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 Technology News | February 2007 
Seen & Heard
 GPS World
Mexico to Equip Illegals with GPS
The government of Mexico plans to issue about 200,000 GPS tracking devices to illegal immigrants planning to cross the border this year into the U.S., reported the Sunday Telegraph.
According to the U.K. newspaper, a Mexican university is developing the locators, which would be given to migrants for free, once they register their intentions with the government. Each year, hundreds of Mexicans die trying to sneak illegally into the U.S., often led by a guide — dubbed a "coyote" — who will take a payment of $2,000 to $10,000 per person, then strand any immigrants in the desert who lag behind. Those who get lost or fall sick during the dangerous four-day crossing will be able to activate the device, alerting Border Patrol agents on both sides of the border.
"There are lots of people looking to cross and we are working with the U.S. authorities to make sure they do not die on the way," said Jaime Obregon, migrant coordinator in the Mexican state of Puebla, as quoted by the Telegraph.
But according to All Headline News, U.S. officials see the move as a protest against Washington's efforts to build a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border to curb the growing problem of "undocumented workers."
GPS in ATMs Not Always Helpful
Small ATM machines — the type in most convenience stores — make attractive targets for thieves, who can cart the entire box away. They may not realize some are equipped with a GPS locator, however. In Livermore, California, a would-be thief was caught with an ATM machine taken from a bar in his pickup truck, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
Where does GPS fit in? If the thief hasn't yet broken into the box, it can definitely be helpful in finding the stolen cash. Otherwise, it leads law-enforcement officials straight to an ATM "carcass." Because of this, as well as the cost, GPS technology hasn't been widely adopted by ATM makers, according to ATM Marketplace.
"To date, we have seen relatively few independent deployers use GPS," said Mark Coons, president of American Special Risk, an ATM insurance company. "GPS has merit for sure, but the type of GPS and other factors all must be considered."
GPS Blocks Bad Pork
Pork-transport trucks in Taiwan now have GPS tracking devices to prevent diseased pork from being sent to feed-processing plants, according to The China Post. The policy, enacted in June 2006, is expected to prevent about 30,000 metric tons of diseased pork from entering the market every year. Following reports of unscrupulous traders selling diseased pork to restaurants and food processors, the compulsory installation of GPS on the 125 licensed trucks that transport dead pigs was adopted to facilitate monitoring and ensure the diseased animals are sent to designated processing plants.
Girl Gives GPS to Red Cross
The Red Cross of Green Bay, Wisconsin, received an unlikely gift from an 11-year-old girl: A new GPS unit. Inspired by her mother's volunteer work, Katherine Mirhashemi raised money and made the $450 equipment donation hoping to give the Green Bay chapter's disaster relief truck an added edge, reports WBAY-TV. "It's to help the Red Cross fight fires faster," she explained. Red Cross volunteers can use the units when responding to victims in need, especially house fires late at night in the country where the road signs aren't always clear. |
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