Food Waste Trucks Outfitted with GPS Technology

A city in China is using GPS technology to address a problem with illegal cooking oil. They are hoping that a new computerized system will help to eliminate this long-standing issue.

Illegal Oil

The city of Wuhan, China is famous for its cuisine, much of which utilizes cooking oil. All of this cooking generates a large amount of food waste, approximately 1,100 tons each day. The waste is dumped into the area’s lakes and rivers, which is obviously quite harmful to the waterways. In addition, some enterprising individuals collect the used cooking oil and recycle it to use again. This oil, called gutter oil, is dangerously contaminated and no longer suitable for use with food.

A New System

To address this problem, the city is instituting a system of collection and processing of food waste. When the law takes effect on December 1^st, all restaurants over 80 square meters in size will be required to have their food waste collected by an approved company. They will be issued specific garbage cans that they will be required to use. Once collected, the waste will be taken to one of five waste treatment plants. Each of these facilities can process up to 200 tons of food waste each day. Here the waste will be turned into methane and compost.

The Technology Side

One of the challenges of implementing a new system of this magnitude is compliance. To address this, the city has outfitted every food waste truck with a computerized system utilizing GPS technology. These features enable the trucks to collect GPS and weight data at each pickup. The weight data enables tracking of a restaurant’s waste over time. If there is a sudden decline, it is likely that the restaurant is improperly disposing of its waste. Besides coordinating the location of the pickups, the GPS device also enables the central office to keep track of where the trucks are and quickly locate any particular vehicle.

Since it expected that the program will cover only about 60% of the city’s food waste, it will not immediately solve all of the improper disposal problems. However, the use of GPS technology is a step in the right direction toward improving the quality of both the city’s food supply and its waterways.

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Food Waste Trucks Outfitted with GPS Technology

GPS Devices Approved as Bypass Transponders

Using GPS devices on the highways has become a relatively common thing, and even experienced truck drivers use them to find the best routes and avoid traffic congestion. A recent government decision, however, opens the door for a brand new application for these useful gadgets.

 

The Current System

Trucking companies maintain large fleets of trucks that transport products across the nation on the interstate highway system. One temptation these companies face is to overload their trucks to save time and money. Most states, however, have restrictions on the amount of weight that can be carried on a truck, and overweight trailers must obtain special permits and follow specific routes. In order to enforce these laws, truckers must visit weigh stations along the interstate, where the weight of their load can be checked. With the hundreds of trucks traveling on any given roadway, there can be an incredibly high volume of traffic through these weigh stations. To deal with this problem, many states have instituted technology that can allow trucks to bypass a given weigh station. Based on certain criteria, the weigh station communicates with a transponder in the truck and notifies the driver whether or not he needs to stop at the station.

 

The Announcement

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced that both GPS devices and other mobile devices with GPS capabilities can be used as transponders by interstate truckers. According to FMCSA, current technology allows them to establish networks that utilize the cellular system to collect data on a truck. Based on the information gathered, they can determine if the trucker needs to stop and notify the driver accordingly.

 

The Benefits

This advance has a number of benefits for both states and trucking companies. Using existing devices and technology lowers the overall costs of the transponder program, which will permit the participation of more states. The system also allows law enforcement agencies to zero in on the problem truckers instead of wasting the valuable time of compliant carriers. Since most trucks already carry GPS navigation devices, trucking companies will save money by not having to purchase additional transponders. The savings in transport time and equipment costs will ultimately be passed on to consumers, to the benefit of all.

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GPS Devices Approved as Bypass Transponders

Civilian GPS Needs Increased Encryption Protection

In June 2013, a group of graduate students from the University of Texas at Austin sent shock waves through the world of GPS technology when they successfully tricked (or “spoofed”) the GPS navigation system on a super yacht, causing the ship to go off course. Todd Humphreys, assistant professor, and his students carried on board a device no bigger than a briefcase that fooled the boat’s navigation system (and, therefore, also fooled the boat’s navigators) into thinking the boat was drifting off-course when, in fact, it was not. To correct the “error,” the navigators actually swerved the boat off course.

Why was this potentially a big deal in the GPS world? It showed that GPS technology is vulnerable to being spoofed, which could have huge ramifications if, for example, terrorists were to obtain or duplicate it. Does this mean military institutions could be at risk?

No, says Ian Farquhar, a security researcher from South Africa. He explains that GPS, which was invented by the American military, can be encrypted to make it difficult or impossible to hack, and that military GPS has such encryption. The problem is that civilian GPS does not come with that encryption.

