Researchers and engineers from the University of South Florida have been awarded a patent that could see the public better informed about crime and disasters than ever before.  The patent (US8045954) covers a system that would enable governments to crowdsource crime fighting as well as laser target disaster announcements to mobile phones using a GPS aware app.

The patent summary does a good job of, well, summarizing the patent:

A method of providing emergency related information to and from a centralized location over a wireless network. The method utilizes cellular phones in emergency communications and entails two embodiments that employ location-aware technologies, in portable form, in security applications. One embodiment serves as a modern high-tech “neighborhood watch,” enabling law enforcement access to the many “eyes and ears” of the public simultaneously via available cell phones. Cell phones with embedded digital cameras allow the instant capture and remote submission of suspicious circumstances to law enforcement through pictures or video.

The idea of crowdsourcing crime fighting data certainly isn’t new. Sites like HarrassMap (which seems very popular) and apps like Fight Back (which seems to have gotten no traction at all) have been around for a while now, but it still is a great idea – especially when combined with information delivered through photos or videos can be added to the equation.

A world where average citizens could aid police in finding an abducted child, or a suspected murderer, or a bank robber is certainly a safer one.

The app would also have incredible power to contact cell phone users with laser targeted data in case of an emergency. Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires – all pose a very real threat to human life. An app like this could be instrumental in discovering those who are trapped or injured. It could even be useful in directing individuals and families to the closest shelter, communicating important shelter rules like whether pets are allowed or if people with special needs can be accommodated comfortably.

The group we have to thank for this are:

• Sean Barbeau, CUTR research associate and Computer Science and Engineering doctoral candidate
• Philip Winters, Director of Transportation Demand Management Program at CUTR
• Rafael Perez, computer science and engineering professor
• Miguel Labrador, associate professor of computer science and engineering
• Nevine Georggi,CUTR Senior Research Associate

The patent was filed all the way back in August of 2006 but was not granted until October 2011. There appears to have no known current deployment of the technology patented.

Sources: Tampa Bay Online, USF News, US Patent 8,045,954

The interwebs are up in arms about what many bloggers are calling the “avoid the ghetto” feature described in a recent Microsoft GPS patent.

Reaction has almost universally been negative, but does seem to vary in degrees based upon how much of the actual patent writers and commentators have actually read.

For example, Ross Kenneth Urken of Aol Autos thinks the patent is about helping motorists stay out of the ghetto while driving. He writes,

Microsoft’s newly-patented “avoid ghetto” app for GPS devices aims to help motorists steer clear of unsafe neighborhoods, but the concept’s controversial nature has garnered ire from critics.

This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the Microsoft patent which deals with pedestrian travel – not car traffic.

Just read the patent summary for yourself (I’ve highlighted key sentences for easy skimming)

The following discloses a simplified summary of the specification in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the specification. This summary is not an extensive overview of the specification … Its sole purpose is to disclose some concepts of the specification in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is disclosed later.

Conventional route generation systems obtain data from various sources and generate a direction set to be used by a person operating an automobile. A user commonly inputs a starting location and an intended destination in addition to travel constraints (e.g., to avoid highways, minimum travel time, minimal travel distance, or minimal gas consumption); based upon inputted information, a travel route is generated. However, there are numerous difficulties in translating vehicle (e.g., automotive) route generation to pedestrian travel. For instance, a pedestrian can commonly traverse terrain that is more rugged then many vehicles (e.g., climbing steep and rocky hills); conversely, a pedestrian can become more susceptible to environmental influence, such as from cold temperatures.

The disclosed innovation produces routes that are intended to be taken by a pedestrian. A gather component obtains information related to intended pedestrian travel and a generation component produces a route based upon at least part of the obtained information. Commonly, the pedestrian route is produced based off security information, weather information, terrain information, or a combination thereof. Various features can integrate with route presentment, such as integrating an advertisement targeted to a pedestrian with a direction set.

