Qinetiq signed an agreement with C&N Inc. of Tokyo to supply GPS chips that will be installed in consumer electronics, Qinetiq announced July 3.

Qinetiq will provide its Q20 high-sensitivity chips, which the company says enables receivers to pick up satellite navigation signals inside buildings and in other areas where the signals may be difficult to receive.

This will be the first time that the Q20 chips have been installed in consumer electronic devices, Qinetiq said.

“Qinetiq’s Q20 GPS chip has huge potential in the consumer electronics market because it is small, self-contained and acquires signals quickly indoors,” Yasuhiro Tamura, president of C&N, said in a statement. “This agreement will allow us to bring C&N’s expertise in the creation of innovative consumer products to the future development of Q20 and to work with Qinetiq to optimize their GPS technology for off-the-shelf electronic devices.”