Rocky Mountain Tracking

By Greg Bartlett

Each year the United Kingdom has a celebrity bike ride to raise money for Sport Relief, which will build schools, shelters, and healthcare facilities for poor communities around the world. Donators of the Sport Relief Celebrity Million Pound Bike Ride can watch the long race from John o’Groats, Scotland, to Land’s End, England. How can they follow along as the various celebrities take their turn riding?

GPS Tracking & Cycling

By GPS tracking system, of course. The Sport Relief bike race will use real time tracking systems so that the movements of the riders can be followed on an internet map. The devices transmit signals regularly, which allows for an accurate route to be seen. A GPS tracking system not only records the location, but also the speed of the object or person it is tracking. Passive GPS tracking devices record this information as well, but they do not send out signals to a satellite. Instead, the tracker must be retrieved and then the information can be downloaded onto a computer for viewing. Although passive trackers can be very useful in a variety of circumstances, real time trackers are most helpful for races and other competitions, so that fans can watch the contest live on the internet. These tracking devices have been used in many different races like the Pure Michigan Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race.

By using real time GPS tracking systems, this bike race can be followed and enjoyed by millions of people around the world. Fans could feel like they were a part of the action throughout the race. The fact that the race could be tracked and viewed online grabs people’s attention which will help Sport Relief to raise their goal of one million pounds (around $1.5 million U.S. dollars) for their charity.

Real time GPS tracking systems are not only helpful for tracking races, but they can be used in a variety of other ways. These devices have become very popular for fleet management. Whether it’s taxi cabs or delivery trucks, a GPS tracking system will help keep tabs on all of the vehicles and make sure that they are used to their full potential. These tracking systems can also be used to protect vehicles from theft. Stolen vehicles can be easily recovered if they are protected with a vehicle tracking device. All the owner has to do is contact the police and give them the exact location of their vehicle. This helps the law enforcement officers out a great deal and ensures the speedy return of the stolen vehicle.

By Greg Bartlett

It seems like every year the NFL rolls out a few new gadgets to help them move along smoothly. Back in 2001, fans were greeted with facial recognition scanners that ensured each visitor could be tagged and tracked throughout the stadium. A few years later in 2006, Homeland Security officers deployed cameras which would output scanned imagery in 3D, allowing security officials to monitor holograms instead of flat video. Recently, the NFL has been employing GPS tracking technology to keep tabs on players and other VIPs prior to and during the game.

GPS Tracking & Sports

Technicians have already hardwired GPS tracking devices into almost all of the vans and buses used by the NFL to transport personnel before the game. Players, referees, security officers, and even the half-time entertainers have the trackers nearby. Officials are able to monitor the position of each vehicle as it comes and goes from the stadium in real time-each tracker pings its satellite every three seconds. The data is fed to PCs and smartphones that display representative icons moving over a satellite view of the city. The system sends a notification to relevant personnel if a vehicle they’ve been waiting for arrives or departs, and any device that strays from its expected path can notify organizers immediately. This information is vital to directing the vast logistical effort that precedes the game. Walkie-talkies, wall maps, and little flagged push pins simply don’t cut it anymore.

A GPS tracking system is an excellent technology to deploy during a large event such as the Super Bowl. Besides the obvious security and logistical advantages, a satellite-based system also bypasses the heavily trafficked data streams that organizers might need to share with the public. Local cell phone towers experience enormous strain during these events-Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon all added extra relay stations prior to the 2010 Bowl. If organizers relied on these public access systems for the crucial logistical communication needed to run the event, they would be subject to the same data hiccups and service outages as everyone else.

Of course, this isn’t the only area in which GPS tracking intersects with football. Researchers in Australia have been outfitting players with tiny GPS trackers in order to study common offense and defense patterns on the field. Another professor in the US hopes to use the same technology to help referees. Still others want to monitor players’ health and vital signs.

The exchange between sports and technology-especially GPS tracking-has only just begun.

By Harriette Halepis

What do you do when you own a rugby team that just isn’t performing at the top of their game? Well, the owner of the Bradford Bulls has found a way to track the team’s progress down to the last movement. Through the use of GPS tracking systems, the Bulls hope to keep tabs on where and how players go wrong.

GPS Tracking & Sports

Coach Steve McNamara has outfitted the team with GPS tracking devices that detect every movement. These trackers will allow McNamara to find out who is making mistakes, and how those mistakes are being made. In addition, the trackers will allow McNamara to monitor every player’s heart rate while also tracking a player’s speed.

The GPS trackers will help McNamara determine “…how much players are doing and how they are coping (Guardian).” While this may be one of the first spots teams to use GPS tracking technology, many other teams around the world are paying close attention to how the Bulldogs adjust to the GPS tracking system.

While GPS trackers are used for a number of different reasons, using these systems to better athletic performances is relatively new. A few teams have tried similar tactics with much success, though the idea is just starting to spread. In the end, this is one use of GPS tracking technology that is, no doubt, here to stay.