India to Offer Anti-Rape GPS Wristwatches to Women

April 10th, 2013

During a time of political and social reform, India intends to use GPS technology in an attempt to curb the kind of violence that was illustrated in the account of a 23-year-old Indian medical student who died after being gang raped on a bus in December 2012. In the works is a wristwatch that would allow women to contact authorities via GPS tracking should they ever be attacked.

Currently, India’s Centre for Development of Advanced Computing is designing the device. Upon approval, the Indian government would possibly contract ITI, the company selected to carry out the project, to implement the plans for the wristwatch. Intending for the GPS tracked safety watch to be affordable for everyone, ITI would manufacture a device costing around $20-$50. The watch would consist of an alarm button that, when pressed in case of attack or emergency, would send a text message with location coordinates to both law enforcement and the owner’s family or previously chosen emergency contacts. The owner would also be able to use a camera built into the watch itself to record up to half an hour of audiovisual activity data.

Will These Wristwatches Really Be Adequate for Protection?

Should the wristwatch be developed, the responsibility of follow-up would rely heavily on the local Indian police forces. As of yet, many feel that the law enforcement, particularly in Delhi where the aforementioned publicized attack took place, are currently dropping the ball where women’s protection is concerned. Advocates of women’s safety in India have said that the police’s response time to individual rape attacks (if there is a response at all) must dramatically quicken before any safety device, wristwatch or otherwise, will make any difference.

Another hang-up is the Indian government’s ability to follow through on working technology. Some skeptics have separately cited the failure of both of a promised national brand tablet PC to hit the Indian market and also the attempt to run a sexual attack phone hotline to take reports.

As of yet, it seems India is the first to pioneer a national device for this specific purpose. Should the product prove to be a top seller on the Indian market, the burden of making it work lies with their law enforcement. If a success, the device could similarly be adapted to protect children.

Are GPS Trackers Reliable?

August 18th, 2011

A study conducted by researchers at Sam Houston State University in Arizona concluded that GPS tracking devices should not be relied on as the sole method of monitoring sex offenders. “GPS technology is far more limited than anticipated and should be viewed as a tool rather than depended on as a control mechanism.”

The two year study followed the most dangerous of sex offenders where children were the victims after their release, monitoring them via GPS bracelet. State law mandates these criminals be monitored for their lifetime.

The study pointed out that the majority of alerts weren’t because the offender was outside of their specified area, but rather only out of reach of satellite signal. It became like the boy who cried “wolf,” with probation officers facing false alarm after false alarm. The researchers concluded the “findings demonstrated that the responses to non-violation alerts consumed an inordinate amount of an agency’s resources – resources that could be better directed to other case management activities.”

The study then goes on to point out that this could lead to the possibility of the probation officer choosing not to respond, thinking it’s just another false alarm. Imagine the ramifications if it is in fact a legitimate alarm requiring immediate action.

Officials must consider all sides of the issue of GPS monitoring for serious sex offenders, rather than enacting laws that are difficult to enforce. GPS technology has come so far in a few years time, and it would be wise of other states to pay attention to what happens in Arizona and in the field of GPS technology itself.

There will come a time the device is fine-tuned to address these lack of signal issues, and then it will be time to rethink this as a viable strategy for keeping our children safe from known violent offenders.

Article Written by Khristen Foss

GPS Tracking: The World’s Latest Peacemaker

May 4th, 2011

You’ve certainly heard of using GPS tracking to locate landmarks, but how about using it to create them? One of the noblest uses for this innovative technology is surveying land and settling disputes between those who need assistance in dividing it. This occurs on a regular basis not only in the United States, but also all around the world, on a regular basis.

In Kenya, land is a priceless commodity. A recent development proved exactly how priceless, as a group of 18 Kenyans issued each other death threats over the improper division of a 128-acre farm. The men, who had jointly purchased the farm, had no knowledge about how to equally divide it. They were ready to kill each other due to the lack of a resolution.

To solve the land dispute, a Kenyan surveyor was brought on the scene. Using a GPS tracking device designed for such a task, Noah Kertich was able to determine the perimeter of the farm and equally divide the land into 18 equal plots in a matter of just a few hours. The land owners, who formerly brandished crude weapons ready to strike, were thrilled with the ease and speed of the job. After viewing their newly surveyed land, they shook hands and laughed with joy.

Land is one of the world’s most rare and treasured commodities – and so is peace. In a world full of anger and strife, a device which is capable of diffusing anger and creating peace is worth far more than its market value. GPS is capable of quickly analyzing a plot of land, interpreting its size and shape, and indicating its borders. Dividing up a farm is thus an easy task for any tech-savvy land surveyor. He needs only walk around the area, input all of the available information, and let GPS work its magic. How’s that for modern peacekeeping?

There have been countless uses assigned to GPS technology in recent years. Some of them may be labeled trivial, but in cases like these, GPS tracking is nothing less than miraculous. If it were not for modern technology, this land dispute may have ended up like many others in Kenya – with bloodshed, lost husbands and fathers, and jagged borders dug with the tip of a gun barrel. GPS made the difference in this case, and it does so on a regular basis all around the world.

Article Written by Janice Grover

GPS Aid for Abuse Victims

December 27th, 2010

GPS, or Global Positioning System, was developed in the 1970s by the United States military in response to the threat posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The United States needed a dependable navigation and tracking system with more capabilities. The old radio-based navigation systems simply could not keep up with the modern times and modern threats. Fortunately, war never broke out between the U.S. and the USSR, but GPS tracking was used by the military during other conflicts. For example, the Gulf War in 1991 was a milestone as far as GPS technology is concerned. The Gulf War was one of the first times GPS was used extensively in a war. During this conflict, the U.S. military found that GPS was a very useful and innovative development in modern technology, and they’ve used GPS for everything from logistics to battlefields ever since.

Although the military was the first to discover the benefits of GPS, other sectors of American society have found this technology useful as well. GPS technology was made publicly available in 1983. Since then, GPS tracking has expanded so that now it is available as an accessory on cell phones. Anyone can purchase a small tracking or navigation device for personal use. Several businesses use GPS systems for theft prevention. Besides the private and commercial sectors, another component of American society that uses GPS is the law enforcement. Most people are familiar with the use of GPS ankle bracelets worn by parolees or suspects out on bail. GPS tracking is a dependable way to keep track of those who pose a danger to society. They provide accountability to sex offenders and others.

Just recently, law enforcement in Scotland has found an exciting new use for GPS tracking devices. This development may help save lives and could prevent physical injury caused by domestic violence. Scottish police launched this new system this week as part of their campaign against domestic abuse. Individuals who have been the targets of domestic violence in the past will be given a GPS tracking device. The device will not only allow the victim to call for help, but will also allow domestic abuse victims to talk to a police officer while they are waiting for help. The Scottish police hope that these recorded conversations can then be used as evidence against the attacker. If Scotland’s law enforcement finds success with this system, perhaps it will spread to other nations as well.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett

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