Rocky Mountain Tracking » GPS Devices

GPS Devices Used for PSG Soccer Training

Mark Rummel — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:00:15 +0000

The parade of new uses for tracking with GPS devices continues. We’ve seen it used in law enforcement, company and city vehicle monitoring, and even in keeping tabs on endangered species in the wild. This month, a prominent European soccer coach told reporters that he plans to use GPS tracking devices to keep a very close eye on what his players are doing during training. With the detailed location data that trackers can provide in real time, they could gain a footing among sports teams of all kinds to increase the effectiveness of training routines.

Carlo Ancelotti, formerly in charge of the high-performing Chelsea soccer team, is now starting his first season as coach for the French team Paris Saint-Germain. He brings with him a number of training techniques that exert very close control over the players’ lives. One of those is a strict monitoring of diet, making sure that everything the players eat is contributing to improvement of their performance on the field. Another factor is the use of GPS devices to keep detailed information on exactly what goes on with individual players during training sessions.

By fitting the players with GPS devices, Ancelotti gathers data on their activities in real time during training exercises. He uses the information to customize schedules to perfectly fit each player’s needs, and also checks to make sure that they are not overexerting themselves—a problem that could lead to injury. The GPS training tool is one that Ancelotti has used and improved with his previous Chelsea team in England, and looks forward to applying to his new PSG team.

If any team is well equipped to function as a pioneer in the use of new (and costly) technological tools, it’s PSG. The team is noted for its unusually well funded budget; it has spent $116 million on players so far this season, and is not finished trying to sign new players. The new coach anticipates his team will stay in first place in its league, helped by his new diet and training techniques. GPS devices are still relatively expensive, but if coach Ancelotti’s experiment pays off, other teams may be willing to spend the money to start their own GPS-assisted training programs.

Dramatic Increase in GPS Tracker Sales

Mark Rummel — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:56 +0000

Of all the potential uses for GPS location technology, few are as controversial–or popular–as the ability of authorities to follow the movements of the people that answer to them. Parents of driving children love the idea of pulling up their car’s location on their smartphone at any time, businesses enjoy more control over the activities of company cars, and government agencies at the local level across the country have been experimenting with trackers to keep taxpayer-funded projects accountable. At one small electronics store in Texas, the spreading popularity of GPS trackers is translating into a welcome sales boost during difficult economic times.

The owners of Baldwin Electronics in Odessa, Texas report a dramatic increase in GPS tracker sales–at double the rate they experienced last year, in fact. The customers range from families hoping to improve car use accountability to businesses looking for a way to reduce wasteful habits on the part of employees driving company cars.

Why the sudden interest in this piece of advanced technology? The primary factor appears to be a significant price reduction since its invention. Whereas a tracker would have cost a customer at least five hundred dollars in past years, it is now available for just a hundred. The combination of GPS technology with smartphone applications has also eliminated the need for a separate receiving device, lowering equipment expenses even further. Parents and supervisors can now pull up the location of any fitted vehicle instantly with the touch of a button using a device they already own.

GPS trackers still carry a certain amount of controversy related to privacy issues. Children may simply resent their parents’ close control, but employees have legal privacy rights that can easily be violated by employers who track them via GPS. One current hot-button issue, for example, is whether employers must inform employees when they are tracking them. Businesses keep a close eye on court cases and lawsuits to get an idea of when, how, and for what purposes they will be allowed to track their workers.

As one of the fastest-moving fields in technology advancement, GPS offers powerful supervision capability and cost savings, at a price that most small businesses and even concerned parents can afford. In an economy that does not allow most customers to indulge in many of the high-end products sold at small electronics, the proprietors of Baldwin Electronics are thankful to have at least one highly desirable, low-cost device on their shelves.

Kochi Launching E-Ticketing and GPS Tracking on Private Buses

Khristen Foss — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:00:06 +0000

India is not known for the best drivers in the world, and bus drivers are no exception. Not only are the roads in poor condition in a lot of places, but the traffic seems to do whatever it wants with no regard to the standard rules of the road as we are used to in the Western world. Drivers are known to be reckless and impatient, often passing anywhere they feel like it, even around corners on roads that seem to be merely one lane.

A plan was proposed back in 2008 by Dhanus Technologies, an IT company based in Chennai, calling for GPS tracking devices to be installed in over 20,000 of Kerala’s buses. They even went as far as working up an agreement with the Kerala State Private Bus Operators, but things didn’t fall into place properly and the idea died.

On January 8, State Transport Minister Shri V S Sivakumar instituted an electronic ticketing system which involves affixing GPS devices to private buses in order to track their whereabouts at any point in time, and will not only show where they are in real-time, but whether or not they are speeding. If caught speeding, an electronic ticket would be issued to the driver, holding them accountable immediately. The system will show transportation officials exactly where they are at any time using the bus’ GPS coordinates.

The GPS devices will be placed in roughly 1,300 of Kochi’s buses in the plan’s first phase. “We’ve signed an agreement with the companies to fit the GPS in the buses. This’ll enable the authorities to track buses live and determine whether they’ve violated the speed limits or not,” says Lawrence Babu, general secretary of the Private Bus Operators Federation.

