From M/Cyclopedia of New Media
Emily Owen
About Me
- I'm a 2nd year QUT student studying Bachelor of Creative Industries majoring in Television, Digital Media and Communication Design
- Originally from Cairns, lived in Brisbane (the valley) for 18 mths.
- Learning how to play guitar, left handed!
- I play touch football, indoor volleyball and netball and I work at Amart All Sports on weekends.
Send me an email
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Project Proposal
The Future of GPS
Annotated Bibliography
The Emergence of Global Positioning Systems and the Potential Uses for the Future
Books
- Dye, S. (1997) The GPS Manual: Principles and Applications, US: Baylin Publications ISBN 0-917893-29-8
- Dye has compiled a comprehensive GPS manual outlining information on all aspects of agricultural, marine and aviation GPS systems and how they are used and can possibly be improved in the future. This book also includes a chapter on navigation prior to GPS and the background to this relatively new technology. Overall this manual provides a large proportion of information to research the emergence of new GPS technology and its wireless capabilities.
- El-Rabbany, Ahmed. (2002) Introduction to GPS: The Global Positioning System, Boston: Artech House, ISBN 1-58053-183-0
- The features of global positioning systems are somewhat unknown to most people, however this book provides an in depth understanding of how GPS works, using up-to-date information and easily understood terminology to inform, without the use of complex mathematics. Each section is fully detailed, including sections on ‘GPS: The basic idea’, GPS: Errors and Biases’ and ‘GPS Applications’, which will be the most useful areas, in this situation, when completing further research. El-Rabbany also identifies the current uses of GPS, such as in the areas of surveying, mapping and navigation and provides sufficient information on the possibilities this technology creates for the future. Some interesting diagrams and illustrations also aid in providing a detailed explanation of the wireless technology associated with global positioning systems.
- Hofmann-Wellenhof, B., Lichtenegger, H. and Collins, J.(2001) GPS: Theory and Practice, Fifth edition, Austria: Springer-Verlag/Wien, ISBN 3-211-83534-2
- These authors have comprised an extensive book of knowledge relating to all aspects associated with the operation of any global positioning system. Although this book tends to focus on the mathematical applications of the GPS, each section has been written in extreme detail, outlining the theory of using satellites to navigate on Earth. This particular book stands out among others due to the fact that there has been a section included at the end of the book titled ‘Future of GPS’. The chapter outlines the possibilities of GPS when satellites are improved and used more effectively for future operations.
- Larijani, L. Casey. (1998) GPS for Everyone: How the Global Positioning System can work for you, New York: American Interface Corporation, ISBN 0-9659667-5-5
- This book identifies the importance of GPS in areas such as the defence force, the environment and in exploration and dedicates a chapter to each of these industries that rely on this particular type of technology. Larijani has structured this book logically to include a section at the beginning on how the GPS interacts with the satellites and the different types of GPS receivers. For example, vehicle GPS units are obviously designed differently to handheld units, to demonstrate that the same piece of technology can be used in many situations. This particular feature of the book will be most useful when comparing the different uses of the GPS and how they are modified to comply with the specific area of operation.
- Steede-Terry, K. (2000) Integrating GIS and the Global Positioning System, California: Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. ISBN 1-879102-81-1
- The integration of data into global information systems is an important part of using GPS in any industry that requires this technology and this book helps to understand this process. The book specifically displays some very useful graphics and diagrams that assist in understanding the main concepts outlined throughout the chapters. One feature that stood out was the chapter on how GPS can be used during natural disasters. For example, this section explained the way in which GPS can help plan and prevent wildfires, toxic spills, floods and other disasters. In addition, the author has included sections on how GPS can be used to track the infection of diseases in developing countries and help farmers stop the spread of locusts on their farms.
Websites
Bowman, L. (1999) Is GPS tracking you? [Online] Available:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-11-513626.html?legacy=zdnn [Accessed: 9th August 2004]
- This is an extremely relevant article that investigates issues of privacy in regards to GPS technology and its ability to monitor people. So far, GPS has been used to observe endangered animals, track vehicles and to draw up maps etc. Now that human movement is involved, the technology has become a legal issue. Bowman discusses the fact that GPS has already been used in the US to ensure Alzheimer’s patients stay near the hospital and children don’t stray too far from home. However he also expresses the point that this is a violation of privacy and that the information from the GPS may get into the wrong hands and used for malicious purposes.