There are encryption codes that the military can potentially use for its GPS technology. According to Farquhar:

• The Coarse/Acquisition Code (C/A Code) is used by nearly everyone already. It is vulnerable to GPS spoofing.


• The P(Y) Code is open only to military in the United States—and to US allies. Current attempts at spoofing would have no effect on it, so it is considered a secure system. However, it’s not available to the average citizen.


• The M-Code is a new code just being introduced by the military. We can assume it increases security, but very little is known about it at this time.

Farquhar stresses the importance of making civilian GPS spoof-proof, citing as an example the crash of Air France Flight 447 in June 2009. The crash was not the result of GPS spoofing, but it did occur because the crew was getting inconsistent readings from various onboard technologies. The same kind of confusion could result if someone were to spoof an airliner’s GPS.

GPS tracking technology has been around longer than most people realize, dating as far back as the 1970s. In fact, the initial meeting to discuss the possible creation of such a system was on Labor Day in 1973. That makes September 2013 the fortieth anniversary of the concept of GPS.

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Civilian GPS Needs Increased Encryption Protection

Employer Uses GPS Tracking to Investigate Woman on Sick Leave

Automobile GPS tracking offers a wide range of uses to make your life better. By installing a small device in your vehicle, you can protect your car from theft, make sure loved ones are safe while they travel, and keep an eye on teen drivers, all from the comfort of your home. Unfortunately, GPS tracking devices also have the potential to invade privacy when used inappropriately or without the knowledge or consent of the car owner.

Anthea Orchard, a British woman who worked for an emergency call center, recently experienced one of these unethical uses of GPS tracking when her boss installed a device on her car without her knowledge. While Orchard was on sick leave, her employer decided to track her car in order to make sure she was really sick and not just building up her own personal business. Neighbors told her they had seen two people acting strangely outside her house, and then Orchard began receiving phone calls asking her to do work related to her personal business. She later discovered that a private investigator had been hired to catch her working for her side business while she was on sick leave.

As a mother of two small children, Orchard expressed irritation that her privacy was threatened. Not only did she drive the car, but so did her husband, meaning her employer was tracking his movements as well. While no charges were filed, Orchard feels that the employer acted inappropriately and has left her job.

When automobile GPS tracking is used appropriately, it can offer great benefits. But when matters are taken to extremes, it’s easy to cross the line into invasion of privacy. That’s why many localities have begun implementing regulations regarding when and how GPS tracking devices can be used to track people without their knowledge, particularly in the case of law enforcement. Many states and cities now require a warrant to obtain information with an automobile GPS tracking device, just as would be needed to search a person’s private home or belongings.

It’s unclear why Anthea Orchard’s employer felt the need to take such extreme measures to investigate her sick leave. However, employers everywhere should take away from this story the importance of treating employees with dignity and respecting their privacy and that of their families.

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Employer Uses GPS Tracking to Investigate Woman on Sick Leave

Cell Phones and GPS: A Solution for Cell Phone Theft?

The proliferation of cell phones worldwide today has led to the proliferation of a new kind of crime: cell phone theft. Most of us know someone who has had a cell phone stolen at some point—and many reading this are the unfortunate victims of such a theft. According to some estimations, over 100 cell phones are stolen every minute.

Today’s smartphones contain a lot more information than the original cell phones did, so having one stolen can really throw your life into upheaval.

What kind of sensitive data can be compromised if your cell phone is stolen? Not only personal items such as family photos and texts between you and friends but also emails, apps, your Internet history, your contact list, and even passwords and security codes can fall into the hands of thieves who can use the information for identity theft and other illegal purposes. Is there anything you can do about it other than chaining your cell phone to your hip?

Probably one of the simplest and best things you can do is to activate your smartphone’s Global Positioning System, or GPS, features. These features vary depending on the type of phone (for example, an iPhone versus an Android phone), but their basic purpose is the same: to allow you to track and locate your phone when it’s lost or stolen. This is a great tool, but you need to be sure you activate it.

If you’re an iPhone user, one helpful app is Find My iPhone. (Note that this app also enables you to find a stolen iPad, iPod touch, or Mac computer.) The app uses GPS technology to locate your phone on a map. You can use it to remotely lock your device—or even erase all its data.

Another app that works on both iOS and Android devices is called “Prey.” Touted as a free anti-theft security system, Prey uses both Wifi and GPS technology to locate your stolen phone through triangulation. It allows you, among other things, to trigger an alarm on the device, take pictures with the device, and gather network information regarding the thief’s use of the device.

Finally, another step forward in curbing cell phone theft that does not involve GPS tracking technology was finalized in November of 2012 when AT&T unveiled their stolen phone database. This database enables customers not only to report stolen phones but also to disable them from use, if they are part of the AT&T network.

