Doing even relatively simple arithmetic with
GPS data is difficult on 8-bit processors that cannot perform
floating-point calculations. Our approach to solving this problem
was to remove the low-power microcontrollers and give the
number-crunching tasks to a much more capable device: a 32-bit
processor (with floating-point capability), in the form of a small
netbook computer. While the computer is the most expensive
component of the new system, with further development, it could
be replaced by a much more compact and low-cost (but still powerful,
compared to 8-bit processors) processor, such as an ARM
device.