GPS Tracking Used To Help Save Livestock

The western United States is known for vast farmlands. Farming is a fairly classic American occupation and a vital one at that. A hot news headline recently has been about a massive threat to our crops: the dying bee. What you might not be hearing about is a threat to our livestock farms: wild wolves. Wolves bring up fear in most people’s imaginations. They are also associated with magic and nobility, but we must remember that wolves are dangerous predators.

Although wolves were once a staple species in the western U.S., they are quite uncommon today. In the 1940s, in order to protect local livestock and communities, wolves were completely killed off in the state of Oregon and much of the west, thanks to the help of state-sponsored hunts. Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in Idaho by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the 1990s. As wild wolves will want to do, they spread out to new territories, making their way back to Oregon in the late 2000s. Currently, there are eight  packs of wolves and at least 64 individuals in the state.

As scary as wolves may seem, they are a very important part of the natural ecosystem. More wolves in the west is a good thing in many ways. Unfortunately, it is hard for livestock farmers to see the return of wolves in a positive light. This is mostly because wolves like to prey on their livestock. Farmers depend on their livestock as a source of income to feed their families. Losing valuable livestock is devastating to many farmers.

Livestock farmers in the west have traditionally used Great Pyrenees and Pyrenees mix breeds as guard dogs to protect their herd. For a long time, these breeds did a fine job of protecting the livestock from the regional threats: coyotes and cougars. However, since the return of the mighty wolf, these breeds have been less successful, sometimes becoming the prey themselves.

In order to protect livestock from bigger predators, researchers want to investigate how well a bigger breed of guard dog will do. In Europe, farmers use large guard dogs to protect their livestock from wolves. Three breeds they’ve decided to try are the kangal from Turkey, the karakachan from Bulgaria, and the cap de gado transmontano from Portugal. “These are all breeds that historically have been used to protect from wolves and even brown bears,” Julie Young said, a research wildlife biologist from the National Wildlife Research Center in Logan, Utah. “The best way to find out if these dogs work is to try them,” she added.

The dogs are sent to Oregon as puppies and are almost immediately introduced to the livestock they’re protecting. “With all guard dogs this is an important stage,” explained Randy Mills, livestock agent for the Oregon State University Extension Service in Pendleton. “It’s that bond that creates that protective behavior [towards livestock] later on in life.”

Young plans to track the dogs and some of the livestock they are looking after with GPS tracking collars and simulate a predator attack. The GPS data will give her an idea of how the dogs will respond to a predator, regarding how close to the animals the dogs will stay when threatened. The fake predator will incorporate real wolf fur, but she assures us it’s not a taxidermy wolf. “It’s more like a large stuffed animal and a wolf call,” Young explained.

The research is currently centered on sheep farmers in Oregon. There is also a study being done on a farm in Washington state, as well as four in Idaho, and four more in Montana. They are primarily testing the European guard dogs with sheep, but the dogs should also be able to protect other livestock, such as cows from wolves and other predators. The one major difference that might make tracking cattle more difficult is that sheep tend to stick together, whereas cows prefer to spread out while grazing.

The research team currently has a budget of $220,000 for this year. They are being funded by Utah State University and Wildlife Services, a federal agency that is concerned with human and wildlife conflict. Some European guard dog puppies sell for around $1,500, but the researchers found kangal guard dogs for sale in Turkey for only $300. The biggest cost at the moment is shipping the dogs.

In Central Oregon, Jennifer Cole and her husband use a breed European guard dogs from Italy, called maremma, to protect their goat farm. The dogs weigh 110 to 130 pounds and patrol the farm for cougars and coyotes. They feel confident their dogs could defend their goats against wolves as well. Since Cole got the guard dogs, they went from seeing about six cougars in a year to seeing none. “We could not have goats out here without them,” Cole said.

GPS Tracking Used To Help Save Livestock

GPS Tracking Used in Rattlesnake Research

Rattlesnakes are the most deadly snakes in the United States. Snake bites account for about 12 deaths in the U.S. every year, but many more get bitten and given antivenin for a full recovery. Snakes, especially deadly ones, are scary creatures. Even harmless snakes tend to give people the creeps. Our fear of snakes is likely an instinctual reaction carried over in our genes for thousands of years. Because some snakes, like the rattler, can kill us, we fear all snakes. Most of us have a similar relationship to spiders. Most spider bites can’t kill us, but there’s a hard-wired fear of spiders in many of us.

Image courtesy of katsrcool (Kool Cats Photography) 1,000,000 + View

Although rattlesnakes are dangerous, they aren’t as dangerous as most people think. “The snakes are completely non-aggressive,” explained National Park Service biologist Bryan Hamilton. “About the only way they bit is if you try to catch them of you try to kill them, or if you accidentally stepped or sat on one.” Rattlesnakes tend to stay very close to their den and avoid human interactions. These snakes tend to stay hidden, unless they are out hunting or soaking up the sun.

Most of the time, rattlesnake bites are avoidable. Never, under any circumstances, should you try to capture or touch a rattlesnake. Snakes, just like every other wild animal, will defend itself and bite you. Of course, not all snake bites are that easily avoidable. Rattlesnakes, and most other snakes for that matter, have great camouflage. This protects them from predators, like hawks, but it also makes them difficult to spot for hikers and rock climbers who would otherwise happily avoid the snake. You may accidentally step on a snake or put your hand in a snake den while climbing and get bit. If you do get bit, it’s important to get medical attention right away. If you can, get a picture of the snake that bit you, so the right antivenin can be administered.

Snakes are dangerous, just like sharks. But just like sharks, they aren’t as dangerous as a lot of people tend to think. They are misunderstood creatures. WIth a better understanding of rattlesnakes behavior, hopefully people will be more willing to coexist with them. Brigham Young University and the National Park Service have teamed up on a rattlesnake study in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park, near the Utah border. GPS tracking collars are often used in wildlife research, but due to the shape of snakes, they weren’t viable for this study. Instead, the team surgically implanted radio transmitters under the rattler’s skin.

When a snake is carefully captured, it is coaxed into a narrow tube. At one end of the tube, a cotton ball with anesthesia is placed, so the snake doesn’t feel any pain during the implantation. “It will put her to sleep for the surgery,” explained biological science technician Meg Horner. “She’ll be completely out.” The researchers track the snakes and periodically collect data on the health and whereabouts of the animals.

Tracking the rattlesnakes is fairly simple with the radio implants and a signal receiver. “As you get closer to the snake,” Hamilton said, “the signal gets louder and more intense.” The snake is weighed and body temperature is collected. GPS data and weather conditions are also recorded. Over the last five years, the team has learned quite a lot about the behavior of local rattlesnakes. They confirmed that the snakes never go very far from their dens. They travel within a mile or two while hunting, but otherwise stay fairly stationary.

The research shows that the rattlesnakes are often in places that are heavily populated by park visitors. The snakes are at the park’s visitor center and the entrance to the park’s biggest attraction: the Lehman Caves. The team also found that the rattlesnakes always go back tot he same place to hibernate every year. “They always return every fall,” Hamilton noted. “The winters out here are so harsh. If you find a good place, you want to stick with it.”

Despite the rattlesnakes’ presence in heavily populated areas, the human-snake conflicts are fairly rare. Rattlesnakes, and most wild animals for that matter, tend to avoid humans. Another great feature of this snake is that it will often try to warn you away with its rattle before biting. If you ever hear a rattle while in rattlesnake territory, stop and look around. If you can see the snake, make sure you give it plenty of space.

Did you know there is a fairly easy way to tell if a snake is venomous or not? If you can get a good view of the snake’s head, you can look for a triangular shaped head. If the head is about the same size as the body, the snake bite is not venomous. However, if the head is larger and shaped like an arrowhead, that is a sign of a venomous snake. The snake’s venom is stored in glands in the cheek/jaw area, which creates the triangular shape of the head. Keep a safe distance from all snakes, though. Even if it’s not venomous, all snakes can and will pack a powerful and painful bite.

GPS Tracking Used in Rattlesnake Research

Wildlife Management with GPS

There seems to be no end to what GPS technology can do. Not only can it get drivers from one destination to another, but it can also help meteorologists predict earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, athletes train more efficiently, and authorities keep track of parolees. Now, conservationists are using the amazing real-time information from global positioning systems to manage wildlife. From plants and trees to birds and animals, scientists are discovering new things about nature that will help them protect and preserve it.

