GTX Corp - Two Way GPS Tracking Enterprise Solutions

Getting lost is the least of the problem

2012-02-26T16:32:00.002-08:00

Nearly 12 million of us take care of the 5.6 million Americans with the Alzheimer’s disease, a number that's expected to increase to 16 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Assn.
The burden of care-taking places tremendous pressure on one’s time and resources. A 2009 AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving survey learned that caregivers — most typically middle-aged women providing care for a parent — give more than 20 hours of their time each week. Most say it interferes with work, and the longer someone is a caregiver, the more likely her own physical and mental health is to suffer.

One of the most troublesome circumstances with the disease is wandering or sun-downing where the afflicted will head out of where they are supposed to be and becomedisoriented. That happens to about 60% of the millions of the disease’s victims and only half will be found before they succumb to accidents, weather or exposure.

To provide a personal and discreet solution GTX Corp and Aetrex Worlwide have partnered to provide a walking shoe with a 2-way GPS tracking device that will alert,locate and track with a click to web enabled phone, pad or computer. AARP though it a viable solution.

We discover what we do not know...Dementia is a condition of at least one of the 9 million species inhabiting our planet

2012-02-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

A new study estimates that Earth has almost 9 million species, but we've only discovered about a quarter of them and know comparatively little about most of them.

Coincidentally there are 9 million Americans that have a cognitive disorder- such as Dementia, Alzheimer’s and Autism.

Scientists are aware though of a curious phenomenon among primate species: Humans get the devastating neurological disorder known as Alzheimer's disease, but their closest evolutionary cousins don't. Until we become better informed about the why’s and where for of the disease, we have an affordable, practicable means and method to afford those that suffer from dementia and their caregivers peace of mind.

Should the afflicted wander off and become lost, they can be found with a unique, 2-way embedded GPS technology placed within a comfortable walking shoe and trackable through a smart phones or computer. To take advantage of this innovative patented GPS Shoe technology, visit the web site of Aetrex Worldwide and lace up an effective solution to “sundowing” developed by the company that keeps people connected; GTX Corp.

You need not get lost searching for an answer to the “where is” question that the millions of caregivers have been asking.

2012-01-16T20:23:00.000-08:00

Close to 9 million people in this country suffer with some form of a cognitive disorder, from dementia and Alzheimer’s to Autism, Down syndrome and veterans that came home from battle with brain injuries. According to the Alzheimer's Association, about 60 percent of the 5.4 million of those afflicted with the Alzheimer’s will wander off and become lost.

George Mason University Professor Andrew Carle recently stated, “of course these are only U.S. numbers with an estimated 25 million cases of Alzheimer worldwide expected to quadruple to 100 million short of a cure.”

After nine years of research and development, GTX Corp (GTXO.OB) and its partner Aetrex Worldwide have brought to the consumer market a solution for people who wander – a GPS Shoe with an embedded 2-way GPS tracking device that will instantly locate the wearer and send a caregiver an alert via text or email if the wearer wanders off beyond a pre set area.

Joann Johnston, whose husband, Bill Johnston, has Alzheimer's disease, said; the shoes give her peace of mind. "When I lost him, you kind of panic."

When a 79 year old victim went missing the Virginia Beach Police Department, Emergency Medical Services and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Search & Rescue Team and numerous volunteers assisted in her search. Fortunately she was found alive, but the Police claimed the net cost to the taxpayers was about $36,000. No one questioned that the money was well spent, but what if there were a better way to locate those that wander, what if instead of $36,000 you could bring the cost down to $299?

If only 10 percent of the 9 million Americans which have a cognitive disorder get lost – 900,000. Assuming it would cost a thousand dollars on average to locate someone that had wandered off and became lost – 900,000 multiplied by $1,000 for each search would cost $900,000,000. That’s almost 1 billion dollars that could be saved or better spent on research developing cures. That’s 10 percent at a cost of $1,000, when the statistics show it’s closer to 60% that wander at a search and rescue cost of tens of thousands of dollars. Not to mention the emotional toll on the caregivers. The value in peace of mind gained, search and rescue costs and lives potentially saved isn’t quantifiable.

FAQ
How much is a pair of GPS SHOES - MSRP $299
How much is the monthly monitoring service - between $30 to $40 depending on usage and features
How often do they need to be charged - approximately every 50 hours
Do they come in both men’s and women’s- yes
How often do they report back- every 10 or 30 minutes depending on which monthly plan you select
If a loved one wanders how do I get notified – either by text message or email
Can more than one person receive the notifications – yes you can add as many people as you wish on your alert list
Does the GPS SHOE tell me when the battery is low – yes either by text or email
Do I need a special wireless carrier – no the GPS SHOES will work in the U.S. anywhere that there is T Mobile coverage
Where can I learn more about the GPS SHOES – www.gtxcorp.com www.gpsshoe.com www.aetrex.com

Where can I order a pair – www.aetrex.com

2011-12-31T05:11:00.000-08:00

If anyone ever wondered if there was a payback for all of the billions of dollars invested in satellites, space travel, computers and the internet, watch this clip from the CBS Early Show.

It would appear that our nation is going to be the victim of a crippling disease for which there is at present no cure. But, technology enterprises, like GTX Corp and it's production and retail partner; Aetrex Worldwide have taken the technology of global location and put it to use affirming for the caretakers of those millions smitten with Alzheimer's the means to find their loved ones despite their inclination to wander.

Turning what seemed at first to be a simple product concept utilizing an existing technology and making it into a practical retail solution took more; time, energy, financing and will power than anyone imagined. But GTX Corp did it and the world will be better for it.

Going Mobile to Locate What You Want in 2012

2011-12-27T15:06:00.000-08:00

A new study from eMarketer forecasts mobile commerce sales will hit $6.7 billion by the end of this year. While that's just a small part of overall retail sales, to be sure, it represents a 91.4 percent increase compared to 2010, and eMarketer predicts next year sales will increase by another 73.1 percent to reach $11.6 billion.

eMarketer projects that 37.5 million U.S. consumers ages 14 and up will make at least one purchase on their mobile phones in 2012, up from 26.8 million this year. Even those consumers who aren't actually making purchases on their smartphones are using them to make purchasing decisions: eMarketer says some 72.8 million mobile users will research or browse products on their phones next year.

If you hope to compete in the world of retail, your store, site or products need to be accessible via mobile device. Make sure your website is optimized for mobile use (the eMarketer study only focused on smartphones, but tablets are a huge driver of online sales as well). Even if you don't sell products online, make sure your store is listed in local search engines, retail and review sites such as Local.com or Yelp, so customers searching for products on the go can find your location.

Mobile Here, There, Everywhere
In 2011, mobile devices (primarily mobile phones) are the most popular form of communication and interaction. By year’s end, 91% of Americans will own cell phones, 95% of which now have Bluetooth® capabilities, and half of which will be smartphones. 2010 was proclaimed the “Year of Mobile” by industry analysts and experts predict that by 2012, over 50% of digital content will be accessed via mobile.

Consumers are turning more to their mobile devices for savings, as well as to digital coupons—over $1.2 billion in digital coupons were issued in 2010, representing a growth of 41%. This far outpaced traditional newspaper couponing, which only grew by 7% over the same period. In addition, the response rate for mobile location-based couponing (23-33%) far exceeded the traditional print coupon response rate (1.5-2%).

The “mobile channel” (or interaction through mobile phones and other devices) is quickly becoming the highest-priority advertising medium for advertisers. With the proliferation of smartphones and the widespread, everyday familiarity of Bluetooth® technology, proximity marketing through the mobile channel is ready for large-scale implementation.

Big Data
With more than 1Tb per day generated from smartphone opt-in tracking alone, the proximity marketing domain is highly data intensive. As telcos step up their investments in this space, in-memory technology will become an attractive and cost-effective option.

The monetisation of location-based data through various services such as Proximity Marketing represents a huge opportunity for service providers. To succeed, and compete effectively against over the-top players, they will need to fully leverage the trusted relationship established with their subscribers as well as to put in place an infrastructure adapted for Big Data. The stakes are worth it: US$100B in annual revenue by 2020.

Your Store in Their Hands:How consumers with smartphones will impact the retail experience

2011-12-11T05:11:00.000-08:00

The convergence and phenomenal growth of social media and mobile commerce will dramatically shift consumers’ expectations of the brands they shop with and the in-store experience.

For many consumers, smartphones are now a benchmark for connectivity, and are becoming an indispensable shopping tool, used throughout the research and decision making process. 79 percent of smartphone consumers use their phones to help with shopping, according to Google research, and 70 percent use their smartphones while in a store.

These ‘connected consumers’ are more informed, influential and potentially more promiscuous than ever, and expect brands to support their desire for connectivity throughout the customer journey.

Retailers need to understand this ‘connected consumer’ and how their path to purchase has moved away from being a single, linear journey to one that’s multistage, multiplatform, and multichannel. Brands can then create a seamless retail experience that better meets customers’
expectations.

The latest smartphone technology, along with developments in social commerce platforms, offer brands a huge opportunity to deepen the relationship with their customers, and as a result offer a more streamlined, personal retail experience that in turn builds loyalAccording to Broadcom, 10 to 15 percent of all phones will have Near Field Communication (NFC) payment technology by 2012, and that rises to 20 percent for smartphones. NFC enabled smartphones will allow retailers to streamline the payment process and bring purchase to product, making it easier for customers to buy, alleviating the practical and emotional pressure points – such as off-putting queues - around the traditional sales desk.

Smartphone technology can help customers interact more deeply with the store environment, whilst social commerce activity allows brands to get to know their customers’ preferences. NFC and geo-fencing technology means retailers can act on what they know, and target customers with personalized offers, when it matters, as they walk into their store. Retailers need to integrate social commerce into their physical stores, for example, they can ‘hero and reward’ customers by providing dedicated areas in-store that encourage them to share and broadcast, and reward them for doing so.

