While writing about GPS-based navigation enabled cell phones, Katie Fehrenbacher remarks that such technology could have saved James Kim. The area is so isolated, I understand there were no cell radio coverage in that area. Still, one could use cell phones as a limited Personal Locator Beacons. For this, we just have to equip rescue planes/helicopters with a small sized base stations that could try to pick up cell phone signals from people in dustress. After all, we are told that in the case of Kims, they could hear the planes flying above them. Planes equipped with such base stations would have heard their cell phones. Taking a step further, three such planes flying in formation could have even pin-pointed their exact location.
Posted by aswath at December 8, 2006 06:56 PM
Good point. I think she meant GPS for not getting lost. The current example would have been of no use though.
Posted by: Venkatesh at December 8, 2006 07:24 PM