Latest news extracts about GPS and wireless technologiesWhy GPS and GSM news brought together?What do they have in common? The only common factor is that both use HF radio signals for their operation. But there is more. Already today GPS is getting incorporated in GSMs(Europe), cell phones(USA) and mobile phones(UK) and this development is accelerating in a great pace. In only a couple of years (almost) all GSMs will have a GPS receiver incorporated. And not the poor performing GPS receivers as we know them now from our handheld devices. No, the GSM/GPS combinations must be able to locate themselves under the most difficult circumstances i.e. indoors, in parking garages, in urban canyons, in large buildings etc. The market for these GPS receivers is so huge, compared to the market for handheld GPS receivers (a factor 200 or so), that every manufacturer will put all on all to make this a success. We already knew the Global Locate A-GPS chip-set with over 20,000 hardware correlators integrated. This means that the hardware does a lot of the computational work. Acquires satellites with signals below -158dBm at a 100 times lower power consumption. Time-to-first-fix as low as 250 msec. In the mean time Global Locate has been taken over by Broadcom. And SiRF sells its third generation SiRFStarIII chipset with the equivalent of more than 200,000 correlators. Weak GPS signals (up to -159dBm) can be processed and with that indoor GPS exists already. The SiRFSoft GPS architecture is portable to the market leading platforms such as Intel XScale and OMAPI. This means that the system can be incorporated in GSMs, cell phones, Smartphones, PDAs and other wireless handheld devices. End September 2006 u-blox AG announced the u-blox 5 family of GPS and Galileo-ready single chips and chipsets featuring an acquisition performance of under 1 second. The new chips also feature SuperSense -160 dBm acquisition and tracking sensitivity, power needs of less than 50 mW and a footprint smaller than 100 mm2, making u-blox 5 receivers ideal for PDAs, personal navigation devices, cameras, cell phones, media players and other battery-operated portable devices. u-blox 5's ultra-fast acquisition time is due to its 50-channel architecture with over 1 million correlators and separate acquisition and tracking engines, capable of massively parallel searches. Hundreds of millions of people will permanently carry a high performance GPS receiver with them, wherever they go. GPS and GSM go together. Notice to our readersFrom November 2004 on we added more news-extracts about other wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, RFID, NFC, WiMAX, Flash-OFDM, UWB and ZigBee, as we believe that these are complementary technologies and could interest many of our readers. Search Tip: using "Ctrl" + "F"This page is too big to simply scroll down in the hope to find a particular word. Press and hold the "Ctrl" button and press the “F” button. In the small pop-up window type the word or phrase you are looking for. Press “Enter” and you will find the first occurrence of the word you are looking for. Every time you hit “Enter” you will find the next occurrence of the word. And now the news-extractsNews extracts will be kept here for 5-6 months. At the beginning of every new month we will add one month of extracts to the most recent Archive page. Here you will find the Archived GPS-Wireless News pages: January 25, 2010.-- i-gotU GT-600 GPS Data Logger with Motion Sensor, the most efficient in its class. The small, lightweight & water-resistant GPS data logger with Motion Sensor. It has 80 hours battery life (at 15 second logging interval). Also, the built in flash memory ensures that the GT-600 will log weeks or even months of travel histories. When you bring a GPS data logger with you for recording your trip, especially for a long trip, you don't want to take too much care of it such like change its battery or recharge it too often, do you? GT-600's distinguishing revolution of motion detection activates automatic track logging upon detecting movement, while goes to sleep mode after staying motionless for a while, making power and memory utilization more wisely. Gt-600 has min. 80 hours battery life (at 15 second logging interval). If it works average 6 hours per day, it can be used for about 2 weeks. Also, the built in 64Mb of flash memory ensures that the GT-600 will store up to 262000 waypoint; log weeks or even months of travel histories. Like all i-gotU devices, GT-600 can work with the easy-to-use mapping program, @tripPC, so, your trip route can be quickly downloaded and viewed animatedly with Google Maps or 3D Google Earth. Two other powerful programs offered, "Where I Am" and "Sports Analyzer" "Where I Am" can help to check your current location with Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps or Bing Maps after you connect the unit with your notebook. "Sports Analyzer" can help to meet your fitness goal by tracking workout progress with calendar review, routes displayed on Google Maps, in additional to useful charts and statistics analysis .i-gotU GT-600 GPS Data Logger a fun and immersive way to show where you've been. Your computer screen can become the guide of a virtual tour for any journey or outdoor activity you have made. Bring it traveling and tag the spots you reached to discover an amazing sightseeing view over time, or find a good camping spot and leave it to i-gotU GT-600 to remember where it is and the path you took to get there. January 21, 2010.-- Pear Track manufactures a range of long life battery powered tracking units for asset tracking road trailers, shipping containers, boats in fact any asset that does not have a power supply. PearTrack launched the world's first self contained GPS tracking system with a 10 year battery life which is specifically designed for shipping containers. The GPS/GSM device is covertly fitted inside the container, protecting it from damage and prying eyes. The system can send an alert if moved or if the container doors are opened, giving the position of the container anywhere in the world. Another first is the PearTrack.com trailer tracking system for use on road trailers and rail rolling stock, using the same long life battery technology and the option for external power, TrailerTrak can send alerts if the trailer or rail wagon / van (Box Car) is hitched, moved or idle. To complete the hat-trick, PearTrack are also proud to announce the launch of MiniTrak; a revolutionary miniaturized rechargeable tracking device with a battery life of up to 30 days and a permanent power option, making it ideal for concealment within consignments or equipment or other short term mobile applications. PearTrack (peartrack.com) is an advanced tracking system that allows you to find both real-time and historic locations of almost any asset. The web based system allows users to find the position of the PearTrack tracking devices to within a few meters by using multiple mapping solutions via our web based tracking portal. Although Pear Track Systems Ltd is a new company it has a long history in GPS tracking and communication systems. PearTrack was formed by the originators of Minorplanet Ltd who went on to become one of the principle GPS tracking companies in the World, and to this day is regarded by many as the market leader in Vehicle tracking systems with many thousands of units operating globally. The GPS vehicle tracking industry grew rapidly in the early nineties and the PearTrack team were indeed pioneers, being instrumental in the development of the techniques and systems from which many modern GPS tracking systems are still based. All of our products are designed and manufactured / tested in the UK to exacting standards using state of the art production and quality control facilities. PearTrack products are rigorously tested before leaving the factory, ensuring the highest quality and trouble free service 'out of the box'. As a world leader in long-life battery powered GPS and GSM tracking products, we are continually developing our product base, indeed our R & D team have been developing and producing 'best of class' GPS, communication and security products for over 20 years. January 21, 2010.-- Nokia announced plans to release a new version of Ovi Maps for its smartphones that includes high-end walk and drive navigation at no extra cost, available for download at www.nokia.com/maps. This move has the potential to nearly double the size of the current mobile navigation market.The new version of Ovi Maps includes high-end car and pedestrian navigation features, such as turn-by-turn voice guidance for 74 countries, in 46 languages, and traffic information for more than 10 countries, as well as detailed maps for more than 180 countries. "Why have multiple devices that work that work in only one country or region? Put it all together, make it free, make it global and you almost double the potential size of the mobile navigation market ," explained Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Nokia. "Nokia is the only company with a mobile navigation service for both drivers and pedestrians that works across the world. Unlike the legacy car navigation manufacturers, we don't make you buy maps for different countries or regions even if you're only visiting for a few days. We offer both navigation and maps free of charge, with all the high-end functionality and features that people now expect." "The large-scale availability of free-of-charge mobile phone navigation offerings using high-quality map data will be a game changer for the navigation industry," said Thilo Koslowski, Vice President Automotive and Vehicle ICT at Gartner. "Such offerings will accelerate mass market adoption for navigation solutions and shift innovation focus to location-based services that go beyond traditional routing benefits." For Nokia, removing the costs associated with navigation for drivers and pedestrians allows the company to quickly activate a massive user base to which it can offer new location features, content and services. This is part of Nokia's strategy to lead the market in mobile maps, navigation and location-based