Mobile Social Gaming will provide a new layer of opportunity for retailers to entertain, engage and reward customers whilst in-store. The clever use of smartphone technology throughout the customer journey – by customers and retailers – will nurture a closer, one-to-one relationship between brand and consumer. This in turn can build advocacy around the brand, encourage return visits to the store and ultimately lead to an increase in sales. Smartphones are rapidly becoming the ultimate connection between consumers and brands, and as a result retailers need to take a fresh approach to the design of their stores and the customer relationship.

GTX Corp receives new order for 1,500 GPS Devices from AETREX Worldwide as GPS SHOES become available online to consumers

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles, CA – November 30, 2011 – GTX Corp (OTCBB: GTXO), a leader in customizable, patented two-way GPS Tracking Personal Location Services (PLS) solutions, received its second commercial order from Aetrex Worldwide, Inc. a global leader in comfort and wellness footwear products. GTX recently shipped 3,000 devices to Aetrex and plans to ship these additional 1,500 units in January of 2012. The GTX Corp miniaturized 2 way GPS tracking devices are embedded in the Aetrex Ambulator® collection bringing a reliable solution for monitoring the location of the 5.3 million seniors in the US afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

The GPS Shoe has captured the imagination of the world. The Company’s flagship product has over 20 patents and patents pending, received the Peoples Choice award for most innovative connected device, has been featured on numerous television shows across the globe and now available to consumers in the United States at www.aetrex.com/gps

GTX Corp’s international licensing strategy will make available the GPS Shoes to additional countries beginning first quarter of 2012. There are already 4 countries with another 6 in consideration and a goal to have at least 12 countries up and running by year end 2012. For information about becoming an international distributor you can contact info@gtxcorp.com or go visit www.gpsshoe.com or www.gtxcorp.com

In addition to international expansion, the Company has begun developing prototypes of an even smaller device configuration, for the children’s market, which it plans to unveil at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on January 11th in Las Vegas.

The GPs Shoe is retail ready and the press in taking notice has stopped tip-toeing around the issue of wandering and senior dementia.

2011-10-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

UBERGIZMO, FAST COMPANY, POPULAR SCIENCE,
AARP, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Patent Law Reform: Enactment of Leahy-Smith America Invents Act

2011-10-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

On September 8, 2011 the U.S. Senate passed a patent reform bill, the "Leahy-Smith America Invents Act," which was subsequently signed into law by President Obama on September 16. The final Senate vote was 89-9, reflecting broad support for patent reform legislation in this Congress-the Senate passed its version of the bill (S. 23) by a vote of 95-5, and the House bill (H.R. 1249) passed by a 304-117 margin.

The first significant overhaul of the U.S. patent system in nearly 60 years, the new patent reforms ushers in considerable changes in how companies and individuals obtain and enforce patents in the United States specifically in these areas; First-to-file versus first-to-invent, patent litigation, patent prosecution, PTO fees, practices and operations, post-grant review, Inter Partes review, false marking claims, expansion of prior user rights.

GTX Corp views its intellectual properties and their management with great regard as they represent a significant financial investment and asset of the corporation. That is why Larry Henneman of the highly regarded firm of Henneman and Associates has been an advisor to GTX Corp for the past 7 years and is retained to assure that GTX Corp remains a leader in the patented embedded 2-way GPS tracking services, products and applications space.

GTX Corp announces the arrival of the GPS Tracking Shoe

2011-09-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

While the causes of Sundowner’s Syndrome remain a mystery, finding the “wandering” Alzheimer’s victim will be made easier in October with the availability of the GPS Shoe from GTX Corp and Aetrex Worldwide.

There are at least 70 different conditions which exhibit confusion and diminished mental capacity behaviors. Alzheimer’s Disease is only one form of dementia which typically presents as a subtle loss of memory. The problem may barely be noticeable since everyone has memory issues at one time or another. However, as the symptoms worsen over time, dementia is most likely the culprit.

Studies have shown that those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease generally live from one to 20 years with the disease, with the average victim living only eight years. AD is one of the leading causes of death among the elderly. It’s estimated that as many as 5.6 million Americans have Alzheimer’s Disease, and that number doesn’t include the other forms of dementia. It also doesn’t include the 15 million caregivers of the demented for which the price of peace of mind will be seen as a small cost to pay for tracking their loved ones affording them the freedom essential to the best quality of life despite the challenges of their condition.

Visit the GPS Shoe site to be notified where you can acquire a pair.

GTX Corp Launches an IR-Newsroom Investor Portal at gtxo.irnewsroom.com

2011-08-18T06:49:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles, CA, August 18, 2011 - GTX Corp (OTCQB: GTXO), a leader in customizable, patented two-way GPS Tracking Personal Location Services (PLS) solutions, announced today the launch of their new interactive platform for Investor Relations and Shareholder Communications.

The GTX IR-Newsroom will provide shareholders, investors and other members of the media and financial community with a user-friendly access point to stay up to date on the Company’s latest developments.

“In today’s 24/7 news cycle people want quick, currant and accurate information, preferably all in one spot. This new site provides exactly that and we are thrilled to be one of the first small cap public companies to consolidate information for the investment and media community all under one roof.” Stated Patrick Bertagna Chairman and CEO of GTX Corp (OTCQB: GTXO)

Its purpose is to promote transparency within the regulatory framework by providing investors with a timely, definitive source of information and updates as well as an opportunity to hear first-hand from key members of management through multi-media formats such as video interviews, interactive presentations, podcasts, live-blogs, shareholder webinars, virtual conferences and more.

Investors will enjoy vast amounts of actionable information and have greater access to management. The new platform will provide a channel that will focus on conveying the company’s story and investment vision without requiring visitors to wade through complex or irrelevant information.

THE GPS SMART SHOE

2011-08-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

GTX Corp. is introducing affordable shoes with functional GPS tracking built into them. Using a downloadable app to popular smartphones, the community of 13 million Alzheimer’s victim caretakers can track and be alerted if those afflicted wander.

The GPS Smart Shoe is now available in sizes 7-11 in black and white styles.

Currently impacting 5.3 million victims, with predictions of 14 million US victims by the year 2050, Alzheimer's disease is fast becoming "one of the biggest public health dilemmas ever encountered. The simplicity behind the GPS Shoe is that when a senior with Alzheimer’s wanders off more than a pre-set distance, their caregiver will immediately receive a geo-fence alert on their smartphone and computer, with a direct link to a Google map plotting the wanderer’s location.

Listen to the audio and other interviews by Sandy Dhuyvetter on TravelTalkRADIO. By Sandy Dhuyvetter, TravelTalkRADIO Aug 07, 2011

When the beginning is also the end.

2011-07-21T05:47:00.000-07:00

The smartphone is displacing stand-alone GPS receiver devices as a means to get destination directions… more so now that advertisers are delivering their messages linked to smartphone subscriber GPS signals.

More than 40 percent of all smartphone owners use their mobile devices to get turn-by-turn directions, according to data from Compete, a Web analytics firm. For iPhone users, the figure is even higher, eclipsing 80 percent.

High-end phones like the BlackBerry from Research in Motion and the new Palm Pre increasingly come equipped with features common in portable navigational devices, like spacious touch-sensitive screens, intuitive menu designs and improved audio capabilities.

IN FACT: 71% of smartphone users search because of an ad they’ve seen either online or offline; 82% of smartphone users notice mobile ads, 74% of smartphone shoppers make a purchase as a result of using their smartphones to help with shopping, and 88% of those who look for local information on their smartphones take action within a day.

These findings have been compiled from “The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Users,” a study for Google conducted by Ipsos OTX.

At the local level: 95% of smartphone users have looked for local information. 88% of these users take action within a day, indicating these are immediate information needs. 77% have contacted a business, with 61% calling and 59% visiting the local business.

Purchase-driven Shoppers: Smartphones have become an indispensable shopping tool and are used across channels and throughout the research and decision-making process. 79% of smartphone consumers use their phones to help with shopping, from comparing prices, finding more product info to locating a retailer. 74% of smartphone shoppers make a purchase, whether online, in-store, or on their phones. 70% use their smartphones while in the store, reflecting varied purchase paths that often begin online or on their phones and brings consumers to the store business.

Locimobile and GTX Corp offer delivery options to merchants, advertisers and smartphone users unparalleled in the emerging millions of markets of one proximity couponing business.

Mobile phones outnumber TV sets more than 3 to 1

2011-07-14T04:41:00.000-07:00

A recent report from Research firm Gartner predicts that driven by expanding consumer adoption of smartphones and tablet computers, global mobile ad revenue will reach 3.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2011, up from 1.6 billion dollars in 2010. According to Gartner’s projections, global mobile ad revenue will jump to 20.6 billion dollars by 2015.

Hong Kong Bureau Chief of Reuters Breakingviews, John Foley, said that new location-based advertising is likely to result from the growth in the mobile advertising market, since so many handsets or mobile computers now have GPS which makes it easy for advertisers to target handset users based on their location.

Meanwhile, sources said that mobile coupons have a redemption rate of 15% to 40%. Compared to traditional print coupons, which have a redemption rate of less than 2%, the text message marketing market is becoming an attractive option for marketers.

Aside from sales-oriented advertising like coupons, there are various types of advertising that have the potential to use smartphone advertising platforms, including soft drinks, food, tourist attractions and flight ticket discount information. Advertisements could reach handset users after advertisers signed deals with mobile manufacturers, which could lead to certain marketing information being embedded in phones when they are sold.

