BA002 on finals returning from New York JFK on the last commercial operation by Concorde on the 24th October 2003 marking the end of the era of supersonic air travel. Filled with celebrities G-BOAF touched down at 4:05pm and I was lucky enough to be there amongst the many thousands of Concorde fans to see it and the two previous consecutive Concorde landings..
Today G-BOAF also the last Concorde ever to fly is on display at the excellent Aerospace Museum in Bristol, while at Heathrow her sister aircraft G-BOAB resides outside at British Airways Maintenance Facility, seemingly unloved and forgotten.
However all is not lost, if you look at Heathrow Airport of Google Maps you will find that Concorde is the only airliner visible !
Heathrow the airport without airliners ?
This is not the result of a Satellite or Aerial photograph captured during a very quiet period or during the COVID lock-down when of course there were many aircraft parked at the airport, instead it is the result of image processing and the use of AI techniques to remove moving objects..
As Concorde G-BOAB has not moved in many years it is the only airliner at Heathrow..
The mechanical turk is a recurring warning to technologists and perhaps wider society in the need to have a healthy degree of scepticism when it comes to demos of what appears to be game changing advances in technology.
The original Mechanical Turk or Automaton Chess Player, was a fraudulent chess-playing machine demonstrated in the late 18th century. The automaton, took the form of a box on top of which was of a life-sized model of a human head and torso, with a black beard dressed in Ottoman robes and a turban. The automaton was able to “Play” games of Chess with some considerable skill, playing notable figures of the time including Napoleon Bonaparte and Benjamin Franklin!
Of course the Turk was in fact a mechanical illusion the box allowed a human chess master hiding inside to operate the machine.
In December 2022 OpenAI released ChatGPT, a demonstration artificial intelligence chatbot to highlight advances made in dialogue based user interfaces. Behind the chatbot is a very large language model fine-tuned with both supervised and reinforcement learning techniques.
ChatGPT has been lauded as making AI mainstream and indeed on first impressions seems to produce very credible results answering specific fact based questions, creating detailed and consistent articles, generating scripts in the style of particular authors and generating working code to carry out defined tasks in many computing programming languages.
But..
ChatGPT is a very accessible interface to OpenAI’s GPT 3.5 language model trained on a wide corpus of internet content containing 175 billion elements, but of course that is both it’s strength and it’s weakness. To be clear I am in no way critical of OpenAI’s work with GPT, but perhaps the nature of a chatbot interface and way in which the chatbot answers questions with confidence can be problematic…
Let me demonstrate..
I asked ChatGPT to write a critical review of what3words well known in the UK as geocoding system using shortcodes of three discrete words.
ChatGPT dialogue
Lets look at the response, which at first seems quite impressive…
what3words is a geocoding system that divides the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and assigns each square a unique three-word address. While the idea of using three words to identify a specific location is innovative and has potential, there are several limitations to the system.
This is an accurate summary of how what3words works very much in the style on a standard essay response, as I have asked for a critical review chatGPT has found some limitations…
First, the use of three words as an address can be confusing and difficult to remember, especially for people who are not familiar with the system. In contrast, traditional street addresses and geographic coordinates are typically easier to remember and communicate.
This is really interesting, now I am in no way a massive fan of what3words but this statement would seem to be the direct opposite of the basic proposition of what3words… traditional geographic cooridnates are hard to remember, what3words are not ? There may be a more nuanced arguement here that traditonal address are social constructs that are widely used and understood where they are widely used, but this is not exposed by GPT?
Second, the what3words system is not universally adopted, so not all locations have a three-word address. This can make it difficult to use the system to communicate the location of a particular place, especially if the recipient is not familiar with the system.
Here this is a example of the so-called hallucination, while what3words is not universally adopted of course, it is complexity wrong to suggest that not all locations have a three-word address as the system was designed to provided a global reference system –
Hallucination is perhaps not the best term here the anthropomorphic reference to a false perception is not quite right as, and this is a key point, there is no understanding or intelligence displayed by GPT instead the terms with the highest probability of use within the context of the previous or similar content are selected.
Third, the what3words system is proprietary and owned by a private company, which means that it is not an open, standardized system that can be freely used by anyone. This lack of openness and standardization can limit the potential uses of the system and create barriers to its adoption.
Good points re openness and a well argued point, although of course there are many highly successful proprietary services online.
