The Wide, Wide World of GPS Technology

December 10th, 2008 by George Casuen

by George Casuen

Although the GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) system was originally designed to aid U.S. military forces in their movements around the world, it has quickly found it’s way into everyday life. Many commercial and personal uses for GPS tracking and navigation have been developed and new uses and benefits are continually being discovered.

An early example of the commercial benefits of GPS technology came with the building of the tunnel from England to France beneath the English Channel. Construction crews were able to start at both ends of the tunnel and meet up with near exactness in the middle because of the GPS receivers they were able to use during construction. The use of GPS is not limited to tunnels either, as mines and other underground operations make use of these valuable tools.

GPS systems have been used in many emergency situations for locating people who are lost or trapped. Some emergency response services have integrated GPS receivers into their response systems that tell them which police car, ambulance, or fire truck is closest to the emergency location so that they can respond as quickly as possible. They can also use aircraft that are equipped with positioning equipment that allow them to quickly update maps of forest fires for those who are directing the fire crews on the ground.

One use that is becoming one of the most common uses of GPS is automobile navigation systems. Ships and planes have been using the technology for many years, but now these navigation system are becoming standard equipment in many cars and vehicles (especially rental cars). These can prove very helpful when traveling in an unfamiliar area on business or on a vacation and can also help in locating the vehicle during emergency situations.

Transportation companies and courier services have also benefited from the reduction in size and price of GPS tracking devices. Now these companies and public transportation departments can track their trucks, buses and trains every minute of the day. This allows them to improve operational efficiencies as well as provides an added factor of safety for drivers and passengers.

Trucking companies and transportation departments are not the only ones to benefit from this system. Even farming companies are getting into the act installing receivers on tractors so that they can work field any time of day, even in the dark or during periods of low visibility. An additional application is tying the system into sensors that keep track of soil conditions allowing them to map problems areas that need water, fertilizer or other attention.

There have also been many advances in the scientific world. Balloons with GPS devices have been used to monitor such things as air quality and holes in the earths ozone layer. Buoys have been equipped so that they can track oil spills in open water. Archaeologists have use the GPS system to find and map ancient ruins, while biologists have put them to work tracking herd migrations and studying the movements of various species.

These devices have also become more personal as pet owners can now have tracking chips implanted in their pets so that they can be found if they become lost and as many people using hand held devices have taken up the hobby of Geo-caching where they use the GPS system to locate “treasures” that have been hidden by other Geo-cachers around the world. One thing is for sure. We have just seen the beginning of the effects of GPS on our lives.

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