Rocky Mountain Tracking

Daily GPS News

Track Your Cat, Dog, or Even Horse With Tractive

February 26th, 2013

Move over, Tagg. There’s a new GPS tracker on the block for pet owners looking for an easy way to know where they are at all times. Tractive, an Austrian company, unveiled its GPS tracking device at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) which gives pet owners peace of mind with real-time tracking and location information.

Yes, Tagg has been around for a while. However, it is very limited in its application. The Tagg GPS tracking device is quite large, and this means it is only suitable for medium to large sized dogs. The location tracking itself is far from real-time: the Tagg device will not display the route your dog has taken. Instead, the hardware pings the system on the Web every 10 minutes.

Tractive felt a GPS device could do so much more for pet owners, who are oftentimes just as worried about their precious furry friends as a mother would be about her children. Their solution: a GPS tracking device small enough to be worn by cats and small dogs. This allows more pet owners to keep an eye on their pets, even farm animals such as cows, horses, sheep, and donkeys. The company has conducted successful testing on these animals.

Tractive also relies on a SIM card, which is the key to its real-time tracking. Simply download an app or log on to a website to view your animal’s whereabouts on a map. The hardware and app communicate constantly rather than relying on pings every so often. You can set a “Safe Zone,” and each time your pet leaves this zone, you will be notified instantly.

If you install the app on your smartphone (iOS only, $4.49), you are able to store vital information in one place, such as vaccination records and appointments, vet information, and chip ID number to name a few. The tracking service itself will cost about $6.50 each month.

Tractive is expected to be available to US customers by the end of the month. An Android version of the app is expected to follow at some point in March.

Happy GPS Trails for Kids

January 20th, 2013

Exploring nature has fascinated children—and adults—for centuries. Despite the ever-increasing number of indoor options for physical fitness and exercise, outdoor activity continues to be an important element to the overall health and wellbeing of children. As childhood obesity continues to cause increasing alarm in American culture, concerned parents, grandparents, and teachers are searching for appropriate and exciting ways to engage their children in healthy activity. GPS tracking that is extending to community nature trails may end up being a welcome solution to this common problem of 21st century American suburban childhood.

Natural Motivation

GPS tracking can open up a whole new world of discovery for kids. Naturally curious, kids can get exercise and fresh air without even noticing it as they explore nature. And they don’t even have to wait until their parents are free to go with them—or quit when their parents’ interest is exhausted. As specific trails with GPS tracking become available within communities, more kids can enjoy pursuing activity in the natural world that has been a natural part of childhood for centuries.

Restorative Recreation

As childhood stress becomes an increasingly concerning factor for American youth, restorative, non-competitive activities need to be provided. Trails with GPS tracking have the potential of providing hours of outdoor exercise that can restore the entire body. With the leisure to experience and enjoy nature at their own pace, children can escape from the high performance demands of competitive sports. They can also receive the age-old benefits from fresh air and sunshine that still have never been reproduced in nutritional supplements or artificial, indoor settings.

Community Service Opportunities

As kids become at home in nature and familiar with local trails, they could develop a healthy sense of ownership over the outdoor beauty they enjoy. As they observe the seasons and begin to find favorite places, they’ll logically work to preserve and protect what they grow to appreciate and love. As successful outdoor-based programs created for young people have proved over the years, exposure to nature often aids in the development of a broader outlook on life as children learn how to respond in ways that expands their knowledge and their ability to help others. A passion for the outdoors will also cause children to have the desire to share the joy they’ve discovered with others. One Eagle Scout in New York recently served his community by creating a trail to honor veterans with GPS tracking. As the enthusiasm for outdoor adventures captures children, they will often channel their energies to accomplish service to their communities that bring them as much delight as it brings those they serve.

Rediscovering Outdoor Exercise with GPS

January 18th, 2013

Watches with GPS navigation and tracking systems continue to multiply within the sporting equipment industry. Options include everything from the Timex Ironman Run Trainer or the Garmin Forerunner 10 crafted specifically for runners to the more general Garmin Fenix that can multi-purpose as a walking tour guide and point-of-interest recorder. While these watches are still expensive, they present a great potential of encouraging everyone from the beginner walker to the addicted runner to take their exercise routines back outside.

Specific Training

Preparing for a race or meeting specific goals often requires training that can be difficult to obtain outside of a gym or running track. For certain types of people who feel compelled to know exactly how far they’ve gone, how many calories they’ve burned, or what type of grades they’ve walked, outdoor exercise has been completely abandoned in favor of the predictable, measuring equipment in a basement or gym. The GPS navigation and technology within a watch such as the Navig[8]r Navwatch or the Polar RC3 can provide this information. People simply obsessed with measuring could now wear the technology on their wrists that can give them the facts and help them set and meet goals. And serious runners could better prepare themselves for races by creating routes that simulate the race route and becoming accustomed to running in various weather conditions.

