Archives for 2014

During the last couple of years, satellite GPS has become pretty commonplace and is used for everything from navigation to entertainment to shopping. As accuracy has increased and price has decreased, it’s not surprising that research has been pushed to continually improve this much-demanded technology. Recently, robotics researchers at Queensland University of Technology announced they are developing what is being called the first camera-based GPS device.

This device, as the name suggests, uses images in order to calculate location and help provide navigational assistance. It does not use any kind of satellite or signals, making it appealing to those trying to get accurate directions in urban canyons, underground tunnels or other places where GPS often fails. I first read about this new tech on Techly, and I can’t decide whether it’s genius or not. read more

For the holidays, most people want electronics or gift cards. But Robert Suhay, of Norfork, VA, wanted a Guiness World Record—and he got it. Earlier this year, Suhay hopped in a 15-foot Laser boat armed only with a Magellan eXplorist 510 GPS, some provisions and his determination and attempted to sail solo across the Chesapeake Bay in early July in order to break the world record for the farthest distance sailed single-handed in a dinghy.

Not only did he sail for 86 hours straight covering a total distance of 326.24 miles, but he also sailed along the edge of a hurricane, lost his communications and had his journey cut short by the US Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic Division. It was certainly an eventful trip, and one that wouldn’t have been possible without using a GPS unit.

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Ethyl the Grizzly was tracked for about 3 years as she wandered all around Montana and Idaho.

If you think your latest hike or run is impressive, check out the travels of Ethyl the grizzly bear. This wandering adult female grizzly was tracked via a satellite GPS collar and over the course of three years, she logged nearly 3,000 miles across Idaho, Montana and the surrounding region before losing her GPS collar in October. read more