[gps-talkusers] Re: A really interesting observation:
- From: "Chip Orange" <Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 17:04:23 -0400
Yes, it's getting more and more common for service folks to have a
laptop with gps receiver. They can have very high quality maps on cd,
and they often have some sort of wireless link back to the home office
so they receive job instructions as well as automatic routing on the
laptop, and are able to communicate current location and status back to
the home office.
One of my "wouldn't it be cool" ideas for this project of mine (which I
call TIPS for Travel Information Position System) would be for you to
have a wireless link, and a defined group of friends, so that you all
could know where each other were at any time. It's not at the top of
the list, but maybe someday ...
Another idea of mine is not just to allow the defining of locations of
points of interest, but categories, and free-form text descriptions (so
that you could type a note to yourself for instance that says to get to
sportswear, go up the eskilator and turn left). And of course, to allow
some web-based system for all users of this system to upload their files
of points of interest to create an ever-growing database that all can
download.
Controlling it while wearing it in a backpack is my biggest worry at the
moment. I have heard that the Sendaro product used an external keypad,
but unless I can find one with a belt clip or something I don't like the
idea of tying up your hands (which are often busy), so I think I'm going
to look into the voice command option first.
Oh well, got to get the basic one out there so I can hopefully get some
bright ideas from others interested in this approach as well.
Chip
=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx=20
> [mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mary=20
> Ellen Earls
> Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 6:09 PM
> To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: A really interesting observation:
>=20
> I have an ibm think pad T. series which we won't get into but=20
> I am fascinated by this because the guy who came to put in a=20
> new hard drive on this pc got here because of gps on his=20
> laptop and an Earthmate receiver.
> .
> I had one of the original Atlas Gps-talks on a laptop and=20
> probably would still have ithad it not for something=20
> happening to the laptop computer itself. I had loads of=20
> trouble with the thing and we were using the Magellan 310 on=20
> it. I wonder what using an earthmate on it might have been=20
> like. I do recall being told I was in a different city than I=20
> actually was by it.
> There was one section or road where I got absolutely no=20
> signal and the program just quit and it was one of the little=20
> lanes which opened off the streets in our village. Now, of=20
> course, I go back there with the bn and earthmate and=20
> sometimes the trekker and know where I am just fine with very=20
> little loss of any kind of signal.
> Interesting concept.
> By the way, you were the one who told me about the laptops=20
> with bays in them where you could remove components and=20
> replace them with different ones.
> Thanks.
> Mary Ellen Earls
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chip Orange" <Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 9:03 AM
> Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: A really interesting observation:
>=20
>=20
> > Mary Ellen,
> >
> > Yah, it's meant specifically for the blind who have laptops=20
> rather than
> > notetakers or pdas. The idea is that I put the software I write out
> > there for free, but you (the end user) still need to buy a mapping
> > program with data and a gps receiver to make it all work. =20
> Then you run
> > it on your laptop (which must have a screen reader and=20
> windows 2000 or
> > xp) much like you do on the BN.
> >
> > The mapping software I'm currently using is MapPoint from MS, and it
> > sells for about $300 retail, a little less if you find the right
> > discounter. The earthmate which can be used with laptops (the USB
> > version without batteries and a special serial cable needed=20
> by the BN)
> > sells for around $100, so if you already own a laptop you'd=20
> only be out
> > about $400.
> >
> > Lot's of planned limitations to this approach that I can't do much
> > about. You'll probably have to wear a backpack to carry=20
> the laptop, and
> > use an ear-plug or external speaker to hear the verbal=20
> reports. And it
> > will be verbal only, no plans for any braille support.
> >
> > I'm trying to design it so that you configure it once at=20
> startup as to
> > where you're going and what you want to hear along the way, then it
> > shouldn't need much in the way of input from you after=20
> that. My only
> > thought for providing input if you're wearing a backpack is=20
> a headset
> > and voice control, which I will explore someday, but=20
> certainly not on
> > the first release.
> >
> > Laptops tend to have relatively short battery life, so=20
> you'll have to
> > make efforts to conserve the batteries, buy and carry extra, or make
> > some other arrangements if you want to use it over a full day of
> > traveling.
> >
> > I'm thinking that something like the IBM thinkpad X series=20
> (which only
> > weighs 2.7 pounds, and I think gets 8 hours from a battery=20
> charge) would
> > be the perfect laptop for this experiment.
> >
> > That's the other thing, this is an experiment, done in my=20
> spare time, so
> > there wouldn't mbe much in the way of support. This is=20
> definitely for
> > your more adventurous types, or for those who already have=20
> a laptop, or
> > for those who feel a laptop is more useful to them than a
> > special-purpose notetaker or pda.
> >
> > I've written a prototype in a language that's interpreted, and it's
> > caused me to run up against some problems that I think can only be
> > solved by starting over in a different language, so I'll be=20
> rewriting in
> > vb.net.