In conclusion, while the idea of using three words to identify a specific location is interesting, the limitations of the what3words system make it difficult to use and not as effective as other methods of identifying locations. As a result, it may not be the best solution for many applications.
A good concluding paragraph you might expect from an undergraduate essay on the topic, and indeed for many answers provided by all the current language model “AI’s” especially concerning specialised subjects, there is the unmistakable influence of the academic literature which forms an important consistent part of the LLM themselves!
So maybe an important question assessing the usefulness of LLM based AI’s may be.. “Where did you go to college ?”
“Where did you go to college ?”
One final point while we are all fixated on Generative AI and especially LLM’s we should not forget that the majority of applications of Machine Learning (Machine Learning not AI – more on this another time) in general and especially when it comes to applications of ML in Geospatial Technology are not Generative and are instead focused on the classification and extract of features from existing datasets.
Google Open Buildings Dataset derived from a deep learning model trained to determine the footprints of buildings from high resolution satellite imagery.
As you may have noticed over the last three months I have been walking to raise funds for the London Air Ambulance. Like all Helicopter Emergency Services in the UK, it relies on charitable donations to operate and I have supported the charity for a few years.
The charity organised “Miles for Missions” over the summer asking people to walk the equivalent of the distance around London, 116 Miles to raise funds via sponsorship.
I was one of 264 people who helped to raise an amazing £86,062 the equivalent of 42 potentially lifesaving missions by walking 41,000 miles!
I walked 744 miles and raised nearly £400 thanks to 13 generous sponsors – Thank you all !
Following on from my challenge to actually walk around London on the London Loop Path, I’m now walking around London again to support for London’s Air Ambulance Charity this time by walking the equivalent length of the London border.
Miles for Missions is a challenge to complete 116 miles between June 21st and midnight 20th September, to help raise vital funds for this lifesaving service.
London’s Air Ambulance is the charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to London’s most seriously injured patients. Your donation will help save more lives by keeping the helicopter in the air and the rapid response cars on the road, ready for when they are needed most. By providing intervention as quickly as possible after injury, London’s Air Ambulance Charity aims to give patients the best chance of survival, and best quality of life, after trauma.
The final 10 miles or so, of my circumnavigation of London following the London Loop path for the most part following the route of the Hogsmill River.
For the last 30 years the Hogsmill has always brought to mind the almost canal like section in Kingston, notable for it’s shopping trolleys and other dumped rubbish midstream and less than active surroundings, however at the start of the route in Ewell it’s a beautiful country stream.
The route of the Loop follows the Hogmill north through a series of nature reserves and is surpassingly rural despite passing though Suburban London.
Only on two occasions at Old Malden and at Kingston does the path separate from the river, and to be honest as a result there are few points of interest along the route until you reach Kingston and the finish for me in Bushy Park.
The Hogsmill Path
I began to recognise more and more of the route North of Malden Manor where the path takes you below the busy A3 and into Berrylands.
Passing by the Knights park Campus of Kingston University was very much home territory, I always though this was the part of the institution the “Cool Kids” went to unlike us Geeks at Penrhyn Road !
The Hogsmill and the Knights Park campus of Kingston University
The section of the path though Kingston itself is poorly signposted so you really need to follow the route as best you can from the map, although for some reason the “official” route takes you on the other bank of the Hogsmill from the Coronation Stone – Kingston’s must see point of interest.
The Coronation Stone
The Coronation Stone s believed to have been the used for the coronation of seven Anglo-Saxon kings in the tenth century, although at a different site, the ancient church of St Mary which no longer exists.
Kingston Bridge
A few hundred metres from the Stone, the Hogsmill meets the Thames, and for me it’s only a mile or so across Kingston Bridge to my starting point back on the Chestnut Avenue in Bushy Park.
Finished !
So my lockdown adventure is complete, it took a little longer than expected as a resulting of the last stay at home regulations but I really enjoyed seeing parts of the London Suburbs I had not visited and to really understand just how fortunate we are that London has such a discrete boundary, the result of planning in the 1950’s mean there really is a Green Belt around London.
If you would like a copy of my actual walking route the kml file is here, which was used to produce the following movie in Google Earth for your enjoyment !
And so we come to the penultimate section of the loop, a short eight miles on a Sunday afternoon leaving another roughly eight mile section to complete.
Starting back at Coulsdon South station the route climbs back up onto the North Downs through suburban 1930’s housing before crossing running alongside the first of many golf courses on this section at Woodcote Park.
The Suburbs !
