Rocky Mountain Tracking

Daily GPS News

Additional Measuring Instrumentation Improves GPS Function

May 5th, 2013

Many users of smartphones may be able to identify with the inconvenience of Wifi’s and GPS navigation’s quick drain on their device’s battery. Technology companies are working on that in the form of two new positioning chip prototypes (one that includes flash) that will require surprisingly low amounts of power (as little as 10 mW total).

GPS in Positioning Chips Receives a Little Extra Help

The difference is in the prototypes’ access to different measuring instrumentation to help calculate more accurate coordinates. Current rival chips still rely primarily only on GPS, as well as other similar systems like Russia’s GLONASS, to triangulate position. The prototype positioning chips incorporate the new-ish trend of “consulting” a magnetometer, accelerometer and gyroscope by comparing the appropriate measurement device with current GPS data and correcting for errors.

Tweaking GPS Accuracy

The internal comparison method has been since used in aiding technology companies developing GPS navigation for cars to gain the most accurate speed, location, and route anticipation possible. The supplemental information to GPS provided by magnetometers, accelerometers, and gyroscopes has provided navigation systems with an even greater boost in precision than using previous methods (which act much as a normal mobile device or smartphone would in calculating an approximate location when fresh data is lacking).

The allowance for alternative calculation (other than GPS) answered the problem designers of internal car navigation systems were faced with when their GPS devices lost or distorted the signal from satellites or cell phone towers because of tall buildings or large formations obstructing communication. The navigation system would then have to assume the next current location without being updated; researchers had put the amount of distance off by 49 feet. But with accelerometers and gyroscopes measuring velocity changes and feeding those updates to GPS, that margin of accuracy has narrowed to an impressive 3-7 feet.

Improving on Last Year’s Model

The use of additional measurement instrumentation seems guaranteed to bring the functionality of GPS positioning chips and GPS navigation to an all time record high. Battery life in smartphones, mobile devices, or tablets will be significantly boosted, and the technology will be instrumental in the further development of smart or unmanned vehicles.

GPS Navigation Systems Upgraded For Commercial Trucks To Prevent Low-Overpass Strikes

April 25th, 2013

Freight trucks and larger vehicles have a tougher time on the road than your average driver. They are restricted from entering certain roads due to noise complaints in the neighborhood and aren’t allowed on the fast lanes of freeways. Truck drivers have to be extra careful because of their size, especially when it comes to tunnels and bridges. All across the U.S., these massive trucks crash into low bridge underpasses and tunnels. However, there is a particular problem in Long Island, New York. According to a report from the New York State Department of Transportation, there have been a whopping 341 accidents involving tall trucks and low overpasses in Long Island between 1993 and 2011. These accidents cause damage to the structure of the bridge or tunnel, to the vehicle, endangers the driver and nearby traffic and also can cause massive traffic headaches.

In recent years, efforts have been made to avoid such accidents. For example, many of these lower overpasses and tunnels now have warning signs and height limits posted for truckers. Unfortunately, these signs are often only seen once the driver is already on the road and approaching the overpass or tunnel. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has decided to approach the problem from a different angle: setting new guidelines for commercial truck GPS navigation systems. The reasoning is that the new GPS navigation guidelines could help commercial truckers find routes without low overpasses.

The new GPS systems guidelines recommend that all navigation systems for commercial trucks take into consideration the height and weight of the truck. These new navigation systems will be able to set a route that avoids any roads that freight trucks are banned, or where there might be a low overpass or tunnel. The new guidelines also suggest training the truck drivers on the new GPS system with brochures and a certification program. Hopefully with these guidelines, there will be much fewer instances of low-bridge strikes.

Rolls-Royce Wraith: Shifts Gears With GPS

April 23rd, 2013

The future of cars is coming. No, maybe not the George Jetson-style hovercrafts, but today, cars are doing things no one would have imagined possible. Rolls-Royce revealed the 2013 Wraith at the recent Geneva Motor Show, and it comes with quite the unique feature: a GPS device that can anticipate the upcoming stretches of road and adjust gears accordingly.

Yes, you read that right: an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission that shifts itself depending on the road ahead. But how does this work? The transmission, called Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT), relies on a GPS device to figure out which road you are driving, and the driving conditions, based on your GPS location data. So if you are cruising a winding, mountain road and approaching a turn, it knows not to upshift.

The car features a massively powerful direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V-12 engine, giving 624 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. This allows the 5,203 pound, rear-wheel drive coupe to go from zero – 60mph in a mere 4.4 seconds. So this car that drives like a dream now shifts like a dream thanks to GPS technology, making the ride smoother and more enjoyable than ever before.

