What is Location Data … and Why Should You Care? | Data & Me

#News(General) [ via IoTForIndiaGroup ]

But what exactly is location data?
Location data is a general term used to describe the databasing of information collected about a given place. This information is then used to inform anything from digital services such as maps and directions, to whether retailers will stock bathing suits or ski jackets. The more varied and plentiful the data, the more useful it is in creating efficiencies and convenience for end users.
Types of Location Data
Location data can include a variety of inputs that, when aggregated, gives us a clear “picture” of a given place. Examples include:
• Demographics – Who is at a location at any one time? What are these people’s characteristics? How does this change over time?
• Traffic – What kind of movement of individuals or vehicles is this location experiencing?
• Weather – Hot or cold, rainy or sunny … weather is a significant factor for any location because it has a direct effect on how people and commerce operate.
• Air Quality – Air quality affects individual health, as well as the economy, but it can also be an indicator for other underlying issues in a given location.
• Zoning – Is the location a private residence, an industrial worksite, a retail store or even a public park?
• Physicality – What are the measurements, physical characteristics or topography of a given space?
This information can be collected from a number of sources such as …
• mobile phone Wi-Fi signals and sensors
• sales, traffic and video data recorded at the location itself
• independent datasets such as census or weather data
While any single data stream on a location might be helpful, the true magic happens when multiple layers of information are combined.
Location Data Bridging our Physical and Digital Worlds
It’s soccer night, and you’ve just picked the kids up from school. You’ve got thirty-five minutes to feed and get the crew to practice. Your mind starts racing … which route will be best in rush hour traffic? What can I grab along the way for dinner?
An alert dings on your smartphone, “Soccer Practice at Park Field, take Jackson Street for the best route.”You agree to the route in your favorite maps app and quickly search along the way for some food. Your first choice is experiencing unusually high traffic at the location which may result in increased wait times. Don’t have time for that! You click on your second choice and are offered the option to order online so it will be ready when you arrive. You place your order and off you go.
How many of us actually stop and think about all the data that goes into helping us make daily decisions?

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