The views from this reality high ground North towards the City of London are quite spectacular, and I have a soft spot of the downland pastures here.
City Views
I can imagine the Lavender Fields at Mayfield would be quite the site and smell in a couple of weeks time, but the cool April and early May mean the fields offer only a hint of whats to come.
Mayfield Lavender Fields
A long straight bridlepath runs just to the south of High Down Prison before the route turns north missing the town of Banstead and starting to head North for the reminder of the route.
Crossing Banstead Downs Golf Course is almost and hazardous as crossing the busy A217, it was a busy day for Golfers !
The Busy A217
The last few miles are mostly walking through roads of upscale housing, large detached houses which you would describe as Stockbroker Belt housing !
Stockbroker Belt Houses
And so onto Ewell through the lovely Nonsuch Park, the grounds of Henry VIII’s last Palace project and the end of the section at Ewell West Station.
The London Loop Part 11: West Wickham to Coulsdon South
The loop so far has been rather gentle, but this section had some more challenging changes in elevation, Snowdonia it is not but the North Downs which todays walking crossed in a number of places still requires you to stop and catch your breath occasionally!
Starting back in West Wickham the path soon enters Spring Park Woods the another of the many areas of woodlands owned by the City of London Corporation in South London.
Threehalfpenny Wood
The next area of woodland Threehalfpenny Wood marks the boundary of the London Borough of Croydon and the beginning of the climb through Shirley up onto Addington Hill with it’s great view of central Croydon and the City of London and Dockands beyond.
The view from Addington Hill
The route now heads south for a considerable distance through Littleheath and Selsdon Woods until finally turning west once again just north of the village of Farleigh.
Walking into Hamsley Green is was lovely to cross paths with a group doing their Duke of Edinburgh Expedition walk, such a brilliant activity !
Selsdon Wood
Beyond Hamsey Green the only Trig Pillar on the loop is found at Dispey Field, the route then drops rapidly into the valley carrying the A22 and East Grinstead Railway line before climbing back up again this time using steps onto Kenley Common.
Going up! steps to Kenley Common
At this point I’m afraid the Avgeek in me took over as I spend a very happy hour or two wondering around Kenley Aerodrome, one of the best preserved Battle of Britain airfields complete with dispersal pens and the old officers mess – and oh I might have had a pint at the Wattenden Arms to toast “The Few!”
Disperal
Wattenden Arms
Dispersal Shelter
A pint of London Pride
Kenley Memorial
The Officers Mess
From Kenley the route descends one again into the rather charmingly named “Happy Valley”, before once again climbing through some more woodland up onto the chalk grassland of Farthing Downs.
Farthing Downs
And from Farthing downs its all downhill into Coulsdon and the end of this section at Cousldon South Station.
Well is was such a pleasant day, I walked for most of it covering 16 miles or more than 25km, a bit longer than usual and two sections of the loop from the official guide.
The first section continues along the banks for the River Cray, upstream now the water is remarkable clear and the highlight of this section is the Five Arch Bridge above a weir in the Foots Cray nature Reserve.
Five Arch Bridge
A little further on is a useful signpost informing me I have only 44 1/4 miles to go on the London Loop, so I have completed 2/3 all ready!
Passing through Foots Cray a commuter village I expect the estate agents might call it, the route crosses Sidcup Place Park and then crosses the busy A20 before entering the first of many woods to be experienced today, Scadbury Park’s Little Wood.
Little Wood
From Little Wood the route then enters Park Wood and eventually Petts Wood, the woodland which in this case has given it’s name to the local suburb. The bridleways here are quite difficult to cross the lack of rain for the last month or so having hardened them into a tough craggy surface and I needed my walking boots !
Walking into the town of Petts Wood the path rapidly crosses three railway lines via three footbridges, before this section of the route finishes at the edge of the Jubilee Country Park.
I continued South walking through the residential streets of the “other” Farnborough towards High Elms Country Park.
The Other Farnborough, Kent
High Elms Country Park was a nice spot to take a break and grab an ice cream, walking the loop during the final stages of lockdown (hopefully) you really miss the ability to pop into a pub for lunch ! The Park was the site of a large Manor House owned by the Lubbock family which was unfortunately destroyed in a fire in 1967, the foundations of the building are still visible as is the Eton Fives court.. every house should have one!
