Rohan Trusty, MGI technician, explains to Observer driver, Colin Green (right), how the Garmin StreetPilot navigation system is used.

Imagine never being lost again.

And if the 'techies' at Mona Geo Infomatics (MGI) keep at it, 'never' might be sooner than you think.

"We want to fully implement this technology by 2008," shares Rohan Trusty, MGI technician, as he explains how the Garmin StreetPilot works.

The Garmin StreetPilot is a portable satelite enabled GPS navigation device that instructs drivers with directions and stores data of previously visited areas.

Trusty, commissioned by MGI principal, Parris Ayee Jnr, over the last year went around the island collecting and ultimately collating data before entering the info into the master computer server.

"We have all the data on roads, schools, churches and settlements," he says, adding that, though extensive research has been conducted more needs to be done.

"The system lists all major roads in Kingston and Portmore," he adds, "however, only the highways are listed in rural areas."

But while all that makes for good conversation, coming in around US$300 - relatively cheap technology - how trustworthy is it?

Thursday Life Tech, along with Trusty heads for the Mona community, where we test the reliability of our new found toy.
It's as simple as placing the suction cup atop the dash board, before Trusty keys in our destination, the Texaco Gas Station in Papine.

"It also carries text-to-speech capability," he says, speaking to the female voice giving the directions. A blue arrow is now visible on the 3 x 4 screen as the simulated path glows red.

"This is a scenario coming to life... because I've never come this side (Old Hope Road) with the device before," he adds, obviously more excited than when we first started the conversation.

"It's very detailed, it picks up the slightest turn," Trusty shares, as we round the corner at the Irving Hall entrance of the University of the West Indies, Mona. The device also carries road classification, which tells drivers which roads ought to be the preferred route.

"The shortest route is not necessarily the safest, so it chooses the main roads (which are categorised) instead of whole heap o' lane, lane that sometimes can be dangerous."
What's more, the MIG may also facilitate navigation systems via mobile phone.

"If you buy an in-car GPS unit, it's a lot more expensive, as opposed to the mobile unit," shares Francis Felix, management consultant at MGI, whose smartphone is equipped with a navigator.

The firm has also established a GPS tracker system.
"The GPS device uses a Digicel SIM card and sends information to the GIS server," says another GIS technician, John Mark Wright.

The technology enables onscreen tracking, fleet and asset management.

"This type of technology is especially useful for trucking companies," says Wright, informing Thursday Life Tech that fleet owners can reduce costs since drivers, if under surveillance, will hesitate to loiter. He further points out that vehicles can be tagged in case they are stolen.
He even let us in on future plans.

"We want to have a interface where the user can see all the developments on a map," he says.

Editor's Note: We got wind of this great little must-have Saturday last, when retired Air Jamaica captain, Michael Lyn, used it to take us from Chukka Cove (Danny Melville's 60th birthday bash) back to our hotel. We were immediately sold.

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