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Archive: GPS
July 2, 2008
GPS dog tracking collar
Garmin now has a GPS to keep track of your (hunting) dog... Interactive demo here.
Garmin introduces a completely redesigned GPS dog tracking collar for use with the Astro GPS Dog Tracking System. The new collar is more rugged and its antennas are positioned differently for optimal tracking."The new DC 30 collar is designed to stand up to the torturous abuse of hunting dogs. Whether it's hounds crashing through thick and swampy woods, or bird dogs bounding through dense CRP fields, the DC 30 is made to take the beating that working dogs dish out daily," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales. "And the new configuration also makes mounting the collar a cinch -- while improving reception."
The DC 30 collar's main housing is weighted to sit below the dog's neck, while a small, low-profile GPS antenna is integrated into the collar strap and positioned on top of the dog's neck, providing a clear view of satellites with minimal rotation. The transmitter antenna originates from the lower housing, and has been redesigned for more flexibility and ruggedness. No counterbalance or harness is needed. The weight for the transmitter plus antenna is 4.1 ounces, and the entire DC 30 weighs just 8.7 ounces.
Funny, we did a GPS dog project in March of 2005!
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 2, 2008 10:00 AM
GPS, News from the Future |
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June 30, 2008
GPS logging Arduino shield
Adafruit has released a GPS logging Arduino shield, freaking cool! Pop this on to an Arduino and you can make your own GPS logger, locative art projects & more! The kit is available here.
This shield requires a GPS module (sometimes called an "engine board" or "engine module") to receive the timecode data from GPS satelites. There are dozens of GPS modules on the market, each with slightly different specifications. The Adafruit GPS shield v1.0 supports 4 popular hobbyist modules and is geared specifically for the EM-406A: the required connector is already soldered on and ready to go. If you want to use a different module, check the parts list for the required connector as they are not included.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jun 30, 2008 12:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, GPS, Kits |
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May 24, 2008
Is this the "BIGGEST DRAWING IN THE WORLD" ? GPS self portrait
The site BIGGEST DRAWING IN THE WORLD details a GPS-briefcase trip throughout the world, creating a "drawing" which might the largest art piece ever created... via SparkFun.
As others have commented... this seems a little fishy, but it's possible.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
May 24, 2008 09:00 AM
Arts, GPS |
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May 14, 2008
Butterfly GPS shows you the way
This "Butterfly GPS" device was built with an ATmega169 microcontroller, a GPS receiver board based on the SiRF chipset, and an LCD screen that reads out the data in real-time as location, date and time. Very simple construction and nice details on how it was built at the PDF link below.
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
May 14, 2008 06:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, GPS |
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May 8, 2008
Maker Faire wrap up @ SparkFun Electronics and new stuff...
Our friends at SparkFun Electronics have a fun Maker Faire wrap up and have some new things in stock... At Maker Faire I joked with Nathan the CEO, that SparkFun should do a credit card with a loyalty program, I'd totally trade miles for transistors.
Here are some of their latest products that looked interesting to me...
The AVR-GSM.
Series 2.5 XBee module with Wire antenna.
The GPS stick.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
May 8, 2008 10:00 AM
Electronics, GPS, Maker Faire |
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April 23, 2008
Open GPS tracker
Mike writes in about his super-cool Open GPS Tracker.
Here is the simplest build-it-yourself GPS tracker yet. No expensive GSM module required - I am using the $20 GoPhone from WalMart or Target. Uses a 14-pin AVR microcontroller, a voltage regulator, a transistor, a GPS module 2 inches across, and that's it. My open source firmware can track objects automatically or manually. Has a programmable command interpreter that can sense or control pretty much anything by text messaging.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Apr 23, 2008 10:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, GPS |
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February 12, 2008
Build a vehicle tracker on the cheap
Here's a how-to on building a low cost vehicle tracker using the Telit GM862-GPS module. The GM862-GPS is a hardware module that supports connections on local GSM networks as well as GPS signals. In addition, this device supports a Python interpreter which allows for easy interfacing to build a simple tracker. Lots of info at the below link.
Developing a vehicle tracker - Link
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Feb 12, 2008 09:00 AM
GPS |
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January 9, 2008
Uber tracker and GPS eval boards...
Some new GPS action over @ SparkFun -
It's not quite small enough to track your cat, but the Uber Tracker is a beast of a product. This device may seem simple enough: get GPS coordinates and broadcast those coordinates over the cellular network - but it's so much more! The Uber Tracker has open firmware and hackability. It's also completely PTCRB and FCC certified meaning it is fully licensed to operate on any GSM network in North America. Configure the unit, power it up, and you'll get an update every few minutes of the device's position to your phone, your website, or your SQL database. Could you track your car? Sure. Ever wonder where your donated clothing goes? What about biological samples? It's 'big brother' - but you get to play the older sibling's role.SparkFun Electronics - Link.