As mobile phones outnumber TV sets more than 3 to 1, and PC-based internet users outnumber TV viewers 4 to 1, it is no wonder that advertisers have taken bigger positions in this emerging media marketplace. This space is expected to grow exponentially with credit providers and OEM’s enabling smartphones with transactional capabilities linking banks, advertisers, merchants and manufacturers with individual subscribers using 2-way GPS personal location services. It is a certainty that we will see 100 million smart-markets of individual subscribersasking the “where is” question and getting real-time coupons as answers.

When a million is worth a whole lot more.

2011-07-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

Facebook has a multi-billion dollar valuation. How can a company with $240M in annual revenue and operating profit of less than 20M be valued at such a level? Clearly the company is valued not on existing financial performance, but rather on the strength of its user base. By creating a valuation algorithm based on online consumer behavior we are able to back into an implied future Facebook valuation. The valuation algorithm we will use is: (Monthly Unique Visitors * (1+ Annual Growth in Unique Visitors) * (Average # of Monthly Visits Per Visitor + Average Time Spent Per Visit in Minutes).

By applying this algorithm to Facebook we see: 138.0M * (1+.13) * (23 + 20.7) = 6.8B. Facebook visitors come to the site on average 23 times a month compared to 3 for LinkedIn and spend 20.7 minutes per visit compared to 6.9 for LinkedIn.

The investment community is infatuated with all things social. Twitter is seeking a new round of private investing, which could bring in hundreds of millions of dollars and value it as high as $7 billion. That means the company could have nearly doubled its value in the months since it raised $200 million for a $3.7 billion valuation. Still, the company doesn’t bring in much revenue and is seeking to develop its ad system before it looks to an IPO. The plans include a way of integrating sponsored tweets into users’ accounts and an entirely new ad offering, whose details are under wraps.

Talks have begun with potential buyers of Hulu, and Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger says the site's current owners are "committed to selling." The company, which is on course to reach more than 1 million users faster than initially predicted, could go for more than $2 billion. If Hulu is sold, its current owners, which include Disney, Comcast's NBC Universal and News Corp., would continue to supply content for the site, but it is not clear for how long.

Speaking of millions, GTX Corp has registered a million subscribers to its current GPS Personal Location and Proximity Services.

Near Field Mobile Payments Market to Almost Triple in Value by 2015 Reaching $670B

2011-07-07T05:23:00.000-07:00

Simplifying the transaction process for consumers will afford retailers utilizing GPS enabled proximity marketing technologies unique merchandising opportunities. Consider the potential of a 2-way conversation individually targeted to hundreds of millions of shoppers based on their real-time location and historic purchase profile receiving incentive offers with cash in hand(set).

The $670B a substantial jump up from the $240 billion Juniper Research has pegged for the total value of mobile payments this year. The research firm said that during the next 18 months, 20 countries will begin deploying NFC payment systems and services; transactions from those services will be in the ballpark of $50 billion by 2014. These forecasts represent the gross merchandise value of all purchases or the value of money being transferred.

Most recently, Google announced its Google Wallet and Google Deals services in the U.S., and the search giant has large retail partners on board, including Citi, Subway, Mastercard, Sprint, Macys, and Walgreens. The Far East and China, Western Europe, and North America are the largest mobile payment regions, and those areas “will represent 75% of the global mobile payment gross transaction value by 2015,” the report said. Read on for the full release from Juniper Research.

The new Mobile Payments Strategies report revealed that all segments will exhibit 2x to 3x growth over the next five years. This growth will be driven by the rapid adoption of mobile ticketing, NFC contactless payments, physical goods purchases and money transfers as people in both developed and developing countries use their devices for everyday transactions.

Some 20 countries are expected to launch NFC services in the next 18 months, resulting in transactions approaching $50 billion worldwide by 2014. Meanwhile the need for financial access in developing countries is such that active mobile money users will double by 2013 and drive transaction values accordingly.

Senior analyst David Snow explained: “Our analysis shows that emerging segments such as physical goods payments, NFC and money transfers will fuel market growth by a factor of 2.7 times by 2015. Digital goods is the largest segment and, although forecast to more than double, it is not growing as quickly as some of the newer segments.”

Other key messages from the report include:
The top 3 regions for mobile payments (Far East & China, W. Europe and N. America) will represent 75% of the global mobile payment gross transaction value by 2015.
Digital goods payments will account for nearly 40% of the market in 2015.

The study provides the big picture of mobile payments, providing forecasts of the main market segments of digital and physical goods purchases, contactless NFC and domestic and international money transfers and remittances, providing regional forecasts of gross transaction values.

GTX Corp is developing enabling solutions utilizing Near Field Communications.

America is hungry

2011-06-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

It should come as no surprise that nearly everyone eats pizza which accounts for the significant number of neighborhood pizzerias: 61,269 and the 3B pizzas they sell each year.

Obviously the hungry for Italian have options. Question is; where’s the pizzeria closet to me offering a discount coupon? And that’s where GTX Corp comes in. Time sensitive relevant coupons delivered proximate to your immediate location using 2-way GPS technology. Here’s a taste: http://www.locideals.com/coupon/4

Get your “yum” on. Check out our menu at LOCiMOBILE

1 800 Disruption

2011-06-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

Among the many stand-alone navigation devices on the market, TomTom announced it lost 30% of its business in the first 90 days of 2011. This turn of fortunes was no surprise. Garmin and Magellan are feeling “lost” as well.

From the moment of Google’s announcement in 2009 that it would be offering turn-by-turn mapped directions as a free smartphone app the business of portable navigation devises has been in decline while Smartphone use is growing in the US with 72.5 million owning handsets as of the first quarter of this year.Forester Research predicts that mobile phones will become the most widely adopted means of navigation mapping by 2003.

What this means is that the phone, messaging, mapping, tracking, reading, banking, tool chest, game and entertainment center we will hold in our hands will certainly becomethe bridge to each individual subscriber by every; product, service, private and public agency, marketer and merchant on the planet where there will be 10 billion smartphones.

While life will get simpler with fewer devices, it will present us with a new level of complexity on another…what should I do first, where should I go now, who do I need to be with and where is…

That we can address all of these options simultaneously says something about what we are becoming and what solutions GTX Corp will be providing to this ever expanding marketplace.

Finding more than locations with GPS

2011-05-28T05:55:00.000-07:00

GPS technology has advanced exponentially and now allows for incredibly small devices to be installed as solutions to answer the most basic question of “Where is?” for a wide array of applications. Whether it is a person, property or a pet, the benefits of GPS as a location device on the large scale are coming around the corner and heading to a store near you in the short-term.

As technology development often moves slowly, so does business development focused on the given technology. The novelty of GPS is now being put behind it as it slowly makes its way into more everyday applications and that appears to be starting to show through in the financials of GTX Corp. Today, the Company reported financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 http://www.allpennystocks.com/ which showed significant growth in revenue and a decrease in net losses.

GTX Corp Reports 81% increase in revenue in the First Quarter 2011

2011-05-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

Commenced delivery on the GPS Shoe for Aetrex
Continued International Expansion through Licensing to China, Australia and New Zealand
Increased Portable GPS Device Sales
Expands into Emerging Proximity Marketing Business by delivering real time daily promotions from over 100,000 Chamber of Commerce Businesses to 1 Million LOCiMOBILE users
Decreased net loss by 25%

Los Angeles, May 18, 2011 – GTX Corp (OTCBB: GTXO), a leader in customizable, 2-way GPS Personal Location Services (PLS) solutions, today reported financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011.

Revenue in the first quarter was 81% higher than the comparable prior-year period. The increase reflects growth in the Company's three subsidiaries, through multiple domestic and international channels and from both enterprise customers and consumers.

The decrease in net loss for the first quarter was due to overall cost cutting measures causing a decrease of approximately $161,000 or 25% in comparison to the comparable period in 2010.

Patrick Bertagna, CEO of GTX Corp, commented, "Our efforts to increase revenue and decrease net loss is evident with approximately $69,000 in revenues generated from the sale of LOCiMOBILE Apps, an additional $38,500 as a result of the Aetrex agreement and $5,000 from the Wuhan Test Agreement. The additional revenue increase was generated from device sales, software licensing, monthly monitoring subscriptions, advertising, Code Amber news feed subscriptions, sponsorships and Alertags.”

About GTX Corp (GTXO.OB) a leader in enterprise 2 way GPS real-time personal location services (PLS) was founded in 2002 and is based in Los Angeles, California with distributors in Mexico, Australia and Nepal and customers in 115 countries. GTX Corp utilizes the latest in miniaturized, low power consumption technology and offers a robust enterprise GPS and cellular location platform to track in real time the whereabouts of people, pets, vehicles and high valued assets. Answering the “where is” question through a licensing business model and providing a complete end to end solution of hardware, middleware, apps, connectivity and professional services, letting you know where someone or something is at the touch of a button. GTX Corp also owns and operates LOCiMOBILE, Inc which develops applications for smartphones and tablets, Code Amber News Service, and Code Amber Alertag. The Company has an aggressive intellectual property strategy and owns an extensive portfolio of patents, patents pending, registered trade marks, copy rights and URL's.

Visit online: www.gtxcorp.com www.facebook.com/gtxcorp www.twitter.com/gtxcorp
Product and licensing - info@gtxcorp.com
Investor Relations (213) 489.3019 ext 646 - ir@gtxcorp.com
Media Suzy Ginsburg (713) 334.2357 suzy@gcomworks.com

GTX Corp does not warrant or represent that the unauthorized use of materials drawn from the content of this document will not infringe rights of third parties who are not owned or affiliated by GTX Corp. Further GTX Corp cannot be held responsible or liable for the unauthorized use of this document’s content by third parties unknown to the company.

