IMPLICATIONS OF GPS IN HUMAN LIFE

- Sagar Mukherjee Trying to figure out where you are and where you are going is one of man’s favorite pastimes which gradually evolved into a necessity as he stepped into the modern life. Navigation and positioning are crucial to so many activities yet the process has always been rather clumsy and incompetent. Over years scientists had been in search of a technology that would suffice the growing needs of navigation and global positioning. Finally the U.S. Department of Defense decided that their military must have the technology which could overcome their needs of global positioning, navigating and targeting. Thus emerged the elite technique to suffice their needs- the GPS or Global Positioning System, a system that changed navigation forever. What is GPS? Now we may ask the question- What is GPS? A small and easy looking question, but not that easy to answer. To under the concept we must know that GPS or the Global Positioning System is a worldwide radio-navigation system comprised of a constellation of 24 satellites and their ground stations. GPS uses these “man-made” stars as reference points to calculate positions accurate to a matter of meters (and sometimes centimeters with advanced GPS devices). Nowadays GPS devices are miniaturized to just few integrated circuits and so are very economical. This makes the technology accessible to virtually everyone. GPS is also finding its way into cars, boats, planes, machines, construction equipments, laptops and even cell phones! Why we need it? GPS technology has matured into a resource that goes far beyond its original goal. Nowadays GPS is not only used as a tool for military operations, but as an important commodity for modern day living. These days scientists, farmers, soldiers, pilots, surveyors, hikers, delivery drivers,sailors, policemen and fire-fighters, viz. people from every profession use GPS in ways that make their work more productive, safer, and sometimes even easier. Though the uses of GPS are virtually unlimited, the applications of the technology can be narrowed down to four categories. Location : The first and the most obvious application of GPS is the simple determination of a position or location. GPS is the first positioning system to offer highly precise location data from any point on the planet, in any weather. For example,if a hiker gets stranded in middle of a desert with nothing but a GPS device with him, it would be easy for rescuers to find the hiker. The GPS device would send a signal so that the rescuers can track the signal and find the stranded person. Navigation: GPS was originally designed to provide navigation information for ships and planes. GPS may be useful for determining an exact location but it is also important to know how to get to somewhere else. So it is no surprise that this technology is so useful for navigating purposes on water, air and land. It's interesting to know that GPS has revolutionized the waterways and made them more precise than ever. Tracking: If navigation is the process of getting from one location to another, tracking is the process of monitoring the movement. Commerce relies on fleets of vehicles to deliver goods through nationwide corridors, GPS tracking devices effectively directs the bottom-line implications of fleet management such as telling a customer when the package will arrive or even help tankers avoid hazards. GPS used in conjunction with communication links and computers can regulate application in agriculture, mass transit, urban delivery, public safety and vessel and vehicle tracking. For these reasons police, ambulance and fire departments use GPS based AVL ( Automatic Vehicle Location ) Manager to pinpoint both the location of emergency and the location of nearest response vehicle. Mapping: In this big world, using GPS to survey and map precisely helps in saving both time and money. Mapping is the art and science of using GPS to locate items, then create maps and models of everything. GPS makes it possible for a single surveyor to accomplish in a day what would otherwise take weeks for an entire team. Mapping anything anywhere has become an easy job with the help of GPS technology. Everything can be mapped with GPS guided systems; mountains, rivers, forests as well as roads routes and city streets. Even endangered animals, precious minerals and other resources, damage and disasters and trash and archaeological treasures can be mapped with this technology. GPS IS Mapping the world. Technological Impact From the very day of its birth, GPS technology has been revolutionising the modern world. Locating to mapping, navigating to setting time, GPS devices had shown their credibility in all the aspects. GPS tracking devices are nowadays even used in medical science. GPS devices are even installed in cell phones so that one can use it cases of emergency. Truly, it is a huge job and to some extend an impossible one just to sum up the utilities of the Global Positioning System. Though GPS is a great help to man, it is undeniable that sometimes ill usage of this technology can jeopardize a some one's life and profession. Taking undue advantage of this system to hack and track someones life is legally and morally objectionable. But if these negligible demerits are set apart, it is undeniable that GPS is one of the greatest discoveries of mankind. GPS is the answer to the needs of today's man; to stay up-to-date with the fast moving time, to be in touch with their loved ones and to know where you are and where to go. GPS is the future and is here to stay and revolutionise human life.