> >
> > Would have started sooner, but, bad news at work about 9=20
> months ago; we
> > got hit with a mandate that we (the I.T. department) will work a lot
> > harder to get projects out a lot sooner or we'll be=20
> outsourced. Doesn't
> > make me want to do much with my pc when I'm finally at home. :(
> >
> > If I do get it rewritten in vb.net, I've had some offers of help for
> > support and future development from folks like Debee Norling, and so
> > I'll probably take a reasonably working version and turn it=20
> into an open
> > source project so anyone who wants can tinker with it.
> >
> > Not having done this before, I suspect that's a lot easier=20
> to do after
> > we've got something on the table to talk about than from=20
> the beginning.
> >
> > I'd be interested to hear any opinions good or bad as to=20
> advantages or
> > problems with the idea so far.
> >
> > Chip
> >
> > =3D20
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx=3D20
> > > [mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mary=3D20
> > > Ellen Earls
> > > Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 2:39 PM
> > > To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: A really interesting observation:
> > >=3D20
> > > Chip this is exactly the kind of road I live on.
> > > We call it Wooster Pike the state route is S. R. 50 and the=3D20
> > > bus rout is r.
> > > 128 and then you go about 3 miles from here and it changes to=3D20
> > > wooster road and another 2 miles from that it changes to=3D20
> > > Columbia Parkway and after you run through downtown=3D20
> > > Cincinnati and get to third street the route changes to=20
> Old rout 50.
> > > So in your program is this going to be something for the=3D20
> > > blind and visually impaired and what sort of device will it go on?
> > > Mary Ellen Earls who gets curiouser and curioser by the hour.
> > >=3D20
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Chip Orange" <Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 7:40 AM
> > > Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: A really interesting observation:
> > >=3D20
> > >=3D20
> > > > Mary Ellen,
> > > >
> > > > The term you're looking for is "reverse geocoding" and is a=3D20
> > > function of
> > > > the software and maps from Sendaro, not the receiver.
> > > >
> > > > To complicate the issue, most communities have stretches of=3D20
> > > roads that
> > > > are often known by more than one name (I travel one to work=3D20
> > > that has 3
> > > > names associated with it (or is it 4)), and so the one the=3D20
> > > map reports
> > > > to you may not be the one that the locals use to refer to it.
> > > >
> > > > In my gps navigation program I'm writing my maps give=3D20
> > > several names to
> > > > choose from for a road/address (in my example it's reported=3D20
> > > as U.S. 319,
> > > > Capitol Circle S.E., and if I remember right (S.R. 263=3D20
> > > (S.R. for state
> > > > road)), and it changes as you drive along. I've written my=3D20
> > > program to
> > > > find street names which are comprised of numbers and known=3D20
> > > abbreviations
> > > > (such as U.S. or S.R. or many others), which a map may=3D20
> > > list, but which
> > > > the locals don't usually use, and I move these names down=3D20
> > > to the bottom
> > > > of my preferred name list for a road so that when I report=3D20
> > > an address I
> > > > try to use the street name that the locals use (if the map=3D20
> > > data has it).
> > > >
> > > > Aside from this confusing multiple name issue, your map=20
> data may not
> > > > have the street your on (especially if it's new or very=3D20
> > > small), so the
> > > > software from Sendaro may cast about for the nearest street=3D20
> > > that it can
> > > > find.
> > > >
> > > > Hth,
> > > >
> > > > Chip
> > > >
> > > > =3D3D20
> > > >
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx=3D3D20
> > > > > [mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf=20
> Of Mary=3D3D20
> > > > > Ellen Earls
> > > > > Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 1:22 PM
> > > > > To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > Subject: [gps-talkusers] A really interesting observation:
> > > > >=3D3D20
> > > > > Hi guys!
> > > > > I have just completed one of my daily walks and we=20
> live in a=3D3D20
> > > > > small village and near the center of it is the inn.=20
> This is a=3D3D20
> > > > > lovely old building, very dignified and as I was=20
> passing my=3D3D20
> > > > > earthmate told me that I had poor 1 satellite.
> > > > > I thought that was extremely interesting and amazing =
that=3D3D20
> > > > > something that small would have the tenacity to hang in there.
> > > > > Now I am wondering with the new version coming out, =
will=3D3D20
> > > > > there be a way to more accurately for lack of a=20
> better way to=3D3D20
> > > > > put it, way to tell you at which address you are? As=20
> of now,=3D3D20
> > > > > if I were standing in front of my house, the bn gps =
says=3D3D20
> > > > > "near 6811 Wooster Pike, and the trekker is worse=20
> than that,=3D3D20
> > > > > it says "near 6801 Wooster Pike."
> > > > > Anyway to my knowledge there is no 6801 Wooster pike.
> > > > > Happy traveling, all!
> > > > > Mary Ellen Earls
> > > > >=3D3D20
> > > > >=3D3D20
> > > >
> > >=3D20
> > >=3D20
> > >=3D20
> >
>=20
>=20
>=20
Other related posts:
