Countdown to Christmas
6 - Global Positioning System (GPS)
- Originally developed for various military uses, GPS now also serves civil navigation and location: nearly everything that moves is, can or will be using GPS. Cars, trucks, planes, even bicycles and suitcases can be located when equipped with GPS trackers.
- Of course it can locate smart phones too. A blessing for extra vigilant parents or anxious pet owners – a nightmare for individuals who are concerned about privacy.
- Think of GPS and agriculture – a match made in heaven. One has to marvel how GPS enables precision farming, allowing machines to navigate vast fields and measure soil quality and humidity. It ensures accurate fertilization and watering, It may not be romantic farming, but one that feeds many people at an affordable price.
- GPS's potential is vast, from tracking natural changes and preserving wildlife to defining borders and protecting property rights.
Discoverers and Innovators
In 1957, two American physicists at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory, William Guier and George Weiffenbach, tracked and recorded Sputnik 1's radio signals. While we all know about the Soviet Union’s first satellite, few of us have heard of these two scientists. They figured out that by using the Doppler effect (think of the change in frequency of a passing siren), they could pinpoint Sputnik’s position in orbit. Frank McClure from the same laboratory had the idea to invert that procedure. Instead of locating a satellite in orbit, use the signals of 4 satellites orbiting earth to locate the receiver on earth.
Also, there's Gladys West, a brilliant mathematician who helped improve navigation systems by refining satellite data models.
The availability of GPS for mass-market applications is “the result of APL’s pioneering work, progress in electronics, and the global economy” Guier and Weiffenbach wrote.
Driving home for Christmas? When everyone else has the same idea - how great is it to have a navigation system? Instead of stressing out in a traffic jam, your navigator can suggest a quicker route, find a gas or charging station, or even point you to a last-minute gift shop or restaurant. It’ll calculate your arrival time, so you can update your loved ones that you're running late but safe. And whether you’re driving, flying, or taking the train, GPS is there to help. I’m looking forward to the day when I can just sit back and relax in an autonomous car while sipping a hot cocoa! If the festive treats have left you feeling a little heavier, your navigation app can recommend some great jogging routes and track your progress, too.
