10 Ways GPS Can Improve Your Life

Technology is often touted as a negative aspect of life, and as we sit glued to our smart devices, it is apparent how this can be true. However, GPS is one area of technology that has very little drawbacks. It can help you with directions, finding things (or people) that are lost, and it can be a fun way to geotag photography and other activities to provide another element to memory creations.

GPS: Global Positioning System is controlled by the U.S. Air Force and gives the geolocation of any receiver anywhere on Earth so long as the receiver has an unobstructed line of sight to 4 satellites or more.

10 Ways GPS Can Improve Your Life

1. Finding the Elderly

No offense to the elderly, but as we all age, there is a risk for dementia that coincides with a risk of getting lost. Too many times, elderly individuals who are no longer able to take care of themselves wander off their loved one’s property only to get lost and never be found again.

Now, you can track your elderly relative or loved one by adding a geofence. It sends you a notification any time they leave a location beyond a certain predetermined perimeter. This is not to limit the freedom of the elderly. It instead affords them the freedom to wander outside without the need for supervision. GPS receivers can be placed in jewelry, watches, or even in the soles of the shoes to make sure they are worn with comfort.

2. Keep Your Children Safe

Similar to tracking your elderly loved one, your children are at risk of getting lost or abducted, but this risk can be alleviated some with GPS trackers. They can be placed in clothing, backpacks, or on the person, so you know where your child is at all times.

Some of these devices are very sophisticated as far as options go, and you may be able to listen or communicate through them. The only downfall is that some have monthly service fees like a cell phone, but it is worth it.

3. Locate Your Car

Real time GPS trackers can keep track of your car no matter who is behind the wheel. While we don’t advise this for spying on your partner, it can have many spy-type option for your teenagers. It also comes in handy if your car is stolen, as law enforcement may be able to locate the vehicle more quickly.

4. Finding Your Pet

If you have a cat or dog who seems to be able to escape no matter what you do, then you need a GPS tracker. This is especially true if you live outside of the city limits. GPS trackers can ensure that you know to where your little escape artist has wandered.

5. Tracking Your Photography

A geo tag is an electronic tag that lets a person know where a certain event was documented. This is like checking in to a location on Facebook, but it can also be done with photography. A small gadget can be attached to your camera, so you’ll know where every picture took place.

6. Navigation

This is probably the most commonly known use for GPS, and modern GPS don’t just give you a map and tell you directions. They give you alternative routes and notify you of traffic. Navigation may not seem like a big thing if you don’t venture outside of your own town very often. If you are a traveler, it allows you to go anywhere and navigate like a pro.

7. Don’t Get Lost

Navigation is not just for the roads. When you are hiking through the woods, it can be even more valuable. You don’t have to be actively involved with your GPS to use it effectively in the wilderness. It can simply track your footsteps, and you can reserve it for use only if you get lost.

8. Go on a Treasure Hunt

Geocaching, geodashing, and other GPS games can have you on an epic adventure set up to simply get you out into the world. You may have played Pokémon as an app on your smartphone. This game uses GPS to locate you along with Assistive GPS through Wi-Fi. These sorts of games are one example of technology making people more active.

9. Marking Spots

There are a million reasons to mark spots. Fisherman may mark their favorite fishing hole, or a hiker may mark a perfect viewpoint. However, you can mark your favorite shopping place or share a location in a park in which to meet a friend. GPS definitely makes it easy to communicate location to yourself and others.

10. Emergency Services

Lastly, when you call emergency services for any reason, they can locate you via GPS on your phone. This is invaluable if you don’t know exactly where you are or if you aren’t able to communicate clearly. It will help to get your emergency resolved sooner.

GPS is valuable technology, and there are many ways to make use of it. It is getting more available and smaller, so you can locate nearly anything on which you place a GPS receiver. It truly can improve one’s life.