GPS Tracking ROI

Frequent visitors here know that I pay close attention to what people are searching for … a great tool that helps me know when people type something into a search engine and then land here is: www.103bees.com … a web site and little code snippet that you add to pages you want to watch that tells you the search query that brought someone to a site … and a whole lot more. recommended.

Anyway, that’s where the title of this post comes from. In recent times quite a few people have searched on that question, and, for those of us in the GPS business world the immediate reaction would be to say “no”. But that reaction would be wrong. Depending on what the reader really meant by “regular” GPS the answer should be, almost assuredly any GPS will show your trips … in some way and for some length of time.

Of course I am assuming that by “regular” the curious party means something like a handheld hiking/biking/exploring tool that you’ll buy at the sporting goods store, rather that a dedicated system a business would buy for a big ROI on their transportation costs. But nearly every FPS device I have examines has some memory functions .. in the cheaper, simpler consumer grade units these functions may be hidden from the consumer …. but they are often there…. (more…)

GPS navigation plan to help blind

By Geoff Adams-Spink
Age & disability correspondent, BBC News website

Easy Walk is available on Symbian mobile phones

An Italian technology company is pioneering a GPS satellite system that will give blind people greater independence and mobility.

The Easy Walk service has been developed by Il Village, a firm in Turin in northern Italy.

It is currently being tested by a group of 30 people from the Italian Blind Union who are providing feedback. The plan is for Easy Walk to be launched to blind and partially sighted people in Piedmont in the autumn.

Easy Walk uses a mobile phone that runs the Symbian operating system, a small Bluetooth GPS receiver, text to speech software called Talks (though rival products are also compatible) and a call centre that will operate around the clock seven days a week….

“What is really important is that behind all that stuff there is a call centre with a human being that can help you and who understands your needs,” he said.

The system has already been tested across the border in France and Switzerland.

The first phase of the project has resulted in 95% accuracy in determining a user’s exact location and Mr de Paoli intends to rebuild the system from scratch for the second phase of testing to achieve 100% reliability. Read the full BBC article here:

I’m already on record as strongly supportive of all technologies to help those less abled, and certainly the blind. In fact just about a year ago I note I wrote a piece on this same subject where I wrote about old friends Thom Foulks (RIP) and Bonnie Snyder, two of many whom I used to spend a lot of time with thinking up ways to assist people with technology. This is still one of my favorite subjects. However, I also am a long-time GPS practioner and the term “Can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear” comes to mind.

I applaud Mr. de Paoli’s efforts but I’d like to bring a couple points to his attention as well as to Mr. Adams-Spink, who as a reporter for an agency as English as the BBS News ought to know more about precision of language … especially when people’s hopes and dreams may be riding on your reportage. (more…)

Oldest GPS satellite being prepared for disposal

by Staff Sgt. Don Branum
50th Space Wing Public Affairs
3/17/2007 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNEWS) — The oldest operational satellite in the GPS constellation has broadcast its signal for more than 16 years, during which time that signal’s mission applications — and the people who make sure the signal is available — have changed dramatically…. Read the full Air Force Link story here:

I selected this as my lead today because I have been reading a lot of advice type articles and blog posts lately that keep telling me to be “positive”. I’ll agree that’s normally good advice and I also have to admit that some of my Galileo and other GPS copy-cat systems posts may have sounded negative. I apologize for the negative tone, let me re-state that I am sure, even more after this article, that Galileo is stupid. (how’s that,coach?) (more…)

Talks Between Gov’t, Contractors Break Down

The planned launch of a European satellite navigation system, designed to compete with the US global positioning system (GPS), has ground to a halt due to a breakdown in talks between the government, and the private contractors tasked with implementing the system.

The Financial Times reports European Union transport commissioner Jacques Barrot planned to write to the eight companies developing Galileo to determine why the program has been delayed for over a year — although Barrot apparently has some idea already.

“They are just not working,” said his spokesman.

Allegations have surfaced Spain is responsible for blocking progress on the system, until that country is guaranteed more jobs — a situation that led one critic to dub Galileo “Airbus in space.” For its part, Spain maintains it is simply holding all parties to a 2005 work-division agreement…. Full Article here:

I’ve voiced my opinion on the ill-advised Galileo project in the past, several times … Not so fast Froggy … self-aggrandizement … and more if you want to type Galileo into the search box at the top left. I was just going to breeze past this news item because it seemed just like another “I told you so” opportunity until I notices the “Airbus in space” reference. Damn I wish I had coined that phrase. (more…)

The World of Software Development.

by Jon Erickson

March 15, 2007

Mother Nature’s GPS (TM)

Okay, let’s just call it “Mother Nature’s GPS.” But by whatever name, it seems that researchers have figured out what lets homing pigeons home in on home…. Read Jon’s oped piece here:

This is a lead-in to a fascinating piece of research that opens a little more of the window of understanding about how homing pigeons (and perhaps some other animals) navigate. As has been suspected for years there seems to be a very complex magnetic field measurement process going on in the pigeon’s brains processing data received via the iron-enhanced beaks.

Many years ago when the earth was new and people used to actually write computer code rather than link together one over-inflated “code balloon” to another until the result is a Microsoft “processor killer” product (and Andy Grove takes Bill Gates out to lunch again), there was a journal of geekdom known as Dr. Dobbs. (more…)

March 13, 2007
Nissan Motors Co., Ltd. is entering the next test-phase of its intelligent transportation system (ITS) project, employing vehicle-to-infrastructure communication that allows synchronized communication between vehicles and traffic light signals. Nissan will invest in the installation of an advanced traffic signal infrastructure within the site of the Nissan Technical Center, located in the Kanagawa Prefecture, to collect real-world vehicle data from several hundred employee cars participating in the project.
The new advanced traffic system will help reduce accidents as well as ease traffic congestion - specifically at traffic light intersections - leading to improved on-the-road fuel consumption. Since October 2006, Nissan has been conducting various experiments under its ITS Project in Kanagawa to help reduce accidents and ease traffic congestion… Read the full Telematics Journal description here:

I’ve been working … a bit slowly I must admit … on some further updates to my series on GPS (and other sensor devices) for Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS). In the middle of researching a number of companies … thanks again to Robert Stack for the pictures used here and the ITS tips, I came across the Nissan news item featured above.

(more…)

Many folks query me about where or how they can try out GPS tracking or how they can get into it on a short-term, special use basis. They can see how they might get a good Return On Investment (ROI) but they just can’t make the time to work with a provider and carefully analyze the needs of their fleet.

Well, shooting from the hip is never the way to the best score on the target range … Ready, Fire, Aim is not the best algorithm … but it can be done and it works when you need to do something ad hoc or short term. here are two offerings along with my thoughts on their usefulness and long term value. (more…)