Rocky Mountain Tracking

Daily GPS News

No More Hide and Seek with GPS Tracking

January 26th, 2013

Anyone who’s read enough on the basics of GPS tracking can get a pretty good idea of its uses—among the many, the ability to track lost individuals (pets or human). Wouldn’t parents love to have that technology at their fingertips for their children. However, the cost for that kind of equipment, i.e. a smartphone with the appropriate app for GPS tracking, goes into the hundreds of dollars, and an electronically monitored pet collar like Tagg is not an option on kids (besides, it’s unfashionable). As of summer 2013, that won’t be a problem.

What is the Evado Filip Vivoplay?

The Vivoplay press release says the device is the smallest mass-produced one of its kind in the world and is both GPS tracked and communications-ready (GSM)—it even comes with WiFi. The equipment comes in the form of either wristwatch or clip-on gadget, heavy-duty (including water resistant) enough for even rough-playing kids between ages 5 and 12, and allows children to not only be GPS tracked everywhere they go but also to remain in constant audio and text contact with parents (or previously okayed people) wherever, whenever they wish. All the functions of the Vivoplay are controlled and monitored by a customized app on the parent’s smartphone.

So if I purchase this device for my child?

The Vivoplay doesn’t have all the full-fledge functions or concerns that come with a child’s owning a smartphone: high cost of replacement if lost or broken, possibility of being stalked or bullied by individuals online, etc. The device can be programmed with up to 5 parent-approved emergency contact numbers and allows the child to receive calls or texts from them but doesn’t permit outgoing, minimizing the aforementioned concerns. However, in case of emergency, the Vivoplay has a panic button that, when pressed, automatically sends immediate calls to every phone number on the contact list, updating those people with the child’s current location, and begins to record and save all of the child’s sound and position information. Parents will be able to see and hear what is going on with their child. If the device itself is lost, parents can press a button to find that too. As with the Tagg Pet Tracker, parents can pre-set a boundary for their kids and will be alerted through the GPS tracking app if the Vivoplay device (and their child) has wandered out of it.

Tennessee Considers GPS for School Buses

November 12th, 2012

When you think about it, school bus drivers are key players when it comes to the safety of our children. Once or twice every weekday, they take kids on the road to and from school in a large vehicle that is surprisingly difficult to operate safely. In Tennessee, buses are not required to have seat belts, so if an accident does occur, the danger to children is much higher than if they had been in a family vehicle. A recent crash in Washington County, Tennessee has officials looking into the possibility of using GPS devices to reduce the chances of similar disasters in the future.

A thorough investigation showed that the bus was working properly, ruling out mechanical problems as a cause of the crash. It appears that the driver was simply practicing unsafe driving habits, leading to an accident that injured 27 young people. Of course, it is impossible to know whether seat belts would have been able to prevent some of those injuries, but it is unlikely, since the bus rolled after it swerved off the road. A better prevention measure would have been the ability to spot the driver’s bad driving and address it before an accident could happen. That’s just the kind of alert that GPS monitoring can provide.

Commercial fleet operators use GPS monitoring to send back alarms when their drivers exceed speed limits, brake too hard and too often, and veer off their established routes. This is just what supervisors would like to find out about their school bus drivers in order to make sure that they are driving carefully with kids on board. If a driver knows that someone other than the children on the bus is keeping an eye on them, he or she will be less likely to take chances.

As the county looks into its options, GPS monitoring offers a lot of benefits that would not come with other solutions like seat belts. Supervisors of school bus fleets are currently in a tricky situation: the only witnesses to poor driving are usually children who don’t know how to drive, and if a complaint does arise from them, it is extremely difficult to prove. GPS may be the key to keeping drivers accountable the entire time they’re on the road.

The GPS Personal Locator: Introducing the New Lassie

September 1st, 2012

Forget about Lassie. A GPS personal locator could be the device that saves your life. Certain GPS devices allow users to send distress signals when they feel ill or threatened. In emergency situations, those signals can mean the difference between life and death.