What GPS Does for Wildlife Management

Over the years, urban areas have spilled over into the habitats of countless creatures of nature. Often, the animals just retreat further into their habitats to avoid humans, but sometimes they venture forth into people’s backyards or onto roads. When these encounters take place, it can be dangerous to animals and humans alike. That is why wildlife management is so important, and that is where GPS technology helps. Using GPS-enabled devices, be it a collar, a harness, direct attachment, or implant, researchers can learn much about animal behavior to help them better manage habitats as well as urban development.

• Animal population: Knowing how large herds or flocks are helps researchers determine the sustainability of a habitat. Is there enough food in the area? Is there enough space for reproduction? Will animals be forced out of their natural environment?


• Migratory patterns: Again, it is important to know how and where animals move in order to minimize run-ins with people. Some species have traversed the same routes throughout their existence, and if that pattern is interrupted by a road or subdivision, it could be detrimental.


• Foraging behavior: Where animals and humans often conflict is over food. Animals are always foraging for food, and when they find a consistent source of food, such as trashcans or vegetable gardens, they tend to stay close by. And if habitats are infringed upon, normal foraging sites could be eliminated, forcing animals into the open.

All this information and more can be obtained through GPS transmitters and receivers for the benefit of nature and society. It’s not just about a specific location but an overall behavioral pattern that scientists hope to discover.

A Very Real Example of GPS Wildlife Management

A doctoral student from North Carolina State University has teamed up with the North Carolina Wildlife Commission to study the recent influx of black bears into the city of Asheville. Several sightings and encounters led researcher Rick Gould to select Asheville as the site of his study. By monitoring the behavioral patterns of these beautiful but dangerous animals, Gould hopes to educate society and prevent life-threatening encounters.

• About the Bears: The black bear is the only species of bear naturally found in North Carolina, and it covers approximately 60% of its land area, mostly in the mountainous regions of the west, where Asheville lies, and the wooded coastlands of the east.


• About the Study: Gould hopes to learn much about the health of the bears as well as their habits. In the past, scientists have gleaned much of their information about bears from hunters who volunteered access to their kills or from bears killed on roads. Now, through GPS tracking, scientists can get data from living samples and hopefully preserve this once almost eliminated creature.


• About the Traps: Gould has set several traps throughout Asheville where bears have been seen, such as residential areas and parks. The traps are large barrel-like structures with a spring-loaded mechanism to close the bear in once it has been lured there by the sweet treats left as bait. The barrel has several vent holes and is quite spacious, so there is little, if any, trauma to the bear.


• About the Collars: Once a bear has been trapped, it is tranquilized. Researchers can then obtain blood and hair samples to check the health of the bear. Before releasing the bear back to the wild, they place a GPS collar on the bear to track its movements. The team hopes to study 40 bears over a five-year period to determine what is attracting them to the Asheville area. Gould has programmed the collars with a geofence so that he is alerted any time one of his collared bears comes within city limits.

Gould wants to understand why bears are moving to the city. Is it free food in the form of trash, or is it just the roaming nature of the bears that once had more territory to forage in? The GPS data from this study should help the North Carolina Wildlife Commission manage the bear population as well as educate the public about the habits and behaviors of bears.

GPS technology has come so far in such a short time, and even more advances are anticipated. In fact, one group of scientists is looking into coordinating location data on an x and y axis in order to determine certain behaviors at certain locations so that animals can be observed from a distance without ever invading their habitats. These are simply amazing advances in wildlife management.

Wildlife Management with GPS

Using GPS to Track the Health of an Ecosystem

Steam rises as yellow sunlight burns off the morning mist. Silence gives way to early morning bird calls. Out of the silhouette of trees into the lightening grass steps a dark shape, followed closely by a smaller shadow. A mother elk and her calf have come to graze the meadow. Any change of sound or shape will speed the mother’s head upright. She is wary, ready to move to safety if danger appears. Other animals begin to move toward the sunlight. The herd is stepping forward to eat, thrive, breed, and survive. As the herd moves, other eyes are watching them. But they are not being observed by the concentrated gaze of a predator, as might be expected. This herd of elk is being tracked by researchers using Global Positioning System (GPS) devices.

Through careful observation, researchers have come to understand the importance of elk migration patterns in Yellowstone National Park to the health of the surrounding ecosystem. The elk may serve as a tourist attraction, but their population reflects the condition of all living things in this area.

How Do the Habits of Elk Predict the Health of an Ecosystem?

In Yellowstone National Park, elk serve as food for eagles, wolves, and grizzly bears. But their purpose extends beyond that of prey. Researchers found that the habits of elk have a greater impact on the health of the environment than they previously realized.

Ecologist William Ripple, of Oregon State University, began studying wolves as their populations slowly returned to Yellowstone National Park. “Back in 1997, I became aware that the aspen trees in Yellowstone were declining,” Ripple explains. “There was disagreement and confusion as to why these trees were disappearing, so I set out with graduate students to unravel this mystery.”

What they discovered was that the browsing patterns of elk either helped or hurt plant life around the area. Places where the elk felt secure from the wolves were more heavily foraged, while those areas with a denser wolf population had taller tree growth. And where the trees grew taller, other animal populations, such as beavers, increased.

Years later, another study corroborated Ripple’s findings. Reno scientist Kelley Stewart and her team studied the effects of differing sizes of elk populations on their food and habitats at the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range in northeastern Oregon, University of Nevada.

The team created two populations of elk with different densities. One herd had a low density of about 10 elk/mile (24 elk in a 1500-acre study area), and another had a very high density of about 60 elk/mile (200 elk in a 2100-acre study area).

What they concluded was that areas that experienced low levels of foraging by elk showed greater plant growth than either those areas not foraged or those that were highly foraged by elk. Low populations of elk encouraged greater plant growth and diversity. High populations of elk had negative effects on the elk herd’s population itself as well as their territory.

Researchers determined that a well-managed elk population promotes biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. So if the elk populations of Yellowstone could be tracked, they would give ecologists a good idea of the condition of other animal and plant populations. The question became how to manage a migratory population that moves around and beyond park boundaries.

How GPS Tracking Helps Scientists Manage Yellowstone National Park

In Yellowstone National Park, the elk population serves as a gage of the health of the ecosystem. Whatever happens to them creates a ripple effect on the rest of the plant and animal life. By using GPS tracking devices, researchers can record reliable data from the elk’s migration habits.

In the past, researchers have been inclined to look at the elk individually while the animals were contained within the park’s borders during their winter or summer range. Arthur Middleton, a Yale ecologist who is also a research associate with the Wyoming Migration Initiative at the University of Wyoming, decided that he wanted to take a less fragmented approach. His desire is to try to get a larger picture of the herd’s migratory movements and how they might be impacted by climate change.

In March of 2014, he and his team began tracking the elk with GPS collars that signal the elk’s exact location every 45 minutes. The precision of these measurements will give researchers the necessary information to map the herd’s route by time and location. Middleton hopes to learn the elk population’s migration patterns and how to better oversee them in the future. He also hopes to learn whether changes in elk migratory habits will be reflected in the herd’s health and numbers.

In addition to using GPS to track the elk, cameras posted along the route will allow researchers and the public alike to see when and how the animals move as they migrate along their route. By educating others about the importance of herd migrations, Middleton desires to reinforce the importance of saving preserved lands to serve the needs of these animals. And he predicts that this information will eventually allow for remote monitoring that will conserve park resources.

The migration of the elk is critical to the balance of the ecosystem at Yellowstone National Park. Good management of the animal populations will serve the health of the park, and information gained may be used to improve management at other important wildlife territories.

Using GPS to Track the Health of an Ecosystem

Tracking the Real Assets: Fire Fighters

Fighting fires is a time-honored, dangerous, and thoroughly fulfilling job for all the brave men and women who don the mask to put out fires made both by man and nature. When the firefighters are dealing with forest fires that cover literally acres of real estate, the danger levels escalate as roads become isolated and cut off from escape routes. In earlier times, firefighters who went out in such conditions ran the risk of running into an inescapable situation very quickly. As a wildfire spreads, any sudden change in wind direction or fuel source can create any number of alternative routes for the fire to spread. Once out in this position, firefighters were at the mercy of the fire. Today’s GPS and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) are removing some of the uncertainty that firefighters face as they go out.

Asset Tracking

The initial purpose of GPS and GIS systems on vehicles is to allow the company to keep tabs on where their vehicles are going, what they are doing, how long they are spending at different places, and trying to make their gas usage more efficient. The focus is usually on keeping track of the vehicles in order to make sure the employees are doing what they are supposed to. In a firefighting situation, using GPS and GIS technology on forest fire fighting dozers and tractors allows those in the command center to keep a better eye not on the vehicle, but on the people driving and operating it. The real asset in fire fighting is the people involved. It might hurt the tax payers’ wallets to lose a $100,000 piece of equipment, but human life is so much more valuable. That is the real purpose of using this technology.

