(8.1) ADVANTAGES:
• It Can be Used to Locate Lost Items
The crime rate keeps on increasing in every part of the world and a lot of highly valuable objects have been, and will, be stolen. It doesn’t matter how irrelevant you think an object or equipment is to others if it is something that is very expensive you should make sure you install a GPS tracking system on it; for example, a $2 million violin was once stolen from a café in London and the owner had a hard time finding it, if the owner of this highly expensive violin had installed a GPS tracking system in her violin it will be very easy for her to locate it.It is almost impossible to reduce the crime rate in the world because new technologies are emerging and it is new technologies that encourage crime and stealing; however, you can make it easier for you to track any valuable object you own by installing a GPS tracker in it.
Figure 7.1.1 It Can be Used to Track Things and People
One great function of a GPS system is that it can be used to track anything irrespective of it being static or flexible, it can also be used to track people and animals depending on what you need it for. Another great feature of a GPS system that makes it better is the alarm system it has; for example, you can easily install a GPS tracking system in a vault where valuable goods are so that you can be alarmed anytime someone is trying to steal them.
You can also use the GPS technology to ensure things are going fine with people working for you especially if they’re doing a job that requires a high level of security and confidentiality; this will be able to track them anywhere they go and when they go there.
It Can be Used Anywhere in the World
An added advantage of the GPS system is that it can be used anywhere in the world; it doesn’t matter whether you’re in Africa or Asia the GPS technology is
powered by the world satellites and this means it can be accessible anywhere; all you need is a solid tracking system and a GPS receiver.
(8.2) APPLICATIONS:
GPS technology has matured into a resource that goes far beyond its original design goals. These days people from a plethora of professions are using GPS in ways that make their work more productive, safer, and sometimes even easier. There are five main uses of GPS today:
Location- determining a basic position.
Navigation- getting from one location to another.
Tracking- monitoring the movement of people and things. Mapping- creating maps.
Timing- providing precise timing.
Timing:
The first and most obvious application of any Location Based Service such as GPS is the simple determination of a “position” or location. GPS was the first positioning system to offer highly precise location data for any point on the planet, in any weather. Knowing the precise location of something, or someone, is especially critical when the consequences of inaccurate data are measured in human terms.
Navigation:
GPS helps you determine exactly where you are, but sometimes it is more necessary to know how to get somewhere else. Recall that GPS was originally designed to provide navigation information for ships and planes. So it’s no surprise that
while this technology is appropriate for navigating on water, it’s also very useful in the air and on the land.
Tracking:
GPS used in conjunction with communication links and computers can provide the backbone for systems tailored to applications in agriculture, mass transit, urban delivery, public safety and vessel and vehicle tracking. Therefore, more and more police, ambulance and fire departments are adopting systems like GPS- based AVL Manager to pinpoint both the location of the emergency and the location of the nearest response vehicle on a computer map.
With this kind of clear visual picture of the situation, dispatchers can react immediately and effectively.
•
Mapping :
Mapping the planet has never been an easy task, but GPS today is being used to survey and map it precisely, saving time and money in this most stringent of all applications. GPS can help generate maps and models of everything in the world, mountains, sea, rivers, cities, and help manage endangered animals, archaeological treasures, precious minerals and all sorts of resources, as well as accurately managing the effect of damage and disasters.
•
Timing :
GPS can also be used to determine precise to determine precise time, time intervals and frequency. There are three fundamental ways we use time:
As a universal marker, As a way to synchronize
To provide an accurate, unambiguous sense of duration.
(7.3) LIMITATIONS:
The following limitations are:
Cost
: Purchasing a GPS based on price can be a major disadvantage.
If you purchase a "bargain GPS," you will get what you pay for, and features such as traffic and up-to-date maps could be lacking.
Directions :
Turn-by-turn directions are not available on every type of GPS device. Some will give very little advanced notice before an upcoming turn.
Accuracy :
Maps on GPS devices are not updated in real time for all models.
This means that it is possible a GPS device will direct you onto a road that is closed or no longer exists. It could also miss new roads and businesses.