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Cell Phones and GPS: A Solution for Cell Phone Theft?

Birdie App Improves the Game of Golf with GPS

Golf has always been a favorite way to unwind after a week in the office. But with the advent of GPS for golf, players can get more serious about their game than they might have thought. Birdie Apps recently released a new golfing app that will use GPS technology to help players step up their game while also helping course managers improve their marketing efforts.

Improving Golf Accuracy with GPS

The new app will provide detailed maps that allow players to determine exact distances for their shots, chart a line of approach, and calculate distances to any spot on the golf course from the player’s current location. Players can quickly access the app on their smartphones in order to keep tabs on game data, and since the interface is designed to be user-friendly and clutter-free, distractions will be minimal. That means players will not only get the information they need to make each shot better, but will also be free to concentrate on the beauty of the game without being glued to the screen.

How Course Managers will Benefit

The new Birdie App isn’t just for players, however. In order for users to access the customized app for any particular course, they will need to join that course’s email list. They will also provide data to the app (like age, rounds per week, proximity to the course, tee-times, etc.) which will enable managers to better target their advertising efforts. The app can also display promotional items that are relevant to individual players, which means courses can sell more effectively and players can benefit from having relevant item suggestions rather than generic ads.

Birdie App Gives Players an Edge Over Other Golf Apps

While other GPS apps use pre-determined points of interest to determine what players can view, the Birdie App allows players to select any point on the course and receive relevant data. They can also switch between bird’s eye view, which provides an overview of the entire course, and hole view, which allows players to zoom in on a detailed view of a particular green.

While GPS for golf may still be in its infancy, Birde Apps has developed an accessible, user-friendly product that will benefit both players and courses. It may just ease the game of golf into today’s technology-driven sports culture, a step which so far the timeless game has been reluctant to take.

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Birdie App Improves the Game of Golf with GPS

007 for 11 and Under

The older generation grew up with a multitude of make-believe spy devices and gear inspired by watching too many spy movies and TV shows like Get Smart, Mission Impossible, and (when you were old enough) James Bond. Thanks to remakes, updates, and continued series, the current generation is also enthralled by the endless possibilities of gadgets that spies make cool and kids love. Whether you could afford the cheaply made toy spy kits that never worked quite right, or whether you used household items in the tradition of MacGyver, it was easy to get hooked on this idea. Today, Filip Technologies has come out with a device, called Filip, that uses GPS technology to turn the ordinary wristwatch into a locator that helps parents keep track of their young children.

 

Keeping Track of your Kids

The main feature of Filip is the use of GPS tracking technology to allow parents to track their children with an Android app. Sten Kirkbak, the company’s founder, came up with the idea when he once lost track of his three year old child in a mall for about 30 minutes. Parents have dreamed of this kind of device, which can help create peace of mind in today’s fast paced culture. If there is ever any question about the whereabouts of a child, then this GPS locator technology can find him and allow the parents to relax.

 

Additional Capabilities

While the GPS locator technology is the main selling point, Filip has a few other features that make it even more useful in emergency situations. One of these is the ability to receive and make calls to five parent-approved phone numbers. The device has an emergency button that initiates a phone call to parents, and if that doesn’t work, the call is re-routed to emergency services to make sure the child is safe.

 

Will the Kids Like It?

I can only imagine that anyone aged 4-11 would think this is one of the coolest things they’ve ever seen. Not to mention “big kids” aged 44-61. There are choices of colors and with the GPS locator technology in place, it is very likely that parents will allow their children to have a little more freedom–something most kids want.

 

The Filip with GPS locator technology should be a hit with families this Christmas. Whether you are pretending to call Agent 99 or taking part on a secret mission with your kids, Filip can help you bridge the gap between having kids who go where they are supposed to and those who go wherever they want. Parents don’t need to be super spies to take care of that.

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007 for 11 and Under

Australian GPS Tracking

Have you ever been on the edge of your seat during your favorite television show, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the EMS and fire engines after a crash scene?  Were you left wondering if they would arrive in enough time to save the victims? Well, thanks to Australia’s newest innovation—a tracking device—the ETA on a real accident scene will be significantly shortened.  A tracking device, which is attached to the engine, will enhance firefighters’ capability in communication, response time, and aiding victims.

First, this tracking device enhances a firefighter’s capability for communication. Instead of relaying messages over the radio, which can be distorted by static, firefighters are automatically located   through the use of the tracking device. Not only does this device locate firefighters, but it also detects specific locations without a firefighter’s foreknowledge of the territory or confusion when consulting a paper map.