Any other interesting bells and whistles? Of course, it’s a Rolls-Royce! The four-seater features a headliner filled with 1,340 fiber optic lights, simulating the night sky, a 10-inch “infotainment” touch screen system, and one-touch valet button for hands-free functions.

Besides aiding in shifting the vehicle, the GPS navigation technology in the Wraith takes real-time traffic data anonymously from cellphones in taxis and commercial vehicles and compiles it every three minutes and updates route information accordingly.

What do you think about this new technology? Are you a die hard manual transmission fan who can’t imagine using anything else?

New Handheld GPS Device

April 11th, 2013

At the recent Outdoor Retailer show, Rand McNally announced the release of a new handheld GPS device, known as the Foris 850. This product is designed to appeal specifically to the outdoor market, which includes such individuals as hikers, bikers, geocachers, and other open-air enthusiasts.

The Basics

In order to produce this device, Rand McNally partnered with Falk Outdoor Navigation. This company is experienced in the field and is a leading competitor in the European outdoor market. For this partnership, Rand McNally provided the content while Falk Outdoor furnished the hardware. The device has a 3” touch screen and 8 gigabytes of internal memory, allowing for the storage of 7,000 waypoints. It ships with a bike mount, batteries, and an anti-glare screen protector. Preloaded on the GPS navigation device are contour maps with over 5 million miles of US trails and roadways. The device is also capable of providing turn-by-turn voice navigation on both trails and roads, and it allows users to compare three alternate routes with their elevation profiles.

The Special Features

As if these basic qualities were not sufficient to gender consumers’ interest, the Foris 850 has a number of special capabilities. The TrackNav feature enables users to create “breadcrumb” trails in order to find their way back to a starting point. A capability called Loop Me! allows individuals to enter their preferred time or distance and create a looped trail that meets their specifications. This feature even includes an option to select a flat or hilly route. A built-in barometric altimeter displays accurate elevation and allows the user to determine the amount of elevation change necessary to reach a location. The device’s included maps are drawn from multiple databases including the U.S. National Park Service, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, National Forestry, U.S. National Wildlife Refuge, national hydrographic dataset, and State Parks. The included data also specifies millions of points of interest such as campgrounds, attractions, and recreation areas. For those searching for geocaches, the device is integrated with geocaching.com and so contains all of the website’s hints, descriptions, and logs to aid in their search.

With all of these capabilities, the suggested retail price of $399 seems quite reasonable. The Foris 850 is expected to start shipping to stores in April and will likely quickly move to the forefront of the handheld GPS device market.

How GPS Could Save U.S. Farmers

April 10th, 2013

People have always shared a somewhat dangerous relationship with nature. Our hunter/gatherer ancestors relied on nature to produce food in large enough quantities to sustain themselves. As farming spread throughout the world, certain elements of food production came under human control, but the vast majority of responsibility was still with nature to provide correct weather at the right time to sustain life. Even today, with impressive irrigations systems criss-crossing Southern California, massive machinery helping to turn the midwest into a seemingly endless supply of corn, and graders carving farmland out of previously unusable areas, farmers still face an uphill struggle in their battle to control as many aspects of farming as they can. With financial ruin only one bad season or new law away for so many farmers, GPS technology may provide them with help they need to achieve a more secure financial state.

GPS navigation allows farmers to plot their fields more accurately and specialize treatment for exact areas within each field. In recent years, farming has become as much about science as it has traditionally been about back breaking labor. Farmers take soil samples to determine what crops will best grow where, and what fields need to be fertilized when. GPS helps farmers track this information more accurately than before, allowing them a more detailed knowledge of their fields, and providing them with the information needed to care specifically for trouble areas. In this way GPS also saves farmers money, as there is a lower risk of fertilizing or spraying too broad a section because the farmer didn’t know exactly how large of an area needed treatment.

In addition to helping farmers treat fields in preparation for a crop, GPS can help farmers determine how successful the harvest was in different fields. With this information, farmers can spend the rest of the year cultivating fields that are in need of extra work, and maintaining the fields that did well through field specific preparation. By enabling farmers to have greater knowledge of their fields, GPS systems are helping to reduce the cost of farming, and encourage field specific preparation techniques, which will result in greater crop yields. While farmers will continue to contend with nature, GPS is helping to eliminate problems that have plagued them for just as long.

GPS for Wi-Fi iOS Devices

April 4th, 2013

GPS for Wi-Fi iOS devices is a feature that has been sought by many consumers. After purchasing an iPod Touch or a Wi-Fi only iPad, users are often disappointed to learn that they cannot use their new devices for navigation. Their Apple or Google Maps apps work only while they are connected to a Wi-Fi network, thus rendering them virtually useless when driving down the road. A recent development by Bad Elf and CoPilot Live may provide the answer consumers have been seeking.

