We all know how a GPS works because we often use GPS technology to either find the nearest Arby’s or locate where we have parked our car. But did you know that your GPS technology can also be used to fend off a shark attack? Here are some other ways your GPS can be of use other than locating places and aiding inertial simulation:
Find your shark
Okay, so a GPS doesn’t accurately fend off sharks, but it can still help you avoid swimming among a school of ravenous sharks. What GPS technology does is that it locates the whereabouts of sharks that were tagged with GPS devices.
Scientists who have been studying sharks tagged around 50 great white sharks to study their travel patterns, feeding behavior, and their other aspects. Those scientists also equipped lifeguards with a way to detect if a shark is swimming too close to people. Whenever one of these sharks gets too close to a beach, its GPS device will send off an alarm that the lifeguard will receive. That lifeguard will then be able to warn swimmers that there is a shark in the water.
There are only a small number of sharks that were tagged with GPS devices, so no one can monitor the whereabouts of all sharks. Still, people can be tipped off about those sharks with GPS devices that come too close to public beaches.
Go on a treasure hunt
The next time you host a treasure hunt for your friends or family, use your GPS to make the game more exciting. Some people staged a treasure hunt and used their GPS devices to locate the items they need to find.
All you have to do is use your GPS to record the exact spot where you have buried your “treasure.” Then have your friends or family members figure out the coordinates of each item. You can use a puzzle they need to solve to get the coordinates. Or you could also give them a series of coordinates wherein they need to find one first to get to the next coordinate and so on and so forth until they reach the treasure.
Tracking your grandpa
People with dementia often get confused when they don’t recognize their environment. It can be so jarring for them that some of them will try to get out of that place even if it’s their house. There will be times when you have to check on the baby, forcing you to leave your grandfather or grandmother alone in the living room for a few minutes. When you return, you find that the front door is open and your grandparent is nowhere to be found.
But with the wonder of GPS technology, you can easily track your grandparent wherever he goes. Just attach a GPS device on his belt or cardigan sweater. Even if he scoots out of the front door without you noticing, you’ll be able to find them right away.
These are just some of the unusual ways GPS technology can be of use. If you think that your GPS device is only good for showing you where and how far the 405 is, then you’ll be amazed at how much this technology can do for you.