Exploration Opportunities

Maintaining variety and interest in exercise routines remains essential to keeping a person motivated about staying fit and healthy. While a variety of new machines continue to appear in gyms and TV ads, they can never create the same experience of running through new scenery and enjoying the variety of even familiar places at different times of the day and in different seasons. A GPS navigation system that straps on the wrist opens up a new world of exercise sites. The information in a device such as the Garmin Fenix takes away the guesswork that might limit the adventurous or the cautious without giving away all that there is to discover and enjoy along the way.

Health and Safety Benefits

Anyone in tune with current health concerns and cultural trends understands that outdoor exercise provides some essential nutrients that most people lack. While a GPS navigation and tracking watch system can’t address every deterrent to outdoor exercise, it does have the potential of dealing with the most prominent. Safety concerns for individual runners or walkers could be reduced if they can plan their routes more precisely and be tracked while they’re gone. Maybe the next versions could include an electronic dog repellant or automated encouraging companion to solve all the problems of the lone outdoor exerciser.

RTK Integrated with a SAASM GPS Receiver by TAG

July 17th, 2012

TAG (Technology Advancement Group, Inc.) along with ITT Exelis have announced they were successful in integrating their Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) system, which allows positioning accuracy to the centimeter based on high-precision measurements, from their embedded GPS receiver with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SASM) technology. The Army Geospatial Center (AGC) of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has contracted TAG to provide a Precise Positioning Service (PPS) GPS Survey System (PGSS) that meets the strict requirements of deployed Army surveyors. The GPS controller, which integrates the embedded ITT Exelis SAASM GPS receiver, RTK algorithms, and an RTK radio, is a component of the PGSS contained in a compact package.

This technology, which is highly-integrated, is already built in kinematic applications and is easily customizable for a host of military applications, like robotics, machine control, and unmanned vehicles, but does not require a separate commercial RTK GPS receiver. This gives the user the utmost assurance of complete military system performance during all phases of operations. The added bonus: a single receiver means smaller size, power, weight, and cost.

“We are proud that our solution enables AGC and other military customers to have access to centimeter-level accurate positioning while simultaneously enjoying the benefit of a fully-certified SAASM-based embedded GPS receiver,” said TAG’s CEO Jim McEwan. “It will deliver full, uncompromising performance at all times without relying upon any commercial receiver technology.”

Orders are currently being taken for these receivers from authorized customers only. If customization is required, the units can be expected to be delivered in 90-120 days.

TAG is a leading provider of “ruggedized computing solutions” to the government and commercial customers for about 30 years. Their Tactical Systems Group works to develop rugged customized mobile electronic systems using their expertise and use of state-of-the-art technology, best practice processes, and leveraging existing modules.

GPS Shoes for Alzheimer’s Patients

June 22nd, 2012

A new GPS tracking product can now bring some extra peace of mind to caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. People who care for these forgetful family members or patients may worry about them wandering off. No matter how carefully they watch, sometimes things go awry. We’ve all seen and heard news stories about a missing elderly man or woman with Alzheimer’s, and these missing persons are often difficult to locate because their paths are illogical and hard to trace. While there is no substitute for loving and watchful care, there are tools available to help ease worry and avert disasters when the best-laid plans don’t work right. One of these tools is the GPS Smart Shoe produced by Aetrex.

Aetrex Worldwide, Inc., has been developing healthy footwear since 1946. The company’s mission is “to create the healthiest shoes on the market today.” With that in mind, Aetrex employs over twenty-five certified pedorthists on its development team. They make shoes in all styles for both men and women, from casual through athletic and therapeutic to dress shoes, all designed to both look good and be good for the wearer’s feet.

This medical-design focus leads quite naturally into the GPS shoes, designed with Alzheimer’s patients in mind. The shoe goes beyond just being a healthy fit–it can improve the quality of life for both patient and caregiver. With the purchase of the shoe and a monthly service plan, the caregiver can access information online that tells them the whereabouts of the patient (assuming, of course, that the patient is wearing the shoes). The shoe has a tracking device in the heel which communicates with GPS satellites and specialized software to calculate its location on a map.

These GPS shoes are available through the Aetrex website for $299.99 plus a $34.99 monthly service plan. Under this plan, the shoe’s location is recorded every 30 minutes. For an additional $5.00 fee, the location is recorded every 10 minutes. Shoes come in both men’s and women’s sizes with strap or lace-up style options. Every patient’s situation and needs are different, of course, but many caregivers will find that having GPS shoes will lighten worry loads and keep the patient safe from the dangers involved in wandering.

Explore America with GPS and TOPO!

