GPS: Changing Lives Part 1

GPS has changed our lives in so many ways. Although it was only finished in 1994, it has already proven invaluable in emergency services and in the military. In Operation Desert Storm, it was used extensively. Armed forces were able to successfully navigate the desert, which was miles of featureless sand. Soldiers were able to get to areas and maneuver in the night when the Iraqi troops who lived there couldn't. According to The Aerospace Corporation, more than 9,000 GPS units were used in the Gulf region before the end of the war. Every wing of the military made use of GPS; from soldiers on the ground to vehicles and helicopters. Navy ships, as well as bombers, used GPS to mine-sweep and rendezvous.

As I explained in a previous article, GPS was developed for the military. However, new uses of it are constantly being found. Emergency services now use GPS for a number of purposes. GPS receivers in emergency vehicles allow call-centers to determine which police cruiser, ambulance, or fire-truck is closest to the emergency. These valuable seconds can mean life or death in some situations. In 2002 when miners were trapped in a mine in Sumerset, Pennsylvania, GPS allowed rescuers to drill to a shaft and save the miners. Even the idea behind GTX Corp. was a response to an emergency situation! Tomorrow, I'll discuss more ways that GPS changing how we live.