Patented GPS Smart Shoe Travels to Mexico

2011-05-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, May 18, at the AMAR Conference in Guadalajara, Professor Andrew Carle will present the “Nana” Technology needed by Mexican senior housing providers to draw U.S. ex-patriots to their retirement communities. Carle will identify the technologies expats will use to live safely and remain independent longer as well as how to stay connected to the U.S. health care system and their families back home. The significantly lower cost of high-end retirement communities in Mexico has already made these resort destinations appealing to a million American expats.

By 2020 over 75 % of all those afflicted with dementia in the world will be living in developing countries – Latin America and Mexico among them. The costs of dementia are set to soar. Low and middle income countries are likely to see health care costs rise faster than in high income countries, because, with economic development, per person costs will tend to increase towards levels seen in high income countries, and because increases in numbers of people with dementia will be much sharper in those regions. This in turn is going to place untenable pressure on the already strained health resources of these countries

While the $315.4 billion worldwide cost of dementia has become and will continue to be a significant fiscal challenge, the under $300 GPS enabled smart shoes from GTX Corp licensed by Aetrex Worldwide will ease the enormous physical and emotional burden borne by Alzheimer’s victims caregivers and their geographically distant family members.

Announcing the production designs for the GPS Smart Shoe

2011-05-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

Aetrex Worldwide has finalized its senior styles for the first GPS enabled tracking shoe. The patented 2-way miniaturized technology from GTX Corp will enable the 15 million caregivers of the 5.6 million dementia victims with the ability to locate their afflicted family members that wander – in just minutes – with a smartphone web/app. While cures for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia will have to wait for a future resolution from medical science, peace of mind, in an affordable ergonomic, is near at hand.

GPS tracking can help save lives.

2011-04-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

A lung or heart is only viable for four to six hours after leaving the body, while kidneys can last up to 72 hours. For the patient that’s in immediate need for the transplant, and death hinges on the availability of an organ, GPS tracking can help save lives. Live organs must immediately be harvested and packaged for travel – many times across counties or state lines – to keep them functional for the transplant. Organs often expire when outside of the body and medical workers responsible for the delivery are pitted against time. 2-way GPS tracking improves logistics associated with human organ delivery. Hospital staff charged with monitoring and successfully delivering the organs can pinpoint and detour from obstructions such as road closing, traffic, and more. Further, transplant patients and their doctors are able to identify, at any time, exactly where the organ is and when it will arrive.

GTX Corp and MNX are currently working together to provide real time tracking and logistics solutions for Critical Medical and Bio-Pharmaceutical Shipments YouTube video

Targeted mobile marketing can either be up close and personal, or a long distance love affair.

2011-04-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

Proximity marketing has generally been taken to mean Bluetooth — true, but not 100% accurate. Bluetooth is a way to do mobile marketing, but it’s not the only way. Bluetooth requires the consumer’s smartphone to be within the short range of a dedicated local transmitter. GPS enabled mobile proximity marketing only requires a smartphone to be on to receive offers. Additionally, the range is not limited by the range of the transmitter as GPS geo-fences can be set for any distance. To find out more about GPS Proximity Marketing and how local businesses can take advantage of this cost effective and efficient technology explore the MyChamberApp.com and the GTX Corp Team LOCi Deals.

When losing a minute may mean the loss of a life, then consider the value of fail-safe GPS Tracking Solutions from GTX Corp

2011-04-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

Though nearly 110,000 people are on the organ transplant waiting list, only 77 people receive organ transplants daily. The time an organ can remain outside the body limits the options for organ transplantation. The current viability of hearts is limited to just four to six hours. – Lungs 4-6 hours, Intestine 12-24 hours, Liver 12-24 hours, Pancreas 12-24 hours, Kidneys 48-72 hours, Bone, Marrow and Skin. As soon as an organ is recovered from a donor, the clock starts ticking to meet the deadline to get the transplant into a waiting recipient -- Transplant expense: Heart: $50,000 - $287,000 Kidney: $25,000 - $130,000 Liver: $66,000 - $367,000 Pancreas: $51,000 - $135,000 Heart/Lung: $135,000 - $250,000 -- While medical technology has developed the techniques, tools and pharmacology to make critical organ transplants viable, adverse weather, mechanical failures and traffic delays can impede the timely delivery. That is unless they are being monitored by the 2 way GPS tracking solutions provided by GTX Corp.

Alzheimer’s claims a new victim every 7 seconds

2011-04-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

As of 2010, there are an estimated 35.6 million people with dementia worldwide. By 2050, it is projected that this figure will have increased to over 115 million engaging 200 million as their caregivers. Significant numbers of the increase will be found in developing countries. Presently, 58% of those with dementia reside in developing countries. By 2050 those afflicted will grow to 71%. Currently, the fastest growing elderly population is in China, India, and south Asia. ADI's World Alzheimer Report 2009 presents the most comprehensive global prevalence study of dementia to date and looks at levels of mortality, disability, strain on careers and dependency. The report includes estimates of the number of people with dementia in each world region. The World Alzheimer Report 2010 provides the clearest, most comprehensive global picture yet of the economic impact of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Los Angeles, April 6, 2011 –GTX Corp (OTCBB: GTXO), has developed a “smart” shoe by fitting it with a miniaturized inconspicuous 2 way GPS Personal Location tracking device that maps location and provides care givers real time comfort while giving their family member the freedom of mobility. GTX Corp, a leader in customizable, patented 2-way GPS solutions and Wuhan Amass Trading Company Ltd., established in 1971 and Headquartered in China, recently signed a platform test agreement and will begin testing, localizing and commercializing the award winning patented GPS Smart Shoe™ for the Chinese market. Presently, innovative thinking and actions are the only responses to the irreversible effects of this scourge. Kudos to those willing to invest the funding, time and energy needed to address the unmet needs of those caring for the sufferers of Alzheimer’s.

Place-based and proximity-based marketing: A Personal Location Service

2011-04-01T05:20:00.000-07:00

It is estimated that more than 85 percent of Americans adults now own mobile phones, and a recent study found that Americans are spending almost three hours per day on their mobile phones. It’s safe to say then that this time will only increase. GTX Corp and Adam Inc. are capitalizing on consumers’ growing mobile usage with place-based mobile technology that allows retailers to connect with consumers instantly as they are in-store, shopping and primed to buy. Typically, digital coupons are delivered through this proximity technology by detecting consumers who have mobile phones and are within close range of a retail presence (from 3ft to 300 feet) and then sending those consumers content – with their permission, of course. This technique provides an unparalleled level of “hyper-local” targeting. The potential impact and ROI for advertiser and brands is tremendous. For those still questioning the efficacy and value of digital coupons versus print coupons, the latest numbers speak for themselves. According to the Coupons.com Digital Coupons Trends Report for 2010, more than $1.2 billion in digital coupons savings was issued in 2010, representing a 41% growth over the year before. Digital coupons have dramatically outpaced the growth compared to coupons distributed in newspapers, which only grew 7% in the same period. And because consumers can be targeted as they are shopping – sort of a digital version of the in-store “free food sample” concept, the digital coupons are delivered right into the palm of consumers’ hands. Digital coupons target consumers at the right place and at the right time, and as a result consumers are far more likely to visit the store, interact with a brand, or make a purchase. In fact, a study conducted by IBM found that 72 percent of consumers are more likely to take action after receiving a message while “on location” compared with messages received off-site.

GTX Corp - Two Way GPS Tracking Enterprise Solutions: In between remembering and forgetting there millions of seniors getting lost

2011-03-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

GTX Corp - In between remembering and forgetting there millions of seniors getting lost

In between remembering and forgetting there millions of seniors getting lost

2011-03-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

Wriggling In The Middle, a Canton Ohio based radio show co-hosted by Dr. Merle Griff and DeLores Pressley airs live Monday’s from 9:10 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. This informative and interactive radio show talks about the dilemmas of being part of the ‘sandwich generation’ and responsible for the care of multiple generations. Whether it’s the children, elderly parents, an aging spouse or grandchildren, the hosts discuss the challenges faced every day in keeping a family experiencing Alzheimer’s together. Coiner of the phrase 'Nana' Technology, Professor Andrew J. Carle of George Mason University recently spoke to the show’s syndicated FOX audience about the science, ergonomics and GTXCorp tracking products like the GPS Shoe with which we will all become more familiar as the boomer generation writes new eco-social statistics challenging the wellness of social security as we know it.

Using 2 way GPS in Unique Ways: One LA Marathon Runner Tracks Her Progress

2011-03-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

For years now, avid runners have been welcoming the beginning of spring with the LA Marathon and 5K, first inspired by the 1984 Olympic Games and soon thereafter bought by LA Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. Today, the Marathon registers over 26,000 runners in their ongoing effort to inspire athletes and connect communities.

The Honda Los Angeles Marathon took place last weekend, starting off at the Dodger stadium at 7:42 AM and ending in Santa Monica 26 miles away. The organization has made a big social media push in the last few years to help bring attention its mission and charities, and that’s made for an interesting opportunity to mesh together technology and the running community.

Imagine the possibilities: 26,000 runners sharing stories, photos, and memories on the organization’s blog and Facebook page, mid-run Twitter updates, and promotional videos of runners crossing the finish lines uploaded in real-time to the Marathon’s YouTube channel.

But a new social technology, enabled by the ever-increasing penetration of 2 way GPS Tracking technology made its introduction in this year’s LA Marathon: Angie C, an avid running enthusiast and LA resident, used GTX Corp’s (OTCBB: GTXO) 2-Way Tracking device and viewing portal to track her every step in the race on Sunday, March 20th, 2011.

Angie’s family was able to go on line and track her time, distance, and locations, placing them in a position to snap a few Sports Illustrated cover-worthy photos of the runner coming around a corner. By logging into her GTX Corp web-based tracking account, Angie’s family was able to see where she was in her race, constantly updating in real-time.

