Jan/Feb 2005

The latest "personal mobile safety" tracking solution from Tracalert uses aerial mapping supplied by MapMechanics and hosted by Gettmapping to provide vivid and readily-identifiable on-screen locations of tracked people and equipment.

The company offers a range of tracking solutions, including its main system for vehicles (called Trackalert) and systems for tracking individuals (Loc8 and Loc8 Pro). They all use GPS for location and GSM mobile phone technology for transmitting the information to users via the Web.

Tracalert is particularly strong in "duty of care" systems that locate lone, late-working and vulnerable staff in real time. Its systems are in use by a variety of public-sector organisations such as councils, housing associations, the DVLA and the Probation Service.

Tracalert uses Getmapping's hosted service, Imagexpress Direct, which links directly via the Internet to Getmapping Web servers, and can provide access to nationwide aerial photography on demand. Imagexpress Direct is said to allow seamless integration with software applications, Web sites and business processes.