Wildfires by Year, according to FEMA

Year	Fires	Acres
2012	67,774	9,326,238
2011	74,126	8,711,367
2010	71,971	3,422,724
2009	78,792	5,921,786
2008	78,979	5,292,468
2007	85,705	9,328,045
2006	96,385	9,873,745
2005	66,753	8,689,389

Table statistics from: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/estimates/wildfire.shtm

The Benefit

As trucks, tractors, and dozers go off into the forests to fight blazing fires, drivers and operators are at the mercy of the elements. If the operator is not familiar with the terrain, he can quickly become disoriented as the smoke spreads and ways out become blocked by fire. A person on the other end who is tracking the movement of the operators can help them to determine how to get out of a sticky situation and find a way back to safety. The use of the GPS and GIS technology allows for the command center to map out escape routes and determine where drivable road might turn into a swampy march, especially in low-lying areas like portions of Florida. A small difference in route might make a large difference in the outcome.

The Real Dangers

Not having GPS and GIS technology has cost the lives of many firefighters over the years. In 2011, two Florida Forest Rangers lost their lives when their dozer became stuck in the terrain and they couldn’t find their way out. In 2013, nineteen firefighters in Arizona lost their lives due to similar circumstances. Can it be said beyond a shadow of a doubt that GPS and GIS technology would have saved those individuals? Probably not, but it surely would have given them more of a fighting chance at survival. Firefighters are used to taking risks, but having this kind of technology really limits the actual amounts of risk they have to assume.

Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind

The GPS and GIS technology help allow for “eyes in the sky,” so to say, that real firefighters appreciate. Instead of being out on their own, they know that there is always someone watching out for them to help ensure that they come back safely. In addition to providing information about getting out safely, if the firefighters run into trouble, help can be sent to them. People back in the command center can monitor the path firefighters take to fight the fires and they can establish a safe way to come back to base or send out help along the same line. There are so many benefits to using GPS technology in firefighting.

Other Applications

While fighting forest fires is decidedly more dangerous than normal firefighting, this GPS and GIS technology can also give fire departments a boost in getting out to house fires quicker. GPS technology can increase the efficiency of travel to find the fastest route. Oftentimes in fires, time is the most important factor. Any time you can shave seconds and minutes off of a response time, you can help increase the chances of survival for the people involved in these fires.

GPS and GIS technology are only going to improve firefighting work over the years. As new and better GPS technology is created, firefighters will be able to work safer and faster than ever before. There will always be inherent dangers in this field of work, but making things safer will only help to protect the real asset involved: the firefighter.

Tracking the Real Assets: Fire Fighters

Russia’s GPS Plays April Fool’s Joke?

Although technically the glitch occurred on April 2, 2014, it was close enough to April Fool’s Day (striking at 1 am, Moscow time, on April 2) for some to wonder whether it was some kind of joke or hoax that caused Russia’s GLONASS global positioning network to go down briefly. That seems unlikely, though, since (1) April Fool’s Day is not widely celebrated in Russia and (2) no clear explanation of the event (such as hackers or hoaxers admitting their role in the event) has been forthcoming.

Nonetheless, in the early morning hours of April 2, 2014, Russia’s GLONASS global positioning system (similar to the United States’ GPS network) became unreliable and nonfunctional for over ten hours. What caused this to happen? Is such an event possible here in the States?

A Little History

“GLONASS” stands for Global Navigation Satellite System. It’s operated by the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces and is a satellite navigation system similar to the Global Positioning System (GPS) network widely used in the USA.

GLONASS was started in 1976 and was basically operational by 1995. However, in the years between 1995 and the end of the first decade of the new millennium, the system had fallen into disrepair. Under Vladimir Putin the Russian government repaired and upgraded the system, getting it fully functional once again late in 2011. The Russian Federal Space Agency spends the equivalent of millions of dollars each year to keep the system functioning. Some sources claim it consumes more than a quarter of the agency’s entire budget.

What Happened?

On April 2, 2014, a Canadian geoservices company operations executive noticed the problem. He and others realized that nearly all of the GLONASS satellites (24 in total) had started sending erroneous information about their locations. Eventually all 24 GLONASS satellites gave wrong information at some point. This affected positioning networks around the world, not just in Russia, since use of GLONASS satellites is not limited to Russia alone.

When a person uses a GPS device to determine his location, that device is in contact with at least three satellites. This is required in order to assure accuracy. If each satellite’s position in space is recorded in error, information being transmitted between receivers and the satellite will give false readings. In other words, it quickly becomes evident to a GLONASS user that something is wrong with the system when his receiver tells him his position is somewhere other than where he actually is. Thus the problem was almost immediately recognized worldwide. One source called it an “unprecedented” event.

This might seem like little more than an inconvenience to most of us, if we’re just using a GPS device in our car to get from Point A to Point B. But shipping, transportation, the military, and a host of governmental and nongovernmental agencies rely on GPS networks every moment. When a system goes down, it’s no exaggeration to state that lives can be endangered.

During the April 2 crisis the satellites gave readings of “illegal ephemeris” and/or “failure.” The term “ephemeris” comes from the Greek word for “calendar” or “diary”; nowadays it refers to information giving the location of astronomical objects (including satellites, both natural and manmade) at certain times. So, basically, a satellite giving a reading of “illegal ephemeris” is stating that it knows the location readings it’s giving are incorrect. It’s suspected that bad ephemerides (the plural form of ephemeris) had been uploaded, accidentally or intentionally, to the GLONASS satellites and for some reason the erroneous information became functional at 1:00 a.m. on April 2.

What May Have Caused the Event?

At this writing no definitive explanation for the cause of the outage has been forthcoming from Russian authorities. However, some experts suspect that someone incorrectly uploaded corrections to the satellites’ ephemerides.

At any rate, it took the Russian leaders approximately eleven hours to restore the satellites to their normal functioning capacity. It could not be done immediately, due to the vastness of the Russian topography. System operators could not address the problem until satellites passed close enough to their location to be in range to have their data reset. While waiting for the problem to be fixed, some providers advised their users to turn off GLONASS receivers.

A similar problem could conceivably occur with systems based in other countries, such as the People’s Republic of China’s Beidou regional system or their global COMPASS system; the European Union’s Galileo System; India’s IRNSS system; Japan’s QZSS system; as well as the United States’ Global Positioning System. However, at least one source has noted that not only has the US-based GPS network never had such an outage, it has also gained a reputation for dependability, flexibility, and speed of service.

Russia’s GPS Plays April Fool’s Joke?

Playing Keep Away with GPS

Lawmakers in Minnesota are taking steps to ensure the safety of victims of harassment or assault with the help of GPS trackers. The new program, proposed by Rep. Clark Johnson, DFL-North Mankato, allows both defendant and plaintiff to be fitted voluntarily with GPS trackers to ensure that neither party comes too close to the other. The benefit for the defendant is that they will receive a shorter jail sentence, allowing them to be released back into society faster and allow them to get on with their lives. The benefit for the victim is that they can have more peace of mind to know that there is someone watching over both them and their assailant to ensure that things don’t escalate between them. It ends up being a win-win situation for all parties.

The Source of Change

Johnson cites the efforts of Jamie Erickson, whose friend, 19 year old Josselyn Bishop, was killed in 2011 by her boyfriend. Such a system might have prevented that death, had it been in place at that point. The main idea is to keep the parties separated to prevent flare-ups between two people who have a history of violence between them. The problem with many domestic abuse cases is that the two parties know each other well and often have complex relationships that may put the two in the same place at the same time frequently. With this law targeting people who are family members, it is all the more difficult. However, the GPS trackers will allow authorities to monitor the location of everyone and become involved before more violence occurs.

The Proposal in a Capsule:

GPS tracking is voluntary by both defendant and victim

If the two parties get too close, authorities will be notified

Distance requirements will vary from location to location

Opposition in Congress

While the bill appears to be a win-win, it does not quite have universal support. Many do not outright oppose the proposal and pilot plan already in place, but are concerned for those who are affected by it. The nice part is that this is mostly a volunteer program that gives people (both victim and defendant) the ability to opt out of it if they are uncomfortable with it. Still, some representatives are adding amendments to address their own concerns. Some are concerned over the lack of a uniform policy on the distance requirements of the two parties. As it is now, each region of the state can set its own guidelines, which some oppose. However, there are vast differences in how a ten mile radius would impact someone living near the city versus those living on the outskirts. With that in mind, the regional determination seems most appropriate.