Daviss, B. (2001) Mobile Phones: Write here, Write now [Online] Available:
http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/phones/phones.jsp?id=23194900 [Accessed: 8th August 2004]
- Daviss has written an interesting article regarding the future of mobile phone messaging and how GPS technology will affect the way in which people communicate. The article investigates a new technology that allows mobile phone users to pin a message in mid air using the location’s GPS reference. The messages are stored on an internet page which is linked to the coordinates on the earth’s surface. These GPS receivers are stored in the mobile phone and constantly check to see if a message has been posted on that particular spot. When a message is received, it can be posted in the air for reasons such as, warning other vehicles that there is an accident ahead and many other possibilities. This new technology will revolutionise communications once again and will also aid in providing some intriguing information to research in the future.
Nelson, S.(2000) Commentary: Sprint’s GPS Technology Creates Privacy Concerns,[Online]. Available:
http://news.com.com/2009-1033-248462.html?legacy=cnet [Accessed 7th August 2004]
- As with any new technology, GPS is consistantly improving and this may create potential problems for the future. This article discusses the implementation of GPS into mobile phones and the privacy issues that have consumers concerned. Sprint, one of the first telecommunications carriers to combine the advantages of GPS technology with mobile phones will have to face these arising issues in order to successfully market this new feature in technology. This article explains that privacy issues are evident in situations when a caller contacts emergency services and may not wish to be located for a number of reasons. The consequences of this may be that the GPS in public and wireless phones will deter people from making 911 or 000 calls due to the risk of being identified. This news article is an interesting viewpoint that investigates the problems associated with the advantages of GPS technology and how they are to be addressed in the future.
Worthman, E. (2001) Wireless Technology sometimes NOT for the better [Online] Available:
http://rfdesign.com/mag/radio_wireless_technology_sometimes/ [Accessed: 9th August 2004]
- In this article, Worthman discusses the legal and moral issues of wireless technology such as GPS used in cars that can track a person’s driving habits and incriminate them for speeding. Furthermore, the issue at hand is that private companies such as rental car businesses (in the US) are taking the roles of police officers and using these GPS storage methods to convict their renters of disobeying the law. The implementation of new technology into society often raises these types of concerns which fall into the legal category and must be properly addressed to prevent the misuse of equipment. In addition to this, moral questions are often raised and this article addresses these matters in sufficient detail to provide an interesting argument.
Journal Articles
Divis, Dee Ann (2003) Saving Private Location, GPS World, Vol.14, Iss. 10, pg. 10 View this Article
- 'Saving Private Location' discusses issues of privacy in location based services, however Divis has researched the potential market for GPS tracking systems and explains why the public has become anxious over this new technology. Furthermore, information on what is being done to address fears on the loss of privacy has been included, stating that certain laws have been passed to prevent tracking devices and location information from getting into the wrong hands. Davis also addresses moral issues in relation to GPS technology such as whether police have the right to track suspects in a crime through mobile phone GPS systems without their authorisation. These arising legal issues are evident due to the introduction of GPS into items such as cars, pets, phones and also humans. Davis thoroughly investigates these issues and presents an appealing argument on the benefits and disadvantages of the emerging uses of GPS technology.
Newspaper Articles
Eisenberg, A. (2004) For the Fretting Pet Owner, a Wireless Distress Signal, New York Times, Jul 15, pg G. 8 View this Article
- Eisenberg has written an interesting article introducing the GPS technology that can be attached to pets to ensure they do not stray too far from home. This new use for global tracking systems has enabled pet owners to set up a yard boundary through software over the Internet which is linked to their mobile phone. If the pet exceeds this boundary, the owner is notified via their mobile phone. The remainder of the article outlines the benefits of the technology in further detail that is currently used in America by many animal shelters and new dog owners. This newspaper piece is an excellent example of how wireless technology such as GPS is becoming more widely used and understood and gradually becoming more prominent in our lives.
Schwartz, J. (2003) This car can talk. What it says may cause concern, New York Times, Dec 29, pg C. 1 View this Article
- As GPS makes its way into cars, this new wireless technology has become so advanced it has the ability to store information that can put the owners in court. Schwartz discusses the way that GPS is used by the police to track stolen cars and catch hit and run criminals, just through the Global Positioning System fitted in the vehicle. This article also plays around with the idea that GPS has become a little black box, tracking every movement of the car and every pathway travelled, cutting down vehicle related crimes by a great deal. Schwartz also includes that GPS in vehicles can also save lives as it makes it easier for emergency services to locate a car accident and attend to the injured more quickly. The remainder of the article includes information on real cases that have caught criminals in the US and the overall benefits of every new car been fitted with a GPS in the future.
EmilyOwen 11:07, 13 Aug 2004 (EST)
