Namuhla, sikuthatha kalula ukuthi idivayisi encane ephaketheni lethu ingakhomba indawo yethu ngqo noma yikuphi emhlabeni. Kodwa i-Global Positioning System (GPS) yakhiwa amashumi eminyaka, izalwa ngenxa yokushuba kwesimo seMpi Yomshoshaphansi kanye noMjaho womkhathi.
I-Sputnik Inspiration
Ngo-1957, iSoviet Union yethula iSputnik, isathelayithi yokuqala yokwenziwa. Ososayensi baseMelika ababelandelela i-Sputnik baphawule okuthile okuthakazelisayo: ngenxa yomphumela we-Doppler, imvamisa yamasignali omsakazo wesathelayithi yashintsha njengoba isondela futhi isuka kude. Baqaphela ukuthi uma bazi indawo yabo ngqo eMhlabeni, bangakwazi ukwenza imephu yomjikelezo wesathelayithi. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, ukube bebazi ukuzungeza kwesathelayithi okuyikonakona, bebengakwazi ukuthola indawo abakuyo ngqo eMhlabeni.
Iphrojekthi Yezempi
Kuwo wonke ama-1960s kanye nama-1970s, uMnyango Wezokuvikela wase-US wathuthukisa lo mqondo waba uhlelo oluqinile olwalubizwa ngokuthi i-Navstar GPS. Yayiklanyelwe ukusiza amasosha akhombe ngokunembile imicibisholo, aqondise ukunyakaza kwamasosha, futhi aqondise imikhumbi nezindiza. Isathelayithi yokuqala ye-GPS esebenzayo yethulwa ngo-1978.
Ukufinyelela Komphakathi kanye "Nokutholakala Okukhethiwe"
Ngo-1983, indiza yabagibeli yaseKorea Air Lines yadutshulwa ngemuva kokuduka ngephutha emkhathini weSoviet ngenxa yephutha lokuhamba. Ephendula, uMongameli uRonald Reagan wayala ukuthi i-GPS yenziwe itholakale ukuze isetshenziswe umphakathi ukuvimbela izinhlekelele ezizayo.
Kodwa-ke, amasosha ehlise ngamabomu isignali yezakhamuzi ohlelweni olwaziwa ngokuthi "Ukutholakala Okukhethiwe," okwenza i-GPS yomphakathi inganembile ngamamitha angaba ngu-100. Kwaze kwafika unyaka ka-2000 lapho uMongameli uBill Clinton eyala amasosha ukuthi acime Ukutholakala Kokukhetha, okwenza i-GPS yezakhamuzi inembe ngokuphindwe ka-10.
Inkathi Yesimanje
Ukususwa kwe-Selective Availability kwavusa inguquko kwezobuchwepheshe. Inike amandla ukudalwa kwamasistimu okuzulazula emoto ngayinye, izinhlelo zokusebenza ze-smartphone ezisekelwe endaweni, izinsiza zokwabelana ngokugibela njenge-Uber, namathuluzi endawo esiwasebenzisayo namuhla kumawebhusayithi afana ne-LocalAtual.