People are finding all sorts of unique ways to use GTX Corp’s 2-way GPS tracking apps and technology. Tracking and recording your progress as you run in a marathon is fun and witty, but the personal location-based services offer incredible real-world social benefits as well.

The GPS Shoe, designed by GTX Corp and commercially available from GPSshoe.com, uses integrated chips to track loved ones who suffer from dementia and wandering as a result of Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2010, GTX Corp launched 15 new products that increased the worldwide user base of the company’s location-based social networking mobile apps from 25,000 to 900,000. The company secured significant licensing agreements that allow commercial production of the company’s technology and added Samsung as a new distribution partner to a growing list that already includes the Apple, Android, and Blackberry platforms.

This emerging $13 billion industry is inflating and almost everyone uses GPS is some way these days. Post a comment below: in what creative or unusual ways do you use GPS technology in your everyday lives?

Proximity marketing is now available to local businesses nationwide thanks to GTX Corp and Adam, Inc.

2011-03-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

Reducing the cost of marketing without losing its effectiveness is a major attribute of GPS enabled proximity marketing as it pushes offers only to customers that are within the immediate vicinity of a retailer and capable of responding to promotional offers in real time. The once traditional media shotgun approach that became the internet rifle shot is now the smartphone laser offering a million wallet-in-hand markets of individual consumers.

GTX Corp (OTCBB: GTXO) a leader in 2-way GPS Personal Location Services (PLS) and ADAM, Inc., the nation’s largest platform for Hyper Local Mobile Apps for Directories, will enable 123 Chambers of Commerce representing over 100,000 businesses nationwide to push out proximity promotions, utilizing the GTX Corp GPS/PLS Platform and leveraging its one million and growing GPS Tracking Smartphone App user base.

GTX Corp 2 way GPS tracks runners in the LA Marathon

2011-03-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

A first-time competitive marathoner took advantage of cold, wet conditions to win the Los Angeles Marathon, and shatter the course record. Markos Geneti, of Ethiopia, crossed the finish line in Santa Monica in 2:06:35. Geneti has had a career as a short-race sprinter, and was running his first 26.2 mile race. The women's division was captured by Buzunesh Deba, also from Ethiopia, with a time of 2:26:35. And Krige Schabirt won the wheelchair division with a time of 1:35:12. The former soldier from South Africa, who lost his legs in a war in Angola, now lives in Georgia.

Runners wearing micro-loci 2-way GPS tracking devices from GTX Corp made it easy for those not wishing to get soggy in the early downpour to follow the runners in real time.

The GPS Shoe: An Innovation for the Common Good

2011-03-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

The CBS Morning Show GTX Corp, a company known for their GPS tracking technologies (many may recognize the GPS Tracking and iLoci Apps) has paired with Aetrex Worldwide (a foot health company) creating a GPS Shoe specifically for those with Alzheimer's. The shoe uses GPS and cellular technologies. It gives a family member or a caregiver the option of monitoring real-time from the Internet or on your phone. Also, it has the capability to set up safe zones. If a patient wanders off from the area the caretaker will be sent an alert by phone or web. It charges off USB and is water resistant. (Available Summer 2011)

2-Way GPS Location Based Services will transform our national marketplace into millions of marketplaces targeting single individuals.

2011-03-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

Nearly everyone in the US (308,400,408) has a mobile phone. A rapidly growing number (50,000,000) have smartphones enabled with GPS to enable Location Based Services (LBS)

The worldwide market for smartphone payments will grow to $633.4 billion by 2014, up from $68.7 billion in 2009, according to a new report by Generator Research. Meanwhile, mobile payment users will grow 600 percent, to 490 million in 2014 from 81.3 million last year. Using your phone or your phone number to exchange money is convenient for everyone but especially the “under-banked.” LBS provides marketers with the option to target opportunistic messages based on your proximity to their location in real time promoting both convenience and impulse driven purchases.

An LBS requires five basic components: the service provider's software application, a mobile network to transmit data and requests for service, a content provider to supply the end user with geo-specific information, a positioning component (see GPS) and the end user's mobile device. By law, location-based services must be permission-based. That means that the end user must opt-in to the service in order to use it. In most cases, this means installing the LBS application and accepting a request to allow the service to know the device's location.

Although location-based services have been around since 2000, they have mostly been used in commerce with a subscription-based business model. The release of Apple's 3G iPhone and Google's LBS-enabled Android operating system, however, has allowed developers to introduce millions of consumers to LBS. According to the 2008 fourth-quarter report from Nielsen Mobile, a division of The Nielsen Company, location-based services account for 58 percent of the total downloaded application revenue for mobile phones in North America.

As recently stated in MacWorld, you can find apps, both free and paid that will point you in the direction of pretty much everything--the beloved Golden Arches, the nearest leash-free dog park or even your BFF’s with GTX Corp’s LOCiMOBILE people tracking apps. And if you're concerned about oversharing your info, you'll find customizable options for who you share your information with and at what time you do so.

50 Billion Connected Devices: Developing Apps in the Year of M2M

2011-02-28T10:48:00.000-08:00

Manufacturers and analysts alike are predicting an exponential increase in the number of "connected" devices in the next decade... expect 50 billion in the next 10 years, and most will be non-phone devices. 2011 will be an inflection point - so much so that it's being called The Year of M2M. Machine-to-Machine refers to technologies that allow both wireless and wired systems to communicate with other devices of the same ability. The networks carrying these data bits, SMS among them, allow an array of new business opportunities and social connections between subscribers and merchants through their wireless mobile devices. Add GPS and we have proximity options, add mobile banking and we have transaction history, add advertising and we have a new culture emerging from what was once mass messaging to 50 billion markets of one…you.

The adoption of a technology accelerates when it’s learned intuitively.

2011-02-19T17:41:00.000-08:00

With just the push a button…that is what we all want to hear when we take on a new device or technology. We want the learning curve to be short and shallow and to get that we buy into all the shortcuts the developers offer us so that we don’t have to drag ourselves through tutorials. Our only other option is to corner those that are amp’d on a device or app and ask them to show us how to do the things we could not pick up on our own.

GPS navigation is a good example of intuitive product development. Turn it on and it tells you where you are. Put in the destination and it tells you how to get there. But 2 way GPS Personal Location Services – locating people and getting their permission to do so, tracking an asset, setting a geo-fence are all easy enough to do with GPS Tracking apps when you know how, but more importantly when you know why you want to use the technology and how to take full advantage of all that it offers.

Take a look at how it works…you might be surprised how GTX Corp made it easy.

Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is paving the way for Mega opportunities in the coming years.

2011-02-16T13:10:00.000-08:00

Day 3 into the world’s largest wireless show and it’s apparent that the smartphone and apps space is at the epicenter of the next technological wave – And many of the Apps LOCiMOBILE has developed and is working on plays right into some of the opportunities highlighted at the show.

Making some pretty big statements which paint a very bright future for the mobile apps space, here are some of the sound bites Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt told a capacity crowd.
“Smartphone sales are not only taking over but actually surpassing PC sales”

"The smartphone is the destination for the next generation of games, apps and social connectivity."

"Two billion people we've never heard from will enter our conversation in the next three to four years.”

“Android device sales reach 200,000 each day”

Schmidt called mobile payment services and Near Field Communications transaction technologies a "mega-scale opportunity," outlining a scenario where he's walking down the street in a commercial area. "My phone remembers I need new pants, and it knows ahead of me are two stores--one offering the product at a 20 percent discount, the other offering a 30 percent discount. I enter the store with the bigger discount, the pants are ready, and out I go. You don't think this is going to work? It should revolutionize electronic commerce and payments. We're seeing that models around consumerism are working when they're tied to location and advertising."

The statements are big and compel companies to explore new concepts and analyze existing strategies. So what’s the big take away from this show- actually there are 3:

1) Smartphones are taking over and in today’s competitive landscape high tech companies must have a mobile strategy
2) It’s a Huge market which has already surpassed all expectations and still in its infancy stage - enormous opportunities ahead
3) The common thread is connecting through location and proximity. Its all about LOCATION and utilizing 2 way GPS - Knowing where someone or something is in real time on your smartphone will fuel the next seismic shift

The end uses will vary and many companies will develop game changing apps, but the common thread will be about keeping you connected through location and proximity. This will be the catalyst in financial transactions, gaming, advertising, social networking, bio-metrics, ehealth and many other utilities all seamlessly melding into your life style and running on your smartphone.

GTX Corp CEO Patrick Bertagna, whose mother and grand mother were born in Egypt comments as Egypt Erupts in Jubilation and Mubarak Steps Down.

2011-02-12T14:18:00.000-08:00

An 18-day-old revolt led by the young people of Egypt ousted President Hosni Mubarak on Friday. One interesting point to note is how this historic event was fueled by young people and their desire for freedom and democracy, but the catalyst that made this happen was technology. The massive life style adoption of location based social networking and real time instantaneous access to information, in other words “staying connected”

Becoming more evident throughout the entire global community, as evidenced in what transpired in Egypt, there is a recognizable widespread dependence on being "connected" to instantaneous, real-time information. Examples of this were seen daily through the ever expanding numbers and usage of smartphones, PDA’s, the internet, e-mail, Wi-Fi and social networks. This technology fueled a peaceful revolt which will be an indelible moment in history. Directly knowing the whereabouts of loved ones, colleagues or fellow protestors afforded a sense of control and peace of mind in those increasingly hectic days leading up to yesterday. GPS tracking technology and social networks provide timely knowledge which not only answers the “where is’ question but now helps shape our current events and perhaps reshape the entire Middle East!

Location based social networking and GPS tracking technology are influenced by several factors: ubiquitous awareness and expanding penetration of GPS and mobile applications; personal and asset security concerns affecting a greater portion of the population; Increasing numbers of elderly and those that are memory impaired. (Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Autism, etc.; 6 million in U.S. and growing); Corporations needing to manage worker productivity and logistics; Local and government agencies, law enforcement, first responders and military personnel monitoring; Massive life style adoption of Personal Location Based Social Networking. And now we can add shaping geo politics and the political landscape.

Tablet computers will be the game changers

2011-02-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

Total worldwide smartphone shipments surpassed 101.2 million in the fourth quarter, up 89 percent year-over-year. Canalys adds that smartphone shipments for the year fell just shy of 300 million units. The U.S. remains the largest international market in terms of smartphone shipments, more than doubling the Chinese market. Android led the U.S. market in Q4 2010, with shipments of 12.1 million units--almost triple the number of BlackBerry devices.

Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities are a desired feature among both traditional mobile phone and smartphone users. More than one-third (35%) of traditional mobile phone owners say they want GPS features on their next handset purchase, while 15 percent of smartphone owners say they want GPS says JD Powers.

Further supporting these trend details, a Deloitte; www.deloitte.com, survey finds smartphone apps, e-readers, and tablets are “transforming” consumer behavior. In fact, the report—entitled “Revolutions 2010”—suggests smartphone/tablet owners are relying less on traditional consumer-electronics devices such as MP3 players, handheld video games, and GPS PND units for their media, entertainment, and location information needs. Rather, these consumers are turning to apps.

De La Salle Institute in Chicago is the latest school to take up the Tablet PC in the classroom. Students will lease the tablets for $56 monthly over a 46 month period, so clearly, this school has their sights set on Tablet PC adoption for the full high-school experience.By linking publisher content with GPS, app developers can tap into location and create more locally relevant versions of their sites or provide locally relevant information without requiring the user to enter location. Moreover, the larger screens of the tablets afford the user with mobile readability of robust active content.

How big a shift will these devices make on our culture -- Forrester, an independent technology and market research company, has released a new tablet PC consumer market forecast, which predicts explosive sales growth over the next five years.

According to the data, tablet sales will more than double in 2011 from 10.3 million units sold to 24.1 million units. In 2012, the numbers could reach as high as 35.1 million units sold. The Forrester data suggests that by 2015, tablet sales could reach 44 million units, and that the number of tablet users could be as high as 82.1 million. Given the historically high rate of app downloads and usage by tablet owners it is easy to predict the impact geo location will have on content…just look at Google’s $6 billion acquisition offer last month that Groupon recently turned down. From that perspective, who, what, where and when will define a significant volume of new smart device accessible content.

To encircle these shifts in publishing and commerce, we will see consumers and workers using these devices to share private and corporate information with each other and use the intrinsic GPS technology with people locater apps from GTX Corp and LOCiMOBILE to answer the “where is” question and make those connections in real time.

Alzheimer Patients Who Wander away from their homes

2011-02-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

Here’s a shocking statistic we found on www.gpsshoe.com 60% of Alzheimer’s patients wander away from their homes or care facilities at some point. Half of those who aren’t found within 24 hours end up severely injured or dead. Here’s another shocker: By the year 2050, there will be 16 million adults with Alzheimer’s in the U.S. alone. Which means 3 million mothers, fathers, siblings, neighbors, grandparents, and friends could go missing.

According to Professor Andrew Carle, it’s actually harder to find a missing senior citizen than a missing child. Why? Because when a child’s all alone, it seems odd, so passersby pay attention. However, adults with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or schizophrenia often look normal, and may simply be overlooked. Edward Rochford, the sheriff of Morris County, New Jersey, says that even with 50 rescue workers searching, it can take more than eight hours to find a missing person. Which is way too long for a senior citizen who may be frail, disoriented, or need medication.

When don’t you have to look high and low for a GPS Tracking App?

2011-02-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

When the GPS tracking apps from LOCiMOBILE are all ready embedded in the new Skytex Technology, Inc. 7” Android 2.2 tablet with wifi/GPS due for release in a couple of weeks. Better still, the tablet is the perfect device to receive wandering and elopement alerts from those afflicted with Alzheimer’s and track them with the patented GPS Smart Shoes marketed by Aetrex Worldwide, Inc.

GTX Corp (GTXO.OB) a leader in enterprise 2 way GPS real-time Personal Location Services (PLS) was founded in 2002 and is based in Los Angeles, California with distributors in Mexico, Australia and Nepal and customers in 104 countries. GTX Corp utilizes the latest in miniaturized, low power consumption technology and offers a robust enterprise GPS and cellular location platform to track in real time the whereabouts of people, pets, vehicles and high valued assets which include grandma and grandpa.

Proximity marketing will push Location Based Services revenues to nearly $13Billion

2011-02-10T09:04:00.001-08:00

Knowing where you are will give you the answer to the “where is” question.
Recent developments in GPS positioning technologies could drive revenues from mobile location-based services to more than $12.7 billion by 2014, according to a new report published by Juniper Research.

Revenues will come from sales of apps through application stores and other channels, but also from mobile advertising tied to those apps. In fact, the Juniper report notes that advertising will likely form an increasing share of Mobile Location Based Services-related revenues over the next five years.

In the words of co-author Dr Windsor Holden; “Location-based applications are extremely interesting for brands and retailers in that they allow those companies to direct consumers to outlets in their vicinity while simultaneously providing information about the products on offer. When these are allied to measures such as mobile coupons and vouchers, you have the combination of information and financial incentive which can be compelling for consumers.”

Enterprises making noise in the LBS space:

Mobile question and answer startup ChaCha is on a roll, possibly achieving profitability, raising boatloads of money, and even venturing into social media with a Facebook app. Today, ChaCha is getting into the business listings game with local business search company Localeze. Localeze will provide ChaCha’s website with in-depth information about more than 15 million businesses across the country.

ChaCha.com visitors can access the local business listings in a search bar and through a direct listings page. In both cases, they will be served a full content page that includes Google maps, directions, phone, and other contact information. And of course, any questions and answers related to the business can be found on the content pages. Business listings can also be viewed by category and or state and city. Eventually, ChaCha’s listings will be integrated with its chachacoupons.com site.

Peanut Labs Media launches Cherry Deals. Cherry Deals tracks location when users buy virtual goods when playing social games and offers deals on real goods.

GTX Corp utilizes miniaturized 2 Way GPS Devices and GPS Tracking Apps carried on multiple cellular platforms to enable those subscribers with permission to follow people, pets, vehicles or valued assets in real time and to participate in Location Based Social Networking through its LOCiMOBILE subsidiary.

Knowing where is not the answer to every GPS question

2008-12-07T15:22:00.000-08:00

At the delta of technological innovation and financial investment the expectation of return on investment must have a clearly defined value proposition to engage stakeholders and maintain their commitment until the marketplace clicks.

GPS navigational devices have clicked rewarding developers, investors and consumers with respective values. The basic proposition of knowing one’s location and the path to get to a destination was simple, evident and valued to a $500 price point. Yet, with so many me-too providers each of the developers has had to continually provide new attributes to their service packages to maintain their share of market and reduce their price point. We now know the pathway, if it is heavily traffic bound and an alternative itinerary dotted with retail shopping options underwritten by advertisers willing to pay for the service. Logistics, service bureaus and law enforcement/security enterprises and organizations have “lit up” transport, personnel and assets with GPS to acquire real time geospatial data so reliable that the courts have accepted locates as legal facts.

Accessibility: Provides an omni-directional direct line of sight
Authenticity: Reliable, generative asset providing warranted information
Personalization: Intimately relevant and customizable
Immediacy: Access to information of the moment that will impact the present
Findability: Location from a pentabyte of possibilities is invaluable
Proximity: Juxtaposition of assets and resources to opportunities
Privacy; Data distribution is elective and discretionary

If all of these loci were not sufficient, miniaturized GPS technology has gone mobile and personal with its embedment into cellular phones, PDA’s and dedicated devices. In additional to the traditional applications there are social network applications and scavenger games that employ the Department of Defense multi-billion dollar investment. Yet, the one personal application that has a true life saving value, a measurable savings of billions of dollars in medical expenses and law enforcement personnel costs is not being deployed.

Alzheimer’s Disease progressively diminishes the mental capacity of its fifteen million victims. As the disease advances, the loss of short tem memory accelerates having a profound impact on the ability of the afflicted to recall their identity or where they live. A short walk around the block can become a coroner’s statistic for nine million seniors if they are not found within hours. Over the next decade the number of those afflicted will grow exponentially as the baby boomers average age progresses.It would be simple to say that the cost of Personal Location Systems would be the singular limitation to the deployment of GPS technology, but the situation is complicated by issues of personal privacy and the lack of acknowledgement by the FDA that the technology is a valued tool for managing a medical condition. If the latter were to happen, then the financial issue would be resolved by insurance coverage and privacy concerns could be addressed with laws.

GPS will tell us where, but not the why –
FDA, 300 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Falls Church, VA 22046
Phone (703) 538-7600 - Fax (703) 538-7676 - Toll free (888) 838-5578

Knowing where to find 'what' makes 'who' quite valuable.

2008-11-19T22:28:00.000-08:00

While nearly everyone knows that GPS is an acronymn for Global Positioning Satellites, few understand how many different applications of the technology there are beyond the dash board navigation systems or the GPS enabled cell phones for which we have become so fond.

Tracking people, vehicles and valuables can be enabled by palm-sized portable devices like the gpVector miniMT that allow entrprises to provide security and recovery services that are invaluable to subscribing clients. As the marketplace learns of these applications the growth of GPS service bureaus will spread around the world.

For the small business or the multinational corporation, monitoring has become an intrinsic touch point governing all end to end business practices. This tremendous cost saving advantage can be uniquely customized to accomodate any requirement.

