What Three Words... simply amazing...

[snrkl]

Stumbled upon this tonight..

How long before our GPS trackers tell you where your rocket is with three.words.only:



For what it is worth, our rocket field is at ///belong.twilight.hallmarks

https://w3w.co/belong.twilight.hallmarks

 

[kuririn]

Ha! Our field is at an unceremonious ///sedated.mailman.cries.
Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.

 

[Nytrunner]

Yes, just turn left at timings.overstep.thrills to get to the south field, but if we set up at the north field, you'll have to backtrack and turn right at enchanted.geographical starters

 

[Exactimator]

I could really see this coming in handy with rocketry. Since we launch in rural areas and chase our rockets into places where there are no roads, this would give accurate positions and increase efficiency.

We had somone go out to retrieve in their dune buggy and got stuck halfway to their rocket. They called on the radio for help. Since they were using RF tracking they tried giving the frequency and saying an approximate distance out. By the time someone with an available receiver got theirs fired up, tuned, triangulated and out to them a kind random offroader passing by had already pulled them out. The what three words would app would have been much more efficient.

For new people directions would include "use the gate at WTW, right turn at WTW," etc.

Good stuff.

 

[cerving]

Looks like you need Internet access to use it... that's going to be a problem for a lot of us.

 

[dhbarr]

How is this better / worse than : lat-long or plus.codes ?

 

[Exactimator]

Looks like you need Internet access to use it... that's going to be a problem for a lot of us.

I think it works offline to. From their site:

"Offline
The what3words system uses a mathematical algorithm, held in a package around 20MB in size. As such, it will comfortably fit on a modern smartphone. It means that you can search for a 3 word address online and offline, or where a data connection is unreliable."

 

[Exactimator]

How is this better / worse than : lat-long or plus.codes ?

I would consider it simpler than lat/lon because it's three words rather than a string of multiple numbers.

I didn't know about plus.codes until i read your comment. Those are even simpler and Google Maps is already set up with it, easy to share via text (cell servuce is required for that). No additional app needed. Thanks for enlightening me!

 

[cerving]

I think it works offline to. From their site:

"Offline
The what3words system uses a mathematical algorithm, held in a package around 20MB in size. As such, it will comfortably fit on a modern smartphone. It means that you can search for a 3 word address online and offline, or where a data connection is unreliable."

That's pretty cool. I wonder what their licensing fees are like...

 

[solid_fuel]

Ha! MDRA is tactile shame zoomed.

 

[K'Tesh]

OK... how about this... some kind of transmitter launched with the rocket, tethered to a drone. You launch the rocket, then the drone flies off directly to the location of the rocket. Upon locating it, the user is given the option for "auto recovery", perhaps by use of rare earth magnets or a claw (no shovel recoveries though).

 

[Ravenex]

The need a fourth word to discribe the vertical this is useless to tell someone what floor your on. Your balcony and your upstairs neighbors balcony would be the same, there are also plenty of natural features with overhangs... That seems a little short sighted for such a interesting concept.

 

[Wallace]

What 4 words?

 

[Bat-mite]

Technology keeps on keeping on....

 

[dhbarr]

Pssht, doesn't even tell you when to be or how to get then.

 

[Buckeye]

How is this better / worse than : lat-long or plus.codes ?

Agreed. These options are organized logically, with locations near each other having similar numbers. The random 3 words tell you nothing about your vicinity. In fact, just the opposite. Addresses with similar words are spread far apart. Also, the world is not 2D. Where is the elevation parameter?

 

[Bat-mite]

I thought about this some more, and I got to wondering what they do about the language barrier. Are the three words always in English? If so, how does it help the guy in Uzbekistan who doesn't speak English? If the words are localized to the regional language, then how does it help me send a package to zwili.oraha.nimbuzi?

 

[neil_w]

I would consider it simpler than lat/lon because it's three words rather than a string of multiple numbers.

Yes. It's hard to (a) remember, and (b) communicate lat/lon codes. Three words are easy to remember and easy to communicate.

I didn't know about plus.codes until i read your comment. Those are even simpler and Google Maps is already set up with it, easy to share via text (cell servuce is required for that). No additional app needed. Thanks for enlightening me!

I didn't know about them either. They look like a good, more direct replacement for Lat/Lon in many cases. Three words are still much easier to remember and communicate than GFV3+89 (where I am at this moment).

Plus codes have the advantage of similar codes being near each other. Three words are expressly designed the other way, so you're more likely to have a unique address that won't get confused with others in the same area.

All this stuff is great IMHO.