The Receiver

Upon purchasing this system, the customer receives what appears to be a typical data connector cable. One end of the cable is a USB connector that can be connected to a computer or car power source, allowing the device to charge and sync. The other end of the cable contains the connector for the device, but it also holds the Bad Elf GPS receiver. The receiver draws its power from the iOS device itself or from the power source to which it is connected.

The Software

The Bad Elf GPS for Wi-Fi iOS devices is being marketed as a package with CoPilot software. It is also possible to purchase the GPS separately, although the savings are minimal. At any rate, the GPS receiver can be used with any iOS app that uses self-contained maps. This includes such applications as Magellan Roadmate, Navigon, TomTom, and Garmin, as well as the CoPilot Live app. Programs like Google Maps do not work with the device since they require a data connection to obtain the map information.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The obvious advantage of this technology is that it enables users to perform GPS navigation without paying for costly cell data plans. The large screen of the iPad makes viewing the maps and directions quite enjoyable. It does seem that the external Bad Elf GPS receiver is somewhat slower than its built-in counterpart on the iPhone. In addition, it may sometimes be more difficult to acquire and keep a GPS signal. The company advises using an extender cable in order to place the receiver closer to the window of the vehicle.

Due to its cost ($99) and its occasional drawbacks, this new product may not be the answer to everyone’s prayers. But for those looking for a way to utilize GPS for Wi-Fi iOS devices, it is certainly an option worth considering and may be the harbinger of other products of this nature.

GPS Navigation by Vibration

April 4th, 2013

Bicyclists are part of a growing group of users of GPS navigation systems. However, a new device developed by the University of Amsterdam may change the way in which cyclists utilize this technology.

The Problem

Using a GPS to navigate unfamiliar territory on a bicycle is typically a somewhat complicated process. First, the cyclist must input his destination into his smartphone, then he must attach the device to the handlebar of his bicycle. As he sets out on his ride, he must refer often to the screen of his smartphone to learn the direction he should take. This frequent checking distracts the cyclist from his primary focus on the road, which can result in accidents or near misses. In addition, the glare of outside light obscures the screen of the smartphone, and traffic noise makes hearing the voice of the GPS system nearly impossible.

A Potential Solution

Recognizing these problems, Dutch researchers at the University of Amsterdam set out to develop a device that would enable cyclists to keep their focus on the road ahead and on the environment around them. This device, called a vibrobelt, is designed to be worn around the rider’s waist. Once the cyclist selects his destination using the GPS navigation system of his smartphone, he does not need to refer to the screen again. Instead, the vibrobelt at his waist guides him along his route by providing directional nudges just prior to each necessary turn. This guidance enables the rider to keep his head up and aware of his surroundings and eliminates the frequent checks of his smartphone.

The Test

To try out their idea, researchers had twenty volunteers navigate unfamiliar routes using both methods — the vibrobelt and a standard GPS display on a smartphone mounted on the handlebars. Both approaches enabled the cyclists to successfully reach their destinations, but there was one major difference. After their ride, the volunteers were asked questions about the landmarks they had passed along their route. Those who used the vibrobelt had observed significantly more of their surroundings than those who referred to their smartphone display. This difference seems to indicate that the vibrobelt achieved its goal of keeping cyclists focused on their environment rather than on their handlebars, thus improving their safety. This new technology may be an important advance in the field of GPS navigation.

Could Your GPS Lead You Wrong?

March 5th, 2013

Harm’s Way

Apparently, even a high-tech GPS device can be misleading. In Victoria, Australia, a South Wales man was pulled over driving the wrong way down a highway, telling police that he was following his GPS instructions. An Ohio woman “turned right” as directed and found herself driving on train tracks, one minute away from an oncoming train. A Senegalese man’s GPS took him on a long drive down a short pier into a lake in Spain.

Not-So-Smooth Operator

Then again, you can never underestimate the power of inaccurate programming. A Belgian woman drove 900 miles out of her way and landed in Croatia instead of her intended destination: the train station in Brussels, a mere 90 miles from her home. She reported that she just kept following her GPS instructions, but it is inconclusive as to whether she entered the correct address.

Technical Difficulty

Aside from a driver’s programming errors, other factors can cause a navigation device to deliver inaccurate route instructions. The principal error pertains to the GPS receiver’s inaccurate time keeping. The on-board computer receives information traveling (theoretically) at light speed from three or more satellites which calculates speed, position and altitude in GPS time, which does not always synchronize with the device’s clock. The result is that calculated distances can drift. The solution? Well, there are two: one is to install an atomic clock in each receiver at a cost of $100,000. But since this option is rather cost-prohibitive, manufacturers have chosen to use some clever mathematics to determine how a GPS detects satellite signals, which in turn, allows the device’s clock to reset.