Sivakumar reminded bus drivers at the launch event held in Ernakulam that they should be mindful of the presence of the GPS devices when traveling, and urged them to obey the speed limit. He said, “The move will enable submission of correct figures to the Motor Vehicles Department which will go a long way in making them accountable.” The first phase of the project is funded by both SS Electronics based in Kochi and Vandrum Technologies, based in Thiruvananthapuram. The routes that will be tracked are the buses traveling to Kochi, Aluva, Perumbavur, Angamaly, Piravom, Muvattupuzha, Paravur, and Tripunithura.

Portable GPS Sales Slip: Interest in Navigation Software Continues

Admin — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 16:00:59 +0000

According to research by NPD Group’s retail tracking service, portable GPS device sales are slipping this holiday, particularly in relation to two key variables: last year’s holiday sales, as well as in comparison with other consumer electronics. Sales have dropped by 22% from last year. What does this new information mean for the state of GPS software?

Not Dangerous For GPS Industry as a Whole

While this information may seem to be bad news for the GPS industry, it is, in fact, not. While GPS tracking devices may be going down in sales, consumer interest in GPS tracking is increasing with the advent of smartphones. This means that software developers who focus on GPS tracking are reaping the rewards of increased consumer confidence. Even GPS tracking device manufacturers are not deterred. “We’re looking at a navigation market whose total pie is growing,” senior vice president of marketing development at TomTom, a major GPS device manufacturer in the United States.

Garmin, another GPS device manufacturer is focusing on pre-installed GPS devices. These are increasing, which may explain the drop-off in standalone devices such as the TomTom or Garmin devices.

In addition, companies such as Garmin and TomTom sell applications and maps for their devices, which continue the revenue streams even if standalone GPS tracking device sales are decreasing.

Future of GPS Industry?

As consumers increasingly focus on location-specific devices and functions, the market for GPS services will continue to increase. So, in a sense, this is far from bad news for the GPS market; in fact, it is excellent news, as GPS tracking and GPS applications are only becoming hotter as the decade moves forward.

Article Written by Greg Minton

GPS Trackers Locate Stolen ATV’s

Admin — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:36:04 +0000

Burglars and thieves are swiping anything valuable on which they can get their hands. Have you been an unfortunate victim of burglary or theft? Has your money, car, pet, or ATV ever been stolen? Was it recovered and returned to you? Unless you had a tracking device installed on the asset, the answer is most likely “no recovery”.

Track your Recreational ATV's with GPS!

A GPS tracking device assists the owner of a GPS-enabled device to precisely locate the position of stolen assets. The global positioning system (GPS) works in real time or when reviewing recorded footage at a later time. The GPS tracking device connects with one of the twenty-four global satellites located above the earth in six different orbital spheres. Location data is transmitted to a GPS-enabled device, reporting the location of stolen goods or people. The global satellites provide coverage of virtually any place on earth.

You may have heard about the recent robberies of many ATV’s and RTV’s by Jaime Castellanos and some of his accomplices. The Texas-based group stole and then resold ATV’s and RTV’s for a profit to unsuspecting friends, coworkers, and acquaintances, often misleading their consumers by telling them that they did not want to part with the item but needed the money. In other cases, they told their victims about a nasty divorce one of their partners-in-crime was experiencing and how they did not want their wife to keep it in the settlement. Suspects also claimed the stolen unit as used and asked for half the price. This crime spree took place over several months, resulting in the Texas governor’s office granting two Polaris ATV’s and a tracking device. These items were used in April 2010 after the thieves stole the Polaris ATV. The tracking device on the Polaris ATV allowed police to follow the movement of the stolen asset, locate where they stopped moving, and then make the arrests and recover the stolen goods. In this particular case, police recovered $200,000 worth of stolen goods. The GPS device led police to the location of the stolen goods by connecting with one of the global satellites and transmitting the location data to their GPS-enabled device. The GPS also revealed a much larger sting operation by the perpetrators.

RMT's Smart Tracker Logo

A GPS tracking device is an excellent method of locating your lost or stolen assets. They have been successfully used in tracking money stolen from banks, pets kidnapped from home, spousal infidelity and vehicles. If you are concerned about theft in your area, a GPS tracking device might be just what you need.

Are Victims Really Safe?

RMT GPS News — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:25:58 +0000

By Greg Bartlett

Domestic violence victims, usually women, will sometimes put up with a lot before they go to the police and file a complaint or request an order of protection. Unfortunately, even with the abuser in prison or ordered not to come near a victim, the victim still isn’t safe. In Massachusetts, for example, 25% of its 30,000 domestic violence restraining orders are violated. Many times the abuser returns and injures or kills the victim, typically at the victim’s home or place of employment.

A few years ago, in a small South Carolina town, a woman was killed by her ex-boyfriend. After being released from prison for beating her and threatening to kill her, he arrived at her workplace, held her hostage for a few hours, and then shot her. A woman in Texas was killed by her ex-husband in 2006 when he ignored the restraining order and came to her house, shot her 20 times, and then killed himself.