Secondly, this tracking device enhances a firefighter’s capability concerning response time. Time is saved due to a fire station’s ability to dispatch the closest fire engine. Being part of the Sydney community previously led a person to expect delay time in emergencies because fire engines only responded to specific areas and along certain routes throughout Australia. However, a tracking device eliminates this problem and shortens ETA due to the fact that waiting for a specific engine in a specific route is no longer necessary.

Lastly, this tracking device enhances a firefighter’s capability to aid injured victims. Firefighters are always on call, whether giving a demonstration, dealing with a different emergency, or checking safety features of public buildings and houses. With the use of this tracking device, firefighters have the capability of responding to an emergency at any given time or place. Over 70 percent of fire engines in the Sydney area are equipped with this device, increasing the survival percentage of victims.

People within the community continually benefit from the innovations that are implemented on a daily basis. Australia’s ability to apply this new GPS tracking device to their fire engines will improve communication abilities, save crucial time, and lower the number of lives lost in serious accidents.

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Australian GPS Tracking

Muskoxen Studied With GPS Devices Surprise Researchers

We’ve reported so many stories about how GPS tracking technology has helped wildlife research. Just about every animal you can think of has been studied with tracking collars. We’ve reported stories about tracking birds, sharks, bears, wild cats, sheep and the list goes on. In fact, today’s story is about an animal you may never have heard of: the musk ox. Muskoxen are prehistoric mammals that can be found in the wilderness of Alaska, and look like furry bison. A four-year study of these beasts turned a lot of what researchers assumed about muskoxen on its head.

The GPS technology revealed that over the four-year period, the muskoxen were much more mobile than anyone would have guessed. One particular 567-pound female was tracked traveling 150 miles during the study. “That’s just not a normal kind of thing to see in an animal that’s usually viewed as very sedentary,” explained Layne Adams, research wildlife biologist from the U.S. Geological Survey.

In the 1920s, muskoxen had nearly died off in North America, just as they had in Europe and Asia. In 1930, a group of 34 muskoxen were brought to Fairbanks in a restoration effort. The mammals have thrived in Alaska ever since, growing to a population size of 750. This recent study involved the two major herds in the area. 121 animals were collared, but only 46 received GPS tracking technology. The rest were tracked with radio collars. “Since the early ’70s, the two populations have grown at different rates,” Adams said. “What we’re doing is working on a baseline study to look at the building blocks of the population dynamics.”

“I think there’s a lot we don’t know about them compared to the other large hoofed animals in Alaska or northern North America,” Adams said. “I think they’ve been studied much less here than anywhere else. They tend to live in places that are hard to work in… we certainly found that to be true.” The study revealed that there is much more to learn about the behavior and needs of muskoxen.

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Muskoxen Studied With GPS Devices Surprise Researchers

Snow Leopards in Nepal to be Studies With GPS Tracking Technology

Snow Leopards are a globally threatened species, but conservation efforts are helping these beautiful wild cats make a come back. Researchers have been struggling the last few years to get a good grasp of how many snow leopards were living in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area in Nepal. Using cameras, a study last year estimated just 9 to 12 leopards in the area. However, using more sophisticated genetic testing, a more recent census puts the population between 19 and 29.

 

“The genetic analysis of fecal samples alone determined that there are 19 snow leopards living in the area. So, with the census conducted through camera trapping and other methods, we can estimate that there are up to 29 snow leopards in the conservation area at present,” explained Ganga Ram Singh, senior conservation officer for the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project Management Council (KCAPMC). There is good reason to believe that the population continues to grow. The genetic details showed that there were 10 males and 9 female leopards when the fecal census was obtained in 2011.

 

In order to get even more accurate information about the population of snow leopards in the conservation area, researchers will soon attach GPS tracking collars to the wild cats. The World Wildlife Fund will mastermind the study. After trapping the local snow leopards, they will be equipped with a GPS device and monitored remotely via computer software. This data will not only offer definite population numbers, but also allow researchers to monitor the movement and behavior of the snow leopards.

 

“While the genetic technique showed the number to be 19, the collaring method would reveal more about the snow leopard,” Sujit Kumar Shrestha said, KCAPMC manager. Leopards will be trapped and monitored from Ramjer, Khambachhen, Yangma and Gala. There is a chance the cats will wander into bordering India or Tibet, but it’s more likely they will travel north into the Himalayas.