GPS Device Saves Life of Arizona Man

Consider this story. In July, a volunteer at Tonto National Forests found himself facing a medical emergency. The 72-year-old was working with water samples in the middle of the Superstition Mountains, far away from any help.

If this situation were a movie, Lassie would have run for help. Thankfully, this man didn’t have to rely on a fictional canine. He used a GPS device to signal for help much more quickly and effectively. The man’s signal went to the company which supplied the GPS. They were then able to notify authorities and give the man’s coordinates to rescue teams.

Within three hours, a rescue team found the man, alive and conscious. A helicopter took the dehydrated man to safety. Officials credit the man’s Personal Locator device with his continued health and life.

Deciding if a GPS Personal Locator is Right for You

A story like this one should create more than simply passing interest. It should open discussions. Considering whether you should invest in a personal locator could mean the difference between life and death, safety and risk. So what are some reasons for having a GPS personal locator?

Medical Conditions: Tonto National Forests hasn’t revealed whether this volunteer had a preexisting medical condition, but his story does give a helpful hint to those who do have one. You may not volunteer in a national park, hours away from help, but living a healthy independent life with a medical condition may require a GPS device. Such a device gives you the power to live your life while knowing help is just a distress signal away.

Alzheimer’s Patients: Loved ones with Alzheimer’s can cause serious scares when they wonder. A personal locator device ensures you can find a wandering parent or friend and bring them home again.

Young Children: A GPS device could help keep a young child safe. Kidnappings and accidents are sadly too common. A GPS helps keep these events from becoming tragic.

Tracking Down Sex Offenders Accurately with GPS

November 17th, 2011

Recently, law enforcement officials from over fifty counties in California met to discuss better tracking methods for sex offenders in their neighborhoods and communities. The CA Department of Corrections also announced an improvement in their offender tracking method. The DOC reported that their parole officers were spending too long with office-bound data reviewing, and too little time on the field. Therefore, California is now requiring the companies that provide offender-tracking GPS units to provide better data, including more accurate alerts and higher priority alerts for more serious offenders.

By making these stricter requests of the companies who provide GPS tracking services and data for law enforcement, California is taking good steps forward in protecting their neighborhoods and communities. The county of Santa Barbara alone has more than seven hundred registered offenders, and tracking those offenders will be much easier for parole agents with this more accurate GPS tracking data.

With GPS tracking devices being used to monitor sex offenders, law enforcement officers have access to more useful data than ever before. They can spend their time on the field visiting the most serious offenders and protecting the surrounding communities. Private citizens, however, do not have access to that level of information nor time to analyze it all. Citizens still have a responsibility to know their areas and protect themselves and those around them. The Megan’s Law website is one of the most valuable tools for families to use to protect themselves and their children.

Article Written by Nichole Decoust

Autism on the Rise

October 3rd, 2011

Several health and scientific journals have recently reported that Autism is on the rise. The reason (or reasons) why Autism is becoming more common is largely unknown. Many scientists point to the environment while others point to poor nutrition.

As health experts attempt to solve the Autism mystery, more and more people responsible for Autistic children and adults are turning to GPS technology.

A recent story about a 4-year old Autistic child has caused a lot of parents to consider GPS tracking bracelets for Autistic children. Jackson Kastner went missing one day while his mother was unloading groceries. Panicked, Kastner’s mother phoned local police. Michigan search and rescue found Jackson’s body floating in a local river less than three hours after he had disappeared.

While sad, Kastner’s case is not an unusual one. Autistic children often wander away from home without any warning. As Autism rates increase, tracking devices become more and more important.

