How GPS Has Revolutionized Technology & Society
Global positioning systems (GPS) are used in so many aspects of our lives today that we hardly notice it any more. As a result, today’s technologies have become more interactive than ever across a wide variety of industries.
Here are just a few examples of how GPS has influenced new technologies, as well as changed us as humans.
Data recovery
Real-time data recovery has been made significantly easier thanks to GPS. Now, GPS sensors can be put on objects to track them throughout their journeys, which is especially useful in the shipping industry or for scientific exploration. In some cases, this technology even allows police to find missing persons.
It has been useful in the entertainment sector as well. In horse racing, for example, GPS sensors are used to deliver immediate data during races, which can be streamed to viewers who can then track the race without having to watch it on television. There has even been talk in recent years of adding GPS sensors to footballs in the NFL to better be able to determine if the ball “broke the plane” of the end zone for a touchdown.
Military targeting
GPS devices have made it possible for the military to engage in highly sophisticated targeting with regard to missile paths, bombing patterns, airborne items and flight patterns. Now, our armed forces can plan out highly targeted attacks by analyzing information returned from GPS sensors and locating devices to make sure they have precise coordinates before ever launching the attack.
This ability also helps the military to keep civilians safe, as they can have advance warning of evacuation, or will entirely avoid having civilian-heavy areas put into danger from missile launches.
Boating safety
GPS devices play a crucial role in marine activity, such as satellite phone communication, satellite weather reports and depth reading. These types of GPS-enabled devices can help keep people on the water safe if bad weather hits, as the location of the boat or watercraft will always remain visible unless a signal is lost.
People out on boats using GPS technology get advance warning of incoming storms, higher wind velocities and increasing waves, which allows them to head to safety with plenty of time to spare.
Recreational uses
People don’t just use GPS technologies on an everyday basis to find directions to wherever they’re driving—they also use them for recreational purposes. For example, a new hobby called geocaching was born out of the rise of GPS devices. Participants use GPS technologies to find “caches” hidden by another person. That cache typically includes some sort of collectible, which the person who finds it takes and then replaces with something else. These caches are often located in parks, monuments or other areas of public interest.
For more information about how GPS technology is used across a wide variety of industries and the type of impact it has had on our society, contact our GPS tracking service today. We look forward to working with you to meet the needs of your operation.
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This post was written by Writer