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Photos: GPS lost and found

Global Positioning System technology, less expensive yet more complex than ever before, is navigating its way into everyday usage.
By Bill Detwiler, Contributor
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Magellan RoadMate

Magellan's RoadMate 760 (top) and RoadMate 300 Global Positioning System navigation devices are designed for use in cars and trucks. What sets them apart from other aftermarket automobile GPS systems? Because they don't require a permanently installed base station, they can be taken from car to car.

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WayPoint 200 National Edition

The WayPoint 200 National Edition gives step-by-step directions and has flash memory capacity large enough to hold all U.S. maps.

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Garmin International Nuvi 350

Garmin International is marketing its Nuvi 350 as a personal travel assistant. The GPS system has a 3.5-inch color screen and can play MP3s. Other travel-oriented add-ons include photo viewing, and text and voice translation. Garmin also says the device can use radio weather and traffic reports to reroute travelers.

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Cadillac STS sedans

These two prototype Cadillac STS sedans, outfitted with wireless antennae and computer chips, can communicate with each other on the road. Global Positioning System antennae are the third component that completes the vehicle-to-vehicle V2V system, but GPS comes standard in the in-production Cadillac.

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Cadillac STS sedan

Inside the Cadillac STS sedan, augmented with a wireless communication system. The dashboard includes a digital display that shows icons whenever a car is within a quarter of a mile. The icon may change from green to yellow if the car comes within cautionary distance. If a collision seems likely, the icon will change to red, and the seat will begin to vibrate, alerting the driver to stop or change lanes. If turned on, an automatic breaking feature will stop the car immediately in such an event.

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AgentSheets prototype

A customized handheld device with a GPS module aims to help a person with cognitive disabilities catch a bus. Using prototype software from AgentSheets, it sends a prompt to get ready when the bus is approaching (left) and another when the bus is at the stop (right).

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Sandstorm

The Red Team from the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University recently broke a record by driving a robotic vehicle 200 miles around a race track. It's car, Sandstorm, was originally a 1986 HMMWV, or High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle. The vehicle ran in the 2004 DARPA challenge but has been re-equipped with a new engine, shocks and GPS sensors. Here, it's doing the "Pork Chop" maneuver.

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