Unfortunately, prisons can’t hold all domestic violence offenders, and some of them could safely be released into the community so that they can continue to provide the alimony or child support that the victim needs. But courts can’t always identify the “safe” offenders to release from the “unsafe” ones, and the release of the wrong offender could mean injury or death to the victim.

GPS tracking devices are becoming more and more popular as a means of protecting domestic violence victims. One woman in Massachusetts says the only reason she and her children are alive is because of GPS tracking, and an Illinois woman claims the same thing. With GPS tracking devices, police can track domestic violence offenders’ every move and will be automatically alerted if an offender goes into restricted areas, such as a victim’s home and workplace, or a school her children attend. Police will be dispatched to pick up the offender for violating the order not to come within those areas.

Even more importantly, GPS tracking devices will let the victim know if the offender comes within her safe zones. She’ll be able to take necessary precautions before he gets there, whether it is warning school or daycare personnel, fleeing, or locking all the doors and waiting for the police to arrive.

Since the victim can track the offender’s movements with GPS tracking devices, she doesn’t have to wonder if he’ll suddenly appear and start her nightmare all over again. She’ll be able to have peace of mind because she knows where he is.

Animal Watch

RMT GPS News — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:04:38 +0000

By Greg Bartlett

Certain species of animals are becoming endangered or threatened, and researchers are constantly seeking ways to protect the animals. Part of the difficulty is being able to track the animals and observe them in their habitats.

However, technology now allows researchers to study and protect animals without being physically present.

GPS tracking devices are one effective option which allows researchers to study animals and their activities and to gather data to help discover ways to protect animals. For instance, in Alaska, researchers put GPS devices on 10 sandhill cranes and watched their migratory patterns. They were able to see where the birds went, tracking their progress in California, Washington, and Oregon before their return flight. While sandhill cranes are not a threatened species, being able to observe them is an example of how GPS tracking can be used to help monitor other, endangered species.

Other researchers are using GPS devices to track the endangered whale shark, monitoring their activities for months so that they can collect data to help find a way to protect the sharks before they become extinct. In Florida, some researchers put GPS tracking devices onto leatherback turtles, an endangered species, so that they could follow their progress and study their activities. They were even able to locate hatchlings through the GPS data and to help rescue some of the babies who got stuck away from the ocean.

Lynx, a threatened species, are being reintroduced into Colorado. Some of the lynx have been outfitted with collars and GPS devices, and through the GPS data, researchers recently were able to discover 10 new lynx kittens, an indication that the reintroduction program is successful. Furthermore, GPS data has given researchers information about lynx habitats, movement corridors, and breeding habits. They have also been monitoring the impact of human activities and of the forest’s health on the lynx. Researchers in Colorado are even using GPS to study hares which the lynx eat and which help to ensure litters of lynx kittens if there are plenty of hares available for the lynx to eat.

Humans shoulder an important role in protecting endangered species. Researchers seeking to discover ways to protect the disappearing animals can use GPS devices to give them the precise location of a particular animal, which will enable them to track its movements, patterns, and activities. With the knowledge GPS can provide, researchers are one step closer to protecting endangered species.

Where’s Fido? Track with GPS devices

RMT GPS News — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:46:36 +0000

By Greg Bartlett

Our family has three dogs, and we’re going to get another one this summer. We live in the country, and sometimes we have to go out and find our dogs when they’re not in the immediate vicinity. Thankfully we’ve never really had a problem with our dogs getting lost, but there are a lot of people who have. Hundreds of thousands of dogs wander away from their homes each year, but only about 16% are returned to their owners.

Lost posters and physically hunting for dogs are some of the ways owners try to track down their beloved but wayward pet. A more effective way is with GPS devices, which allow owners to locate a lost pet almost instantly.

GPS devices can be small enough to fit onto a dog’s collar and be worn comfortably by your pet. The devices are usually waterproof and very durable, which allow dogs the freedom to engage in normal activities and not destroy the GPS tracking device. Many of the pet GPS monitoring systems allow owners to set up geo-fences, or boundaries where the pet is allowed to go. If the pet crosses over the line and exits the area, the owner is alerted by phone, email, or text message – whichever is preferred – and can go retrieve the pet. Furthermore, owners can watch their pet’s activities in real time, following every move as they track down the wandering dog.

Pet Tracking Collar

Some GPS devices have additional features, such as an LED light which you can activate through a text message when you get close to your pet. That way if your dog is lost at night, you can use the light to guide you in when you know the general area of your lost pet but not precisely where it is. Other systems allow owners to be notified if a pet’s speed gets too high, such as it would if it is stolen and put into a vehicle.

One family recently located their dog when it escaped out of their yard and got lost in the neighborhood. A look at the GPS tracking device told them right where the dog was, and the pet was safely recovered within an hour.

People who own dogs don’t want their dogs to get lost, but if they do get lost, the owners don’t want to be one of the people whose lost dogs are never returned. But with GPS devices, owners can ensure the safe return of their beloved pet.