Lost milliseconds, absurdly thousands of miles

This exhibit consists of a touch screen and a physical atomic clock. Introduce the reasons for satellite clock errors and their impact on satellite positioning errors to visitors through story introduction. Transform and integrate the displayed content into a game script, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in interactive learning about the application scenarios of atomic clocks. After the game ends, the screen will automatically play a popular science video on satellite positioning principles. Through vivid 3D dynamic demonstrations, lead visitors to understand how satellites are positioned, help them better understand the Beidou satellite navigation system, and generate a stronger interest in the laws of the universe.

The unit is designed for unsupervised public use: controls are recessed or shielded, moving parts are enclosed, and the interface is operable by a child of about six with no instruction. Where a screen is used, the language can be switched without changing the hardware, and the content can be replaced on site.

The core of satellite navigation (GPS, Beidou, etc.) positioning is "calculating distance with time". The satellite emits a signal, and the receiver measures the time difference of arrival, which is then converted into the distance to the satellite using "time difference x speed of light". Due to the propagation of signals close to the speed of light, small time errors can be amplified: a difference of 1 millisecond can result in a distance difference of about 300 kilometers. Therefore, satellites must use high-precision atomic clocks for unified timing. Atomic clocks use the extremely stable vibration frequency of atoms as their "natural beat", which makes timing more accurate and stable, positioning more reliable, and less prone to drift.