How Pokemon Go players have been unwittingly training AI navigation robots

• A 30-billion-image dataset, accumulated over a decade by Pokémon Go players, is now being used to train an AI navigation system.
• Niantic Spatial, a spin-off from Pokémon Go creator Niantic, developed a Visual Positioning System (VPS) from this crowd-sourced data.
• The VPS offers highly accurate location pinpointing within centimetres, particularly useful where GPS signals are weak or blocked, such as indoors or in urban areas.
• US-based firm Coco Robotics has partnered with Niantic Spatial to integrate this VPS technology into its delivery robots for improved navigation in complex city environments.
• In-game features like 'Field Research' encouraged players to scan real-world landmarks, contributing to the detailed 3D models used by the VPS.

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Pokemon Go players have been unwittingly training robots