Cell phones to act as GPS

Remember that scene in the James Bond classic “Goldfinger” in which our super-spy hero flipped a button on the dash of his Aston Martin and began tracking another car that appeared as a blinking blip on a bright green radar screen? It may have been pure fantasy in 1964, but thanks to today’s constantly evolving Global Positioning System technology, people who use cell phones to make 911 calls in Lorain County will be able to have their exact locations determined with a very high degree of certainty within in a matter of minutes. “As of this week we are 100 percent phased in across the county with this new Phase II wireless technology,” said Robin Jones, director of Lorain County’s E-911 operation, which received more than 200,000 emergency calls in 2007. More than half of those were placed from GPS-equipped cell phones. “Even travelers driving through the county who might not even know what road they are on can now have their location accurately identified,” Jones said.

Nokia Adds More GPS Functions to U.S. Phones

Global mobile phone leader Nokia released, the first new phone for the U.S. is the N78, an attractive, slim candybar with a range of mid-to-high-end features. It has GPS mapping, a true Web browser, a 3.2-megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, an FM radio and support for playing a wide range of music and video formats on its 2.4", 320 X 240 screen. Like all of Nokia's N-series phones, it runs the Symbian Series 60 smartphone operating system.

The N78's new features include the ability to "geotag" photos with the location they were taken and an FM transmitter that lets it play music through FM radios.

The N78 also plumbs into Nokia's new GPS and Web services. "Share on Ovi" puts Nokia into the very busy marketplace of media sharing and social networking services, by giving phone owners a free place to upload their media, with unlimited storage and unlimited bandwidth. Nokia Maps 2.0 dramatically improves pedestrian directions and adds satellite images to their phone mapping software. The N78 will be available by June, for around 350 euros, or $509, before operator subsidies.

To read more on (please click here)

Thunderstorms can disrupt GPS device, researcher cautions

A Taiwanese researcher says global positioning systems (GPS) are susceptible to interference from thunderstorms and so should not be relied upon in extreme weather conditions. Lin Chien-hung, an assistant professor at the Plasma and Space Sciences Center of National Cheng Kung University, said the strong atmospheric convections in a thunderstorm can create atmospheric oscillations -- tides -- that rise between 90km and 120km above ground, just under the ionosphere. ATMOSPHERIC TIDES Ions from the tides accumulate at that level and could interfere with electromagnetic waves, he said. When transmission of electromagnetic waves is impeded, Lin said, signals from GPS satellites to GPS devices on the ground will be distorted, causing a phenomenon dubbed "GPS confusion,"in which the device gives inaccurate directions. "Some of my friends told me stories of using a GPS device in thunderstorms," Lin said. GETTING LOST "They hoped the device could lead them out of the mountains despite the heavy rains. But even though they followed the directions given by GPS devices, they found themselves in the middle of nowhere," Lin said. He said such stories have inspired him to do more research on the interaction of atmospheric convections and GPS devices. Using the data collected by FORMOSAT-3, a climate satellite launched and operated by the government-funded National Space Organization and its US partners, Lin analyzed atmospheric variations during thunderstorms and observed how atmospheric tides created disruptions in electromagnetic waves. ANOMALIES Based on the data gathered by an IMAGE satellite in 2002, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration has listed four areas as "equatorial regions with anomalies in ionospheric activities." These regions are: the Amazon valley, the Congo River valley, Indonesia's rain forests and the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where most tropical storms form, he said. "Taiwan is in the mid-Pacific region, where a thunderstorm near the ground will disturb the upper atmosphere and could impact the functions of a GPS device," Lin said. Source: Taipei Times

Police Seek to Crack Down on GPS Thefts

by Libby Lewis For drivers who can't tell east from west, portable GPS devices have been an essential navigation tool.