Scientists and health officials are still trying to understand why Autism is on the rise. In the meantime, keeping track of any Autistic person can be accomplished with the help of GPS technology.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis

FTC: Updates to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Created

September 26th, 2011

A growing number of children under the age of 13 are using smartphones, which has prompted the Federal Trade Commission to update the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). It was passed in 1998 to protect our children under 13 while online, and is the reason sites like Facebook require users to be over the age of 13 to register.

The problem: millions of kids under the age of 13 are still signing up for these accounts, with or without parental consent, by lying about their age. The FTC is trying to make it mandatory for a minor to obtain parental consent to upload a photo to any social media site, and it’s a start. Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook has said his site hopes to one day allow those under the age of 13 to register for an account, but this can only happen if privacy laws are adjusted.

There is also discussion by the FTC to forbid the sites designed for children under 13 from using tracking cookies or GPS location data for marketing purposes without first receiving parental consent. The sites can only track “for purposes such as user authentication, improving site navigation, maintaining user preferences, serving contextual advertisements, and protecting against fraud or theft.” Parental consent is only required in situations where the parent is tracking what the child is doing online or “behaviorally targeting advertising to the child.”

The Center for Democracy and Technology commends the FTC for keeping the age restriction at 13 rather than increasing it, as the “proposal respects older minors’ constitutional right to access information without first obtaining parental consent.” This makes it easier on websites as they don’t need to verify the age of users. They do, however, have an issue with a proposal to require ID scans of parents as the form of consent. They fear this will cause parents to think twice, denying consent for fear of a privacy breach.

It is clear that social media use amongst those under the age of 13 is becoming more accepted, as evident in the amount of them on sites such as Facebook. Having a daughter who is 11, I see many of my child’s friends have their own accounts, the majority with parental consent. I, personally, do not allow my daughter to use any social media site. However, as each child is different in their maturity level, who am I to say that some of her friends shouldn’t have an account?

In my opinion, the parent should decide whether or not children should have a social media account. In addition, parents should monitor these accounts closely. That said, I know that there are kids out there that will get an account on Facebook anyway. The proposed changes would make it easier to protect these kids, making it less likely they would have to lie about their age in the first place, and protecting their information from marketers and their image.

Article Written by Khristen Foss

Childhood Obesity: Could Aging Playgrounds Be At Fault?

September 8th, 2011

University of Western Ontario researchers, in an attempt to address the growing childhood obesity problem, have uncovered some interesting facts about active lifestyles (or more accurately: the lack thereof) of school children.

The study included asking a group of children in London, Ontario, to wear GPS devices (ages ranged from 5^th to 8^th graders). The GPS trackers keep track of each child’s whereabouts, while an accelerometer tracked activity levels. In addition, each student kept a journal documenting their activities.

All of this data helped bring to light some interesting facts. The most important information gained was the design of schoolyard playgrounds – if you picture the ancient metal structures and hard concrete surfaces of the past, you have an idea of what the majority of the schoolyards in Ontario look like.

There are no trees or benches, and the kids are simply bored out of their minds. No trees: no shade in the heat. Out-of-date play equipment: no one is actively engaging in play.

The study found roughly two-thirds of the children tracked remained indoors for recess, regardless of the season or weather.

Evergreen, a sort of playground makeover non-profit, is working all over Canada to change playground spaces. This group adds trees, pathways, and up-to-date play equipment to playgrounds in need.

Researchers plan to study the issue further, adding more and more schools to their dataset, and gathering pertinent environmental data. This data includes the size of each town/city in addition to air quality in order to further understand the root of the growing obesity problem. Researchers hope to get Canada’s children outside and moving again before it’s too late.

*Editor’s Note: Even though this research pertains to children in Canada, children in the United States struggle with obesity as well, which makes one wonder whether or not playgrounds in the U.S. invite play or if U.S. playgrounds are as aged as those in Canada?

Article Written by Khristen Foss

Maryland School Buses Go High-Tech with GPS

August 25th, 2011

School districts all over the US are dealing with budget cuts thanks to the weak economy, and officials in Maryland think they’ve found the answer to dwindling funds and school bus operations.