Time Warp

GPS errors can also be caused by differences in information transmission/receiving speeds or actual signal distortions. The speed of microwave signals from satellites is specific and slightly different from the rate at which a receiver detects those signals, thus allowing for a distance error rate of up to about 9 feet. Atmospheric conditions can distort a signal before it reaches the receiver, as can reflections from large, solid objects or structures. A satellite’s time keeping may also be a little off-kilter, which is why a GPS seeks to use data from at least three satellites to get more consistent updates.

Right On

Consumer-grade navigation device accuracy will likely be improved over time; military use GPS models are already at least ten times as accurate. But while you wait to get your hands on something better, it’s best to read the road signs: if they are written in a foreign language or if they indicate one-way oncoming traffic or trains, follow your nose instead of your GPS navigation system.

China Builds Its Own GPS Satellite Network

March 3rd, 2013

The Russian GLONASS, Europe’s Galileo, the United States’ Global Positioning System—China has joined in with the creation of its Beidou satellite navigation system in 2000. Since then the country has periodically launched satellites into orbit until its network is complete, a goal China hopes to complete by 2020.

About the Beidou Satellite Navigation System

As of October 2012 six satellites have been sent into space for the year, adding to the currently extensive network. The Chinese GPS-like satellite system currently provides service to its immediate vicinity and has recently gained capability of offering services to areas outside of (but near) China. The plan first came about at the Chinese government’s concern that the United States was dominating the defense satellite market with its Global Positioning System, and should a crisis or global clash occur the functionality of the GPS network, which much of the world relies upon for service, would be taken away by the US government.

The Future of Beidou Satellite Navigation

As mentioned before, China’s Beidou satellite navigation system provides services within the country and within the last few months has now been made fully competent to offer the same to some of Asia Pacific, their vision to reach all of Asia Pacific soon and by 2020 the whole world. Their eventual, expanded services to residents of Asia Pacific would include GPS pinpointing, time, course-plotting, and texting. In addition, China fully intends the Beidou satellite navigation system to generate revenue in the area of 400 billion yuans (the equivalency of about $63 billion).

Such a large amount would come about as China expects to contribute a significant amount of satellite network service to the transportation and communication industries as well as meteorology. Currently, the Beidou satellite navigation system has over 15 satellites in space as of the end of 2012 and by its final stage in 2020 should have about 35 orbiting the earth.

Analysts have noted that though the time of the complete global capability of the Beidou satellite navigation system draws fairly near it will not substitute for or render obsolete the United States’ current Global Positioning System. More probably, the two networks will function side by side to provide the world with GPS tracking services.

Survey Shows Car Owners Dissatisfied With Factory-Installed GPS

February 26th, 2013

A growing number of car owners are unhappy with the performance of their onboard GPS navigation devices, according to a recent report from J.D. Power and Associates. They conducted a survey of car owners at the end of 2012 which showed the level of satisfaction in their GPS navigation systems dropping 13 points from the year prior. There were a total of six factors measured and the study revealed that the biggest complaint drivers have is ease of use, dropping a total of 25 points, although levels were down across the board in all six categories.

Besides ease of use, the study looked at routing, speed of the system, navigation display screen, voice activation, and voice directions. It seems drivers were fed up with the complicated menu systems of their GPS devices, the difficult to use voice control commands, and the way destinations are entered into the device.

The Smartphone to the Rescue

If they aren’t happy with their in-dash GPS device, how are people finding their way? It seems a growing number of drivers are turning to their smartphones instead. The study indicates that 47 percent of those polled had downloaded a GPS navigation app as compared to 37 percent back in 2011.

46 percent said they “definitely would not” or “probably would not” ever again buy a vehicle equipped with in-dash GPS navigation if the directions displayed on the screens of their smartphones could be sent and displayed on the screen in their vehicle.

“Manufacturers of navigation systems face a serious challenge as smartphone navigation usage continues to rise and gains preference among vehicle owners,” said Mike VanNieuwkuyk, executive director of global automotive at J.D. Power and Associates. “Free apps, up-to-date maps, and a familiar interface allow for quicker routing and improved interaction, including better voice recognition. Manufacturers have a window of opportunity to either improve upon the current navigation system platforms or focus on new ways to integrate smartphones.”

The Winners

There were some GPS systems that car owners liked, including the Garmin installed in the Chrysler 300 Series and Dodge Charger and the Harman installed in the Porsche Cayenne. Overall, Garmin devices fared the best across the board, most importantly ease of use. Harman scored high points for its voice activation.

The study, “2012 US Navigation Usage and Satisfaction Study,” looked at opinions of 20,704 people who had recently either purchased or leased a 2012 vehicle featuring a factory-installed GPS navigation system. J.D. Power and Associates conducted the study in October an November of last year.