But they're just as appealing to thieves: GPS units are high on the wish lists of bad guys. And the odds are with the thieves — that is, until either manufacturers make the devices theft-proof, or gadget-loving owners learn to protect their portable electronics.

For now, some police are trying new tactics to fight the GPS crime wave. [continue reading]

GPS Shoe

A company called GTX has developed a global positioning system that

can be installed in the heel of shoes. People wearing the GPS shoes can be tracked online. The shoes are expected to come on the market next year. Seniors never have to worry about getting lost again!

Integrating GPS technology into footwear and otherconsumer products to benefit people and society.

Announcing the world's first GPS system in a shoe. This GPS device and GPS locator is designed to meld seamlessly into ones busy lifestyle, affording the comfort of a shoe with the reliability of cutting edge technology while monitoring the whereabouts of loved ones.

GPS real time tracking or remote surveillance is now being offered in consumer friendly products including footwear within a few months from branded manufacturers. This GPS patented shoe based platform delivers a new level of functional oversight, security and peace of mind to a wide variety of audiences and needs.

The advantage of this type of GPS product over a GPS cell phone is its transparency and ability to stay attached to the wearer. Perfect for children, seniors, people with Alzheimer, outdoor adventures, military, police, fire, public safety workers and many more.

Read more on this, http://www.gtxcorp.com/

NAVIGON 7100-- CES Best Of Innovations 2008 Design and Engineering Award Honoree

Consumer GPS newcomer breaks into U.S. market top five after only one full month on store shelves

CES Booth #6011 -- At CES 2008, NAVIGON Inc., provider of navigation products and solutions, will
have much to celebrate. In the fiercely competitive GPS category, dominated by a few key players and dozens of others, NAVIGON claimed the fifth place
spot in overall U.S. market share for 2007. This is noteworthy considering the company's first full-throttled month of selling its complete product
line was November 2007.

Following retail sales reports for November 2007, the first full month of distribution for NAVIGON's complete product line, industry analyst firm
NPD Group confirmed NAVIGON broke into the ranks of the top five GPS sellers in both units and dollar volume. NPD Group also confirms that, one
month after its launch, based on unit-volume sales, the NAVIGON 2100 GPS was one of the top ten best-selling GPS units in the month of November.

"We're excited about the progress we've made to date," says Andreas Hecht, President of the Americas for NAVIGON. "We seized fifth place with a
one-two punch of product innovation and aggressive sales and marketing, which we'll build on in 2008."
NAVIGON closed out the year with a number of awards and accolades that included:

  -- CES Best Of Innovations 2008 Design and Engineering Award Honoree,
     NAVIGON 7100 for "In-Vehicle Accessories"
  -- Amazon.com Editor's Choice as one of the Best GPS Devices of 2007:
     NAVIGON 7100
  -- Telematics Update 2007 Awards, MobileNavigator for "Best Navigation
     Application"
  -- Retail Vision 2007 Awards, NAVIGON for "Best Hardware"
  -- 2007 reddot design award winner, NAVIGON 7100 for "Best of the Best"

The nuvifone uses 3.5G technology, a high-speed wireless system incompatible with Sprint but used in Europe and Asia by many companies, and in some areas of the U.S. by AT&T Wireless.

Windows Mobile 6 phones include GPS

Toshiba has released a pair of new smartphones based on Windows Mobile 6. The Portege 910 features a fold-out 800 x 480 display and keyboard, while the more conventional Portege 710 also offers a QWERTY interface. To begin with the Portege 910, this looks like a conventional cell phone when folded (see picture above), with an external clock display, but when unfolded it resembles a mini laptop (see below) -- though one measuring just 4.6 x 2.5 x 0.8 inches (117 x 64 x 20mm). Access to the phone is secured by a biometric fingerprint reader, according to the company. Toshiba calls the wide 3-inch display "perfect for Web browsing." This is emphasized by the inclusion of the Opera browser as well as Microsoft's standard Internet Explorer offering. The device uses Qualcomm's MSM7200 chipset, based on an ARM 11 core, clocked at 528MHz, and provided with 128MB of RAM and 256MB of flash. The chipset offers the potential for GPS functionality, which has been implemented here. Toshiba touts Qualcomm’s gpsOneXTRA Assistance technology as providing a faster "first fix" plus greater GPS sensitivity for challenging environments. Other wireless interfaces include quad-band (GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS2100) telephony with CSD, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, and HSDPA data, plus Bluetooth 2.0. The Portege G910 is also packing 802.11b/g wireless LAN capabilities. For Features and specifications listed by Toshiba for the Portege 910 please here

