Advances in technology are constantly improving and frustrating our modern world and way of life. GPS is one of those everyday technologies that humanity really takes for granted. People are so used to using them that we are prone to irritation when their services are slightly sluggish or abnormally flawed.
Have you ever bothered to appreciate the greatness of the GPS system for its magic? Would you like to understand the inner workings and how the tracking system improves our efficiency and our daily activities? Let’s take a closer look at what GPS is exactly and the basics of its origins. Here is a brief history of GPS tracking technology.
GPS Navigation: Origins of the Global Positioning System
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. The first idea to develop a space-based tracking system originated in the Sputnik era in the 1960s. In the mid-1970s, numerous satellites equipped with solar panels were in space and orbiting our planet. This satellite system was originally launched by the US Department of Defense as a global navigation system for military-based vehicles and equipment – both on land and in the air.
These satellites continuously send their locations and status updates, and an earth-based GPS device receives the signals to interpret their specified data. By using the positions of four or more satellites in space with respect to the terrestrial locator, users can triangulate an accurate position in three-dimensional space. Imaging a larger number of satellites with one receiver can provide an even more accurate position.
The new era: commercial and private use
Next, a brief history of GPS tracking technology, We will briefly address the topic of consumer use. This includes technologies that were once restricted to military applications in the 1980s and were available to the civilian population. The government has made GPS public for the commercial industry to be more secure.
Early commercial GPS devices were relatively expensive and were mostly limited to delivery, freight, and transportation operations. After the selective availability policy was abolished in the millennium, the potential for higher-quality safety, security and life-saving applications finally emerged. Since then, GPS has become a common technology for almost every industry.
Modern uses of GPS tracking devices
With the help of brilliant scientists and engineers, in our digital savvy era, GPS tracking has a wide range of commercial and personal uses, such as search and rescue, vehicle tracking, geocaching, augmented reality games, and fitness or wellness monitoring. We can also thank the growth in smartphone usage. Dedicated monitoring devices, smartphone apps and integrated displays keep an eye on the location.
Electrical engineers install GPS receivers on certain types of circuit boards to broadcast locations and store the data on the circuit board’s memory chip. This type of innovative technology has completely changed life as we know it today. Verily, humanity has only scratched the surface. Tracking, navigation and communication are easier and faster than ever. The future is bright for further developments and solutions in innovative GPS technology.
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