The school board in Prince County, MD decided to equip their buses with GPS trackers allowing them to monitor the safety of school children and bus drivers as well. The devices will be affixed to a fleet of nearly 200 buses over the next few months, and will track the speed of drivers. An email alert will be sent to observers is speeding occurs. The GPS trackers will also help lost drivers find their way to a stop or back to a school.

To help save money on gasoline and maintenance, the GPS devices will monitor how the drivers operate the bus. Do they follow the specified route, or veer of course a bit too often, adding to wear and tear on the engine? Do they sit with the engine idling for too long? The school department can now assure their buses are running as efficiently as they can, eliminating unnecessary costs. The device will also alert the mechanic if something goes wrong with the bus, such as a dead battery.

Another handy feature of the device: keeping a log of where the bus has been/is, making it easy to figure out if the driver missed any stops. It will even allow parents to find out exactly where the bus is at any time.

GPS tracking devices are the best way to assure that your school bus fleet is running efficiently while at the same time assuring the safety of its precious passengers.

Article Written by Khristen Foss

Australian Boy Hit By Train: Parents Call for GPS Trackers

May 22nd, 2011

Perhaps GPS tracking could have averted a tragic accident on March 30. The sad story of Kieran hit the news last Thursday morning. The six-year-old autistic boy wandered from his home in Geelong, a city in the Australian state of Victoria, around 6 p.m. By 7 p.m., police had been alerted by several phone calls, including people who had seen the boy crossing a highway, and were searching for the lost child. About half an hour later, a train on its way to Warrnambool struck and killed the boy. The driver saw someone on the tracks and pulled the emergency brake, but it was too late to stop the momentum of the train in time.

One potential use is a fleet tracking system to keep tabs on the movements of each train. Each engine would have a small device as part of a network connecting devices to satellites to computers. Dispatchers could follow the trains’ locations in real time and immediately alert drivers if problems have been reported on the tracks ahead. Perhaps police could have asked for train traffic to be stopped or slowed in the area where the boy had been seen.
Another potential use is a child tracker that can be worn as an anklet or bracelet. The device would communicate to satellites in the same way, and parents could find a child’s location immediately. This kind of system has been used to keep watch over elderly suffering dementia, children in large crowds, and even parolees. The responsible party can set up geographic boundaries and be alerted instantly if the device wearer goes out of a certain area.

In the end, no one can ever say what would or would not have happened “if only . . . .” Speculations cannot heal grief or change the past. But we can learn from the past and take measures to ensure this story is not repeated. Our part now is to review our own areas of interest and influence, and then to implement precautions to protect the people we know and love.

Article Written by Kadence Vyra

Australian Autistic Boy Hit by Train

May 2nd, 2011

One news article suggests the parents are asking for a GPS tracking system to avoid future incidences like these. While the article was not clear exactly what the system was being asked to track, GPS actually can be used in more than one way to prevent such accidents.
One potential use is a fleet tracking system to keep tabs on the movements of each train. Each engine would have a small device as part of a network connecting devices to satellites to computers. Dispatchers could follow the trains’ locations in real time and immediately alert drivers if problems have been reported on the tracks ahead. Perhaps police could have asked for train traffic to be stopped or slowed in the area where the boy had been seen.
Another potential use is a child tracker that can be worn as an anklet or bracelet. The device would communicate to satellites in the same way, and parents could find a child’s location immediately. This kind of system has been used to keep watch over elderly suffering dementia, children in large crowds, and even parolees. The responsible party can set up geographic boundaries and be alerted instantly if the device wearer goes out of a certain area.
In the end, no one can ever say what would or would not have happened “if only . . . .” Speculations cannot heal grief or change the past. But we can learn from the past and take measures to ensure this story is not repeated. Our part now is to review our own areas of interest and influence, and then to implement precautions to protect the people we know and love.

Article Written by Kadence Vyra