Eton Five Court
As the route of the Loop starts to finally head West I was becoming more and more aware of the sound of aircraft operating out of Biggin Hill just a few kilometres south of the route, and was pleased to spot one of the Heritage Hangars two seat Spitfires in the circuit… (must do that one day…)
The route climbs onto the North Downs and passes the Wilberforce Oak, the site of a conversation between William Wilberforce and Prime Minister William Pitt the younger that began the process to abolish slavery in 1788.
The Wilberforce Oak
The final section of the walk skirts the southern edge of Hayes common, finishing rather unceremoniously in Coney Hall, just a kilometre away from Hayes BR Station.
And I’m back, after a COVID-19 lockdown break, back walking the London Loop, and now South of the River !
Quite a contrast to my last visit to Purleet on the other side of the River on a cold and wet November, instead a beautiful sunny April Saturday..
The QE2 Bridge on a Sunny day!
This is officially the first section of the walk, starting in Erith (pronounced Earith) it is not the most picturesque section of the walk but captures the fact that this is a city walk and cities are a place of work !
The first section from Erith railway section to the mouth of the River Darent, is quite industrial passing through Erith itself and then a series of breakers yards until you reach a windmill and the banks of the Thames across Crayford Marshes
The Industrial city
The first notable feature of the walk for me was the Darent Flood Barrier part of the extensive flood defences of the Thames and I guess a little brother to the more famous Thames Barrier at Greenwich.
The walk now heads south and then west along the River Cray across more marshland, heading South and West is going to be the general direction for a while !
Crayford was like much of England waking up to it’s first Saturday following the end of the latest lockdown and looked like any other busy commuter village on the outskirts of London, this is a good thing !
Crayford awakes
The route continues west along the banks of the River Cray, passing below the busy A2 London to Dover Road and then on to Bexley.
In respect to mobile phone usage I swing both ways so to say, my “work” phone is usually the latest Android device, currently a Pixel 5a (5g) and my “home” phone is an iPhone.
I have been sitting out iPhone updates for the last few years, happy with my 2017 iPhone X, but this year some of the new “Geogeek” features on the new iPhone 12 Pro have had me reaching for the Amex card !
Clearly the LIDAR capability is a technological leap forward bringing the capability to map indoors and undertake SLAM based navigation could at last bring progress to the challenging business of bringing consumer mapping indoors, somewhere we spend at least 80% of our lives (even more so during COVID ?).
This technological leap forward taking a capability that previously costs tens of thousands of dollars into a phone comes once again from the integration of complex electronics onto dedicated chips in this case a VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser).
The image of my desk above was generated combining the camera and LIDAR sensor of my new iPhone in around a minute !
Another dedicated chip in the new iPhone is perhaps even more interesting but less obvious at first
Another dedicated chip in the new iPhone is perhaps even more interesting but less obvious at first. Apple have been developing their own “U1” chip for a few years, it’s name is a big clue to its role, it is responsible for Ultra Wideband or UWB communications.
UWB may be used for personal area network communications, allowing devices such as phones and remote controls to communicate with each other and nearby devices, so there is a lot of crossover with the more well known Bluetooth protocol. However, there is big difference in how UWB operates that means it can offer some more functionality that is very useful for location determination and familiar if you know anything about how GPS works.
UWB is a pulse-based system, one that repeatedly blasts out signals then turns off before repeating, by regularly sending out a pulse of data, it can enable other nearby devices to know it exists, or vice versa if it receives a pulse from another device. This is clearly beneficial for proximity sensing applications such as contact tracing which have been problematic with Bluetooth.
Because UWB uses a wide range of frequencies it enables devices to more robustly perform Time of Flight (ToF) calculations, estimating as does GPS how far apart the devices are located.
Any system based on Time of Flight calculations have to deal with multi-path propagation where radio waves take multiple paths to reach a destination, by using multiple frequencies a more accurate calculation is possible.
UWB tracking applications have been used for a number of years in high end engineering applications, for example Airbus used a UWB system developed by Ubisense to prevent tools ending up inside sealed airliner fuel tanks !
Devices communicating with each other using UWB can apply timestamps for receiving and sending packets, allowing the calculation of relative distance between them with some accuracy but in addition it is also possible for UWB radios to determine the angle of an inbound signal, determining a direction the device is located in relation to it.
Time and bearing measurements should allow relative position down to a few centimetres and of course these can be anchored if one of the devices has a known fixed location in space.
What does this all mean?
Well potentially in your pocket you now have one device which solves both the problems of location determination and capture indoors !