Knowledge is more than a tool. It is a solution.

A forgettable epidemic

2008-10-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

More than 127,000 critical wandering incidents are estimated to occur each year, according to the nonprofit Alzheimer's Association. If not found within the first 24 hours, up to half of all persons with dementia who wander are likely to become seriously injured or die.

On Wednesday, October 8th, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist enacted Florida's ''Silver Alert,'' which allows the immediate broadcast of information about missing elders with dementia or other forms of cognitive impairment. The alert works similarly to the Amber Alert, which is aimed at finding children who are kidnapped or missing. ''Florida's seniors have built Florida's rich heritage and continue to help strengthen our families and communities, and we have a duty to honor them with our utmost respect and dignity,'' Crist said.

Elderly wandering cases are expected to increase in South Florida and around the country because roughly 10 million Baby Boomers will likely develop Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

''I think people are going to realize this will be an epidemic, if it's not one already,'' said Lauren Young, a licensed clinical social worker with the Alzheimer's Association Southeast Florida chapter.

''One thing about wanderers is, in their mind, they know where they're going,'' said Sidney, 67, of Tamarac.Evelyn, 66, was diagnosed in April 2005 with a form of frontal temporal dementia. She has wandered several times, including several incidents when her husband had to call police. After moving to South Florida in September 2007, Evelyn continued to wander. In November 2007, Sidney got her a Project Lifesaver bracelet to help Broward sheriff's deputies locate her if she wanders again. The device, which she wears under a sock on her ankle, emits a unique radio signal specific to Evelyn. If she wanders again, Sidney would call BSO and give them the frequency.

But the bracelet, a low-cost device intended for Alzheimer's patients, only works within range of the individual's home law enforcement agency. As a result, it couldn't help find Evelyn after she boarded a flight to Texas at the Baltimore airport in November 2007. She went missing after the couple went separately to the bathroom.

Alzheimer's is not only expected to impact Medicare and Medicaid, it will also likely become a growing problem for law enforcement because nearly 60 percent of people with Alzheimer' s disease will wander at some point after the disease sets in, according to the Alzheimer's Association. As many as 70 percent of people who wander do so repeatedly.

Less than 4 percent of memory-impaired adults who wander away from home are able to return unassisted, according to a University of Florida study. Because of such statistics, experts say outside help is vital.

Join GTXCorp at the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk in Washington DC. October 18th.

Phone numbers to remember.

2008-09-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

While it still too early to claim a turn around, it is clear that the mobile industry is undergoing profound changes. The saturated developed markets are forcing the industry to find new revenue streams and we are now seeing other organizations such as media companies, content providers, Internet media companies and private equity companies becoming involved in this market. Innovative GPS based Personal Location Services applications will provide tool sets that drive adoption of the new 3G technology and support the distribution of other agnostic applications. Connectivity will promotea sea change empowering consumers and business with new opportunities.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN organization, revealed that the penetration of mobile phones worldwide would rise to 50% in early 2008 per reports by Economictimes. The numbers projected reflect paid subscriptions only and not prepaid services. Cellular service subscriptions reached 3.3 billion mobile phone subscriptions in November 2007. As predicted, growth in developing geographies such as Africa and the Middle East will experience yearly increases expected to hit 27% and 25%, respectively.

Revenues from the worldwide device applications processor and media coprocessor industry reached $2.9 billion in 2007, a 14 percent increase, IDC said. Nokia is currently the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones, with a global device market share of approximately 40% in 2008. Other major mobile phone manufacturers (in order of market share) include Samsung (14%), Motorola (14%), Sony Ericsson (9%) and LG (7%).[4] These manufacturers account for over 80% of all mobile phones sold and produce phones for sale in most countries. Multimedia functionality can now be found in most mid-range and even some entry-level phone segments, as well as devices ranging from handheld gaming platforms, toys, and a variety of wellness and industrial devices, IDC said.

With more competitors entering the market, mobile communications is rapidly becoming a commodity. Enterprises that will be able to develop provocative new business models that are agnostic to the mobile infrastructure will be much better positioned to entice the end-users.

The shortest distance between two points is a relationship

2008-09-26T17:43:00.000-07:00

Facebook and MySpace were the tipping point for the social networking revolution.

What is expected to follow will not only permeate our culture, but will percolate more than $2.5 trillion in application, device and subscriber revenue for i centric enterprises says isuppli.

By 2020, mobile social networking will change the means and methods of how business is conducted around the world. Anticipating this paradigm shift, the dynamic Silicon Valley investment firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) has invested $30 million on iPhone-related startups (iFund) positioning the firm at the leading edge of a changing world.

The four announced iFund releases are: Pelago, a company that offers "social discovery and location sharing" through an application called Whrrl, available now; iControl, a home automation and monitoring service slated for the Q1 of 2009; ng:moco, an iPhones games company which will ship its first titles later this month which is live on the AppStore and GOGII, "a new social interaction and marketing platform" set for launch later this year. The GOGII Web site indicates the company will offer text messaging services that connect individuals with groups that share common interests.

The transition will reward transparency and proximity with opportunities that occur with greater velocity and endorse geo-spatial relationships as a currency for productivity.

Location Awarness emerges as an essential tactical and social necessity

2008-09-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

The new "Land Warriors" have been empowered to conduct operations with very high degrees of situational awareness. Personal Location Services utilize GPS technologies to offer the “need to know” intelligence required to make critical decisions in volatile field situations with improved personnel and asset management.

Mobile tactical collaboration delivers to strategic and other first responders a secure, web-based interoperable command and control solution via GPS/PLS. Such situational awareness can effectuate a more efficient and effective deployment of resources with the tools to mitigate some of risks facing field personnel. In combat, the technology has been shown to reduce mortality from friendly fire as locates of troop deployments can be syndicated to all field forces. For search and rescue, personnel location is facilitated by the individually worn devices which not only locate, but provide a history of activity including speed and altitude.

Situational Awareness by has permeated the global market place. Consumer driven demand for sharing their real-time geospacial location with others via social network memberships enabled by hand set manufacturers embedding GPS technologies within 2.5 and 3g devices has exploded. The acceleration of this phenom has been fueled by the penetration of iPhone sales and the willingness of MySpace, FaceBook and other networks to open their platforms enabling members to bridge enterprises. Adoption of Yelp, Digg, Mologogo, Blip, Gypsii support the value proposition that collaborative network revenues will be realized from licensing, subscriptions and advertising aside from the military applications. Even if other countries launch their own orbital networks, GPS has no peer in the Personal Location Services sector.

The Significance of Personal (GPS) Location Services

2008-09-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

The value of satellite generated geospacial data (GPS) is magnified by the realization that there is no functional alternative to the technology or its benefits.

Evidence of the technology’s penetration into our social architecture is evidenced by the number of shipments of personal navigation devices (PNDs). Analysts report that GPS enabled devices will continue to grow over the next five years. Key drivers for PND market growth include falling price points, increased worldwide consumer demand, and enhanced functionality with customizable personal applications and services.

As the general adoption and specific applications of GPS gain acceptance, the language of the technology and our culture has also evolved.

Sensor Mesh Networks are ad hoc “social fabrics” formed by dynamic meshes of peer nodes, each of which includes simple networking, computing and sensing capabilities provided by technologies such as GPS Personal Location Services for Social Networking applications.

Location Intelligence (LI) will begin to play a greater role in decision-making within government, corporate and online enterprises such as Google which monitors traffic –
both virtual and real world. Web 2.0 Mashups are accelerating as the technology is embedded in lifestyle activities… tracking, social networking and content creation -- integration of multi-sourced applications or consumer generated content into a single offering. Mashups leverage data and services from public Web sites and Web applications to service the social fabric.

Social Networking involves collecting massive amounts of data from multiple sources, analyzing the data to identify relationships and mining it for new information. The analysis of this mass of data will identify target markets, create new relationships that produce serendipitous results and affirm unvoiced social pattern shifts that will have commercial and personal consequences.

Collective Intelligence enables new ways of doing business across industries that will result in significant shifts in industry dynamics by way of intellectual content that is the product of individuals collaborating with no centralized authority.

Real World Web will bring the power of the Web, which today is perceived as a “separate” virtual place, to the user’s point of need of information or transaction in the real – brick and mortar – world.

Event-driven Architecture (EDA) is a format for distributed personal applications, in which specific discrete functions are integrated into modular, encapsulated, shareable components, which can be triggered by the arrival of an event object… a GPS geofence alert to a care giver for a Alzheimer’s victim that is wandering.

The 360 compass points is only a one dimensional view of the GPS world.

We are aware you can walk and talk, but can you walk the talk?

2008-06-12T16:24:00.000-07:00

The iPhone’s recent firmware update introduced a psuedo-GPS feature that utilizes cell tower information to triangulate your location on the iPhone's Google Maps application. “Click” and a moment later you can locate yourself are on the map.

Jailbroken iPhones—and all iPhones—will be afforded a selection of location-aware programs that will take advantage of that faux and potentially true GPS information to provide you with data and opportunities relevant to your proximity.

One of those opportunities will be social networking. Application developers and marketers are offering to track your social network in real as well as virtual space. Twinkle, a Twitter application currently running on jailbroken iPhones, plots the location of your tweets and displays the location of all other Twinkle users within anywhere from 1 to 1000 miles. New social networking web sites like BrightKite and Gypsii are cropping up architected as location-based networks where you can track friends and make new friends.

Personal Location Services will convert the breadcrumb trail of longitude and latitude locates into a spontaneous array of relevant proximity based opportunities...is it big brother or just algorthythms latching onto our lives... will be decided if the gains outweigh the issues of privacy.