Success So Far

This program has been piloted for the past year in Ramsey County, where roughly 28 defendants have opted to be a part of this plan. Out of that small group, only two violated their restraints, but in both times the victim requested the meeting. How this would play out with a larger number of people remains to be seen, but the GPS tracking technology works and performs the required job of keeping people apart. Would this put an undue burden on authorities to constantly monitor the movements of a growing number of people? How many would voluntarily violate the restraints in order to meet up with each other (which overall seems like a bad idea anyway)? Again, domestic abuse is a complicated matter with a variety of associated complications and problems involved. Would this be successful long term? All of these questions are important and would probably only be answered over time.

Guarantees Going Forward

While GPS tracking offers a good method of keeping victims safe, it will not be the answer for every domestic abuse case. While it can be very effective, the severity of the abuse is also important to understand, as well as the anticipation of future threats. If there is a situation that is too dangerous for the victim to continue in, GPS tracking might not be the best option. More jail time for the defendant might be the best option. For each case, individual consideration is important to investigate to make sure things go safely long term. Unfortunately, some people just won’t care if they are being monitored or not, and that will be the job of the judge to determine the ongoing intent of the defendant.

The bottom line as this proposal goes through the process of becoming a law will always be what is best for the victim. This appears to be a safe way for the victim to use GPS tracking to seamlessly get on with her life, as well as trying to find out if the defendant can continue to function in society. The technology is out there, so finding the best possible use of it will be helpful and important in maintaining individual safety and security.

Playing Keep Away with GPS

Innovations in GPS Cycling Computers

Most cyclists know that bike computers have been around for a long time and may even remember some of the features of earlier models. Simple at best, early bike computers tracked just a few details for riders, like time, distance, and speed. As time passed, manufacturers began creating more technologically advanced cycling computers that offered more features for avid cyclists. Innovations in technology were mirrored in the bike computer’s evolution.

Even so, users often found them difficult to navigate. These computers continued to offer few options to the serious cyclist and frequently had screens that were hard to see in bright daylight. When GPS features were added to these devices, cyclists were given even more motivation to acquire such a device. But at the same time, GPS-equipped smartphones quickly created competition for cycling computer companies.

Manufacturers still offer cycling computers ranging from the simple to the elite, but some recent innovations are raising the bar for GPS-equipped cycling computers.

What are the Benefits of Cycling with GPS-equipped Computers?

Cyclists who choose a GPS cycling computer to track their rides will have many definite advantages over those who opt to clip a smartphone into a handlebar-mounted holder. GPS cycling computers offer cycling specific features that a smartphone doesn’t. In addition to detailed route information and turn-by-turn navigation, GPS cycling computers can track a cyclist’s exact ride, offering evidence in case of an accident involving a vehicle. Recorded data will show where the rider was at any given time and can allow the rider to retrace his route.

One particular advantage to biking with GPS is that ride data can be merged with map information. All ride information will be saved, and cyclists can even compare data with their previous rides or other cyclists’ performances for purposes of self-improvement or team competition. They can even compete with friends and share their information on social media sites.

A longer battery life while biking with GPS is another benefit of going with a cycling computer over a smartphone. Cycling computers are also more water resistant, a big bonus for all-weather cyclists.

Innovations in GPS cycling computers are making them ever more appealing to cyclists as companies research and respond to recommendations from cyclists around the globe.

What Improvements do New GPS Cycling Computers Offer?

Even in a highly competitive market, Magellan has shown they can hold their own with the release of the Cyclo 315 and 505. These upgraded models offer the most routing options, sensor support and connectivity. In particular, the Cyclo 505 offers an impressive list of firsts for a device of its kind.

• First to bring in wireless Di2 support


• First to include ANT+ trainer control support


• First bike head unit to include direct Bluetooth Smart sensor support


• First bike head unit to include wireless music control of an mp3 player’s music


• First bike head unit to include text message alerts

Other improved features include larger touch screens, a more user-friendly interface, and highly customizable data so cyclists get to choose what they want to see. Surprise routes keep cyclists from boredom and custom profiling enhances routes.

The Cyclo 505 includes Bluetooth Smart and Wifi connectivity, making it easy for cyclists to upload data or connect to online accounts or share information with third-party sites. The Shake ‘n Share feature gives riders on-the-go ability to share information between devices. The Cyclo display can also give riders notifications of phone calls or SMS messages.

Additionally, both the Cyclo 315 and 505 provide riders with important monitoring aids since these devices are compatible with over 130 ANT+ sensors. Cyclists can monitor heart rate, speed, cadence, and more.

The Cyclo 315 and 505 are available from retailers for around the price of a high quality smartphone. In the U.S. the Cyclo 315 sells for $349.99 and the Cyclo 505 for $429.99. Purchases who want heart rate monitor and speed and cadence sensors will find them available in packages with the Cyclo 315 for $429.99 and the Cyclo 505 for $499.99.

Do the Benefits of Owning a GPS Cycling Computer Merit the Expense?

The average leisure or commuter cyclist may find that a smartphone will meet their needs for navigation and communication. Those interested in light to moderate exercise may not be interested in the analytics of their ride, but may simply coast happily on the knowledge that they are staying active.

The serious cyclist, however, may want to earnestly consider the benefits of a GPS cycling computer. The advanced metrics offered through recent innovations will kick training up to optimal levels. Biking with GPS allows cyclists to closely analyze their rides and easily set and track performance goals. Effortless data sharing through Bluetooth and Wifi connectivity means that riders will be more likely to use performance features, and social media sharing may increase their motivation and accountability for improvement.

Innovations in GPS Cycling Computers

Home Sweet Jail

Governments are always looking for ways to save taxpayers money. Running a state or even a small county or municipal government can become very costly, due to the high costs of services such as law enforcement and the care and upkeep involved with incarcerating criminals. The Aiken County, SC detention center has come up with an ingenious way to save money and allow a little more freedom for their inmates with the help of GPS tracking. Criminals guilty of certain less severe crimes now have the option available to their judge to either sentence or release on the convict on bond to the safety and security of their own home by fitting them with a GPS tracking unit that monitors their whereabouts 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

Conditions for Use

This is still an experimental system, so judges in Aiken County are limiting the number of people allowed to use this, but there are still certain stipulations that must be fulfilled. The convicts will need to still report to the detention center once each week. Their living arrangements are subject to random searches and they may have to submit to random drug tests. They are forbidden to possess drugs, alcohol, or firearms, which also includes everyone who lives or visits their residence (such as their parents or children living at home). In many ways, the home is an extension of the detention center. If there is any concern about the individual becoming a repeat offender or if anyone is in any danger, there may be a stipulation that the convict be confined to his or her house.

Basic Components of Program:

• convicts are given the option by a judge


• convicts must wear GPS tracking device 24-7


• convicts and residents may not possess firearms, alcohol, or drugs


• Violations will result in jail time

How it Works

Once approved for use, the convict will submit to wearing a GPS tracking system on their ankle. An arrangement has been made with a private company to monitor the movements of the approved convicts. Parameters can be established that allow the convict to go only to certain places at certain times. If they do not follow these rules, they would be removed from the plan and returned to the detention center. They can be prevented from visiting certain people, both for their safety and to prevent them from getting into more trouble. But the benefit of being able to go on with life without being in jail is an important motivator to stay out of more trouble.

Who Benefits

This program actually creates a situation where it is beneficial to all parties involved. If you are the convict, this allows you to go on with your life. Your children do not need to visit you in jail. You won’t run the risk of losing your job because you have to spend 30 or more days in jail. You can continue to work, pay taxes, pay down your mortgage, go to your kid’s ball games, and other things that most people enjoy. The county is also able to benefit from this. One of the nice aspects of linking up with a private company is that the fees paid to the company are coming out of the pockets of the convict. There is a one-time maintenance fee of $23 paid to the company and then it ends up being $70 each week you are in the program. Paying out $300 for a 30 day DUI conviction is a small price to pay to be able to keep your job and your life in order. The county also saves money by not having to clothe, bathe, and feed an inmate in their correction facility. Long term, they may save money by requiring fewer guards or smaller facilities.

GPS Tracking

The GPS tracking is key for this program to work. Convicts can be monitored wherever they go to make sure they are following the rules for their release. If they slip up, they can easily be found and brought back to jail. If they try to remove the GPS tracking device, they go back to jail. Larger systems allow for other inmates to go through this process, but Aiken uses it only with small time criminals. That change might happen in the future. Considering that people on bond are generally out anyway, the use of GPS tracking to keep tabs on them is just one more measure of security. Those who are one bond in general are on an “honor system” when GPS tracking is not involved. The use of this removes any doubt or fear of where they may be going.