A large amount of focus in route generation has focused upon vehicle route generation and little attention has been paid to pedestrian route production. Since a large number of individuals travel by vehicle, application to pedestrian travel has been ignored. However, there has been a long felt need for route generation towards individuals that do not commonly travel by vehicle–for instance, many economically challenged areas are populated with individuals that do not own motorized vehicles and generally travel by walking. In addition, unexpected results can take place through practice of the disclosed innovation. As an illustration, a pedestrian could arrive at a location faster than if she traveled in a vehicle by taking more direct paths, yet a vehicle commonly travels much faster. Due to detailed route planning, a direction set can be created that allows a user to take more diverse paths that can compensate for a general lack of speed.

In case you just skipped the quote, the patent is essentially about how to navigate on foot while taking into account factors that might be particularly important to pedestrians, like weather or mugging statistics or changes in elevation. This is not a patent about driving a car.

Most people are fine with the idea of using weather and topographical data to help make their walking experiences better. What most people object to is the use of “security information” to determine the flow of pedestrian traffic.

Katie Rogers, reporting at the Washington Post, isn’t convinced that a GPS feature that might use crime statistics to determine routing is helpful, especially to the communities that it steers foot traffic away from. She writes, “A phone feature that encourages users to avoid problem areas of a city — potentially hurting those areas’ reputations and economies in the process — may soon draw more controversy than it does accolades.”

Chris Matyszczyk of CNET is concerned about what type of crime stats Microsoft plans on using to determine secure and unsecure areas. While he concedes that data concerning muggings, assaults, and gunfire would be helpful he is concerned that the people at Microsoft will lump all crime data together – placing burglary right alongside more personal, violent crimes.

Similarly, Sarah E. Chinn, author of Technology and the Logic of American Racism and Associate Professor in the Department of English at Hunter College is reported by AOL Autos as hating the idea of this app, which she described as a “appalling.”  Again, the issue is what Microsoft is going to do with the “security information.”  Chinn is quoted as saying, “Of course, an application like this defines crime pretty narrowly, since all crimes happen in all kinds of neighborhoods. I can’t imagine that there aren’t perpetrators of domestic violence, petty and insignificant drug possession, fraud, theft, and rape in every area.”

What seems so interesting about these comments is that they don’t seem to take into account Microsoft having employees who employ common sense. Why would anyone with even a small amount of sense think that incidents of insider trading ought to be included right along with rapes and muggings when determining a safe or unsafe walking route?

They also appear to not now about or reject crime mapping, a disciple that seeks to understand crime by mapping and analyzing crime incident reports.  A street that has a long history of muggings at certain times during the day should probably not be on your route during that time of day.  That just makes common sense.

In the end, the uproar about the patent is overblown and probably a stunt to get an audience but has little basis in what probably is going to happen.  I just hope Microsoft doesn’t get scared by the brouhaha and actually develops the patent into a really good working product.

Sources: Technolog, US Patent, Aol Autos, Washington Post, CNET

A man was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property after the owner of a cell phone tracked it to a residence in Sacramento, California.

According to reports from KCRA, a news station in Sacramento, the unidentified victim reported his cell phone stolen through an online reporting form but then decided to take matters into his own hands by using the GPS tracking feature on his phone.

The app took the victim, and later police, to the 2900 block of Azevedo Drive where the phone was found and the suspect was arrested.

This is just another example of how stupid thieves can be to steal cell phones, especially smartphones with GPS in them.

Source: KCRA.com

Cell phones can sometimes house our most precious memories. One Florida mother is living with the reality of having these memories stolen from her and her terminally ill 3-year-old daughter.

Melissa Vazquez lost her phone while out on the town with some family members on Sunday, January 8th. She was at the Passion Nightclub at the Seminole Hardrock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida where several others have reported having their cell phones stolen out of their purses as they party.

The stolen phone is not what is causing this Florida mother so much grief. Ms. Vazquez explains:

I just want my memories back. That is all I want. [My daughter] lost her smile, I have pictures of her smiling. She lost the ability to speak, she was able to say Mama and Daddy. I have no memories of that now.

