GPS tracking reaches new heights with the ability to track free-roaming land crabs on Christmas Island.

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany are studying the long-term movements and migration habits of the coconut crab (Birgus latro).

The Coconut crab is a crustacean living on various tropical islands in the Indo-Pacific, prominently on Christmas Island. With help from scientists at the Zoological Institute at the University of Greifswald, researchers from the Max Planck Institute is incorporating advanced GPS tracking technology in hopes of monitoring the crab’s behavior.

The Burgus latro crab is the largest land-living arthropod in the world at approximately 4 kg. It is appropriate nicknamed the giant robber crab and can live up to 60 years. The robber crabs have a leg span of approximately 3.3 feet and belong to a group of exoskeleton animals, including arachnids, insects, and crustaceans.

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Fleet management is a word that’s taken on new meaning over the past decade. Fleet management tools and technology that were once hopelessly out of reach for small business owners are now within reach and presenting quite a few potential benefits to the business. Here are just a few of the possibilities for using this fleet tracking and fleet management technology.

First Responders

Lives are on the line when first responders are behind the wheel. No one wants to contemplate the possibility of delays for getting help when a loved one is in pain or your home is on fire.

Law enforcement officers, EMTs, and fire vehicles all need every edge they can get during emergencies. That’s when fleet tracking tools come in more than just extremely handy.  A GPS tracking device offers the ability to quickly navigate the most efficient (not to mention quickest) route to reach emergencies, help drivers avoid traffic problems along the way, and help save fuel consumption by minimizing idling times for drivers.

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GPS helps seniors get high-tech walking canes fit with wireless connection and Bluetooth technology. Clearly aimed at the elderly, this walking stick from Japan’s Fujitsu is a prototype equipped with GPS navigation features, health monitoring sensors, Bluetooth and wireless connectivity. Read the rest of this entry »

Image source: http://www.darpa.mil

The US army is in plans to reduce the dependence on GPS and find a replacement for it.

While GPS has been incredibly useful for the US army, other military sectors and for civilian use, an alternative is being sought. The US army wants to reduce the dependence they currently have on GPS technology with a new generation of technology for navigation and tracking purposes that won’t rely on satellites. One of those new technologies is a miniscule autonomous chip smaller than a face of a penny, as announced by the Pentagon research agency.

“The resulting chip is small enough and should be robust enough for applications when GPS is unavailable or limited for a short period of time such as personnel tracking, handheld navigation, small diameter munitions and small airborne platforms,” said said Andrei Shkel, DARPA program manager.

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Beef thief caught red-handed using a GPS tracking device in the palettes.

Food distribution companies are beginning to utilize GPS technology, and it is helping them recover lost product. Beef is one of the most expensive foods to purchase, therefore making it a target for thieves. Recently in Orange County, Florida, a group of thieves chose the wrong truck to rob.

Instead of stealing the beef from the truck, the men stole the entire refrigerated truck and ran off with it. With them, they took several thousands of dollars worth of beef. The truck was loaded with the beef in order to be delivered the next day, so the thieves knew it would be a perfect opportunity to take off with it. They stole the truck and left the meat in an unrefrigerated warehouse with the intention to sell it later at the black market.

Stealing beef happens more often than you might think, according to Brad Bateman of North South Foods. Each truck holds thousands of dollars of meat. As a meat broker with North South Foods, he told reporters stealing beef is a large business for these types of thieves, due to the large profit they can get. Another truck was stolen in Osceola County, that had around $250,000 worth of beef inside. Unfortunately, the truck was found empty in Seminole County several days later. Had they been using GPS trackers, it might have avoided the significant loss.

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