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Snow Leopards in Nepal to be Studies With GPS Tracking Technology

GPS Tracking Helps Researchers Study Great White Sharks

The OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker Project has been studying great white sharks since 2009 and they’re surprised by the findings. “We are seeing they are much more dynamic than we had previously thought,” explained Dr. Gregory Skomal, one of the project’s senior scientist and head of the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. “We are talking about thousands of kilometers in just a couple of months for some of these sharks.”

 

“What is fascinating is that they approach the shore regularly and have probably been doing this for thousands of years if not hundreds of thousands, but go completely undetected. So I don’t think there is any reason to be alarmed. They are not going out of their way to eat us so their reputation is somewhat undeserved,” Dr. Skooma said. The research shows that sharks, and great whites in particular, may be misunderstood when thought of as killing machines. In fact, the results of the GPS tracking study suggest that the sharks are more intelligent than previously thought.

 

“Some of the results are showing that individuals return to the very same place each summer and in some cases are doing it within days of the previous year. One shark we tagged in 2011 has been returning to the same pace around Cape Cod in very specific areas. She has area preferences and leaves around the same time in the fall,” Dr. Skomal added. “We have got fidelity to various sites and possibly even residency at these sites. That points to an incredible navigation capacity in these sharks.”

 

The GPS technology has allowed researchers to get a much closer look at the actual habits and movements of great white sharks. They have been able to tag the sharks by using a large lift attached to a boat, which safely scoops them out of the ocean. The team can get blood samples and even scrape bacteria from the teeth and gums to work on a shark bite antibiotic.

 

“Lydia, who we tagged in March, has moved thousands of kilometers. She traversed the Atlantic, stopped abruptly and then turned back. As to what is causing these broad movements, we have very little information, and that is frustrating,” explained Dr. Skomal. “When I look at Lydia’s track I wonder if she was just being complacent and riding the Gulf Stream and then woke up one day and realized she didn’t want to go that way. It is very intriguing. We were completely unaware of these kinds of movements.”

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GPS Tracking Helps Researchers Study Great White Sharks

Sea Turtle Released and Tracked With GPS Device

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California recently released an Olive Ridley sea turtle after it was rehabilitated. The turtle was rescued in January after it was found on Venice Beach. At the time, the sea turtle was severely underweight, had buoyancy problems, and was hypothermic. Olive Ridley sea turtles also happen to be listed as an endangered species. It was determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service that the Aquarium of the Pacific would provide veterinary care and shelter for the sea turtle.

 

Fortunately, the rescued Olive Ridley was provided great care by the aquarium and had a speedy recovery. On September 5th, with the help of the Harbor Breeze Cruises and the Port of Long Beach, the turtle was healthy enough to be released back into the ocean, but not without strings attached. Well, there are no literal strings, but the aquarium fitted the sea turtle with a satellite tag featuring GPS technology in order to monitor the turtles journey. The GPS tracking device provides periodic updates of the turtle’s location.

 

The tracking data provided by the satellite tag shows that the turtle has been very busy swimming. It appears to be doing very well, traveling an impressive distance. At first, it swam about 8 miles out to sea, before heading south. The tracking information shows that the recently released Olive Ridley has been meandering closer to the shore and then back out, but continues to travel south. Since it was released, the turtle has swam an impressive 200 miles south.

 

The Aquarium of the Pacific does a great job of educating the public of local marine life, including this rescued, endangered sea turtle. The aquarium has been publishing weekly updates on its website of the tracking data. Anyone interested in the turtle’s progress can log on to the site and see an update every week, showing the latest destination.

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Sea Turtle Released and Tracked With GPS Device

Jersey City Mayor Announced GPS Tracking For City Vehicles

We’ve reported a number of different ways GPS tracking is used to save employers money. Well, it shouldn’t be a surprise that government agencies would want the same benefits. The mayor of Jersey City recently announced that city vehicles will soon be tracked with GPS technology in order to reduce fuel costs and eliminate personal use of vehicles by employees.

 

“With this program we are creating mechanisms for accountability,” said Mayor Steve Fulop in a statement. “Any employee who takes a city vehicle outside of city bounds or uses it for a purpose other than city business, we will know and we will discipline such behavior.” The mayor is known for advocating limited use of company vehicles. When he was on the City Council, he fought numerous times to restrict use against the former mayor’s administration.

 

The first stage of the GPS fleet tracking program will include a 30-day trial, tracking just 20 city Department of Public Works vehicles. The second stage will extend the tracking to 95 of the department’s vehicles. The annual estimated cost for monitoring the city vehicles is $35,000. The cost is justified because the tracking eliminates wasteful fuel costs, including the costs of unauthorized trips.