services. The move is also in line with Nokia's vision that the next wave of growth will be centered on the location-aware, social internet -- as the 'where' people are doing things becomes as important as the 'what' they are doing. According to research firm Canalys, the number of people worldwide using GPS navigation on their mobile phones was approximately 27 million at the end of 2009. With this announcement Nokia potentially grows the size of this installed user base to about 50 million by enabling smartphone owners, with compatible devices and devices that will be made compatible shortly to activate free drive and walk navigation through a simple download of the new Ovi Maps. Nokia will further grow this base as it quickly adds more smartphones to the compatible devices list. Canalys also estimated in 2009 that the installed base of smartphones with integrated GPS was 163 million units worldwide, of which Nokia accounted for more than half (51%) having shipped cumulatively 83 million GPS devices. "This is a game changing move. By leveraging our NAVTEQ acquisition, and our context sensitive service offering, we can now put a complete navigation system in the palm of your hand, wherever in the world you are, whenever you need it - and at no extra cost," continued Anssi Vanjoki. "By adding cameras at no extra cost to our phones we quickly became the biggest camera manufacturer in the world. The aim of the new Ovi Maps is to enable us to do the same for navigation." By removing the added costs for consumers Nokia expects to fuel the take-up of mobile maps and navigation providing its ecosystem of partners with clear business opportunities. January 21, 2010.-- Tampere, Finland and Holon, Israel - Aerotel Medical Systems, a world leading manufacturer of modular, mobile and home-based telemedicine and telecare solutions, and EcoTec, a leading Finnish provider of personal safety and tracking services, jointly launched a new personal telecare service in Finland. The innovative mobile service, which is based on Aerotel's GeoSKeeper personal safety and location system, enables the accurate location of seniors, children and lone workers, granting users and family members safety and peace of mind. GeoSkeeper will be distributed in Finland by EcoTec. GeoSKeeper is a light-weight wrist-worn GPS-based personal telecare safety device. It offers users and their families a new level of safety and peace of mind using its embedded GSM/GPRS module, built-in speakerphone and active GPS receiver. With its geofencing feature, the device provides real time information over the user's accurate location. When the wearer wanders outside a specified zone (e.g. neighborhood or school area), the system sends a short message (SMS) alert to a monitoring center and to a relative or caregiver. "The deal is another step in the expansion of our telecare products offering in Western Europe," said Ofer Atzmon, vice president for business development and marketing at Aerotel Medical Systems. "After the successful launch of GeoSKeeper in other European markets, we have formed a partnership with Ecotec to bring our personal safety solutions to the Finnish market." "By combining our proven abilities and our leadership in the Finnish market with Aerotel's cutting edge technology we are now able to offer a service aimed at providing care and security for those in need, using our unique SmartCare platform connected with GeoSKeeper personal traceable devices," said Jouni Mäkipää, CEO and founder at EcoTec. GeoSKeeper enables two-way voice calls and text messages with an advanced alerting system for enhanced personal security. The product is fully programmable over the air via a user-friendly Web-based portal. January 6, 2010.-- inthinc, a developer of technologies to improve driving safety, announced flexible pricing programs for its tiwiin-vehicle teen driver mentoring system. tiwi for families fosters safe driving behavior and skills for new drivers and helps bring of peace of mind for parents by providing immediate, real-time feedback to teen drivers to help them build their skills, avoid dangerous driving behavior and save lives. With the new pricing alternative, tiwi for families can be purchased through a special subscription-based pricing option. Customers can now buy tiwi for $299.99 and a monthly subscription price starting at $39.99 based on commitment term. The new subscription model transfers some of the upfront price to the monthly fee, where costs can also be partially offset in reduced fuel and maintenance costs of the customer's vehicles. "Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teens each year in the United States, and the fatal crash rate per mile among 16 to 19 year olds is four times as high as for older drivers," said Todd Follmer, CEO of inthinc. "The tiwi technology has been proven to establish and maintain better driving habits and save lives. With new pricing alternatives, we are looking to extend these benefits to more families across the country." The alerting, reporting and GPS tracking technology goes beyond simply monitoring the teen drivers-it mentors them by providing verbal alerts when they exceed posted speed limits, drive aggressively, accelerate or brake too hard, forget to wear their seat belt or drive into areas that parents have designated for them to avoid. Parents can set speeding thresholds, see a driver's grade and set up e-mail, phone or text alerts through an easy-to-use Web-based portal. Once the device alerts a teen driver, they have the opportunity to correct their behavior. If the behavior continues, a call or text alert to parents is triggered. This active mentoring and reporting of driving habits, both good and bad, helps young drivers directly build skills and confidence in a non-threatening manner. Other key features of the tiwi include:
tiwi technology was utilized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in its independent study on teen driving safety released earlier this year. The IIHS report found that equipping the cars teens drive with in-vehicle monitoring devices can help reduce driving risks. tiwi is the only technology that meets all the criteria outlined in the report for encouraging and instilling positive driving behavior in teens. The proven tiwi technology has been used in light commercial fleets and heavy industrial trucks to reduce accidents by more than 80 percent. The device or data gathered by devices has also been used by some of the world's most safety-conscious organizations, including NASCAR and NASA. December 21, 2009.-- Globalstar, Inc, a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, governments and consumers, announced that it and its wholly owned subsidiary, Spot LLC, have acquired substantially all of the assets of Axonn, L.L.C. (Axonn). Axonn is a leading developer and manufacturer of high quality and affordable satellite GPS asset-tracking and messaging products including Globalstar's award-winning consumer retail device, the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger. Axonn also designs and markets enterprise products which utilize the highly reliable Globalstar Simplex data network, including the AXTracker and SMARTONE asset-tracking solutions. "This agreement is significant for it will effectively secure the critical long-term supply chain and associated intellectual property rights and technical design for the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger retail consumer product as well as a number of Simplex data machine-to-machine (M2M) enterprise solutions," said Peter Dalton, Chief Executive Officer, Globalstar, Inc. "With the economics of this acquisition, we expect to increase our equipment margin for the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger by approximately 100 percent. We also expect that contracting directly with Simplex device manufacturers and working with Axonn's talented team of R&D, design and contract manufacturing personnel will enable Globalstar to deliver future innovative products, already planned for introduction, in a much more cost effective and timely manner." Axonn is the designer and manufacturer of the STX2 Simplex data transmitter which is the world's smallest industrial-use satellite Simplex transmitter. The STX2 provides developers of asset tracking, data monitoring and messaging solutions with a small but affordable way to integrate Globalstar satellite data network connectivity into their product solutions. The STX2 is an integral piece of every current M2M Simplex data device that utilizes the Globalstar network. Mr. Dalton continued, "Axonn's broad-ranging intellectual property and engineering expertise coupled with Globalstar's network capability provides us with the ability to offer developers, on an open-source basis, the technologies needed to integrate SPOT's proven messaging technology and global tracking into their M2M products. This agreement also provides Globalstar with the ability to directly deliver customized and affordable Simplex data hardware solutions to customers." Globalstar and Spot LLC acquired certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Axonn in exchange for $1.5 million in cash, subject to a working capital adjustment, $5.5 million in shares of the Company's voting common stock and up to an additional $11 million for earnout payments based on sales of existing and new products. December 7, 2009.-- Tele Atlas, a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location-based solutions and GPS Tuner, a software development company specialized in the off-road sector, announced an agreement under which Tele Atlas supplies digital maps on GPS Tuner Atlas, GPS Tuner's off-road navigation software. The software also uses satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe, a leading global provider of commercial, high-resolution, world imagery products and services, to further enhance the user's visual experience. Through the agreement, GPS Tuner Atlas leverages Tele Atlas' digital maps for Europe and North America to provide high quality navigation for outdoor enthusiasts ranging from geo-catchers to golfers, cyclists and runners.
