instrument or sensor or via external instruments and sensors. Increasingly, but ...
,
GNSS
A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning. It allows satellite navigation devices to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude/elevation) to high pre ...
simulators, in-car video systems and indoor positioning systems.
The company employs more than 100 staff at its head office in the UK and satellite offices in Germany and the USA.
History
The company was founded in 1992 by Julian Thomas after graduating from
Durham University
, mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1)
, established = (university status)
, type = Public
, academic_staff = 1,830 (2020)
, administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19)
, chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen
, vice_chan ...
with a
degree
Degree may refer to:
As a unit of measurement
* Degree (angle), a unit of angle measurement
** Degree of geographical latitude
** Degree of geographical longitude
* Degree symbol (°), a notation used in science, engineering, and mathematics
...
in
Physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
and
Electronics
The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...
.
Julian started developing electronic control systems for vehicles, launching a
Traction Control
A traction control system (TCS), also known as ASR (from german: Antriebsschlupfregelung, lit=drive slippage regulation), is typically (but not necessarily) a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) on production motor vehicle ...
device in 1993. Car manufacturers were quick to adopt the
Electronic stability control
Electronic stability control (ESC), also referred to as electronic stability program (ESP) or dynamic stability control (DSC), is a computerized technology that improves a vehicle's stability by detecting and reducing loss of traction ( skiddi ...
device, which reduces the chance of an accident occurring and enhances vehicle acceleration, with
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC is an English manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers. Its predecessor was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Steered from 1947 by David Brown, it became associated with ...
and
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce was a British luxury car and later an aero-engine manufacturing business established in 1904 in Manchester by the partnership of Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. Building on Royce's good reputation established with his cranes, they ...
being two of the first car manufacturers to use the system.
With the US government's decision to turn off
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
selective availability in 2001,
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
signal accuracy went from 100 m to 3 m overnight. Using the effectiveness and flexibility now offered by
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
technology, and the opportunity for high speed, high accuracy
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
devices within the vehicle testing market, RACELOGIC launched its first Velocity Box (a.k.a. VBOX) in 2001. In 2008, it launched its first video data logger, a product that combined multi-camera video with
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
data logging
A data logger (also datalogger or data recorder) is an electronic device that records data over time or about location either with a built-in instrument or sensor or via external instruments and sensors. Increasingly, but not entirely, they ar ...
and graphic overlay.
In 2009, RACELOGIC launched LabSat. With the ability to record, replay, and simulate
GNSS RF data, it was originally designed to calibrate VBOX units. However, it’s potential for use in wider applications prompted the commercial launch to manufacturers of
GPS devices. Since its launch, LabSat has carved out a successful place in markets as diverse as mobile phone development, aerospace, defence, health and agriculture.
Using the technology RACELOGIC developed in-house for indoor positioning, the company have broken into the film and gaming market in 2020.
Operations
RACELOGIC Ltd provide products and services which fall into four broad categories:
''Automotive Testing'' - Serving the three major automotive manufacturing markets (i.e.
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
,
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
), RACELOGIC systems are used to test new designs and vehicle concepts.
''Motorsport'' - RACELOGIC supply all levels of
motorsport
Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two ...
teams, competitors and engineers with performance meters and
data logging
A data logger (also datalogger or data recorder) is an electronic device that records data over time or about location either with a built-in instrument or sensor or via external instruments and sensors. Increasingly, but not entirely, they ar ...
devices. The VBOX Video HD2, allows users to
record, replay and analyse video footage with synchronised data from their time on track.
''GPS Simulation'' - Launched in 2009 RACELOGIC's LabSat allows companies to repetitively test
GNSS
A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning. It allows satellite navigation devices to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude/elevation) to high pre ...
equipment from a stationary location by simulating live
satellite
A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...
signals.
''Indoor Positioning System'' - Launched in 2019 RACELOGIC's VBOX Indoor Positioning System, VIPS, allows companies to measure speed and position indoors using an in-house designed
Ultra-wideband
Ultra-wideband (UWB, ultra wideband, ultra-wide band and ultraband) is a radio technology that can use a very low energy level for short-range, high-bandwidth communications over a large portion of the radio spectrum. UWB has traditional applicati ...
and
Inertial measurement unit
An inertial measurement unit (IMU) is an electronic device that measures and reports a body's specific force, angular rate, and sometimes the orientation of the body, using a combination of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and sometimes magnetometer ...
.
Products
RACELOGIC design and develop high accuracy test and positioning systems for a wide range of industries.