 

“Already this GPS program has helped eliminate wasteful vehicle idling times thereby reducing fuel consumption,” Fulop said. “It has also eliminated unauthorized stops and after-hour usage by city employees and has greatly improved productivity while creating efficiency and accountability throughout the Department of Public Works.”

 

The new mayor takes wasteful spending seriously. Even before his inauguration on July 1st, the vowed to prohibit any non-emergency staff from driving a city-owned vehicle home. The GPS program allows managers to navigate the best routes and to monitor employees’ activity.

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Jersey City Mayor Announced GPS Tracking For City Vehicles

Tracking Cattle With GPS Helps Farmers Monitor Pasture Performance

A student in New Zealand is working on his master’s project, developing a better way for dairy farmers to track their pasture. By attaching GPS tracking devices to 3 cows in different herds, farmers could monitor where the cows are feeding. This data can compared with milk production numbers and used to determine which grazing paddocks result in the best milk production. “By applying production back to the paddock grazed, we can get a record of which paddock was the most productive,” explained Jamie Haultain, DairyNZ postgraduate student. “The analysis looks at pasture performance during the different seasons.”

 

Each GPS device cost $1,000 and the cows were monitored for one year. “We have got a really good response in terms of [the relationship between] paddocks grazed and how much milk production,” he said. “Not many farmers have that information. Most farmers have a big whiteboard in the diary or a note pad that can get lost. This way farmers have an automatic performance measure.”

 

The cost of the GPS technology can be justified in improved milk production and more efficient grass planting. “By not regularly measuring the paddocks they generally only have a limited idea of which paddocks do not produce well. The reality is that it is difficult to identify the best and worst paddocks without some form of measure. The key thing is they can work out if they are making the right decision about which paddock to regrass,” Haultain said.

 

“A good paddock can grow up to 100% more pasture than a poor paddock so what we are trying to do is show the farmers which paddocks are the best,” he added. “If they are not renovating the poorest paddock, they are not closing the gap [between the bottom and the top] and not getting maximum response to their grassing scheme.”

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Tracking Cattle With GPS Helps Farmers Monitor Pasture Performance

GPS Tracking Foils Carjackers

Here’s a tip for the next time someone brazenly steals your car from you: Leave your phone inside. The GPS tracking unit inside your phone could help bring about an entirely different result than the carjackers intended.

That’s what happened to a driver on the streets of Ludhiana, India, when he slowed down his car to make a phone call. Pawan Kumar was driving home one evening when another car stopped in front of him, two men got out, and Kumar was forced from his vehicle at gunpoint. Fortunately for Kumar, his cell phone remained in the vehicle. When he reported the incident to police, they were able to use the GPS tracking signal from his phone to locate the car.

Cell phones aren’t the only ways to protect your car from theft, however. There are many GPS units available on the market that have been designed for cars and other vehicles. They can provide invaluable information to the police in the event of a theft, so much so that many law enforcement departments have begun using “bait cars” to track down car thieves in areas of high theft incidence. Police equip a vehicle with a tracking device, place that vehicle in a tempting location, and leave it unattended. When the car is stolen, they can follow the signal directly to the location of the thieves. In some cases, entire theft rings have been apprehended using the bait car method.

Vehicle GPS devices can be used for other purposes as well. Many businesses use them to decrease fuel usage and increase worker efficiency. Parents use them to keep an eye on their teen drivers. Family members use them for safety purposes to keep tabs on a loved one who travels a lot. And they’ve even been used to answer questions about unexplained travel or late nights. Whatever questions you have about how your vehicle is being used, GPS tracking can help you find answers.

Perhaps the most common reason people install the omniscient little devices, however, is to protect their cars from theft. Thanks to GPS tracking, police recovered Pawan Kumar’s stolen car and identified the three alleged thieves. It’s something you hope never happens to you. But if it does, GPS tracking can be there to help you pick up the pieces, apprehend the thieves, and get your vehicle back.

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GPS Tracking Foils Carjackers

Florida Public Track Panthers With GPS Coordinates

We’ve reported many stories about wildlife conservation efforts being assisted by GPS technology. This particular story is a little different. Instead of an elaborate, professional study using GPS tracking collars, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee (FWC) is getting the public’s help to monitor endangered Panthers in the area. They have established a website at www.FloridaPanthernet.org, where people are asked to submit sightings and photos of panthers and their tracks.

The effort has been going strong for about a year now, and in that time, there have been 790 reports of panther sighting all over the state. Nature enthusiasts can go onto the website to find photos and suggestions on spotting panthers in the area. The more information submitted, the better the chances of being able to confirm or deny the sighting. Citizens submit a summary of what they saw, along with the GPS location of their spotting. Ideally, a photo is also submitted. Unfortunately, panthers are elusive creatures and only about 12 percent of submissions included a photo.

