Computer Sciences Corporation is launching its new global Location Object Field Tracking (LOFT) solution at the 2008 Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race, Feb. 17-24. It will give fans a unique “bird’s eye view” of the race by tracking all of the riders and teams online throughout the duration of the eight-day, 650-mile race.
The location-based service was designed to help organizations to visualize people, vehicles and infrastructure anywhere on Earth. CSC’s Location Object Field Tracking (LOFT), debuted at the 2007 Tour de France.
.jpg)
Riders and cars carry GPS devices so fans can follow the action, in real time, online. The technology goes beyond blips on a map.
Cycling fans get a representational view of the tracker with Google Maps or Google Earth at CSC’s OmniLocation Web site. Avatars display each tracked rider or car, and as a computer cursor hovered near or over the moving avatar, the rider’s name and speed can be displayed. In addition, by clicking on the rider’s name on the list, his full profile appeared from the official Team CSC Web site.
Depending on the situation and availability of communication, LOFT uses cellular, satellite, Wi-Fi or WiMax with Web 2.0 methods for analysis and presentation.
CSC is the official information technology partner and a “founding partner” of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California, and is a primary sponsor of Team CSC, “the number one pro-cycling team in the world”.
The CSC website uses Google Maps while the Amgen Tour of California website is using a Yahoo!Maps interface.
In a related area, companies like Global Traffic Technologies have developed “intelligent transportation systems,” using arrays of sensors embedded in and around roadways that relay traffic and RFID information to transportation officials as well as the electronic signs describing traffic conditions.
Highway smart card projects such as the Freedom Card are evolving into “the future” of fare collection: Sensors that allow the use of “contactless” bank cards.
Related DailyWireless articles include; Geocoding Content & Telemetry, GPS Tracking: In a Shoe, On a Bike, Wireless GPS Camera, New Smartphones from HTC, Polar Flight Telemetry, Happy GIS Day!, GPS Sports Workout Phone, Photo Lat/Long via WiFi, Cingular 8525, Tiny Trackers, Nokia Webtablet Navigator, Marathon Woman, GPS Dog Collar, GPS Watch & Tracker, EZ Photo Mapping, Bluetooth Watch Monitors Elderly, Sat Phone Road Trip and Where 2.0.
