Baidu creates map navigation with real-time shadow  

百度秘密研发“影子导航” 已申请技术专利

百度公司近日申请的一项名为“导航用户朝向确定方法及装置”的技术专利，或许可以帮助“路痴”朋友解决麻烦。利用这一技术，用户通过比较现实影子和地图上的“影子”，就可以判断出正确的方向。 [查看全文]

(ECNS) -- Chinese Internet leader Baidu has quietly developed a new application that displays the real-time shadow of map navigation users online to help them with orientation.

It is the world's first navigation device to adopt shadows, and the search engine giant has applied for a patent on the innovative method.

The application works by capturing user locations in real-time to determine the direction of their shadows and presents them on mobile devices such as smartphones.

"Even on cloudy days or at night, users can distinguish direction by comparing their shadows on the map with nearby references," said an unnamed technologist.

The new technology is predicted to help Baidu Map, which already has nearly 30 million users, seize a larger share of China's mobile Internet market.

As a technology-driven company, Baidu has increased investment in technical research and development (R&D) in recent years. Earlier reports have said the company had been developing driveless cars and unmanned bicycles.

Financial reports in July showed the company had spent 1.737 billion yuan on R&D in the second quarter, up 84.5 percent year on year.

Analysts predict that more innovative products will be born from this company, along with high-speed growth of its shares and market value.