Many modern hikers and wildlife aficionados will carry a GPS device of some kind with them. They serve the very practical purpose of preventing the hikers from getting lost on the trail. In case of emergency, the GPS location information can be given to 911 dispatchers so your rescue is quick and efficient. Some hikers rely on the GPS navigation abilities of their smartphones, which have an added bonus of coming with a camera. If the photos are taken with a smartphone, the image might suffer a little, but there are quite a few benefits. Smartphones have built-in GPS technology and images are encoded with the GPS data.

The majority of photos submitted were confirmed panther sightings. The most common animals mistaken for panthers are bobcats, coyotes, foxes, dogs, domesticated cats and even a monkey. There were also quite a few bobcat tracks mistaken for panther tracks, which are about three times the size of a bobcat paw print.

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Florida Public Track Panthers With GPS Coordinates

George Zimmerman GPS Tracking Data Released

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re likely familiar with the infamous George Zimmerman trial. To refresh your memory, Zimmerman was accused of second degree murder and manslaughter of young Trayvon Martin in February of 2012. Accusations of racism were at the forefront of this spectacle. Zimmerman being a caucasian-looking latino and Martin being an African American youth wearing a hoodie. Zimmerman claimed he shot the unarmed Martin out of self-defense, a claim that much of the country found difficult to believe. Still, eye-witness accounts supported his claim of self-defense and Zimmerman was found not guilt by a jury on July 13, 2013.

Prior to trial, a judge ordered that Zimmerman be tracked with a combination of GPS technology, as well as physically monitored by several officers from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. He was tracked from July 6, 2012 until he was found not guilty. Recently, journalist Matthew Keys got ahold of Zimmerman’s tracking records and uploaded them to Scribd for public consumption. With such a high profile case, public curiosity is only natural. Unfortunately for the public, Zimmerman’s activities were quite unremarkable.

While being monitored with the GPS device, George Zimmerman was mostly cooperative. Four days after the tracking program started, he was issued a Cuff Leave violation. He called police to let them know he had accidentally left his tracking device in his vehicle while he went into Target to buy flowers for his wife. He had already put the device back on by the time he called the officers to report the mistake. Records show Zimmerman was without the GPS device for 10 minutes and 13 seconds, given a warning about future mistakes and issued a violation. On July 16th, he was given a new tracking device that vibrates “when cuff leave is imminent.”

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George Zimmerman GPS Tracking Data Released

Calculating Acreage with a GPS Device

Have you ever wondered exactly how much acreage your property contains? Or perhaps you’re considering purchasing a plot of land and want to know what the acreage is. You no longer have to sort through government documents to find out. You can measure acreage using your own handheld GPS device or a mobile device equipped with an app that uses GPS technology.

Probably most of us remember how to calculate the area of a perfect square or a nice, even rectangle. In the world of real estate, though, perfect squares and nice, even rectangles are few and far between. Most property parcels are oddly shaped. But that’s not a problem for GPS technology.

There are two ways you can measure the acreage (or square feet, square yards, or other measurement you may choose) using GPS technology: by physically walking the perimeter of the parcel while carrying the GPS tracking device (note that not all GPS mapping devices offer this feature), or by using online GPS software.

One writer stated that he used his Garmin GPS to calculate “the accurate acreage of each of the 13 wildlife food plots on [his] property.” He added, “None of those food plots is a square or a rectangle.”

A number of iPhone, iPad, and iPod apps can also accomplish this purpose. AGRIplot by SharpeTech as well as Acre & Area & Acreage by Productivity list this function among their capabilities.

So how does it work? Using a GPS device that has this functionality, just input your starting point, walk the outside of the property to be measured, and when you’ve completed the perimeter, input your finishing location. Most devices can calculate the perimeter distance as well as the area of the plot of land in multiple measurements—feet, yards, meters, acres, and so on.

Perhaps you’re not able to walk the perimeter of your property because of rough terrain, physical limitations, or your distance from the plot to be measured. Not to worry—GPS technology offers other options for you.

If you can locate the plot of land on MapQuest, GoogleMaps, or another GPS-based online mapping system, or if you have aerial photos of the plat, you can use various software products or apps to measure its perimeter and area. ExpertGPS is an online program that offers this function. For iOS devices, MyMeasure by TripWare and Planimeter by Core Signals state that they, too, can give you acreage information based on online mapping systems or aerial photos.