"More and more mobile consumers want location information that enhances their lifestyles and leisure activities," said Filip Neirynck, Vice President of Consumer Markets, Tele Atlas. "Working together with GPS Tuner and long-time industry partner DigitalGlobe, we are pleased to extend our portfolio with a powerful, visually compelling off-road navigation solution."
"With Tele Atlas' advanced approach to updating maps with community input, our end users are guaranteed the freshest possible maps for all of their adventures," said Tamas Frigyes, CEO at GPS Tuner. "Working with Tele Atlas and DigitalGlobe ensures we are offering a unique, visually rich experience for our off-road customers." "High-resolution satellite imagery provides the visual context and accuracy required to produce a life-like navigation experience," said Rafay Khan, Senior Vice President, Commercial Sales, DigitalGlobe. "This application demonstrates features that add genuine value for the user by providing realistic off-road environments for consumers to explore."
GPS Tuner Atlas is the latest generation of off-road navigation software developed by GPS Tuner. The new software is compatible with a wide range of mobile devices. GPS Tuner Atlas is available via Pocketland, Handango and through other popular on-line distributors. The solution is expected to be available in Western Europe, North America and Asia embedded in specific outdoor devices in 2010. December 3, 2009.-- SkyWave Mobile Communications ("SkyWave"), a global provider of two-way satellite communication equipment and services, announced the availability of GLONASS navigation capability in its DMR-800L satellite data communication terminal. The DMR-800L with integrated GLONASS provides the unique capability to compute its exact location using either or both the GLONASS and GPS systems. This dual navigation capability will be of great benefit to fleet owners who are mandated to use GLONASS but do not want to incur the costs and reliability issues associated with the use of an external GLONASS module. Vice-President of Marketing and Business Development at SkyWave, David Sward said, "The DMR-800L with GLONASS/GPS allows fleet and vessel owners to address current asset tracking and monitoring needs with a low cost, reliable and GLONASS-compliant solution." "MVS welcomes SkyWave's GLONASS capable product as a very effective means of meeting Russia's requirements for vessel, rail car and truck tracking" said Nadezhda Nesterenko, Deputy General Director "Morsviazsputnik", Russia's leading provider of Inmarsat services. December 3, 2009.-- Airetrak, a UK provider of Wi-Fi based real-time locating systems (RTLS) to the healthcare and education sectors, has further enhanced its ResourceView application with the introduction of three, new key innovations. ResourceView is a tracking system that utilises an organisation's wireless LAN to track vital assets within a building. The system uses small Wi-Fi based RFID tags attached to portable equipment, to send signals to the organisation's wireless network. Through a process of triangulation, the wireless network determines the position of the tags and therefore the location of the portable devices, which are viewed on a web-browser. A WiFi RFID tag on an item of hospital equipment This form of asset tracking has become a cost effective solution to organisations, like hospitals, that have installed wireless LAN technology and utilise it together with Wi-Fi-based RFID tags, which have become smaller, cheaper and now have batteries that can last up to five years. The enhancements to ResourceView include a hierarchical zoning system that allows exact locations to be defined. On a hospital, for example, this could be to building, floor, ward, room, bay, and even down to a store cupboard. The status changes allow the display of resources to be altered based on changes to the status of the resource, such as a bed becoming available or a patient contracting a particular infection. The proximity function enhancement allows users to search for available resources, such as the whereabouts of the nearest wheelchair. The ResourceView RTLS solution integrates with the Cisco's 3350 Mobility Service Engine (MSE) to provide location across Cisco's Wireless LAN platform. As a Cisco Development Partner, Airetrak is utilising Cisco's platform to provide simplified delivery, scalability and management of mobile services. Airetrak's ResourceView technology uses RFID location technology to improve staff efficiency, reduce theft and loss of equipment as well as provide a secure system for controlling temperature-sensitive environments. Less time is spent searching for equipment, thereby enabling greater utilisation of staff and equipment. It can improve visibility of when assets arriving at or leave key facilities and their location within a facility. The Airetrak location solution can be used across a range of industries from healthcare to manufacturing and provides the flexibility to integrate with existing systems to deliver location information and value throughout an organisation. December 3, 2009.-- CalAmp Corp., a leading provider of wireless products, services and solutions, today announced the availability of its MST-110, a GPS-based tracking and security system for motorcycles, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, ATVs and similar motorsports vehicles. Designed specifically for motorsports applications, the innovative MST-110 vehicle security system can pinpoint the location of motorsports assets and communicate that location via the global GSM wireless data network. An easy-to-use web-based software application completes a package that allows owners to know where their vehicles are at all times. In addition, user-defined alerts notify owners when their vehicles have been moved, if they are traveling too fast or have entered/exited a "geo-fenced" area. "The MST-110 is the answer to the problem of motorsports vehicle theft. Whether your motorcycle is parked in your driveway, your ATV is at a storage lot or your snowmobile is at the family cabin, CalAmp's MST-110 knows where your vehicle is at all times, and can alert you when it's on the move," said Mike Zachan, CalAmp Aercept Division vice president and general manager. The MST-110 security system includes all hardware, system activation and pre-packaged cellular airtime required for system usage. Renewal plans and additional airtime can be purchased online when needed. December 2, 2009.-- Polaris Wireless, the global leader in high accuracy, software-based location solutions, today announced its Polaris Wireless Location Signatures (Polaris WLS) Hybrid technology established new benchmarks in location performance, including better accuracy, reduced time to fix and improved battery consumption, for indoor and dense urban environments according to field trials conducted by major wireless carriers globally. These trials, performed in multiple continents, demonstrate that Polaris's Hybrid solution performs better than A-GPS alone in both indoor and complex environments, such as dense urban areas with high rise buildings and many signal obstructions. In addition, Polaris Wireless announced that its solution is 4G LTE ready with the Hybrid solution supporting multiple cellular air interfaces (2G/3G/4G) in a single platform in support of carrier's multi-mode services and devices. "The ability to locate wireless handsets and devices in indoor environments is particularly important since that is where most users originate voice and data calls," said Professor Per K. Enge, a leading researcher at Stanford University's GPS Laboratory. "Location performance in places like high rise office buildings and indoor shopping malls is critical to meeting consumer and enterprise demand as well as emergency call requirements. Further, with the established trend of mobile wireless replacing landline services, the importance of accurate, timely and efficient location indoors will continue to rapidly grow." "The advantage of the Polaris Wireless solution is that it works well in non line-of-sight, cluttered environments - with indoors being a particularly challenging environment for cellular location systems," said Dr. Marty Feuerstein, CTO of Polaris Wireless. "WLS capitalizes on complex obstructions and shadowing to improve location performance. In addition, the Polaris Wireless Hybrid location solution for 4G LTE networks enables truly global and ubiquitous location-aware applications that offer consumers far more than today's turn-by-turn navigation." North American carriers have recently conducted 3G location system trials, testing indoor and outdoor wireless location performance over an urban trial area of 10 square kilometers. Polaris out