Ms. Vazquez’s daughter is unable to move, suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1. Her chances of living much longer are very slim and it only seems reasonable that a mother be united with the pictures and videos of her daughter.

Ms. Vazquez has tried everything to get the phone back. She enlisted her friends on Facebook to call and text the phone to plead with the thief to return at least the memory card. She has even turned over GPS tracking data to the police in the hope that they will be able to do something about the theft.

Source: WSVN.com

Waze announced today that they made a brilliant marketing move by partnering with ABC affiliated news networks to provide real-time traffic updates for traffic reporters around the country.  The navigation app, which can be used on iPhone, Android, Windows, Nokia, and Blackberry phones, already has 9 million users and is sure to grab some more as a result of the increased visibility.

According to reports, the deal includes 12 stations at launch, including KABC Los Angeles, KGO-TV San Francisco, and KFAA Dallas, and will come to include more stations in other markets.

The navigation app, which offers turn-by-turn voiced navigation and the ability for users to report traffic accidents and other important information for travelers, pools user data together to provide real-time traffic updates to its users.  This crowd-sourced information is accurate and up to date – exactly what news casters and news watchers want.

The power of Waze to improve traffic data and user commutes is already well established. L.A. boasts more than 450,000 Waze users, with the ABC7 Traffic Spotters group containing almost  3,400 active members.  Those numbers are sure to continue to rise, even in markets where the partnership has been active for months.  Waze, users, and the news networks are sure to all benefit as more and more data becomes available.  This is the power of crowdsourcing.

Waze stands to benefit by having daily, on-the-air product plugs and mentions and placement on news station websites that look like this:

Broadcaster get to use traffic data that matters, engage viewers in ways that increase loyalty and brand buy-in, and its free.

Users get richer and richer data and better alternate routes.

Sources: VentureBeat Mobile, TechCrunch

According to this ruling by the FCC all wireless providers and VoIP services are required to use GPS tracking technology to provide E911 services to their customers and the government. The idea behind the ruling is to create a more reliable and faster working location finding mechanism for people who are making distressed phone calls. The deadline for adhering to the new guidelines is going to be 2018.

The new ruling effectually requires that GPS exist in all devices by removing provisions for network-based tracking solutions.

With GPS already on the rise in the US market with the boom of smartphones there is little doubt that wireless carrier and cell phone manufacturers will be able to comply with this new standard. As it is, the FCC already estimates that 85% of cell phones will contain the necessary GPS technology by the proposed deadline.

The real problem associated with the ruling is VoIP technology. Programs like Skype or Google Voice will have to piggy back off of cell phone GPS tracking in order to comply with the order. When these programs are used on a device like an iPad, laptop, or desktop computer the issues can be compounded. Where will the location information come from?

2018 is still a long way off and there could be significant changes to VoIP technology as we approach the deadline, but most consumers stand to benefit from this move – it will mean more location based programs for cell phones for all users.

Here is a the summary from the FCC ruling:

In this document, the Commission continues to strengthen its existing Enhanced 911 (E911) location accuracy regime for wireless carriers by retaining the existing handset-based and network based location accuracy standards and the eight-year implementation period established in the September 2010 E911 Location Accuracy Second Report and Order but providing for phasing out the network-standard over time. We also require all Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers, launching new stand-alone networks, to comply with the handset-based location criteria, regardless of the location technology they actually use. In addition, we will require wireless carriers to periodically test their outdoor E911 location accuracy results and to share the results with Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), state 911 offices, and the Commission, subject to confidentiality safeguards.

Sources: TechCrunch, Electronista, InformationWeek

A 17 year old burglary suspect has an air tight case against him thanks to the GPS tracking bracelet he was wearing while committing two additional robbers.

Why he would commit the crimes while wearing the tracking device is anyone’s guess. Perhaps he enjoys being a criminal?

