The Growing World of GPS Technology
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.
Early one the use of GPS tracking was put to the test when the British and French governments cooperated on the construction of a new tunnel under the English Channel connecting England and France. With the availability of GPS receivers it was much easier for work crews tunneling from both ends of the tunnel to dig directly towards each other and meet almost perfectly in the middle. Because of this success many underground mines and facilities make use of the technology.
Emergency response services are also integrating the technology into their computer systems allowing them to determine which unit is closest to the accident scene and can respond the quickest. This reduces response times and saves lives. There have also been many people, trapped or lost, that have been rescued because of GPS equipment. Now GPS is also being used for broader emergencies such as tracking the progress of forest fires and keeping fire fighters away from dangerous areas.
What is quickly becoming one of the most common uses of GPS technology is automobile navigational systems. Once the domain of airplanes and ships on the ocean, now GPS units are small enough and inexpensive enough to be standard equipment in many car and truck models. This modern convenience has proved tremendously beneficial when traveling through unfamiliar territory or when in need of emergency assistance.
With the reduction in size and price of GPS devices transportation companies and public transportation departments have begun to install tracking systems that monitor company vehicles, trains and buses. This allows them to track shipments and improves their efficiency, scheduling and safety.
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.
The field of science has also seen their share of benefits from the development of the first satellites systems to more recent improvements. Biologists have been using these tools to follow herd migrations and study endangered species. Archaeologists have been assisted in locating and charting ancient ruins. In addition, GPS devices have been installed on buoys in the ocean to track the movement of oil spills and on balloons in the atmosphere to check air quality and monitor the ozone layer.
GPS devices have even become a personal item as hikers carry them into the mountains and as pet owners have chips implanted in their pets so that they can be located if they get lost. Even a new hobby has been born from this new technology. Hobbyists known as Geo-cachers hide “treasures” for others to find while they hunt for those planted by other people. With the advances made in this field it is certain that we have only seen the beginning of the applications possible in this new technology.