performed other solutions with a consistent accuracy of 47 to 59 meters versus 230 to 250 meters at 67th percentile. As further confirmation, a major wireless service provider in Asia recently tested 3G location performance, including accuracy, time to fix and battery consumption in urban and suburban settings. Results demonstrated Polaris Hybrid solution performance of 50 to 60 meters in 5 seconds time to fix compared with alternatives at 130 to 140 meters with 20 to 30 seconds time to fix. In addition, significant improvements in battery consumption were demonstrated to support pervasive location applications requiring frequent fixes, such as zone-based mobile marketing services. The trial results show that the Polaris Wireless approach to determining handset location, independent of handset capabilities and features such as Wi-Fi, is well suited to indoor and dense urban environments. Like a fingerprint's pattern of lines and swirls, a location can be identified by a unique set of values including measurements of neighboring cell signal strengths, time delays and other network parameters. The Polaris WLS solution collects this information and uses it to match incoming signals to an extensive geo-referenced database of values to determine highly accurate handset location - regardless of the type of environment. In fact, shadowing from large buildings, walls and other clutter enriches the location signature and increases accuracy. The Polaris WLS solution is available on all air major cellular interfaces including GSM, cdma2000, UMTS and LTE. In particular, LTE networks, one of the 4G standards that will usher in next generation broadband wireless performance, greatly surpass the 3G networks of today. LTE promises a truly broadband experience capable of supporting a new world of advanced voice and data applications, all based on Internet Protocol. The proliferation of 4G networks promises to create a single, unified global wireless infrastructure for content-rich applications, where location awareness is ubiquitous and transparent. Location-based services will work seamlessly across continents and oceans, driving the wide-scale development and deployment of powerful applications that thrive on frequent and accurate location updates on a mass scale and in real-time. Today, the Polaris WLS solution is commercially deployed with twenty 2G wireless carriers in the US and three 3G wireless carriers in Asia. Location-based services are already available on today's 3G networks - most notably on the Apple iPhone 3G - however, these applications are primarily built around basic turn-by-turn navigation tools. More pervasive and interactive mobile social networks, multiplayer gaming, zone-based coupon/advertising promotions and asset tracking will drive the need for high-accuracy, high-yield and low-latency location-based services on 4G networks. November 29, 2009.-- Birds Eye Global Tracking, LLC, announced that their affordable, personal GPS tracking device was awarded the prestigious AT&T Certification for compatibility and optimal performance with AT&T and GSM/GPRS networks. Birds Eye was one of the first personal GPS tracking devices on the market to be designated as fully certified by the new AT&T testing laboratory in Austin. "For the first time, consumers will have a clear choice when selecting the best personal tracking device for their loved ones, vehicles or valuables that has been certified by the AT&T labs for its superior network compatibility, data performance and signal quality," said Birds Eye Global Tracking President and Founder, Jimmy Bitzas. "And Birds Eye did not sacrifice size for performance, since our tracker is one of the smallest and lightest devices on the market. It's also the most accurate GPS device for tracking a subject indoors, according to independent testing." Laboratory testing for the Birds Eye Tracking Device was conducted over a period of several months at the new AT&T wireless device testing laboratory, in Austin, Texas. The testing facility, which opened in 2009, subjects each device to a series of rigorous tests to ensure the operational reliability of each unit as well as its ability to function flawlessly across the entire AT&T wireless network. What makes the Birds Eye Tracker perform so well in recent testing is its capability to combine two 21st century location technologies: the GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) system used by the US military and vehicle navigation systems and cell phone tower position plotting. Unlike the common vehicle navigation system, which must use line of sight from the satellites looking down at the vehicle, this new GPRS technology can now locate a subject inside a building and other structures. In a recent product test, the Birds Eye "Hawk-Eye" tracking device was able to pinpoint the location of a subject on the 30th floor of a high-rise office building, in downtown Tampa. As with all Birds Eye (http://birdseyeglobaltracking.com) GPS tracking systems, the Birds Eye GPRS is designed to work with the firm's proprietary GPS tracking software, which provides geo-fencing capabilities, and worldwide satellite mapping with high resolution magnification and street level monitoring options. With 12-volt DC adaptability, Birds Eye GPS Fleet tracking systems can also be installed using a permanent hardwire connection. Quad-mode GPRS circuitry gives the Birds Eye Tracker the ability to cover all 4 GSM frequencies, including 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz bands, providing worldwide functionality. A full demonstration of this new worldwide track-anywhere technology is available on Birds Eye's web site at http://www.tracklovedones.com or call 727-216-6725 for more information. November 16, 2009.-- OnAsset Intelligence Inc., a leading provider of machine-to-machine (M2M) wireless asset tracking, sensing, and control solutions, announced ContainerSafe, the newest edition to the premium SENTRY product line. ContainerSafe solves a long standing security challenge for high value cargo moved by shipping containers across land and sea by enabling 24x7 monitoring of container status and location, ensuring immediate notification of any unauthorized activity during transit. The new ground-breaking product is a milestone for cargo security that works to reduce theft opportunities of cargo in-transit. "The problem for container security solutions," says Adam Crossno, President and CEO of OnAsset, "has been the lack of wireless product that installs easily inside of the container, untethered and autonomously powered, ensuring load security regardless of where the container travels. ContainerSafe solves this problem." Shippers of goods and intermodal carriers are able to install the unit on the container door after loading the shipment. The installation and removal process takes less than one minute, requires no tools, and minimizes the impact of operations personnel handling the load. Once the container door is sealed, the unit immediately registers with the OnAsset Platform, a web-based, software-as-a-service (SaaS) system providing visibility to container security and status throughout the duration of the trip. Security is a major concern for cargo shippers and tighter security measures are more easily enforced across the entire supply chain with OnAsset solutions. The combination of ContainerSafe with the OnAsset Platform provides more than a position-tracking system. The full solution allows for the monitoring of container dwell time, load status and chain of custody. In addition, real-time notifications can be created when containers enter or depart unique points of interest like customs locations and major depots. Full routes can also be managed with the help of unique business rules that can be applied to create alarms and notifications to email and text addresses if containers veer off course. The tracking unit is a ruggedized mobile device with dual-mode cellular and satellite communications capabilities. The unit comes equipped with GPS, a door sensor and a variety of load monitoring options including shock, temperature, humidity and light sensors. ContainerSafe is a premium solution and part of the SENTRY product suite that also includes OnAsset's innovative FlightSafe product for air cargo tracking. Leasing and purchase programs are available that enable full service delivery including the hardware unit, communications service, and access to the OnAsset platform. November 15, 2009.