Curiously, the world of location based services, which has been talked about for some time, has gained momentum with the acceptance of the iPhone. Regardless of the catalyst, the stimulus for location aware services will transform the world we know.

The destination of branding, marketing and promotion is migrating to the palm of the consumer’s hand.

2008-04-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

GTX Corp and its embedded global positioning technologies (GPS) when Integrated with behavioral marketing databases will provide the vehicle for marketers to target and track correspondence to one consumer at one location and one billion consumers on a global landscape – And do this at the same time with equal accuracy and economy. A driving force of the global economy, to a great extent, will be in the palm of our hands.

Relevant marketing messages received in real time by prequalified opt-in consumers who are at a specific location will stimulate opportunistic transactional behavior patterns. Owing to the reach of ATT broadband and the advertising community’s growing interest in engaging the consumer at the point of sale, the ripple of proximity promotions we see today will be tomorrow’s marketing tsunami.

Recent eMarketer research estimates that U.S. spending on mobile ads, some $900 million in 2007, will rise to $4.8 billion by 2011.

Mobile ads today are sprayed at the mass audiences, but that will change if marketers have their way as knowing the customer’s precise location can boost message responses by 5 times. The Federal Communications Commission ruled in 1996 that wireless carriers must assist 911 dispatchers identify a caller's location, technology companies and privacy advocates alike have been speculating about making our phones' location information available to commercial services and advertisers. Presently California and New York skim GPS data from cell phones carried by commuting motorists to append real-time traffic data which is made available to the drivers on the road.

When Ford and Firestone began building automobiles, they had no idea that the auto would stimulate the proliferation of strip malls. Our crystal ball is a bit cloudy when it comes to prognosticating what locates tagged to marketing information or the consumer’s breadcrumb trail will bring…we can be assured that Personal Location Services will bring changes we have not anticipated.

Smart Mobs: Connecting with others who value and utilize the power of a social collective

2008-03-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

GPS supports social networking allowing users to visually view online maps to locate and track others with similar interests emphasizing relationships and opportunities outside of the internet.

"The people who make up smart mobs cooperate in ways never before possible because they carry devices that distribute data to others.”

The net of smart mobs promises to be a third computing revolution providing individuals with the tools to create and participate in collectives of their own choosing. Combining real-time tracking system, location based search and alerts, mobile maps, social networking and location-aware chat. What one may not accomplish, many

You control the data and specify who sees your location -- from absolutely anyone to only those you invite. You can share your maps on line and to internet enabled mobile devices.

Until recently, the only devices with GPS functionality were devices that identified where the user was to the user. Now GTX Corp has developed shoes with GPS functionality sharing its location data with others. The shoes could be a portent for the future…personal location devices embedded in clothing and shoes that employ geo-spatial technology...to pinpoint the where, when and who.

The soul of this story isn’t about treading on personal privacy, but rather an opportunity to run with members of social groups...”mobs” if you will with shared interests in travel, games, dating and neighborhood watch – Or with other issues held in common such as Alzheimer’s. A mob with a membership of 11 million sufferers.
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The initial mission of GTX Corp was to create a shoe with an embedded, miniaturized and battery operated GPS transceiver in its sole. The concept was to provide parents with a virtual line of sight to their offspring no matter where they might be with GPS. The time, energy and dollars to accomplish that mission also made everyone involved aware of Alzheimer’s. If the unit could track a child it could also track a senior.

GPS shoes and external mobile units track a wearer’s every move. Once activated, the unit will notify the parent or caregiver that a geofence has been breeched. It will then transmit the wearer’s bread crumb trail and pinpoint the current location of the device on a Google map. The system will also keep a historic record of its every move. So effective is the system, that the relatively low cost of the device and monthly service now is measured in lives not dollars.

Twenty-six miles in twenty-five hundred years…

2008-02-29T09:21:00.000-08:00

When athletes run a marathon today, they may not realize they are participating in a twenty-five hundred year old event.

The word “Marathon” comes from a tale told of the Greek solider Pheidippides, who ran to Athens from the town of Marathon to proclaim the stunning victory of the Persians in the Battle of Marathon 490BC. Without stopping, Pheidippides ran the entire distance to let Athenians know of the news. Centuries later, another Greek courier, Spiridon Louis, won the first marathon at the modern Olympics in 1896. His time of 2:58:50 was impressive; however at that time there were no established distance guide lines.

In 1921, The International Amateur Athletic Federation declared a fixed distance for a marathon to be 26.21875 miles. Fast forwarding the clock 111 years, Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia set the world record, 2 hours 4 minutes and 26 seconds, for that distance in 2007, an improvement of 21 minutes and 13 seconds since the last record in 1947.

The marathon is so dramatic and rich in history that it is the closing event for the Olympics, presenting the runners to its billion viewers on television and the internet. Curiously though, the other 800 worldwide marathons organized each year, receive relatively little external coverage and basically require the spectator to be there in person to view the event. It is not for the lack of spectator interest, but rather the difficulty in providing coverage for two or more hours over a twenty-six mile course that keeps the sport “dark” to its enormous spectator fan base.

Recent technological advancements are changing that landscape and making it easier for the athlete to be viewed, even by a loved one half way across the world. By combining Global Position Satellite (GPS) and cellular technology, a tracking unit can be placed on a runner which measures time, speed, altitude and distance and then can be transmitted to an internet portal. This kind of technology serves the purpose of keeping the athlete on pace and expanding the line of site to a spectator. Recently, John Brennan a five time Iron Man competitor himself came out of retirement to launch a start-up My Athlete LLC
MyAthlete.biz. Turning GPS technology into a round trip experience, my Athlete makes it possible for runners to monitor their stats and spectators on the course or around the world with access to the Internet or web enabled cell phones, to have a line of sight in real time.

“Just awesome performance – 366 reports at 30mph". – John Brennan, CEO MyAthlete.biz.

Brennan offers runners a miniaturized GPS/GPRS transceiver athletic belt developed by GTXCorp.com which locates their position on Google Maps and shares their real-time breadcrumb trail with on-line spectators at the event and around the world. Keeping pace with technology, this GPS platform is expected to mature quickly. Expect to see location aware content in more athletic events and expanding into telemedicine and a host of other applications. The value of Personal Location Based Services for the runners and their fans is here today, its future value will cross the finish line in ways not even thought possible yet.

Alzheimer's and Wandering - A Worldwide Crisis:

2008-02-24T09:07:00.000-08:00

According to a 2007 study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, more than 26 million individuals worldwide are currently living with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), with this figure expected to quadruple - to more than 106 million by 2050 - as the worlds' population ages. In the U.S., the report estimated approximately 5 million afflicted individuals, rising to more than 20 million by 2050.

Up to 90% of individuals afflicted with Alzheimer's can be expected to wander as a manifestation of the disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, up to 60% of AD suffers will become lost at least once during the progression of the disease, with a 2002 estimate of 125,000 incidents of critical wandering (being identified as “lost”) in the U.S. each year. By 2040, it is estimated that incidents of critical wandering in the U.S could exceed over half a million cases per year. Finally, a regional (Mid-Atlantic) report by a nationally recognized search and rescue expert indicated that 46% of AD critical wanderer’s not found within 24 hours died, usually from exposure to the elements or injury due to a fall. Worse, in more than 80% of such incidents victims were found within one mile of the point last seen.

Stresses on Caregivers:

Exacerbating the Alzheimer’s problem is a 2006 MetLife survey indicating more than two-thirds of AD suffers live at home, and are cared for by a family member or friend. In more than half of such circumstances, the caregiver was a spouse with an average age of 75, providing an average of 47 hours of care per week. In a 2004 study conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Alliance for Caregiving, 41% of AD caregivers rated their stress as 4 or 5, where 5 is a “great deal of emotional stress”. In this same study, nearly one-third reported needing help in managing challenging behaviors – including wandering. Further, assistance from adult children has become more difficult as the Boomer generation has moved greater distances from their parent’s home. According to a 2002 study by the Alzheimer’s Association of LA & Riverside, (non-spousal) AD caregivers lived an average of 480 miles from the people for which they were attempting to provide care, making day-to-day contact and safety supervision impossible.

GTX Corp and “Nana” Technology:

GTX tracking technology incorporated into shoes and other consumer products represents the leading edge of the rapidly growing “Nana” Technology industry. Defined as “microchip based technology designed, intended, or that can otherwise be used to improve quality of life for older adults” (i.e. “Nana”), GTX Corp applications in this sector can not only reduce AD caregiver stress and worry, but save lives. Currently available RFI monitoring devices for Alzheimer’s sufferers, such as wrist or ankle bracelets, offer limited range, and afflicted individuals may frequently resist wearing devices unfamiliar to them. However, habitual memory (which includes functions such as getting dressed) is typically the last type of memory affected in those with AD, meaning those in the early to mid (wandering) stages of the disease may maintain these skills. Putting on and/or wearing shoes is not an unfamiliar or resisted task, and some AD afflicted individuals may not consider going outside without first putting on their shoes.

GTX Corp personal location services (PLS) will be available in the very near future to the millions of AD afflicted individuals and families who could benefit from the advantages of its reciprocal GPS technology.

About the Author:
Andrew Carle is founding Director of the Program in Assisted Living/Senior Housing Administration at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He is internationally known for coining and defining the term “Nana” Technology, as well as identifying products that fit within categories of specific need for older adults.

Related Links:

George Mason Program in Assisted Living/Senior Housing Administration
www.assistedliving.gmu.edu

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
www.jhsph.edu

Alzheimer’s Association
www.alz.org

Metlife Mature Market Institute
www.metlife.com

National Alliance for Caregiving
www.caregiving.org

USA TODAY: “Nana technology” tools help seniors be independent
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/graphics/nana_tech/flash.htm