Here is the report out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin from the Journal Sentinel:

According to a criminal complaint, Christopher Terrell Gipson, 17, was out on bail in connection with another robbery and was wearing a GPS bracelet.

In addition to wearing the electronic tracking device, which records his location every 10 minutes, he was ordered not to commit any other crimes.

But he an another man, David D. Young, 18, were charged last week with operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent and two counts of armed robbery party to a crime in connection with some new charges.

Although police arrested the men, the GPS bracelet recorded Gipson and his exact time and locations at the scene of the robberies in the area of the 5200 block of N. 60th St. and at 91st and Custer streets, the complaint says.

Gipson and Young also admitted to police that the two had committed the robberies together, according to the complaint.

While the bracelet used was not a real time tracker, the evidence that it gathered for the police was invaluable. Thankfully, there was no violence involved and no one was hurt in their criminal activity. Perhaps if there were, they might have a legislator pushing for real time tracking for criminals.

This is just one of the many things that passive GPS tracking can accomplish when used by the government to watch criminals.

In the wake of recent tragedy, one Virginia legislator is looking to GPS tracking technology for a solution. According to reports out of Martinsville, Virginia, Del. Ward Armstrong is going to be proposing a bill to the Legislature that will bring real time GPS tracking for certain types of criminals.

Here is the report from the Martinsville Bulletin:

He also will introduce a bill so that a person who violated a protective order could be required by court order to wear a GPS tracking device. That way, the person who took out the protective order or police would be aware when the person who violated the order was nearby, Armstrong said.

This is an interesting move and could be fraught with privacy concerns – let alone overcoming the logistic and financial hurdles that the technology’s limitations will impose upon law enforcement officials.

The key to the privacy concerns would be giving the criminals location to the person who took out the protective order against the criminal. What right do they have to know the position of any person? Also, would they need to have a GPS installed on themselves as well to let them know when the criminal is near them? This would increase the effectiveness of the system but would double the costs associated with the use of the tracking system.

Then there is the issue of battery life – a know limitation of real time GPS tracking systems. How would the police ensure that the device is well charged? Many small, real time tracking devices have an estimated battery life of a few days of dormant tracking, and only a few hours of active tracking. This means that the criminals would need to be recharging their batteries every few days. Will a parole officer oversee this? This is will cost money – more money than is currently being spent on this type of criminal.

It GPS tracking the answer for this issue? The State of Virginia is going to decide if this legislation makes it to the floor.

OK Go has created a new video where they utilize a GPS tracking app to spell out their name in the city of Los Angelos. Here’s the video:

The app is Range Rover Pulse of the City and is available on iTunes.

If you are looking to keep your baby Jesus safe this Christmas season then reports that the New York based security company, BrickHouse Securtrity, is loaning tracking systems for this very purpose is like the sound of Santa’s sleigh to a 6-year-old’s ears.

Hooligans across the country are facing stiffer resistance from churches who are now turning to help from above to keep their baby Jesus safe. No, they are not turning to prayer and the actual Jesus who is seated at the right hand of his Father in heaven. Instead they are getting help from GPS satellites and small tracking devices installed inside the Jesus doll.

These tracking devices are activated upon movement and send out their information wirelessly over cell phone networks that blanket out nation like a snuggie on a cold winter night. These trackers work in real time, providing the location of the baby Jesus through the power of GPS tracking technology.

Word of mouth is getting out that GPS tracking devices are being installed in these Jesus and thieves seem to be staying away. Perhaps they are not devoted enough to their trade in order to use a GPS jammer?

Either way, BrickHouse is getting some great PR (who wouldn’t want to be a company that is seen protecting Jesus?) and churches are protecting themselves from petty vandalism.

If you are a hooligan with absolutely no respect for religious people, Jesus, or God then you might want to rethink your ideas about stealing a baby Jesus – the sweet little 8 pound 6 oz baby Jesus – from a manger set up in front of a church. You just might get caught!