random dawn things
Sometimes I have the strangest, and most useful ideas around dawn. I have an idea for a kind of wireless mesh network to alert gps navigation units in cars. Just as series of repeaters with mobile transmitters that police and construction crews can use to alert the network that sections of road are closed, lanes are closed, or that speed limits adjusted. This would allow gps units to adjust their plotted course as appropriate.
The problem comes with commuters. If you drive the same route every day you don't really want to hear a little box telling you how far until your next turn every hundred yards. I wouldn't even want to go to the trouble of telling it where I'm going. I probably know half a dozen different ways to get into baltimore. gps units need to be smarter, they need to be able to figure out what areas you are familiar with and shut up. I know my way around hampden pretty well, but when they shutdown Falls road, 36th street, and cold spring road for a parade, then I could use a little help.
GPS units need some predictive algorithms that can figure out if you're going to one of your common destinations based on where you started, where you are, time of day, and the day of the week.
so the hardware update to GPS units, to take care of the road alert system, would only cost $20-$30. The whole familiar territory and common destination prediction thing could probably just be wrapped into a firmware update. Depending on how stingy they were with the processors, the units might be powerfull enough to handle it right now.
The problem comes with commuters. If you drive the same route every day you don't really want to hear a little box telling you how far until your next turn every hundred yards. I wouldn't even want to go to the trouble of telling it where I'm going. I probably know half a dozen different ways to get into baltimore. gps units need to be smarter, they need to be able to figure out what areas you are familiar with and shut up. I know my way around hampden pretty well, but when they shutdown Falls road, 36th street, and cold spring road for a parade, then I could use a little help.
GPS units need some predictive algorithms that can figure out if you're going to one of your common destinations based on where you started, where you are, time of day, and the day of the week.
so the hardware update to GPS units, to take care of the road alert system, would only cost $20-$30. The whole familiar territory and common destination prediction thing could probably just be wrapped into a firmware update. Depending on how stingy they were with the processors, the units might be powerfull enough to handle it right now.