June 14th, 2012

The fear of any outdoorsman is getting lost in the woods; however, in a world of global positioning systems and tracking devices, much of that fear is relieved. Now, Magellan and National Geographic have teamed up to provide outdoorsmen the ultimate in GPS navigational tools. The handheld GPS device series known as eXplorist can now download TOPO!, National Geographic’s full-color and exquisitely detailed topographical maps of the continental United States.

About Magellan

Magellan, based in Santa Clara, California, has long been known for its Roadmate series of GPS systems for cars, boats, trucks, and RVs, not to mention its fleet management line. They also provide apps and accessories for smart phones as well as GPS devices for outdoor enthusiasts. The eXplorist series is just one of Magellan’s recreational tools. The 310 unit is ideal for basic outdoor tracking, while the 510, 610, and 710 models are more than adequate for the advanced outdoor explorer.

About eXplorist

Like all Magellan products, the eXplorist line is rugged, compact, and waterproof, making it the ideal GPS device for any adventurer. It features a user-friendly menu, a screen that can be read even in direct sunlight, and a battery that is long-lasting. All this innovation fits in the palm of your hand. Whether you are up for hiking, biking, hunting, or fishing, the eXplorist will keep you tracking. And geocaching adventures take on a whole new meaning when seen topographically.

About TOPO!

National Geographic developed TOPO! to provide detailed topographical maps for increased safety and a more enhanced outdoor experience. The app is downloadable through Magellan, and the annual service fee is less than $30; you can even get a free trial. The program features two scales. The 1:100,000-scale gives a complete overview for the extended trip while the 1:24,000-scale map provides terrain detail, right down to ravines, ridge lines, back roads, and trails with national parks and state parks easily identified as well.

Outdoor adventure awaits, and it is not just for the rugged explorer type anymore. eXplorist and TOPO! together provide the novice as well as the wilderness wanderer a GPS device that enables them to safely and expertly navigate the great land of America.

GPS and Art

June 4th, 2012

You think that a GPS can’t be used in art? Think again. People are taking advantage of GPS to keep track of where they are and where they travel to paint huge digital pictures over interesting landscapes. The GPS keeps track of where you are while you move around, and it reproduces your path on a computer.

Michael J. Wallace is a biker that is using his passion for biking, art, and technology in a creative way. With his bike and a GPS, Wallace paints digital sketches over Baltimore. Let me try to explain what he does. Wallace starts biking around the city of Baltimore. His GPS keeps track of where he is. Everywhere he goes, every turn he takes, every street he bikes, his GPS keeps track.

Imagine that there’s an invisible line being painted everywhere he goes. The line is invisible… but not on a digital map. Remember, his GPS is keeping track and drawing a line everywhere he goes. He bikes around painting pictures. For example, he did a sketch of the original Donkey Kong, and another one of the famous game Angry Birds. He calls this GPX Riding.

But Wallace is not the only one. In Europe, John Stavros is doing the same thing, painting different pictures over cities like Rome, Italy. He calls this “Position Art,” which again, is art created by moving and keeping track of every move with GPS technology.

And of course, more people are starting to get into this new art form. To do it, you need at least a GPS, but that’s not all you need. It is important to plan. Choosing an interesting landscape that allows you to move around is vital. Also, it’s important to carefully define the route to take in order to have a nice picture at the end. Otherwise at the end you will have a nice doodle. And unless you call it modern art, most people will not like it.

That’s part of why it’s an art. It’s not something anyone can do, but it’s something that many can enjoy. I thought some of the pictures were pretty cool. Whatever you think of position art—whether it’s cool or stupid—the fact is that technology is creating new and creative ways to not only bring us comfort, but also to express ourselves.

Does GPS Influence Insurance Claims on Electronics?

June 4th, 2012

If you own a smart phone, ninety nine times out of a hundred there’s a GPS installed. If you own a tablet, it’s also very likely that the device features GPS functionality. The new numbers are in regarding insurance claims. Analysts and insurance companies are poring over them, looking at how those numbers will affect the cost of insuring those items. One of the most interesting statistics is that jewelry has overtaken electronics as the number one most “claimed” insurance item. Does GPS tracking affect insurance claims on electronics?

The Hard Numbers on Insurance Claims
Every year, Enservio releases its Contents Claims Index, the industry’s last word when it comes to Contents Claims Index, the industry’s last word when it comes to where insurance companies’ money goes and why. Two interesting metrics are of interest: jewelry claims are up roughly four percent, while electronics claims dropped two percent. However, claims to insurance companies regarding electronics still increased 15%–it’s just that jewelry claims increased more.

GPS Devices Integrated into Smart Phones and Tablets
One factor that may affect insurance claims regarding electronics is the growing number of devices with integrated GPS. Granted, tablets and smart phones account for a potentially marginal segment of electronic devices that are insured. The majority of those insurance claims come in regards to televisions, laptops, and other bigger ticket items. However, a simple scan of this blog will reveal that GPS devices installed in smart phones, iPads etc. have led police to thieves on numerous occasions, saving insurance companies tons of cold hard cash.

