It’s easy to look at nearly any particular industry and see how deeply GPS tracking devices have impacted workers and managers the world over. The automobile industry, law enforcement, researchers, manufacturers—nearly every industry that must stay on the edge of the technological curve has used GPS tracking to be safer and more efficient. The agricultural community is of course no exception, and indeed, large farms present one of the greatest opportunities for GPS tracking to show its worth. Here are just a few ways farmers are using GPS tracking to improve their work and way of life.

Livestock tracking. The days of tracking by brand are over. Now a simple GPS tracking device can keep tabs on individual or even herds of cattle. Not only does this prevent theft, but GPS also gives farmers an idea of where their cattle prefer to graze, and how they might be guided to greener and more sustainable pastures. Researchers at the University of New England are now studying how farmers could best use GPS tracking technology to manage their grazing operations responsibly.

Crop mapping. Farmers can also use GPS tracking technology to map out their fields, thereby improving fertilization, crop dusting, and other treatments. Some farms in Texas are already employing an advanced tractor-mounted mapping technology that tests electrical conductivity in the soil and records data onto a map via GPS. Farmers can then fertilize their crops according—putting extra over fields needing more treatment and putting less over those areas that require less attention.

The same technology can also aid in targeted crop dusting. Farmers have long been wary of using excess weed or insect killers, as some chemicals can have harmful effects over time as they build up. Using GPS tracking technology, farmers can scout their fields and note particular areas most affected by unwanted visitors. The location data can then guide crop dusters in targeting specific trouble spots—and not too much else.

Security. Farmers are often forced to deal with high incidences of theft—whether of equipment or supplies—and GPS tracking can help lower the risk, or at least raise the chance of recovery. Many farmers view their GPS trackers as a bit of low-cost theft insurance, and if they ever discover some of their machinery stolen, the technology will certainly seem like a worthwhile investment.

Like nearly every other industry, agriculture has greatly benefitted from thoughtful and innovative applications of GPS tracking technology.

In Computex Taipei 2010, Vunex launched one of the latest personal guiding system, the X-Guider. The X-Guider is an outdoor hand held device made for sports / recreational use. It incorporates the GPS technology to the most simple application: Record your position, guide you to a position, record a trip, and calculate the speed etc. The main use is to help users to find their ways while enjoying outdoor activities. It can be a standalone product without a PC, but it can also plan ahead before heading out, and/or record a trip/points and navigated on PC.

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We all know about the enormous benefit vehicle tracking devices have had on law enforcement. Investigators can use GPS trackers to keep tabs on suspects and parolees, with great results. While some have expressed serious privacy concerns over the issue—and courts will likely debate on the exact legal use of GPS trackers for years to come—it is worth noting that there’s plenty use for GPS trackers on police vehicles as well.

Many cities are beginning to outfit their police vehicles with GPS trackers as they realize the benefits. GPS units themselves are now easy enough to purchase and install, and their features more than make up for the initial investment.

One benefit is that dispatchers can easily coordinate multiple vehicles to respond to emergencies. Many real-time GPS trackers can feed location data to a central server, which can be accessed to show a map of the tracking area overlaid with the tracked units. Dispatchers can see instantly which police vehicles are closest to the area of disturbance and send units accordingly.

Of course, with closer management also comes greater accountability. Police tempted to misuse vehicles on their off-time can now be tracked by a logging system, and excess mileage is kept to a minimum. Routes can be surveyed to ensure that drivers covered their designated areas appropriately and stayed on task.

It’s not all negative, of course. Many officers are often accused of misusing their authority, and a GPS tracker log can go a long way to disprove false charges that say they were one location when they were actually in another. Also, as city roads evolve and shift, police departments often need to reexamine where their units operate and whether their existing patrols are as efficient as they could be. GPS tracker logs can help authorities choose a better distribution of vehicles and police coverage. They can examine maps overlaid with the tracking data to identify missed areas and over-concentration.

And on extreme occasions, a GPS tracker could mean the difference between life and death. Police vehicle hijackings are few and far between, but a GPS tracker onboard would ensure that any such incident would be ended shortly.

Just recently, Fort Wayne, Indiana saw its police vehicles outfitted with GPS trackers, thanks to a program that was proposed two years before. Dispatchers especially are happy with the new features, and they these new tools will help them keep everyone in their community just a little safer.

The first Android-powered smartphone fully-integrated with Garmin’s premium GPS software, the 3G-enabled Garminfone smartphone for T-Mobile gives you the same navigation experience found on Garmin’s standalone GPS devices–including voice-guided and on-screen directions, real-time traffic, weather, and gas prices. The mobile Web browser includes enhanced functions, including pinch and zoom capability and embedded location awareness that links information found on the Web to navigation and mapping functions–enabling you to navigate directly to a location from a Web page.

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Ford Motor Company and the University of Michigan engineering department held an event that allowed students from a variety of technical majors to showcase their ability to develop innovative new software to run inside vehicles.

Ford was looking for the best program which integrated most of its vehicles’ communications capabilities: internet access, internal monitoring, GPS tracking, and more. Organizers placed a special emphasis on incorporating cloud computing functions into the software, as well. Students were to use the company’s Fiestaware development platform to design and code their teams’ program within a limited amount of time. Suggested uses included caravan management programs, car-pooling aids, leisure travel guides, and more.

The winning program was called Caravan Track, which lets multiple drivers within a caravan manage and track each other’s position and state. The program uses GPS tracking to let drivers keeps tabs on each other real-time, and everyone can see each other on a map overlaid with the group’s suggested route. Drivers can also use preset messages to text each other, and can send general alerts about road conditions, traffic, or even well-hidden highway patrol vehicles.

Even more amazing is the ability of the program to track vehicle fuel levels and put up an alert when the group should pull over and stop for gas. For anyone who’s ever gone on a long road trip with a large group, this little student-developed wonder seems like a godsend.

Other programs developed at the event integrated still other cloud-computing functions. The Greenride Challenge uses social networking access to coordinate potential carpoolers and suggest to drivers which passengers might be ready for pick-up.

“Listen. Speak. Rate. Share” is essentially a mobile location review program, allowing drivers to connect to various social networking sites and record an audio review of any particular site of interest.

NostraMap integrates GPS tracking functionality to allow users to place markers on a map denoting traffic incidents, road hazards, or construction sites.

Points-of-Interest also takes advantage of GPS tracking functionality, but pulls data from social networking sites to give drivers the 411 on destinations that might match their interests.

The students who developed Caravan Track will be able to showcase their work at Mater Faire, an innovation-focused technology festival in San Mateo, CA, after making a road trip with their new program.

Here is the GPS Tracker Phone designed for children and seniors, incorporated with the latest GPS tracking technology and extra ease of use. It comes with elegant construction, intuitively designed buttons, and is ideal for personal or business uses. Highlights: Slim design and easy to use; GSM Tri-band frequency with 5 preset phone numbers; GPS function through either SMS Txt or Computer software; Timed report + Geo-fence for more security; FREE mini USB earphone; Computer software provided for easy setup.

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