The use of GPS tracking here is truly a win-win situation for the justice system and the people of Aiken. This creates more options for those who are trying to get their lives back in order following criminal action, while allowing them some freedom to make better choices. The county is able to save money that can be better used elsewhere. Everybody wins!

Home Sweet Jail

GPS Tracking Identifies Murder Suspect

Finding evidence to support a murder charge isn’t always an easy thing to do. But thanks to GPS tracking, one suspected murderer may be closer to getting the conviction he deserves. Saskatoon resident David Woods was recently charged with murdering his wife Dorothy. Dorothy’s body was found on January 4, 2012 just off the highway near Blackstrap Lake. In Woods’ trial, a technological crime specialist testified that GPS tracking data was a vital part of the case.

How GPS Tracking Tracked Down a Murderer

Special Const. Trevor Haugen testified that in late November of 2011, he placed GPS tracking devices on two vehicles belonging to David Woods. Dorothy Woods had been missing since November 12. But it wasn’t until January 2, 2012 that the GPS tracking devices showed David Woods’ truck heading toward Blackstrap Lake. The truck travelled out of the city and back with no stops. Just two days later, Dorothy’s body was discovered along the same route travelled by Woods’ truck.

Without GPS tracking, it’s unlikely that police would have been able to monitor Woods’ movements closely over the course of the two months between the time Dorothy went missing and when her body was found.

Legal Use of GPS Tracking in Crime-Solving

In the U.S., privacy laws prevent police officers from placing a GPS tracking device on a suspect’s car without a warrant. The Supreme Court weighed in on the issue, unanimously ruling that tracking a person without his knowledge is equivalent to unlawful search, and that such tracking must be accompanied by a warrant.

Canadian law makes similar provisions, requiring law enforcement officers to get a tracking warrant in order to place a tracking device on a person’s vehicle. Provisions for obtaining the warrant include:

• Sixty Day Period—Once issued, the tracking warrant remains in effect for sixty days. 


• Review of Need—At the end of the sixty-day period, a judge must review the warrant to determine whether it is still needed and whether the tracking device can still be used legally.


• Demonstration of Effectiveness—Police must demonstrate a strong likelihood of evidence pertinent to the case being gained from the tracker in order for the warrant to be obtained. 

How GPS Tracking Makes a Difference in Law Enforcement

GPS tracking has been used in a wide variety of ways to assist law enforcement with tracking down and prosecuting suspected criminals. What started as a sometimes questionable practice of tracking down suspects without their knowledge has, with the warrant ruling, become a useful tool for helping officers collect evidence in an investigation. Some of the ways GPS tracking has assisted police include:

Drug dealer investigations	Police can place a tracking device on the vehicle of a suspected drug dealer, sometimes leading them to the drop-off point or uncovering an entire drug operation
Domestic violence cases	In cases of extreme danger, convicted offenders may be required to wear a tracking ankle bracelet. This allows victims to receive an alert if the offender crosses a boundary or violates a restraining order.
Vehicle theft	“Bait vehicles” equipped with GPS tracking and left in high-theft areas can lead officers to theft rings and chop shops.
Murder investigations	A suspect in a murder case may be observed with a tracking device to determine whether he makes any unusual trips that might point to his guilt.

Of course, there are many other instances in which GPS tracking can assist law enforcement officers as well. When used appropriately, the devices can help cash-strapped departments expand their observation ability without using up extra man-hours. They can also increase the length of time that a subject can be observed, since the device is on duty twenty-four hours a day for lengthy periods of time.

Is David Woods Guilty of Murder?

When the RCMP issued a statement about the discovery of an adult female body on January 2^nd, David Woods got into his truck and drove south to a secondary road off of the highway. Without stopping, he immediately turned around and drove straight back home. Two days later, police discovered Dorothy Woods’ body off that same stretch of road. Was David Woods checking to see whether her body had been discovered and perhaps moved? Was he demonstrating his guilt by driving to the scene? The trial is still in progress, so it remains to be seen whether a jury will find him guilty of first-degree murder. However, it seems clear that the data obtained from the GPS tracking device will play an instrumental role in the trial. Without it, police would never have known about Woods’ trip to the Blackstrap Lake area, and may not have recovered the body of Dorothy Woods. Thanks to GPS tracking, an essential piece of evidence was uncovered, allowing a trial to take place. Ultimately, it is up to the jury to decide how justice may best be served.

GPS Tracking Identifies Murder Suspect

GPS Tracking and the Law: An Update

Any time a new technology is unveiled, it can be used in unforeseen ways—often in ways that inventors of the technology did not envision.

When GPS tracking technology had its start in the 1970s, it was primarily designed for military use. In the 1990s when, like the Internet, it was opened to use by the public at large, people primarily sought to use it as a mapping tool—allowing them to get from Point A to Point B the quickest way or by avoiding interstate highways or tolls, and so on.

But at least since 2008 several controversies have erupted over a different use of GPS tracking technology—specifically whether it’s legal for authorities to use the technology to track someone without his knowledge. As the following situations show, the answer is, “That depends.”

Cunningham v. New York State Department of Labor

Back in 2008 the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) had the State Investigator’s Office place a GPS tracking device on a vehicle belonging to an employee named Michael Cunningham. Why? They were suspicious that Cunningham was claiming to be at work at times when he actually was not there.

The device remained on Cunningham’s car for approximately two months, unbeknownst to Cunningham. The device revealed not only where Cunningham was between 8 AM and 5 PM each weekday, but also where he went in the evenings and on weekends. Unfortunately for Cunningham, it also revealed that he was being dishonest about his whereabouts during the workday. As a result of the information yielded from the GPS tracking device, Cunningham was fired.

Cunningham took NYSDOL to court. In Cunningham v. New York State Department of Labor the court ruled in Cunningham’s favor. The reason the court found in his favor, however, was because it determined it to be intrusive for an employer to obtain information via GPS that gives information about the employee’s life during hours he’s not required to be at work.

People v. Weaver

So one result of the Cunningham case was that it was legal for government agencies to track an employee’s whereabouts with GPS technology even if the employee is not aware he’s being tracked—as long as that tracking does not reveal information about the employee’s non-working hours.

That raises other questions, of course. If government agencies can do this to employees, can employers in the private sector use GPS tracking to monitor their employees during work hours without informing employees? What about police departments, which are clearly “government agencies”—can they use GPS to track private citizens who are suspected of criminal activity, albeit without citizens’ knowledge?

That question was at least partially answered in May 2009 when in People v. Weaver the New York State Court of Appeals ruled that police departments must have a warrant before monitoring suspects without their knowledge.

But another question follows: does that hold true in all cases? What about cases where there is no time to obtain a warrant . . . such as when officers are involved in a high-speed chase with a suspect who’s fleeing a crime scene?

StarChase in Arizona and Texas

In 2010 a company in the US released the StarChase Pursuit Management System—a truly creative way to cut down on high-speed chases and the danger to officers and bystanders that such chases can cause. This technology is now being used in some areas in Texas and Arizona. How does it work?

StarChase is a magnetic “bullet” equipped with GPS tracking technology that’s attached to the front grill of a police cruiser. When officers find themselves in a high-speed chase, they can fire the “bullet” at the fleeing suspect’s car via a compressed-air launcher. Once the “bullet” adheres magnetically to the suspect’s vehicle, police can back off from pursuit while still maintaining knowledge of the suspect’s location.

But does this use violate the New York State of Appeals’ ruling in People v. Weaver? What about another case, US v. Jones? In that case the Supreme Court determined law officers cannot legally attach a GPS tracking device to a vehicle belonging to a suspect and then track the vehicle for a prolonged period of time (in the case in question, a four-week period).

In short, using the StarChase device during a high-speed chase probably does not violate a suspect’s rights, say most observers, including Jay Stanley of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Because the device is deployed during a time of high risk and immediate need and is not intended for prolonged use, its use in this context is generally seen as a good thing.

That’s not to say it couldn’t be misused some way. But based on legal precedents already set, at this time the limited use of devices such as StarChase may have a bright future in helping apprehend suspects and save lives of innocent bystanders who may be killed by a high-speed chase.

GPS Tracking and the Law: An Update

GPS Trackers Get More Kid-Friendly

GPS tracking devices for kids act as an extra set of eyes and ears, keeping tabs on children when parents can’t be with them. Phones and watches offer the most common form of tracking for kids: phones, because they’re commonly carried anyway and watches, because they’re wearable and not easily lost. However, both phones and watches have drawbacks. Phones can easily be left behind, dropped, or stolen. Watches are bulky and can get banged up during the normal course of a child’s daily activities. That’s why companies like Tinitell have begun developing kid-friendly devices designed to withstand rough-and-tumble play as well as being more wearable for small wrists.

