February 17, 2007 15:33 - GPS helps harvesting the best grapes in a vineyard
Dr. Robert Wample, head of California State University, Fresno's viticulture and enology program and his team have developed a system that measures where are the best quality grapes in a vineyard.
The system uses near-infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) equipment in conjunction with GPS to prepare a "quality map" of a vineyard prior to harvest using GIS.
A computer with GPS receiver measures the color and acidity of the grapes and builds the quality map.
The map can tell a harvester, also equipped with GPS, where to pick the highest-quality grapes in the vineyard.
These high quality grapes will produce a higher quality wine than would be the case if all grapes of the vineyard would have been mixed.
Later the harvester can pick all the other grapes for the production of the "normal" quality wine.
This could change the need for large quantities of hand labor that was used in the past and will be especially useful to those working with wineries attempting to meet the continuing higher expectations of the consumer and remain competitive.
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February 18, 2007 13:47 - Make your GSM phone worthless in case it would be stolen
If you loose your GSM phone or it would be stolen, you can make it useless to anyone if you can communicate the phone's Serial Number to your network operator.
However the Serial Number is not indicated on the phone's body, nor in any documentation that came with it when you bought your new phone.
How can you find out your phone's Serial Number?
Simply dial "*#06#" without the quotes, and the number will be displayed on the handset's screen.
Note this number and keep it in a safe place
If someday in the future you loose your phone or someone steels it from you, call your network operator and communicate the long number that you have noted. As soon as this number is entered in the operator's database, the phone can not be operated by anyone anymore. Not even a new SIM card can change this.
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February 22, 2007 14:48 - GLS versus GPS
The SkyBitz Global Location System (GLS) is not a classic GPS tracking system that combines a GPS receiver and a cellular modem to calculate and send the position of an asset to the client.
Advantages of GLS versus GPS tracking
- GLS uses an L-band satellite in geosynchronous orbit to provide coverage throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. The coverage is complete without the black spots, common in cellular networks.
- GLS communication is bi-directional. The mobile terminal can be reconfigured remotely.
- The GPS receiver in the mobile unit only has to receive the timing signal phase from the GPS satellites, but does not calculate its position. This signal is sent to the Position Server, which solves for position. This demands a much lower power consumption in the GPS unit.
- Because of the very low power need the unit can operate for years on its own incorporated batteries.
- Because the unit is autonomous and needs no wiring with the trailer or railcar, installation is very easy.
The SkyBitz GLS network is comprised of four major components:
- The Mobile Terminal (MT)
- The Satellite Gateway
- The Service Operation Center (SOC)
- The InSight Web Application
Mobile Terminal (MT)
The SkyBitz Mobile Terminal can both transmit and receive messages through the SkyBitz network. Its integrated design includes a software-based radio, antennas, and an "AA" battery pack in one single, rugged package. Powered by the internal "AA" lithium battery pack, the Mobile Terminal attaches to the outside of a trailer or other asset and can be controlled and monitored through the SkyBitz Customer InSight web application providing a clear line of sight anytime, anywhere.
Satellite Gateway
Information is transmitted from the SkyBitz Mobile Terminal to the SkyBitz Satellite Gateway over an L-band satellite link using a GLS-burst-message-optimized proprietary protocol. The proprietary GLS processing system at the Gateway then calculates the position of the Mobile Terminal, rather than the Mobile Terminal calculating its position remotely. Data is then transferred to the Service Operation Center for processing.
Service Operation Center (SOC)
The SkyBitz Service Operation Center is a safe, secure and robust facility that hosts information processing and delivery servers designed to maximize reliability, availability, and security. SkyBitz supplements this facility with off-site equipment, software, and data redundancy. Each server uses triply-redundant power, external connectivity, RAID arrays and data archiving. After receiving data from the Satellite Gateway, the Service Operation Center processes it for delivery over the Internet or for integration into various fleet dispatch operating systems.
InSight Web Application
SkyBitz InSight offers a comprehensive, secure web-based trailer-monitoring and information management tool. SkyBitz InSight delivers a global view of your operations or trailer-level specifics. You can view your trailer data in a table, on a detailed street level map or on an aerial satellite photo. Personalized and fully customizable, SkyBitz InSight helps you reduce capital expenditures, optimize trailer utilization, eliminate "lost" trailers, increase detention billing, track stolen trailers and improve customer service. The Web Site is accessed over a secure link.
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February 25, 2007 14:08 - Free EveryTrail lets you share your trips with others
We all know the problem. Whether hiking, biking, walking, running, driving or geocaching, real GPS and outdoors enthusiasts log their trips and make photos along the route. And then what next?
How to share those magnificent adventures with others?
That... Read more...
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