The evaluation board using the ET312 SiRF III GPS receiver is finally done! This board will allow you to play with this very small but powerful GPS receiver.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 9, 2008 09:00 AM
Electronics, GPS, Kits |
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January 3, 2008
Cherry Blossoms - Baghdad in Boston
Cherry Blossoms by Alyssa Wright writes -
Cherry Blossoms is a backpack that uses a small microcontroller and a GPS unit. Recent news of bombings in Iraq are downloaded to the unit every night, and their relative location to the center of the city are superimposed on a map of Boston. If the wearer walks in a space in Boston that correlates to a site of violence in Baghdad, the backpack detonates and releases a compressed air cloud of confetti, looking for all the world like smoke and shrapnel. Each piece of confetti is inscribed with the name of a civilian who died in the war, and the circumstances of their death.Cherry Blossoms - [via] Link & more.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 3, 2008 01:40 PM
Arts, GPS |
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December 19, 2007
iPhone GPS addon
This looks like a really interesting iPhone GPS addon! -
The iphone locoGPS module allows jail broken iphones to finally have GPS functionality. This module is in development and will be shipping in February. All software is open source and more applications are being written every day. The locoGPS module gives you the ability to explore all the benefits of GPS from a device that is small enough to put on a keychain.iPhone GPS addon - [via] Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Dec 19, 2007 08:00 AM
Cellphones, GPS |
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October 5, 2007
FRIDA V. bicycle takes geographic notes as you ride
The FRIDA V. (Free Ride Data Acquisition Vehicle) combines a normal bicycle with a tactical mapping toolkit that includes a compact computer, GPS receiver, wireless 802.11 transceiver, and an audiovisual recording unit. This makes the bike a perfect human-powered war driving vehicle and real-time mapping system. All of the open source software and hardware design for the bike can be downloaded from the Wiki (link below).
FRIDA V. Wiki - Link
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Oct 5, 2007 05:00 AM
GPS |
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October 1, 2007
Active Belt buzzes you in the right direction
Next time you get lost, you might wish you were wearing the "Active Belt". Consisting of seven pager motors and a GPS unit, this prototype will buzz you in the right direction (forward, back, right left) in order to direct you towards your destination. Let's just hope the porn industry doesn't get a hold of it first.
ActiveBelt: Belt-type Wearable Tactile Display for Directional Navigation Link
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Oct 1, 2007 12:54 PM
GPS |
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September 28, 2007
MicroDrones with hand motion control
Video of cool of German-made four-prop micro-drones with such features as hand-motion control, GSM networked communications (swarms!), GPS mapping, mounted cameras, and more.
MicoDrone - Link
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Sep 28, 2007 06:00 AM
Flying, Gadgets, GPS |
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September 12, 2007
Raising an old OnStar GPS unit from the dead
In this PopSci "Void Your Warranty" piece, MAKE contributing writer Dave Prochnow shows you how to use an old OnStar GPS unit on a laptop computer with free software, no subscription required.
Raising GPS from the Dead - Link
Related:
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Sep 12, 2007 08:00 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics, GPS, Mobile |
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September 11, 2007
Tactical coordinate suppression
Here's an interesting piece of arty annoyanceware, a GPS jammer that finds your coordinates (via GPS) only after you find a place and stand still (switched by a motion sensor), then the device jams the waypoint for everybody else. The concept of the device is to help you find you a place of solitude and then its blots out the spot electronically, so that others can't find it.
GPS-HOG - 2007 - Link
Related:
- Modifying a cheap portable cellphone jammer - Link
- The World's Simplest Radio Jammer - Link
- Wave Bubble - Open source Wi-Fi, cellphone, GPS and ... - Link
- Turn off TV week - Link
Personal cell phone signal blocker device ($48 - not sure what's up with this company, proceed with caution) - Link.
Wavebubble open source RF jammer - Link.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Sep 11, 2007 04:00 PM
Arts, DIY Projects, Electronics, Gadgets, GPS |
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August 31, 2007
Solar bike and blog tour of Germany
Steve Paine, a.k.a. Chippy, is a Brit living in Germany. He's currently on a bike trip, along the Rhein River, which he's blogging about using a UMPC (Ultra-Mobile PC) and portable solar tech. Those geeks in the house who are as ancient as I am will remember Steve Roberts, the "high-tech nomad," who took net-connected, solar-powered bike trips in the computing Jurassic of the 1980s. As you might image, the gear has gotten decidedly more svelte since then. Details of the tech "Chippy's" is using can be found on his blog.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 31, 2007 07:00 AM
Bicycles, Electronics, Gadgets, GPS, Green, Mobile |
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August 23, 2007
Embed a google map
View Larger Map...
You can now embed a Google map in a page, just like a video (Youtube, etc)... For all our Burner friends, have a great time next week, welcome home and here's a map from last year! - [via] Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Aug 23, 2007 02:00 AM
GPS, Online |
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August 21, 2007
Developing a vehicle tracker with the Telit GM862-GPS module
Nick writes -
You recently put up a link to Alex's Mobile GPS tracker article - it used an extra microcontroller which was not strictly necessary since the GM862-GPS features an inbuilt Python interpreter. My article describes the process for developing with Python on the GM862-GPS, and also includes the source code for an application that allows the tracker units position to be queried / reported back via SMS.Developing a vehicle tracker with the Telit GM862-GPS module - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Aug 21, 2007 08:00 AM
DIY Projects, GPS |
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August 20, 2007
AVR based GPS tracker...
Here's a neat AVR - GPS - cell phone tracker project...
This project is about GPS tracing. it works as follows:GPS-TRACE - Link.
- GPS traces the position of the device via satelite
- Somebody (who wants to know the position) calls the number of the GSM-Module
- The Microcontroller noticed the call and ask the position which is stored in a global var
- The Microcontroller sends a command to the GSM-Module to send a SMS with position information back to the caller.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Aug 20, 2007 02:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, GPS |
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August 9, 2007
DARPA Urban Challenge semi-finalists announced
Today, DARPA announced the 36 semi-finalists for its Urban Challenge autonomous vehicle competition. The top 20 teams from the National Qualifying Event (to be held Oct. 26-31) will move on to the Urban Challenge final event on November 3. Teams will compete for cash prizes worth $2 million for first, $1 million for second, and $500,000 for third place.
DARPA Urban Challenge Home - Link
Press release (PDF) with list of semi-finalists - Link
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 9, 2007 08:00 PM
Electronics, Events, GPS, Robotics, Transportation |
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Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
Tel: 707-827-7311
Gareth Branwyn
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