What’s Different About Tinitell?

Tinitell is both a GPS tracking device and a phone, designed specifically to meet the demands of childhood. It has no screen—just a microphone, speaker, and activation button. The device uses voice recognition to dial pre-designated numbers. When the wearer says “Mom,” “Dad,” or another contact name, the device will automatically dial the number associated with that voice label. You can also scroll through contacts, listening to the device speak the label of each contact number until you find the one you want. Contact numbers must be added through the company website or their associated app. This feature guards against unauthorized users adding their contact information to the child’s device.

Tinitell features include:

Voice recognition	Dial contact numbers by speaking the designated label.
Connectivity	2G GSM SIM
Battery Power	One hour of talk time or 7 days if left on standby mode
Child-friendly	Water-resistant and sealed to keep out dirt or sand
Screen-free	Makes the device more conducive to rough-and-tumble play

Why Parents Will Love Tinitell

It’s fun to reminisce about the days when parents could send kids out to play for hours at a time without a care in the world. Kids entertained themselves and parents knew they would be safe. Sadly, those days are distant memories for most. These days, it’s important to keep close tabs on children in order to make sure they stay safe. Sending children outside to play without adult supervision could have tragic results, which is why many parents want their children to carry a cell phone or other tracking device in order to keep tabs on them.

But for very small children, carrying a phone often results in a lost or damaged device. As children play, phones and GPS tracking devices can get dropped, forgotten, or damaged during playtime activities. Tinitell solves this problem by giving kids a small, durable bracelet-type device that will withstand the most rigorous playtime activities. The device offers just enough features to help parents keep tabs on their kids, but without all the bells and whistles that make devices bulky or difficult to operate. Even the smallest children can press a button, say a parent’s name, and immediately dial the right number.

Another feature parents will love is the ability to control which contacts are added to the device. Contact numbers must be added through the website or associated app, meaning that unauthorized users cannot add contact information. Only those numbers which have been approved by the child’s parents will be accessible through the device. This not only offers convenience by keeping the device uncluttered, but also provides an added measure of safety by ensuring that the child cannot be contacted by people parents don’t know or don’t want to have access to the child.

The Growing Market for Children’s GPS Trackers

Child-specific tracking devices aren’t new, but they’re not exactly common either. Most of the currently available devices are phones. Wearable devices designed specifically for children have begun to hit the market, but there is much room for development. Tinitell is different from other similar devices because of its size and construction. Its design enables parents to quickly check in with kids while not becoming just another device to remember.

As the market continues to grow, other devices will undoubtedly be introduced, giving parents more options when it comes to what they want their children to wear and how much capability the device should have. But for now, Tinitell—along with a handful of other similar devices—fills a niche that has been largely overlooked. Smaller devices, designed to fit smaller wrists and to function with minimal complexity, create ideal options for parents who just want to keep tabs on children while still giving them the opportunity to explore the great outdoors.

Starting at $99, Tinitell isn’t exactly selling for pennies, but concerned parents may consider the investment a small price to pay for peace of mind concerning their child’s safety. As more options come on the market, prices may become more competitive, but even if average prices remain around $100, regaining a bit of the nostalgic freedom of childhood may be worth it.

GPS Trackers Get More Kid-Friendly

GPS Help for the Wanderers

Every day, somewhere in this country or around the world, law enforcement and rescue operations are called upon to look for an elderly or mentally impaired adult who has wandered away from home. Society has tracking devices for pets, children, and even personal possessions, but what about the elderly and infirm? Who is looking out for them? Andrew Carle, an assistant professor at George Mason University, has long seen the need to tap into the vast world of GPS technology on behalf of the elderly. His work as a consultant on senior housing issues has made him more than aware of the need; it has given him his life’s work, which he calls “Nana technology.”

The Increasing Need

It is estimated that there are more than five million people in America alone who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is expected to triple by 2050. What is even more startling is that research shows that approximately 60% of Alzheimer’s patients will wander away from home or a caregiver at least once during the course of their disease with some estimates reaching as high as 70% and the average incident rate per person as high as 6-8 times. Such wanderings result in approximately 125,000 search and rescue operations for Alzheimer’s patients each year, and these figures do not begin to cover other forms of dementia, cognitive deficits, or memory loss. Tragically, statistics also show that nearly 50% of wanderers not found within 24 hours will not survive their wandering, which is why it is so important to find a solution.

The Failing Programs

Authorities have long struggled with the problem of what to do when it comes to wanderers. Lives are at stake, but time and resources are limited. Several years ago, the International Association of Chiefs of Police sought to provide police departments better training in cases involving dementia patients by launching an Alzheimer’s initiative, but training can go only so far. Programs such as Project Lifesaver and Comfort Zone are bridging the gap but they too fall short on a couple key points.

• Project Lifesaver is a low-cost system that uses bracelets with radio-tracking technology; however, the device requires the searcher to be within 400 yards of the object before getting a signal. The system relies on law enforcement making regular visits to the wearers to check and change batteries. Also, the device is in the form of a bracelet, which many dementia patients do not like to wear or can easily remove.


• The Comfort Zone GPS system is sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago. The device does use GPS technology but in a cell phone-sized device that the user is to keep in his or her pocket. Again, such a device is easily lost or forgotten.

There are many other programs and devices out there, but few of them take into consideration the unique needs of the elderly or mentally challenged. That is why Andrew Carle is so passionate about the GPS-enabled shoe.

The Amazing Shoe

In 2007, Carle came across his first pair of shoes embedded with a GPS tracking device. These shoes were designed with children of anxious parents in mind. Carle immediately thought about using the same technology to create shoes for the elderly and others with cognitive impairments. He then met with the head of GTX, Patrick Bertagna, the shoe’s manufacturer and got them onboard. In fact, Bertagna, when confronted with the very real need, said that it “shifted our entire focus to people with cognitive memory disorders, traumatic brain injuries, athletes, children with autism.” Bertagna himself first pursued GPS-enabled shoes in 2002 after the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart. So, in 2011, GTX launched its first GPS shoes for those with mental disorders; and in 2012, it made one Swedish science museum’s list of “Top 100 Innovations of Mankind,” right up there with the telephone and the Internet. The shoe’s many features make it an ideal solution for the wanderers of society.

• Smartphone compatibility: A caregiver simply calls the shoes, and the shoes “call back” by sending a Google map of the wearer’s exact location.


• Geofence perimeter: Caregivers can set a virtual fence for their loved ones so that they still have freedom to take walks but will trigger an alert if they cross out of their designated area.


• Transferable technology: GTX is now preparing to release its GPS-enabled insoles, dubbed the “Smart Soles,” so that the technology can be moved from one pair of shoes to another.

As our society ages, it is vital that we find creative and effective caregiving strategies to protect the life and health of these loved ones. Advances in GPS technology now make that possible with a simple pair of shoes, an everyday item that everyone wears. Even the most mentally infirm know to put their shoes on before they go out for a walk. “By using shoes,” Carle says, “we’ve maximized the chance the technology is there when we need it. They don’t even know it’s in there.”

GPS Help for the Wanderers

Globe Trekking with GPS

Images from our childhood daydreams come to life as we imagine ourselves transported to the heart of the deepest, darkest parts of the rainforest, hacking down vines and vegetation with a machete and looking for lost treasure. Maybe we are thinking of ourselves as a modern day Indiana Jones looking for another lost relic or Dian Fossey setting out to interact with gorillas, but there is something romantic and thrilling about the thought of getting lost in a jungle and living to tell about it. That is probably the thought process many modern travel companies are hoping their clients have as more and more are offering sightseeing tours through parts of Africa with the help of GPS navigational tools.

Asia to Africa Safaris

One such example that was recently detailed on Forbes.com was Asia to Africa Safaris. Advertisements for this safari that targets well-to-do Westerners and gives them an admitted experience of a lifetime to go into the wildest parts of the Republic of the Congo to have a chance to use GPS navigation to find gorillas and other animals in their natural environment. The experience allows you to be out for several days in close proximity to these majestic creatures to see how they really live. While offering the chance of a lifetime to see the gorillas, the travel company also offers some more human creature comforts at their home base in the Congo to help their customers feel more at home, despite the wilderness setting.

What can you get for about $8,000 from Asia to Africa Safaris?

