149Geospatial on NPR

2006-02-25T15:09:45Z

Interesting story this morning on NPR's Weekend Edition about coordinate reference systems and emergency response. Dan Charles did a nice job explaining how useful the National Grid (Hey, what do you know: Plone) is to helicopter-borne National Guardsmen, and how little use it is to someone driving a squad car or ambulance on network of streets. The conventional street address is just a better match for the topology.

Comments

1Re: Geospatial on NPR

Mark Whitney, 2006-03-05T07:25:53Z

"and how little use it is to someone driving a squad car or ambulance on network of streets" What is this part of Sean's statement based upon? Given the lack of implementation, how would anyone know? Given it's very valuable use to many thousands responding to disaster areas, and at least one percent of USA fire departments pre-911 for everyday use (same FD frequency as individual versions lat/long).... Similar system in Great Britain widespread..., is it "how little use" or is it "the extreme lack of leadership in USA government regarding a universal map reference has thus far kept it's usefulness from being fully realized, therefore recognized or even remotely known"?

2Re: Geospatial on NPR

Sean, 2006-03-05T12:32:28Z

In a automobile, you are pretty much constrained to one dimension, and people still think in terms of "turn right on sycamore, left on oak, ..." because it really works. I'm not saying the national grid isn't useful, just that it doesn't help automobile navigation.

3Re: Geospatial on NPR

Mark Whitney, 2006-03-12T16:40:53Z

Just saw my first TV commercial where the nav system in the vehicle was voice controlled. I'm driving down the road non-disaster/non-emergency, all street signs are present and accounted for, a friend calls me to invite me to a picnic using “0044 9732” (and just to be high-tech a few years from now..., nav system automatically computes for nearest grid/prompts for 100k id if different, then routes...), just repeating that simple 10 meter geoaddress..., with no worries re. street number and accuracy of geocodes, especially in rural areas, nor street names, multiple same city…, avenue, way, circle, route, hwy.... Of course, my friend could include a place name, street address... in voice or other commo should needs be, but with grid first communications, the future of location service devices, this would become a valuable advisory….. Mark "In a automobile, you are pretty much constrained to one dimension, and people still think in terms of "turn right on sycamore, left on oak, ..." because it really works. I'm not saying the national grid isn't useful, just that it doesn't help automobile navigation."

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