GPS Tracking and Electronic Theft
What does the future hold for grand larceny? Put simply, installing GPS devices on electronics will curb theft. It’s just a matter of cost: would it be cost effective to put a GPS on a flatscreen television, for example, simply to track the device in the event that it is stolen? Would that provide enough added benefit that it would justify increased manufacturing expense? GPS tracking would certainly be a benefit to insurance companies, and to law enforcement officers who might turn voluntary GPS tracking data into a firm legal conviction. The application of GPS technology as a theft deterrent certainly might be an interesting approach at curbing larceny in the United States.

Amber Alert GPS V3: 2012 CTIA Emerging Technology Award Finalist

May 10th, 2012

Finalists have been named for the 2012 CTIA Wireless Emerging Technology Awards, and included in that list is Amber Alert GPS for their V3, the newest device on the market allowing parents to worry a bit less about the safety of their children. The V3 received a nomination in the Tablets, Notebooks, and Embedded Wireless Devices category along with other cutting-edge mobile, consumer electronics, and wireless devices.

The Amber Alert GPS V3 is said to be among the smallest devices designed to track a child’s location offered on the market today, and is known for its ease of use and security. It offers mobile apps to monitor your child’s whereabouts wherever you may be and features wireless connectivity provided by AT&T. Parents can use the V3 GPS tracking device to keep track of their child’s movements with near real-time precision. This allows the child more freedom and independence while assuring parental peace of mind.

Parents start by creating a “zone,” the area a child travels on a regular basis. Whether it’s the route to school and back, the playground, or even a friend’s house, once the zone is specified, the V3 will trigger an email or text anytime the child enters or exits this zone. Another great feature of this GPS tracking device: an email or text is also triggered whenever the child comes within 500 feet of the home of a registered sex offender, thanks to National Sex Offender Registry integration. If tracking a teen who will likely get into the cars of their friends, the device will send alerts if the vehicle they are traveling in is driving over a certain speed. For younger children, the “breadcrumb” feature is handy, as the device will send out location information at specific, parent programmed times of day, along with an SOS button. This button gives the child a one-touch safety net as each time the button is pressed, help is summoned.

Parents can peruse location information, whether on their computer or wireless device, on a secure, easy to use portal at amberalertgps.com The device is constantly pushing information to the portal at any time of day, no matter where the child may be, at any point in a parents day, even on the go.

“Our goal at Amber Alert GPS is to provide kids the ability to freely explore the world while simultaneously providing busy parents peace-of-mind in regards to their child’s safety and security,” according to CEO of Amber Alert GPS Carol Colombo. “We are honored that our partner AT&T nominated us for this award and to be named a finalist in our category by CTIA.” All nominees will be featured during the International CTIA Wireless in New Orleans. The public is able to vote for the V3 GPS tracking device online, and winners are to be announced Wednesday, May 9.

Garmin’s New GPS Golf Watch: Gloves On

April 20th, 2012

Looking for an edge in your golf game? Many golfers rely on GPS devices, in watch-form, to help them stay on top of their game. The problem: price. Most reliable GPS watches can cost over $300. After weighing options, however, the price begins to look more reasonable.

Some argue that decent GPS apps can be installed on a smartphone that perform just as well as the fancy, expensive watches. For example, the AirVue Golf app costs a mere $10 in the Apple App Store. It performs quite well, but when you start to look at certain factors which are smartphone-specific, it becomes more clear the reasons one would invest in a golf-specific GPS device watch. If you happen to have an iPhone provided by your employer, most do not provide the option to set your screen to “always on”, a corporate security policy, causing the screen to time out. This means battery life is shortened, as every time you wish to take a shot and check the app, you need to press the home button, enter your passcode, and wait for the app to locate you. Not to mention the fact that sunlight and iPhone screens don’t really get along with one another.

Enter the Garmin Approach S3 GPS watch, the waterproof technological wonder. Its price tag might scare some away ($340), but many golfers will happily shell out that amount of money to have one. Everyone knows a golfer, and there’s always something they “need,” whether it’s a new putter or the latest in golf shoe technology. You can add the Garmin Approach S3 GPS watch to that list. It features no subscription fees and over 27,000 courses already loaded. See the green exactly as it appears with “Green View,” displaying the green’s exact layout and shape, and position the pin manually using the touchscreen.

The best feature: no need to worry about the endless “take off the gloves, put them back on, take them off, put them on” cycle. This touchscreen works, gloves or not. The watch not only functions as a GPS device, but as a regular watch as well. Use it to track the distance you’ve walked throughout your golf game, or even the entire day, thanks to the odometer. Head to Garmin’s website to check out this watch yourself, whether for your own personal use or the perfect gift for the golfer in your life.