Seven days and six nights in the Congo

The chance to observe lowland gorillas in their natural habitat

The chance to see forest elephants, spotted hyenas, and leopards

Various monkey and bird species

Guided savannah and forest walks

Other Adventures

Asia to Africa is just one example of adventure available to travelers. The truly adventurous nature in people has opened the doors to so many more options. There are safari expeditions into the African savannah to find lions in their environment, expeditions to the Serengeti to see elephants, you can climb the Himalayas or Kilimanjaro, or you can backpack across Europe. With each of these options, GPS navigation is the key and can be used by a wide variety of traveler – both young and old, veteran and novice can benefit from using GPS navigation systems to guide them on their way. Having the eye in the sky watching over you can give many a traveler a good night’s rest and free them from worry.

All Possible Due to GPS

With the absence of reliable roads and detailed maps, GPS navigation has become a key part of any company that wants to offer tours into remote and unchartered areas. GPS navigation allows for travelers to find ways to their destination safely and also allows the company to keep tabs on expeditions in case they lose their way or need help. The technology has really expanded where man is able to travel to and explore without fear of never finding their way home. The old days of making detailed maps as you go are no longer necessary as the GPS technology will be able to map out your routes for you and keep you out of harm’s way, at least from the terrain. What you find on your travels, of course, is your problem.

Trekking with GPS

The benefits of GPS technology for globe trekkers are countless and ever expanding. GPS technology is truly not just for drivers anymore. Rafters can use GPS to navigate confusing twisting and winding streams and tributaries to make sure they come out where they plan to in order to find their group. Speaking as someone who was once lost on a river for several hours without GPS, that is something one should not take for granted! Tourists can use GPS navigation to find their ways to historical sites off the beaten path and experience nature and the environment in ways that were impossible before. Tour groups can have safer experiences when their tour guides and tour companies have access to GPS locators that can bring help directly to you in the case of an emergency. Imaging getting hurt out in the middle of nowhere and trying to explain to the coming medic-chopper that you went out past the three hills and five tall trees. Now think about how much faster it would be if you could simply say that you are at a certain set of coordinates.

Not everyone can afford to travel the world and go to the Congo to see the amazing sights of the safari. However, most people can afford to buy a GPS navigator (you might even have one right now on your phone). With that piece of equipment, it will be easy to go and lose yourself on whatever safari you come up with.

Globe Trekking with GPS

Eyes in the Sky: How GPS Tracking Works

Almost everybody benefits from GPS tracking these days. It’s in our phones, our cars, and our computers. We wear devices on our wrists, around our necks, in our pockets, and in our shoes. We use them to keep track of exercise distances and routes, monitor our elderly family members, keep tabs on our children, protect our pets, and track down stolen possessions.  Hundreds if not thousands of uses for GPS tracking exist, and more are being designed every day. But with all that information flying around, how often do we think about how it actually works? Where do those coordinates come from and how accurate are they?

A Little History

The GPS satellite system was designed by the United States military in 1973 to assist with military operations. The first satellites were in orbit by 1989 and the system was functional by 1995. Although originally conceived as a military project, the satellites emit signals on two separate channels. The unencrypted channel can be used by anyone and is available for civilian and commercial applications. The second channel, which is also slightly more precise, is encrypted for military use only.

So How Does It Work?

The GPS system currently consists of 31 satellites orbiting the Earth. At least 24 of these satellites must remain functional in order for GPS to be accessible from anywhere in the world. At regular intervals, the satellites emit signals which contain both the current location and time of transmission. In order to determine an accurate location on Earth, a receiving device uses data obtained from three satellites to pinpoint its position using trilateration. The current location of the device is where the three signals intersect.

How Can GPS Tracking Be Used?

The potential uses for GPS tracking are nearly endless. Here are just a few of the currently available options:

• Vehicle tracking devices that enable emergency alert systems in case of an accident


• Life alert necklaces for the elderly


• GPS tracking shoes used for Alzheimer patients


• GPS-enabled pet collars to track lost pets


• Wrist watches to help parents keep tabs on their kids


• Runners’ watches to map routes and calculate distances


• Trackers used in boat races to accurately determine a winner and to follow the course of the race


• Wildlife conservation trackers to observe animal movements


• Fleet vehicle tracking to monitor bus routes, delivery vehicles, police cars, construction equipment, and more


• Mobile marketing to deliver location-based advertisements to your smartphone


• Law enforcement tracking of suspected criminals and parolees


• Protection for victims of domestic violence

These applications are just a drop in the bucket. There are hundreds more potential uses for GPS tracking. The only limit is the creativity of developers for creating new devices and capabilities.

Who is Responsible for Maintaining the System?

The United States owns and operates the GPS system that is currently in use around the world. Theoretically, the satellites that serve any particular region can be turned off, denying access to that region during a time of war, for instance. This capability has never been put to use, however, despite the U.S. participation in several wars since the GPS system was first launched. The theoretical possibility has nevertheless prompted other national governments to begin developing their own systems. The earliest of these, the Galileo network being developed in Europe, is not projected to be completed until 2019.

How Accurate is the System?

The encrypted signals used by the military can determine the location of an object to within 30 centimeters. Civilian devices using the unencrypted signals are not that precise, but can still pinpoint a location within about three meters. That’s a whole lot better than the 25 meter accuracy originally possible for civilian devices. Still, despite the better capabilities of modern GPS tracking devices, they can be thrown off by objects deflecting or blocking the satellite signal. If you’ve ever discovered that your GPS tracking device thought you were somewhere else, it’s probably because the signal was deflected by a building or geological formation.

Are There Any Limitations on How GPS Tracking Can Be Used?

Privacy concerns have prompted some groups to advocate for stricter laws governing the use of GPS tracking data. Two examples include law enforcement and mobile marketing. The Supreme Court weighed in on the use of GPS tracking by law enforcement to track suspected criminals, ruling that a warrant must be obtained before a tracking device may be attached to a person’s vehicle or belongings. Privacy concerns have also been expressed regarding the use of cell phone trackers by marketers. One bill proposed that citizens must give consent before marketers can obtain location information for marketing purposes. However, that bill has not yet gained enough traction to come to a vote.

GPS tracking is part of our daily lives. It has revolutionized the way we interact, shop, conduct business, exercise, travel, and care for loved ones. Thanks to twenty-four eyes in the sky, originally developed as a U.S. military operation, you never need to be lost again.

Eyes in the Sky: How GPS Tracking Works

Tracking the Flight of the Condor

The largest birds in North America may once again fly the skies soon. Except this time they will have extra guidance through the help of GPS tracking.

Image courtesty of USFWS Pacific Southwest Region

Gaining Strength

The California condor, once the most mighty, prevalent bird on the continent, faced extinction in the last century due to disruptions in its environment. But much has been done to conserve the condor within the last few decades. The work of conservationists resulted in the release of the first captive condors in 1992. Now the Yurok Native American tribe and federal agencies are creating a plan to introduce several additional condors from captivity into their natural habitat within the next few years.

Preparing for Takeoff

The new program hopes to make the process of studying the birds easier. But before the birds take flight from their home, scientists want to add some guidance. The researchers need to know more about the endangered bird’s patterns: where it flies, rests, and makes its nest. Are all vital to understanding how the great bird adapts to the natural wild habitat. Employing tracking tactics similar to those used on other endangered species such as lions and tigers, the scientists have teamed up with technology partners to create a small GPS chip. The device, only a few square millimeters in size, can be inserted under the condor’s skin or attached to its feathers. The tracking unit is solar powered, so it can transmit data automatically without the need for a separate power source. The sun in the dry, hot areas of the condor’s habitat will power the device each day. The GPS will broadcast the condor’s location as it travels. This is important to know the pattern of the birds and their interaction with many possible dangers they may face.

Watching the Diet 

Decades ago, a main threat to condors was the insecticide DDT that poisoned many birds and destroyed their eggs.  Although DDT is now outlawed, other chemicals such as lead pose a serious problem to the condors.

Lead poisoning greatly concerns the scientists as it is the most common cause of death to the the endangered bird in the wild. It can enter their system and destroy it over time. Careless hunters shoot and kill animals without retrieving the bodies for disposal or processing. Thus, the bullets remain in the body. The condors, prodigious carnivores, then prey upon the dead animals and ingest the remains of the concentrated lead bullets. Over time the lead poisons the brain and other organs of the birds.

The new GPS attachments hope to diminish the threat of lead poisoning by continual transmission of the condor’s location in real time. If the signal slows or remains in the same position for a long time, researchers become concerned. The GPS will help them be able to find the bird and examine it for injury or poisoning. Over time, the scientists will examine all the condors and take samples of blood in order to detect general levels of lead poisoning.

Watching for Wires

Electrical wires also present a danger to the condor. The normal flight paths of the birds were interrupted in the past by cables and suspended wires. At times the birds could not avoid the wires and died in a collision with them. The GPS allows for monitoring of the approximate altitude and position in relation to electrical wires. Using this data, researchers can develop patterns of the condor’s flight and chart possible paths. They can then warn the owner of the electrical wires so that the company can reroute their technology.