-- Birds Eye Global Tracking, LLC, takes top spot in GPS tracking device comparison tests for tracking children and adults with special needs, thanks to its superior indoor tracking capabilities. In two independent online product comparison tests, the Birds Eye GPS Tracking Device scored consistently at the top of its mini-size tracker class. Out of 11 personal GPS tracking devices rated in one test, only 4 were shown to be effective in pin-pointing a target indoors. Called "the ultimate child/teen/adult/vehicle tracking device" by one reviewer, who went on to applaud the Birds Eye Tracker as a "durable, lightweight, water-resistant, assisted GPS tracking device that works spectacularly well both indoors and out". The device, which is smaller than a set of keys, can locate a person suffering from Alzheimer's or Dementia or a missing child anywhere in less than 60 seconds with amazing pin-point accuracy. According to national statistics, each day in the United States, over 2,000 children are reported missing, and out of that group, 46 go unrecovered. Every year, hundreds of patients suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer's wander away from home or their caretaker's residence. According to statistics from the Alzheimer's Association, up to 60% of all Alzheimer's patients will wander. The report also goes on to state that 50% of those patients that are not found within 8 hours will suffer serious injury or death. According to Birds Eye President and Founder, Jimmy Bitzas, "a miniature GPS tracking device could prevent harm or death for every special needs person who wears one". What makes the Birds Eye Tracker perform so well in recent testing is its capability to combine two 21st century location technologies: the GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) system used by the US military and vehicle navigation systems and cell phone tower position plotting. Unlike the common vehicle navigation system, which must use line of sight from the satellites looking down at the vehicle, this new GRPS technology can now locate a subject inside a building and other structures. In a recent product test, the Birds Eye "Safe Tracker" device was able to pinpoint the location of a subject on the 30th floor of a high-rise office building, in downtown Tampa. "In addition to the Birds Eye Tracker's superior accuracy, its ability to provide continuous tracking without hidden "pay-per-click" overcharges and a 30 year historical tracking archive put this unit in a class all by itself," said Bitzas. "And since national statistics show that children spend on average 85% of their time indoors each day, it makes sense that parents will choose a GPS tracking device that can locate a child indoors." A full online demonstration of this new worldwide track-anywhere technology is available on Birds Eye's web site at www.tracklovedones.com. November 4, 2009.-- STMicroelectronics, theleading supplier of MEMS for consumer and portable applications, hasexpanded its motion-sensor portfolio with a broad range of thirteen newsingle- and two-axis gyroscopes. With more than a 50% shrink in volume overprevious ST devices, reduced power consumption, and an aggressive price, ST'snew high-performance angular-motion sensors open the way to a wide range ofinnovative consumer applications, including gesture-controlled gaming andpointing devices, image stabilization in digital video or still cameras, andassisted GPS navigation. ST's newest single-axis (yaw) and two-axis (pitch-and-roll, pitch-and-yaw)MEMS gyroscopes fit in miniature packages of 3x5x1 and 4x5x1 mm3,respectively, addressing the size constraints of today's and tomorrow'sconsumer applications. Power consumption is another key factor, especially inbattery-operated devices. Therefore, ST's gyroscopes include a power-down mode(when the entire device is switched off) and a sleep mode, in which part ofthe circuitry is turned off to significantly reduce power consumption whileallowing very fast turn-on time and smart power cycling. ST's new gyroscopes boast excellent stability over time and a wide temperaturerange (down to 0.02 dps/degrees C) eliminating the need for additionaltemperature compensation in the application. Measurement precision is ensuredwith a negligible level of output noise (down to 0.01 dps/sqrt(Hz), and widebandwidth up to 560Hz, ensuring high accuracy and repeatability. ST's MEMS gyroscope family offers the industry's widest full-scale range, from30 to 6,000 dps, covering a broad spectrum of applications that require highresolution and stability over time and temperature. The robust manufacturing process of ST's 8" fab and packaging technology hasalready successfully built and delivered more than 600 million STaccelerometers in applications ranging from gaming systems to cellularhandsets. Like these accelerometers, ST's high-performance MEMS gyroscopes areresistant to mechanical stress and come with improved built-in self-testcapability that allows the customer to verify the functioning of the sensorafter it has been assembled, without the need to move the board duringtesting. "Today, the gyroscope market for consumer applications is around $200million(4) and it is dominated by non-MEMS companies," said Benedetto Vigna,General Manager of STMicroelectronics' MEMS and Healthcare division. "ST'sthird-generation gyroscopes benefit from the same winning attributes that havehelped us conquer the accelerometer market: proven manufacturing technologyand robust design. These features will help us trigger the 'consumerizationwave' for gyroscopes, and our in-house supply-chain management will enable STto meet the customer demand." ST's new single- (yaw) and two-axis (pitch-and-roll, and pitch-and-yaw) MEMSgyroscopes are now in high-volume production with unit pricing of $2.1 for the2-axis gyro and $1.8 for the single-axis gyro, in quantities greater thanfifty thousand pieces. November 3, 2009.-- Leading telematics supplierGuidePoint Systems announced the launch of an all-new version of itsaward-winning GPS-enabled theft-protection system for motorcycles andpowersports equipment. The Madison Heights, Mich.-based telematics supplier said it is introducingGPS Xtreme at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The newpowersport theft-recovery system is water-resistant, dustproof and featuresthe latest in advanced power management. "Theft of motorcycles and powersports equipment is an epidemic," GuidepointCEO Rand Mueller said. "We've designed the new GPS Xtreme to protect againstthieves by making it the most advanced system on the market in terms ofreliability, durability and the latest in GPS technology. By combining itwith our 24/7/365 response centers, we can respond to thefts and tamperingquickly and with pinpoint accuracy." Exposure to the elements and dead batteries can render an otherwise adequatesecurity system inadequate. The new GPS Xtreme features expandedwater-resistancy so it can be submerged for up to 30 minutes. The unit'scasing is also dustproof to protect its electronic components from even thetiniest particles of dust. GPS Xtreme also features the latest in advanced power-management, which allowsthe unit to draw as little as 50 microamps of power without sacrificing amoment's protection. If the unit senses motion, it immediately entersfull-power mode and sends an alert to Guidepoint's 24/7/365 response center. October 23, 2009.-- FollowUs, the UK's leading mobile phone tracking service, has launched its low-cost GPS Watch. The GPS Watch will make tracking people much more accurate, cost-effective and user friendly. The GPS Watch is a lithium battery powered GPS tracking watch that can be worn and used like a normal watch with the added benefit of tracking the person wearing it precisely. The GPS Watch is ideal for private or business use and it is offered uniquely without any additional monthly payments. This means there is only the one off payment for the GPS Watch and no other charges made by FollowUs. The GPS Watch is special because it reports its location to your mobile phone, so people can be tracked whilst on the move. The GPS Watch will work worldwide subject to having gps and mobile phone reception. The customer needs to insert a pay-as-you-go sim card into the watch with credit and it is then ready to go. We are delighted to have introduced the very first PAYG tracking watch into the UK and believe both the private and commercial sector will see this as a valuable tool to track venerable people or those with higher levels of risk. Suggested applications include:
Martin Pinnell-Brown, Commercial Director of FollowUs, explains, "We are delighted to have introduced the very first PAYG tracking watch into the UK and believe both the private and commercial sector will see this as a valuable tool to track venerable people or those with higher levels of risk." The GPS Watch is available from FollowUs' online store, gpswholesale.co.uk, the unit costs GB Pound 199 (+VAT). Features of the service include:
How it works. 3 Simple Steps!