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Calculating Acreage with a GPS Device

Duck Arrested In Egypt For Wearing A GPS Device

It seems like the Middle East has always been at war and the during the last few years, uprisings and revolutions have exploded in the region. At the center of change is Egypt. The country is going through many growing pains as they try to define and develop a less oppressive government. Unfortunately, these growing pains tend to include civil war and much paranoia. Case in point: Egyptian police recently arrested a duck wearing a GPS tracking device, under suspicion of carrying out some kind of spy mission.

A man fishing in the Nile River noticed a strange-looking device attached to one of five ducks nearby. He examined the device further and became even more suspicious, deciding to turn the duck in to the Coalition of Arab Tribes in Qena. This group in turn filed a police report. The police then arrested the duck. A security official explained that the duck and device were being studied by security and environmental experts to find out the intended purpose of the device. The police also wanted to make sure that the duck hadn’t already revealed or recorded any state secrets.

As it turns out, the device was attached to the duck by a French scientist in an ongoing study of migration patters of birds. GPS technology is commonly used by wildlife researchers to monitor animals movements remotely. This isn’t the first instance of GPS devices resulting in paranoia. In 2010, there were reports of alleged GPS-controlled sharks sent from Israel to Sinai shores. So far, there have been no confirmed reports of any country or group using wildlife with GPS collars for espionage or weaponry.

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Duck Arrested In Egypt For Wearing A GPS Device

GPS Tracking Reveals Long Flights For Food

Socotra Comorants are native seabirds to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They are currently listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. These sea birds are the subject of a conservation-related study using GPS technology. Monitoring these birds showed that their flight patterns while feeding were much larger than expected. Birds have been tracked flying hundreds of kilometers in one feeding.

“It kind of makes it quite clear to you how important it is to save what we have along eight coastline because we don’t know where these guys go,” explained Rob Gubiani, a UAE University biologist. He worked together in the study with Timothee Cook, an ornithologist from the University of Cape Town. They spent fall of last year on Siniya Island in Umm Al Quwain, a major breeding colony for these birds.

“First time we’ve done this,” said Gubiani. “We don’t know where they go. So this is gold. We never knew where they went before, we never knew that they went that far south, that far north. Now that we know that they go there, it really strengthens the case for protection of the coastline.”

The research is funded by the National Research Foundation and the Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. They collaborated with the Marine Environmental Research Center and the Environmental Agency-Abu Dhabi as part of a long-term study. Dr. Cook plans to return next season with 50 more GPS tracking devices to monitor the Socotra Comorants during their non-breeding season. He also hopes to get a better understanding of their roosting and feeding habits during breeding season.

“The birds are using lots of different areas in the UAE waters,” explained Oscar Campbell, chairman of the Emirates Bird Records Committee. “So to conserve them, obviously, the colony needs to be conserved on Siniya island – but that is going to be useless if there are not healthy fisheries for them as well.

“It is very likely that they move much further than Ras Al Khaimah. For example, if you go to Fujairah on the East Coast, you can see several hundreds and there are no colonies anywhere there. The nearest colony is Siniya island. These birds will need healthy fisheries and they will need shelter at undisturbed beaches. Just protecting the colony isn’t enough.”

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GPS Tracking Reveals Long Flights For Food

Students From University of Georgia Track African Predators With GPS Technology

10 lucky students from UGA spent the summer in Africa studying the great predators of Kalahari. The team travelled to Botswana for a 28-day study abroad experience through the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. “The main focus of the program was to get an understanding of international wildlife preservation issues,” Luis Candelerio explained, a Warnell School graduate student and head of the research program.

“We’d set up camera traps, which are like little infrared triggered cameras,” Gagat said. “We’d bait those traps and pull the data off cards. They were taking about 100 pictures a day.” The team not only observed the animals, they also tagged them with GPS tracking devices. With GPS, the students were able to monitor the movement of the predators from a safe distance.

“We did capture four lions and one leopard,” he added. “Some of them we were putting collars on and some of them we were taking collars off. One of them we were switching out a broken collar.”

“My favorite part about studying abroad in Botswana was just being able to study in such a remote location with such a diverse ecosystem,” said Sonia Vail, a junior wildlife and fisheries major. “I learned so much bout the locate habitat and culture in such a short period of time.”

The experience of being in Africa, studying wildlife was life-changing for many of the students. “In the Warnell, we pretty much study North American and heavily focus on southeastern North American because that’s what we have access to,” Gagat explained. “Being able to go to a different country with a completely different ecosystem and a completely different dynamic of predator to prey environment was really kind of an eye-opener for what’s out there.”

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Students From University of Georgia Track African Predators With GPS Technology