Watching for Signs of Life

The nests of the endangered California condor have eluded researchers for years. But the GPS could help track the location of the nests. A new initiative finds the transmitted location and examines the eggs in the nest. If eggs are not viable, then the researchers switch them with viable eggs from captive condors. The researchers can return to the nest later to find the number of surviving young. The young birds could be examined and tracked for information about how the birds mature and grow into their natural environment.

Developing Ideas 

Future versions of the GPS band may include the ability to monitor and automatically send biometric data of the bird to the computer systems of the avian scientists. This data could show if a condor is healthy, sick, or pregnant. This information could be used to predict how a larger condor population would function normally.

Preserving the Future

The progress in preserving the condor has achieved much in the last two decades. The GPS trackers will provide more data for researchers to use in order to help more condors survive and fly free again.

Tracking the Flight of the Condor

Emergency GPS Trackers to the Rescue

Satellite technology has truly changed the world. Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation may be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about ways this technology is commonly used. But GPS technology is constantly growing in use and applications.

We employ GPS in our cars, phones, and computers. Keeping our kids safe, increasing productivity, even keeping time are all practical applications of this valuable technology. And methods of keeping track of our lives through GPS are growing in number and simplicity.

How Does GPS Work?

Satellites constantly orbit the earth, sending signals to receivers on the ground. Once a receiver senses and translates signals from at least three separate satellites, it can decipher its own location. This process is called trilateration. Obtaining the satellites’ time and trajectory allows the receiver to calculate its position as coordinates in three-dimensional space. The more satellites in range of a receiver, the more accurate its calculations of location will be.

The receiver’s precision is also influenced by other factors, including sensitivity and forms of interference. The types of satellites in range can also affect the instrument’s performance.

After receiving the satellite signals, the instrument translates its calculations into an address. This can be done in various ways. Some receivers, like the GPS navigation system in a car, use internet downloaded maps to find an address. Other receivers, such as a mobile device, can connect directly to an internet program that uses the coordinates to find an address on a map.

What are GPS Trackers?

A GPS tracker is a device that uses the Global Positioning System to locate a person, a vehicle, or an item to which it is attached. The position of the asset is recorded regularly.

GPS tracking devices work in a similar manner to GPS navigation systems, only, instead of displaying information, they communicate their data to an internet server on which users can access the tracking device’s previous locations. Many of these devices transmit data using cellular phone networks, but some send out a satellite signal, allowing them to be used anywhere in the world.

How are GPS Trackers Used in Rescue Efforts?

Adventurers often stray outside the range of mobile and radio networks. In fact, 75 percent of the earth’s lands are outside any network range. So when someone on adventure goes missing or has an accident, search and rescue teams that rely on mobile networks may have great difficulty finding the lost person.

Now that GPS tracking devices are available, users can quickly be found anywhere in the world. When a user presses the button, a signal is sent to low-earth satellites. The user’s coordinates are then passed on to an emergency response company at an international dispatch center. This company alerts the correct authority and the user’s emergency contact person. A rescue effort that may have taken days can occur in a few hours. Time saved during a rescue translates into lives saved.

SPOT GPS Devices Have Helped Rescue Over 3,000 People

One company that has seen amazing results from its GPS devices is Globalstar, maker of SPOT trackers and SPOT global phones. “Wherever it is in whichever country, the capability of the unit is such that it really takes the search out of search and rescue,” says Jay Monroe, CEO of Globalstar. “You know exactly where the person is and all you have to do is go get ‘em.”

In fact, Monroe’s company recently celebrated its 3,000^th rescue since it began selling tracking devices in 2007. Apparently the company receives about one rescue signal per day, frequently involving life-threatening situations.

SPOT trackers include both an SOS signal and an “I’m okay” button to send notifications about a user’s condition, indicating whether they need help or not.

Compared to a satellite phone, SPOT trackers and global phones are quite reasonably priced. They currently sell for $170 for a SPOT tracker and $499 for a SPOT global phone. There are some additional fees for the satellite tracking services, but this is a low price to pay for security for those who like to wander and sometimes get lost.

What’s Next for GPS Tracking?

GPS devices continue to impress. Even those without GPS trackers may benefit from the technology. In frequently explored areas, such as popular hiking trails or ski slopes, search and rescue teams can look for paths that lost hikers or skiers may have taken. This approach can save time and lives.

As technology advances so will the capabilities of GPS tracking. Perhaps in the future GPS tracking and nanotechnology will combine to further facilitate tracking people, like children who have been abducted or soldiers missing in action on a foreign field. Researchers and developers will continue to find amazing ways for this wonderful technology to continue benefiting mankind.

Emergency GPS Trackers to the Rescue

GPS Tracking Reveals Surprisingly Massive Zebra Migration in Africa

One of the many amazing uses of GPS technology is wildlife research and conservation. With the help of satellites, researchers can monitor the movements of different species in their natural habitat. Observing animals in the wild or even in captivity can tell us a lot about a creature’s needs and behavior, but there is always the factor of human interference to consider. Wildlife is likely to behave differently when they can see, hear or smell humans. With GPS tracking collars, researchers can observe the natural, truly wild behavior of animals.

Image courtesy of wwarby

Another benefit of the technology is simply being able to track a species over massive treks of land, air or sea, which would otherwise be difficult and very time consuming for researchers to attempt in the field. A great example of this benefit can be seen in the results of a recent zebra tracking study in Africa. The World Wildlife Fund released an educational video about the zebra migration study, featuring the GPS tracking devices used to monitor the mammals. The conservation group said this about the study:

“Tracking wildlife movement is critical to conservation. This zebra was safely tranquilized and collared in 2012, documenting a recorded migration for land mammals in Africa. Eight collared zebras were tracked via GPS making a round trip of more than 300 miles between Botswana and Nambia two years in a row. That’s the largest land migration ever recorded in Africa. As migratory routes for many species are increasingly disrupted and declining, this research shows these animals need wide open spaces in order to survive.”

“It goes to show us that nature still has some surprises,” Robin Naidoo said, senior conservation scientist at the Washington-based World Wildlife Fund which led the zebra migration study. “This is the longest known land migration in Africa, in terms of distance between endpoints.” The researchers used female zebras because they tend to stick with the herd. Male zebras also can be tougher on the GPS collars than female zebras. The collars transmitted the zebra’s exact location to the researchers every four to five hours.

The first half of the zebras’ journey lasts about three weeks during November and December. Scientists believe they are searching for fresh grazing pastures at the Nxai Pan National Park in Botswana. Because of the rainy season, there is plenty of food and water to last the average of 10 weeks before the zebras begin their trek back tot he Chobe River along the Namibia/Botswana border. “The findings of this study emphasize the importance of trans-frontier conservation areas in conservation of the greater landscape,” chief conservation scientist at MET in Nambia, Pierre Du Preez, said. “This study has played a crucial role in helping determine a crucial wildlife corridor in KAZA.”

“In order to fully understand whether we’re doing a good job at conserving wide-ranging species like zebra, we need a detailed understanding of their space requirements and movement patterns,” explained Naidoo. More studies will need to be done in order to determine just how ingrained the migration path is for the zebras. If they take the same route year after year, it suggests that the migration pattern could be passed down through the generations, possibly even in the DNA of the mammals.

“Even though people have been fascinated by animal migration since the dawn of history, we are just scratching the surface in terms of understanding which animals migrate, where they go, and how they do it,” explained David Wilcove, conservation expert from Princeton University, who was not a part of the zebra study.

Some of the migration path is through human-dominated regions, so it could be very useful to see how the zebras are affected by the presence of humans. In the late 1960s a fence was placed in the middle of a zebra migration route. It was removed in 2004, and according to research, around 15,000 zebras used the reopened path during their migration in 2008 through 2009.

With more data, researchers hope to incentivize and effort to expand a protected area across countries. Not only with more wildlife reserves help protect endangered species, they can also be a great source of tourist revenue. “In the same way that we’re concerned with saving numbers of species and habitats, we should also be concerned with conserving phenomena that are inspiring spectacles in the world of nature. Mass migration are one of those,” Naidoo said.

“We all yearn for that, the romance of wild, open spaces,” said Mike Chase, leader of Botswana-based Elephants Without Borders, who also participated in the zebra migration study. “There are very few places left on our planet where animals and wildlife have the natural ability to roam in the context in which they evolved over thousands of years.”

GPS Tracking Reveals Surprisingly Massive Zebra Migration in Africa