October 13, 2009.-- Retina-X Studios, LLC,announced the immediate availability of Mobile Nanny, the software thatallows parents to monitor and restrict their child's mobile phone. Thissoftware gives parents a safeguard against the overall challenges and dangersof a child having their own cell phone, including sexting. With sexting on the rise, many parents need to know what their child is doingon their cell phone. But simply knowing what they're doing isn't enough.Certain activities may need to be blocked. Mobile Nanny allows parents to seeeverything their child does and block any disallowed activities. Complete textmessages, call histories and GPS logs are viewable to parents online or insidean interface on the device itself. The software allows parents to filter out activities they don't want tohappen. The parent can block their child from communicating with specificphone numbers. Any phone number can be blocked from SMS and callcommunication. Specific websites and applications on the phone can also beblocked. The child can additionally be restricted from using the phone atcertain hours the parent specifies, such as during school hours. The software silently runs in the background after every start of the phone.To access the interface, the parent clicks an icon and enters their password.The program can also be fully hidden if the parent requires covert monitoring.As activities happen, the program silently uploads logs to the parent'sprivate account, which they check online without needing access to the phone. "For many parents, giving their child a cell phone becomes a dilemma due tothe abuse of the privilege. Mobile Nanny gives the edge back to parents sothey can make sure their kids are staying on the right track," states JamesJohns, CEO of Retina-X Studios. This hybrid software and service are now available for phones running theWindows Mobile 6.x Standard or Professional operating system. The product canbe found in the Official Windows Mobile Catalog and at the websitehttp://www.mobile-nanny.com. October 13, 2009.-- Location Based Technologies announced that its MobilePocketFinder personal locator application won both the Handango 2009 Award forBest GPS/Map Application and its 2009 Groundbreaker Award for the Androidsmartphone (http://www.handango.com/content/Champion_Winners_Android). The Handango awards recognize best in class applications for a number of mobileplatforms and functionalities. Applications are nominated by industry leadersand then voted on by the global user community. The Mobile PocketFinder application, also available for the iPhone, Blackberry,and Windows Mobile, allows family and friends to see the location of yoursmartphone worldwide from any computer or phone using www.pocketfinder.com. Inaddition to displaying the location of the device, the easy-to-use applicationalso allows users to text a link with their location to contacts in their phone,and it includes additional high-end features such as location history,geo-fencing, and speed alerts. Multiple devices can be managed from a singlePocketFinder account, and users have a number of personal configuration optionsthat allow them to customize Mobile PocketFinder based on user, time, andlocation. Dave Morse, CEO of Location Based Technologies, commented, "We are bothdelighted and honored to have received this award in addition to PC Word`s 2009Gear of the Year award, especially since Handango is widely regarded as aleading technology resource for the mobile community. We believe that solutionsare most useful when they combine an intuitive interface with a wide array ofuseful features and we are gratified to see Mobile PocketFinder recognized asone of the top applications of 2009." Mobile PocketFinder currently retails at a low introductory of $9.95 for allsmartphones. To download Mobile PocketFinder or to view more information on theapplication, including screen prints, visit the Handango (see link above), orvisit the PocketFinder home page (http://pocketfinder.com), where you can findinformation on other PocketFinder solutions, such as PocketFinder Family VehicleLocation Device and PocketFinder for laptops (both available now) as well as themarket disruptive PocketFinder and PetFinder devices that customers will nothave long to wait for. October 13, 2009.-- BrickHouse Security, a leading provider of safety and security products to major law enforcement agencies including the NYPD, FBI, and the LA County Sheriffs, is expanding its consumer product line with the addition of the Amber Alert GPS (AAGPS). Amber Alert GPS has a small form factor We've managed to become one of the nation's top sellers of GPS tracking products but until today we haven't offered such an easy-to-use yet powerful product to parents.The Amber Alert GPS helps us give families a new and easy way to ensure their children are safe and accounted for when they're away from home We hear stories every day of parents being separated from their children, whether intentionally or accidentally. Said Mr. Morris, "We've managed to become one of the nation's top sellers of GPS tracking products," said Todd Morris, BrickHouse CEO, "but until today we haven't offered such an easy-to-use yet powerful product to parents." While the company has sold thousands of GPS tracking devices to more than 500 federal agencies and Fortune 500 clients, its consumer-focused GPS product line has been limited. "The Amber Alert GPS helps us give families a new and easy way to ensure their children are safe and accounted for when they're away from home," added Mr. Morris. The AAGPS complements the company's BrickHouse Child Locator product that was recently featured in Duracell ads. In contrast to the Locator, which uses GPS technology to alert parents when their child wanders beyond a set distance of up to 600 feet, the AAGPS device enables parents to remotely locate their children when they are away. To use it, parents simply place the device into their child's personal items such as pockets and backpacks, or they can attach it to a wrist, ankle, or belt. To then locate their child they call or text the AAGPS device, and within seconds receive in return a detailed map and address of the child's exact location via any text- or web-enabled phone. Alternatively, they can view location updates on their computer. With more than 2,000 children reported missing on average every day, the Amber Alert GPS is not dependent upon the parent to keep a child safe. Measuring just over an inch across, the stylish device is intentionally designed to not look like a tracking tool should an abductor see it; more important, the AAGPS features an alert "SOS" button that the child can activate to send an emergency signal to his or her parent. For further protection the GPS device can send speed alerts when the child or teen's vehicle exceeds a preset level, as well as breadcrumbing to leave a retrievable trail of the child's travels. The device was developed by Russell Thornton, who experienced the terror of losing a child in an amusement park. Fortunately, he found his child after an extended search--and the determination to help other parents and children. He chose the name "Amber Alert" in reference to Amber Hagerman, a nine-year-old Texas girl who was abducted and murdered. The search for Amber led to the eventual establishment of a notification service for missing children. The AAGPS is not part of the system, but is instead intended to safeguard against situations reaching an alert stage while providing parents with peace of mind in knowing where to find their children. "We hear stories every day of parents being separated from their children, whether intentionally or accidentally. Said Mr. Morris, "BrickHouse Security is thrilled to be able to offer introduce this new and effective way of preventing abductions and protecting their children." The Amber Alert GPS retails for $379 and requires a monthly subscription plan. For the next 30 days BrickHouse Security will be offering Amber Alert GPS for a special introductory price of $279.95. For more information on the Amber Alert GPS, please visit http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/amber-alert-gps.html. October 12, 2009.-- Ubisense, shortlisted for the Institute of Engineering and Technology 2009 Innovation Awards for development of its precise real-time location system (RTLS), announced a new wireless deployment option for its systems, allowing customers to reduce installation costs whilst still achieving class-leading 3D RTLS accuracy. Andy Ward, Ubisense's Chief Technology Officer, says: "Ubisense sensors can now operate in a 'wireless' mode, where they only need a local power supply and communicate over standard WiFi networks with the rest of the RTLS. This allows cost-effective coverage in areas which have existing mains power supply but would be expensive to reach with data cabling" Ubisense has seen strong interest in this capability from the manufacturing, transit, and worker safety sectors, particularly in large open areas where sites have existing coverage for power (for example, for lighting or security systems), but where cabling costs for RTLS deployment might be prohibitive. Both wired and wireless sensors can be mixed within the same Ubisense RTLS, providing a spectrum of deployment options through which the RTLS can be tailored to the requirements of each specific site and application. "We are delighted to offer this new capability to our customers. It's important to minimise installation costs in any RTLS deployment, and this added flexibility helps us do just that", says Richard Green, Ubisense CEO. "By reducing the number of cable runs that need to be made we can dramatically cut the cost of ownership of these systems and achieve a return-on-investment even more quickly" The new functionality has already been deployed with customers at transit and shipyard sites, and is available to both existing and new Ubisense customers as part of the latest revisions of the Ubisense location platform software. October 8, 2009.