Racelogic is offering a GPS simulator, LabSat, for the testing and development navigation devices.

A feature, said the supplier, is the simulator's capability to record and replay real-world data.

The inability to reproduce real world conditions accurately is important in understanding the effects of phenomena such as multipath reflections, atmospheric effects, and dropouts on devices.

The alternative is that products must be taken out into the field and laboriously tested, and because conditions are always changing, there is little consistency between tests.

The capacity of LabSat to record and replay real-world data means that common conditions can be repeatedly reproduced on the bench, cutting development times as manufacturers no longer need to undertake multiple, often unreliable physical tests in the field.

Using a computer with a USB 2.0 connection, it records raw signals from a GPS antenna directly to hard disk, with no limitations on the number of satellites being tracked or the length of the recording. When the data is replayed, the GPS engine under test will re-create all the movement and satellite reception encountered, including all original multipath and atmospheric effects.

Alternatively, for data without artefacts, it can simulate dynamic scenarios anywhere in the world using the optional SatGen software. External modules allow additional signals to be recorded, such as inertial, serial or CAN data, and replayed at the same time, perfectly synchronised with GPS.

The simulator comes bundled with a 250Gbyte USB drive with pre-loaded recordings included.

And with prices starting from £5,950.