VBOX GPS data logging products vary from the 10 Hz VBOX Mini, a rugged unit for simple testing to th
VBOX 3iwhich logs at a 100 Hz, and which forms the basis of the VBOX
Advanced driver-assistance systems
An advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) is any of a groups of electronic technologies that assist drivers in driving and parking functions. Through a safe human-machine interface, ADAS increase car and road safety. ADAS uses automated technol ...
testing packages.
Differential GPS
Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPSs) supplement and enhance the positional data available from global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs). A DGPS for GPS can increase accuracy by about a thousandfold, from approximately to .
DGPSs c ...
and RTK (
Real Time Kinematic
Real-time kinematic positioning (RTK) is the application of surveying to correct for common errors in current satellite navigation (GNSS) systems. It uses measurements of the phase of the signal's carrier wave in addition to the information conte ...
) solutions allow for high positional accuracy, and
inertial measurement unit
An inertial measurement unit (IMU) is an electronic device that measures and reports a body's specific force, angular rate, and sometimes the orientation of the body, using a combination of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and sometimes magnetometer ...
integration increases the testing scope further. VBOX systems are employed in many types of testing: automotive, marine, open-cast mining, motorsport, aviation, and collision forensics.
VBOX Speed Sensors provide high accuracy speed signals at between 5 Hz and 100 Hz for those that require speed, position, braking distance, or acceleration data without the need for internal logging. VBOX Speed Sensors connect via CAN, digital, or analogue interface to a third-party data logging equipment. All Speed Sensors are compatible with a DGPS Base Station for increased positional accuracy, and the dual antenna variant adds slip and pitch/roll output at 100 Hz.
RACELOGIC video systems combine a digital video recorder with camera and stereo audio inputs, a real-time graphic overlay, and a GPS data logger. As well as capturing GPS and CAN data in the same way as a standard VBOX data logger, video systems like th
VBOX Video HD2also record GPS time synchronised video. This footage can be enhanced with a fully customisable data driven graphic overlay, allowing you to add bar graphs, rotary gauges, text elements, pictures and track maps, showing parameters such as G-force, speed, split times, lap times, etc.
LabSat 3GNSS simulator gives the ability to record and replay real RF data from up to three satellite systems (
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
,
GLONASS
GLONASS (russian: ГЛОНАСС, label=none, ; rus, links=no, Глобальная навигационная спутниковая система, r=Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema, t=Global Navigation Satellite System) is ...
and
BeiDou
The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS; ) is a Chinese satellite navigation system. It consists of two separate satellite constellations. The first BeiDou system, officially called the BeiDou Satellite Navigation Experimental System and ...
) simultaneously. LabSat also integrates seamlessly with the Video VBOX to record and playback videos, which is tightly synchronised with the GPS data, allowing you to see the exact conditions experienced during the GPS recording. LabSat recording works with almost any kind of GNSS, including survey grade engines. With high fidelity 2 or 4 bit sampling, LabSat is ideal for testing GPS receiver sensitivity.
LabSat 3 Widebandis a GPS simulator with a 56 MHz bandwidth, allowing multiple GNSS signals to be recorded, replayed and simulated. Multiple signals from
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
,
GLONASS
GLONASS (russian: ГЛОНАСС, label=none, ; rus, links=no, Глобальная навигационная спутниковая система, r=Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema, t=Global Navigation Satellite System) is ...
,
BeiDou
The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS; ) is a Chinese satellite navigation system. It consists of two separate satellite constellations. The first BeiDou system, officially called the BeiDou Satellite Navigation Experimental System and ...
and
Galileo
Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a polymath. Commonly referred to as Galileo, his name was pronounced (, ). He was ...
can also be simulated using the RACELOGIC SatGen software.
Performance Box Touchis the successor to the original RACELOGIC PerformanceBox
which can be considered to be the first performance meter and became an industry standard. Performance Box Touch is a based performance meter with colour touch screen that allows you to measure G-forces, speed, lap & split times, 0-60, 0-100, braking distance and many more.
VBOX Indoor Positioning Systemis a
UWB and Inertial based position and velocity measurement system designed to be a direct replacement for GPS when testing vehicles indoors. It also has uses in other industries where access to GNSS satellites is not possible. It is different to most UWB solutions in that the positional accuracy is 2–3 cm with an update rate of 100 Hz.
References
{{Reflist, 2
Technology companies of the United Kingdom
Companies based in Buckinghamshire
Companies established in 1992