-- The teenage years are full of great learning experiences. Living away from home, becoming independent, making choices and living with the consequences forever... OK who are we kidding? As a parent, sending your kids off to school can be one of the most gut wrenching, heart breaking, and depressing stages of being a parent. Parents want to believe that they can make it on their own. Yet parents know teens still have lapses in judgment, and want to be there to pick them up when they fall. The employees of Spy Centre Security hear the concerns of teen parents like these every day. That is why Spy Centre Security has tailored a new product line that allows parents to virtually ride along with teenagers. SpyCentre.com now sells GPS products starting at just $199. making it possible to get constant updates on a teenagers' car. Parents can now locate the real time location, receive start and stop reports, log a history of where the car goes, even log the speed of the car. All this information is available for the low monthly cost of a cell phone bill (plans start at just $29.99 monthly). The upside of the product is parents are pleased with the GPS data and never need to intervene. However the downside for parents comes if they do need to intervene, atleast they are armed with the data and information to confront the issues head on. GPS trackers at Spy Centre Security vary greatly based on performance, price, size, battery life, etc. On line retailers often do not provide the customer service and expertise needed to help customers make an informed decision. Spy Centre Security stores in Dallas offer a free consultation with a live security specialist, free product training, face to face product support after the sale. Their GPS tracking products all offer a month to month service plan so customers can discontinue service at will, not have to wait till a contract is up. In addition to GPS tracking, SpyCentre Security can also recommend additional products to monitor teenagers such as audio recording, computer monitoring spyware, cell phone sim card reader, hidden video cameras with built in recorders, and spot tests for drugs and sexual activity, to name just a few. Spy Centre Security is proud to be Dallas' number 1 retailer for security and surveillance equipment for the past 19 years. Currently offering four Dallas locations, as well as online orders for customers outside of the Dallas area. In Dallas call 972-423-8868 or outside the area visit our estore at www.spycentre.com. October 7, 2009.-- The International Association ofAntarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has approved a resolution requiring members'Passenger ships to be fitted with satellite tracking devices based on Iridium(Iridium Communications Inc. The devices will report ships'positions at least once per hour when cruising in Antarctic waters. Global Marine Networks (GMN), an Iridium Value-Added Reseller, is supplying itsXTracker satellite position reporting system for installation on the IAATOvessels. XTracker uses Iridium's short-burst data (SBD) service to transmitposition reports from the ships at sea to a shore-based server, which can beaccessed through a secure Internet connection by ship operators,search-and-rescue authorities and other authorized users. "Iridium is the only maritime satellite communication network that can reachships sailing in Antarctic waters," said Greg Ewert, executive vice president ofglobal distribution channels for Iridium. "Iridium's constellation ofcross-linked, low-earth orbiting (LEO) satellites provides global pole-to-polecoverage and low-latency data links with compact lightweight data devices,making it the ideal solution for tracking ships, aircraft, vehicles and evenindividuals in remote and potentially dangerous regions of the world." "We have developed an outstanding working relationship with IAATO and itsmembers over the last several years," said Dr. Luis Soltero, CTO, GMN. "ManyIAATO members are already using XTracker, and we welcome IAATO's decision torequire our Iridium-based tracking systems on the growing number of shipssailing in the beautiful - but hazardous - waters of the Antarctic." "Our members have voted to require automatic ship reporting as part of ourorganization's commitment to safe and environmentally responsible private-sectortravel to Antarctica," said Steve Wellmeier, executive director of IAATO. "Werecognize that climate change poses the most significant threat to the Antarcticenvironment, and we are adopting this mandate, in conjunction with othermeasures, to improve safety of navigation and provide an important tool forsearch-and-rescue authorities in the event of an incident." September 24, 2009.-- PCTEL, Inc., a leader in propagation and wireless network optimization solutions, unveiled two new multi-band mobile antennas with integrated GPS receiver technology. The new models, based on PCTEL's Medallion and Sharkfin multi-band antenna platforms, have been enhanced with a high sensitivity 16-channel receiver that provides immediate and accurate GPS position reporting in a single low profile housing and without the need for additional equipment. Featuring PCTEL's successful wideband technology, these two models eliminate the need to install separate antennas in a single vehicle in order to achieve seamless wireless data communications and GPS location capability. Both models provide instant "plug and play" GPS tracking with a digital interface, eliminating the need for GPS receiver integration in voice and data radios. Police departments nationwide could save millions of dollars by implementing GPS tracking of their vehicles and voice and data communications with a single antenna rather than two antennas and a separate GPS receiver. "The addition of these two antenna solutions to our mobile GPS antenna platform support PCTEL's continued goal to become the premier high-value GPS antenna supplier for commercial and defense applications," said Jeff Miller, Vice President and General Manager of PCTEL's Antenna Products Group. "By adding GPS capability with an integrated receiver to our multi-band antenna designs, PCTEL is able to provide customers a one stop vendor solution for their asset tracking requirements," added Miller. Both the Medallion PCTMDL-RCVR and the Sharkfin GPSQB-RCVR models utilize attractive, low profile radomes designed to withstand severe environmental conditions for trouble-free operation in mass transit, asset tracking, military and defense, public safety, field measurement and wireless network optimization applications. Both models will be available for worldwide distribution in November, 2009. September 16, 2009.-- AeroScout, the leading provider of Unified Asset Visibility solutions, in partnership with Mine Site Technologies (MST), a global leader in mining communication, announced that Newmont's Leeville Gold Mine has deployed AeroScout and MST's Wi-Fi RFID solutions for tracking workers, equipment and vehicles. The deployment highlights a period of strong global momentum for AeroScout and MST in the mining industry, as mining companies focus on improving safety and productivity. AeroScout's Asset Tracking and Management solution for mines leverages on-the-surface and underground Wi-Fi networks to deliver automated monitoring of the location of equipment or people throughout underground tunnels and above-ground facilities. The solution is ideal for:
AeroScout Wi-Fi Tags and equipment are available in intrinsically safe form-factors for use in coal mines. The tags, which can be worn by miners or mounted to vehicles and equipment, transmit critical information over a mine's standard Wi-Fi network to AeroScout's MobileView software, which provides a real-time visual representation of the assets in the mine. MobileView allows mining facilities to track and manage assets through an easy-to-use interface, a variety of reports and rules-based alerts. In the past year, MST has successfully deployed mining solutions based on its ImPact Wireless Network and AeroScout's Unified Asset Visibility solutions to improve safety and efficiency at mines across five continents, including:
"Mines are highly complex facilities with limited communication paths available due to the nature of the underground environment and, hence, face special challenges in achieving mine-wide, real-time asset visibility," said Denis Kent, business development manager at Mine Site Technologies. "The integration of AeroScout's leading Wi-Fi asset tracking technology with our ImPact underground digital networks provides a reliable, highly scalable Asset Tracking and Management solution that serves the specific needs and circumstances of mining. The solution is also easy to integrate with a wide range of the enterprise systems used by mines." Newmont's Leeville Gold Mine has deployed 500 AeroScout Wi-Fi Tags, with 450 of those integrated in the ICCL miners' cap lamps for improved safety and mustering. The remainder of the tags are used to monitor vehicles and other high value assets. Newmont is committed to ensuring the safety of all of its workers, while still delivering efficiencies and maximizing results. A mine site environment presents some very specific challenges -- Newmont chose AeroScout and MST because of their industry expertise and market-leading technology and solutions. The Leeville Gold Mine has a total underground network consisting of 40 MST ImPact Wi-Fi POE Access Points and 45 ImPact Wireless Access Point / 4 Way Fiber Network Switches. The access points relay tag transmissions to the network, as well as provide the backbone for VoIP phones. In addition to the safety benefits of tracking personnel underground, the digital network allows for the uploading of enterprise data, which contributes to the overall management and efficiency of the operation. Similar to Leeville Gold Mine, the other MST mining clients are using AeroScout solutions to operate more efficiently and improve mine safety. All of Beltana Coal Mine's workers, for example, wear cap lamps with integrated Wi-Fi Tags, enabling their location to be tracked over the ImPact Wi-Fi network installed by MST. The location of every worker can be viewed on a map using AeroScout's MobileView software, which also enables users to search for the location of specific workers at any given time. In the event of an emergency, AeroScout's solution can be used to automate the mustering process, ensuring that all workers in the mine are quickly and accurately accounted for at specific evacuation points. "Safety is a top priority for mines everywhere," said Amir Ben-Assa, industry solutions marketing director at AeroScout. "At the same time, mines are under similar pressure as every other business to cut costs and increase equipment utilization levels. We offer mines a proven solution that will help them operate safer and with greater efficiency. Since it leverages standard Wi-Fi networks, the AeroScout and MST mining solution is cost-effective to install and delivers complete asset and worker visibility in complex mining environments." September 16, 2009.