Where's Your Kid? Check the GPS

The handy AnyTrack device keeps tabs on whereabouts of family, cars, packages—as long as you're ready to pay, and don't require precision.

The Good: Easy to use, small, and lightweight; works indoors, outdoors, or when hidden

The Bad: Tracks a maximum of once every five minutes; often shows imprecise locations; usage can get costly

The Bottom Line: Good, but limited, tracking device for family, pets, packages, and vehicles

Nokia N95 - GPS Demo

This GPS demo is pretty cool in the sense that you can see how it would work especially this being a hand held one

GPS adds dimension to online photos

NEW YORK - To plan an upcoming hike in the Alps, John Higham scoured scores of photos plotted along his route on a digital map for clues to the steepness of trails and the availability of accommodations or camp sites.

These images were just like all the other vacation photos shared by travelers and amateur photographers, except they'd been tagged with location information in an emerging practice known as "geotagging."

Armed with such data, Higham didn't have to search endless combinations of keywords and guess how photographers would describe images in captions. By zooming in on the map, he could easily find geotagged photos along the Via Alpina and gain a fresh perspective.

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uLocate launches GPS widget platform with metroPCS

Ulocate communications today announced that its GPS widget platform “Where” is now available with the U.S. wireless operator metroPCS. Where costs $2.99 per month and is currently compatible with five metroPCS phones. MetroPCS has over 3.6 million subscribers in the United States. This is the fourth U.S. wireless operator signed by Ulocate after Sprint, Alltel and Boost Mobile. Buddy Beacon In a separate news last week, uLocate announced their acquisition of the Buddy Beacon name from U.S wireless operator Helio. Introduced by Helio in partnership with uLocate in 2006, Buddy Beacon is a friend finder application. With this acquisition ulocate will be able to extend its Buddy Beacon service to other wireless operators. Buddy Beacon will be available on the Where platform and as BREW and Java applications.

The Map in the Machine

Portable and integrated navigation systems each have their pluses and minuses. Find out which kind is right for you, or whether you even need to invest in one at all. by Althea Chang If you frequently drive in unfamiliar territory or simply hate straining to see street signs, then a navigation system might be a worthwhile investment.

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Buying GPS

GPS is a great gift item for all the last minutes shoppers. If you want to provide a great gift to your Mom or Dad who could benefit immensely from ability to navigate with directions from the nearest grocery to making a timely visit for the doctor's appointment. Well PC magazine has an interesting article that can educate guys like yourself and myself on "How to Buy a GPS". The article by Molly K. McLaughlin writes about the GPS Essentials So, what exactly makes a GPS device good in this crowded market? Important features include a large readable display, a variety routing options, built-in maps, a large points of interest (POI) database, and most importantly, a strong receiver. The SiRF Star III GPS receiver has become the defacto standard for GPS devices because of its fast Time to First Fix (TTFF)—the time it takes the receiver to find its position in a new location—as well as its ability to acquire and maintain a signal even in dense urban environments. Save some money and load on the features with a refurbished navigation system from Tiger GPS!

GPS Tops Consumer Shopping List

Maybe they're tired of fighting about which way to turn, or maybe they're feeling a bit fragile and lost, but this holiday, GPS is topping many shoppers' lists. Amazon Electronics , the bellwether of who's buying what, just sent me a list of its top 25 most-purchased items last week. The Garmin Nuvi , in various models, appeared four times on the list. (Other repeated top sellers included Canon and Apple.)

Why the run on GPS now? The technology is finally mature enough that it really can get you where you need to be ………<more>

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