That's not how the ES are using the app. They are simply navigating to the 3 word address which is what the app was designed for, for free. I've just navigated to my friends house using it by clicking the directions link which translates to coords in maps.
The thing like GPS that uses 4 words instead of lat / long?
- Thread starter Cromulent
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I think a lot of people seem to be missing the point. The app provides a simple and easy way of identifying your location if you don't know where you are.
If fact, its hard to imagine a simpler way of easily describing a location than with three simple english words.
It is also very simple for the emergency operator to readback the 3 words to identify any errors.
Using raw lat/long to identify your location via vocal communication is massively prone to error. A solution which automatically transmits the GPS location automatically when calling the local emergency services is better, however its more complex and therefore less robust.
If fact, its hard to imagine a simpler way of easily describing a location than with three simple english words.
It is also very simple for the emergency operator to readback the 3 words to identify any errors.
Using raw lat/long to identify your location via vocal communication is massively prone to error. A solution which automatically transmits the GPS location automatically when calling the local emergency services is better, however its more complex and therefore less robust.
Yea I can see your point, how about where it's hard to describe somewhere like woodland/countryside where there maybe isn't a lot of landmarks? I really liked the idea from that point of view.
In those situation is where simply using one of the emergency apps works better, your exact GPS coordinates sent straight to the emergency services without using any kind of weird proprietary API that you have to pay for.
This might have been something useful 50 years ago. Each building could be given such a 3 word code that you could memorize. Basically like a smarter post code.
But given this app requires a smartphone form the user, then why not simply send exact GPS coordinates from the phone in real-time?
Quite the opposite, sending the raw unadjusted GPS coordinates is far more robust because there is not processing involved.
For this to work you have to pay for and use a proprietary API and install a database to do the look-up. If that database got corrupted, went out of date, was maliciously attached, or there was a bug in the code doing the translation then you are screwed. If your app simply sends the GPS coordinate as it is then there is far less to go wrong.
Don
Think I'm pretty much the only one in the thread which can see both sides to this;
I like the idea. Having simple English words to describe a location, which you're unaware of, is great. It makes much more sense to say three words, rather than a whole string of GPS co-ordinates. Although everyone understands that giving the exact GPS co-ordinates is by much the more accurate location, there's by far a greater degree of error when giving those details over.
However, the biggest issue with three words, is that it isn't based on any logic; Having Purple Monkey Trashcan and Purple Trashcan Monkey appearing in opposite sides of the world defeats the purpose of choosing three words to cut down on errors and improve location finding.
Good idea in principal, I'd like to see it improved by using more of a grid system - even expanded to multiple extra words - First word is always the UK, second word is town, third word is a smaller reference square, forth word even smaller, 5th finally smaller to a square of say 30ft or so.
Soldato
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But that then defeats the point of it - you really may as well use the coordinates. This trims it down to just three words to pinpoint your location.
Don
Not really, articulating a few easy words is far easier than articulating: Latitude: xx.xxxxxxxx | Longitude: x.xxxxxxxx.
it just means that if somehow the sequencing of words were to get thrown out of sync nearer the end of the chain, the person could still potentially be found. Lets not forget that you're likely to be passing these details over on a life or death moment, so mistakes from either side could be made.
Soldato
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I do understand your logic behind it, but their key selling point is keep it simple and short.
I must admit my only prior awareness of this was in relation to postal delivery in developing countries and for casual events such as finding people at a festival or the likes; the emergency services side of things does seem to have possible issues given the rather higher stakes.
Soldato
I'd say it's a benefit to have nearby squares with completely different words.
It makes easy error checking.
You'll know a very rough location, something like "South england" would be enough. Then if you've mixed up the order of the words it can be easy for someone to work out that you've made a mistake.
If you try to give GPS coordinates and you mix up a couple of numbers or miss one out, that could put your location off by 15 kilometres and the person on the phone wouldn't have any obvious indication that you've given the wrong info.
Don
The call handler would see rough location information anyway from the mobile provider I would have thought?
The whole point is you never have to say the GPS coordinates, you just click a button and the app sends it. No need for pointless translations.
But the problem is if a mistake has been made there is no way to rectify that mistake or at least get close to the location, you are just plain hosed.
If you have an app that sends locations then there is no room for errors.
You can click a button in the app and Google Maps will automatically use sat nav to get you to that location which is pretty cool.
Just type in the three words.
Soldato
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That applies to anything though. If someone messes up, it goes wrong.
Someone tells you the wrong address, funnily enough if you put that into Google maps you'll be taken there and not the correct one!
Caporegime
You know this because you too work for an emergency service? Were you also in a meeting last week with what3words reps selling the product to you?
Soldato
Whichever way you dress it up, saying 3 simple words directly to another person is the easiest way to convey information to that person. And yes, things could go wrong if somebody says the wrong words, and yes presumably there is an API to convert that infomation to a location, just as there is an API to convert GPS coordinates to a location. All of which could be weak links in the chain, but it strikes me there are more potentially weak links in the chain of sending an automated SMS with GPS information.
What3Words are claiming on their website that the U.K. emergency services already are using their product - So I'm assuming they've already sold the product.
What3Words are claiming on their website that the U.K. emergency services already are using their product - So I'm assuming they've already sold the product.
Caporegime
I know they are, I was in a meeting with them last week hearing their sales pitch.