-- eMed-ID, the world's firstemergency medical information device franchise, announced the launch ofeMed-Trac, a live instant tracking device designed for people withAlzheimer's, dementia and other cognitive impairments, or children who need tobe closely supervised by parents for medical or other reasons. The eMed-Trac device operates through global positioning satellites and hasadditional features such as live monitoring from any Internet-enabledcomputer, geofencing to establish a perimeter, text and email alerts and anSOS call function. With more than 5.3 million Americans living withAlzheimer's and other forms of dementia, eMed-Trac can provide an additionalmeasure of safety for these patients and their families. "In 20 years, the number of Alzheimer's patients is expected to increase to7.7 million. This combined with the fact that at least 60 percent of thesepatients have at least one instance of wandering away from home or theirhealthcare facility or getting lost while driving or walking, establishes agreater need to protect those who suffer from Alzheimer's and other cognitiveimpairments," said Lonnie Helgerson, CEO, eMed-ID Franchising, LLC. "As aresult, we've developed a small device that can ensure greater safety forthose who carry it and provide peace of mind to caregivers and family memberswho may need to locate their loved ones." Approximately the size of a nine-volt battery, the eMed-Trac device operateswith a battery that lasts a week on average and is rechargeable. The deviceis tracked via an online portal that provides live location updates and can beviewed in three formats - map, hybrid and satellite. The location is mappedby address, as well as by latitude and longitude. In addition, the trackingsystem can provide a history of where the device has been in a giventimeframe. The eMed-Trac device also can be programmed with a geofence - anarea in which the person can travel, but if they leave that area, an alertwill be sent via text, email or voice. eMed-Trac is equipped with a call function, or SOS button, that will alertdesignated people to an emergency. It notifies friends, family members orhealthcare providers via text or email that help is needed. eMed-Trac isavailable through eMed-ID's franchisee network for $189 and $29.95 per month. eMed-ID also intends to make the device available for rental. "It is eMed-ID's goal to provide local communities, including people of allages, with medical services and products that improve the quality ofhealthcare and save lives. eMed-Trac is another way to ensure the safety ofthose who may need a little extra care -- from someone with early stages ofAlzheimer's to a special needs child," said Helgerson. "eMed-Trac can makeall the difference in locating a parent or child quickly and returning them tosafety." eMed-Trac is the latest addition to eMed-ID's portfolio of life-savingemergency medical information devices. The company also offers consumers aPersonal Health Record (PHR) USB device that will expedite emergencyresponders' treatment of trauma victims or those unable to communicate byoffering immediate access to their personal medical information. eMed-IDhelps consumers avoid life-threatening delays in treatment, medical orsurgical complications, allergic reactions and medication errors. Theportable PHR USB device, utilizing eMed-ID's proprietary software, comes in avariety of options, including wristbands, credit cards and keychains. The eMed-ID package is $69.95 and includes the PHR USB device, four eMed-IDcaregiver cards, two eMed-ID In Case of Emergency (I.C.E.) refrigerator cardsand a bound report. In addition, eMed-ID is the only medical identificationproduct that also provides customers with an optional legally-bindinghealthcare surrogate, HIPAA release and living will. The company alsopartners with the "Silver Alert" program, modeled after "Amber Alert," to helpprotect an increasing number of citizens with cognitive impairments. In addition, eMed-ID recently launched eMed-Alert, a next-generation personalassistance voice dialer designed for seniors who may need to call for help inan emergency. The eMed-Alert system allows the owner to press a singlebutton on a heart pendant or on the system's base to call for assistance inthree different ways. First, a siren is activated on the voice dialerconsole. Then, the personal assistance voice-dialer is enabled to call up tofour phone numbers programmed and play a pre-recorded message to each person. Finally, the voice dialer allows each person who receives a call to"listen-in" through the console so they can hear what is happening in theroom. eMed-Alert is available through eMed-ID's franchisee network for $129with no monthly fees. In the event that family and friends cannot be thecontacts, an optional professional monitoring system is available for a smallmonthly fee of $19.95. Consumers can purchase these products through eMed-ID's franchise network incities located throughout Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina,Oregon and Texas. To find your eMed-ID representative, visitwww.emed-id.com/find.htm or call 1-866-607-0411. September 16, 2009.-- Globalstar, Inc., a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, governments, and consumers, announced that it has commenced installation of network upgrades, supplied by Comtech Aero Astro, designed to enhance the overall customer messaging capacity and the data receiver sensitivity of the Globalstar Simplex data network. Globalstar's highly reliable Simplex data network is used to support a variety of emergency asset, fleet management and personal tracking applications as well as Globalstar's award-winning SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger products. "We anticipate these upgrades will expand our current Simplex data subscriber messaging capacity by as much as 10 times and increase our receiver sensitivity of the network by perhaps up to 40 percent," said Peter Dalton, Chief Executive Officer, Globalstar, Inc. "The implementation of these upgrades not only expands the size of the Simplex customer base we can support but also demonstrates Globalstar's continued commitment to broadening the domestic and international market for both our consumer retail SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger products as well as our commercial market M2M integrated data services." The increased receiver sensitivity resulting from the upgrades is expected to expand Globalstar's geographic Simplex coverage area and offer enhanced reliability in certain usage environments and operating conditions. Earlier this month Globalstar began installing the upgrades at its gateway ground station facility located in Wasilla, Alaska. The Company plans to complete the installation of the enhanced software at all of its gateways equipped with Simplex data appliques by late October. In addition to supporting the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger and various asset tracking product solutions, the Globalstar Simplex data network is also used to support a number of remote monitoring and alarm applications, both within and beyond the reach of traditional wireless and terrestrial infrastructure. Information such as GPS location co-ordinates, remote status and other sensor information can be reliably sent to customers using the Globalstar Simplex network. "As we move towards transitioning to our second-generation constellation, Simplex data is expected to grow in importance, therefore we are committed to continue supporting our Simplex customers and distributors via improvements to our global ground network," said Steven Bell, Senior Vice President, North American and European Sales Operations. "Our product integrators and manufacturers also continue to design and develop new and innovative Simplex data solutions therefore the implementation of these upgrades also further demonstrates to them our resolve and long-term commitment to growing the satellite data market." September 2, 2009.-- GuidePoint Systems announced that it has launched the first-ever Bluetooth kit for vehicles that offers free emergency dispatch and roadside assistance. The Pontiac, Mich.-based company has begun shipping Guidepoint Connect, an in-vehicle Bluetooth system that offers hands-free cell phone, integrated music control and emergency services/roadside help at the touch of a button. The four-button unit, designed to be mounted on the steering column, combines the latest in Bluetooth technology with Guidepoint's award-winning safety and convenience services for drivers. Here's how it works: In addition to the standard dial and hang-up buttons, the Guidepoint Connect unit includes two additional buttons: a phone button that connects callers directly to Guidepoint's 24/7/365 response centers, and a white-cross button that can be integrated with Guidepoint's GPS tracking device (sold separately) for pinpoint location-based services and one-touch emergency dispatch. The unit also allows drivers to safely and conveniently control a cell phone and portable music player, including iPod(R) and other MP3 players. The system's unique "Clear Connect" function also allows an iPhone(R) user to connect wirelessly to the Guidepoint unit to play music over the vehicle's stereo. "Guidepoint Connect is much more than just an exceptional Bluetooth kit - it's a tool to make driving safer, easier and more convenient," said Rand Mueller, chief executive officer of Guidepoint. "As more and more states enact and enforce driver distraction laws, we believe Guidepoint Connect will be a great accessory for driver safety and convenience. Additionally, by offering 'one-touch-then-hands-free' services such as emergency dispatch, driving directions, towing and concierge services, we can help drivers focus on the road, while we do the work. We are confident that the combination of Guidepoint's driver services and advanced wireless/GPS technology with Brandmotion's Bluetooth technology will allow us to offer a superior aftermarket-installed product." Guidepoint Connect is being launched at new-car dealerships and through retailers of mobile electronics. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price for the Guidepoint Connect is $399 (exclusive of installation fees). The cost of the unit includes free E-Call service for emergency dispatch, plus one year of complimentary Guidepoint Silver service that includes roadside assistance, directory assistance and unlimited concierge service. The unit can also be integrated with a Guidepoint GPS tracking module (sold separately) to provide stolen vehicle recovery, online vehicle tracking and pinpoint location-based services. Guidepoint Connect is the first new consumer product developed jointly by Guidepoint and Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Brandmotion, LLC (www.brandmotion.com), leading developers of integrated technology products for automotive interiors. copyright © GPS-practice-and-fun.com All Rights Reserved |