Level 79
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Cartography, GIS, and Geospatial Technology

Digital Mapping and Location-Based Technology

A survey of the consumer mapping platforms and location-aware technologies that have transformed everyday navigation, from web maps and GPS-enabled apps to ride-sharing, augmented reality, and the smart-city sensor networks built on top of them.

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. Web Mapping Platforms and Their Data Sources. From MapQuest to Google Maps and OpenStreetMap, web mapping grew on layered commercial and open data.
  2. Location-Based Services and Mobile Apps. GPS chips, Wi-Fi positioning, and app permissions turned phones into always-on location devices.
  3. Geocoding and Reverse Geocoding. Geocoding and reverse geocoding translate between street addresses and coordinates.
  4. Ride-Sharing, Delivery, and Real-Time Routing. Ride-hailing and delivery apps run on decades-old routing algorithms fed by live traffic data.
  5. Geofencing and Location-Based Marketing. Geofencing triggers app actions when a device crosses a virtual boundary, raising marketing and legal stakes.
  6. Privacy and Surveillance in Location Data. Court rulings and investigative journalism exposed how precise phone location data is bought and tracked.
  7. Augmented Reality and Spatial Computing. AR frameworks and visual positioning let phones and headsets overlay digital content onto real space.
  8. Smart Cities and Sensor-Driven Mapping. Sensor networks and digital twins let cities monitor and simulate their infrastructure in real time.

This module continues after "GPS, Navigation, and Geodesy" in the syllabus. If you haven't reviewed it yet, it may help set the context.

Key points

Visual module map

1Web Mapping Platforms and Their Data Sources
2Geocoding and Reverse Geocoding
3Geofencing and Location-Based Marketing
4Privacy and Surveillance in Location Data
5Smart Cities and Sensor-Driven Mapping

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

Your module mastery

0% (overall measurement)
Approximate breakdown by skill
Understanding of historiographical debate0%

A rough estimate based on the key points reviewed, not an exact measurement of actual mastery.

Final test

You need to review all key points to unlock the final test.

Optional mini-games

Extra practice, with no penalty, to reinforce the module's content.

Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • Monmonier, M. (2018). How to Lie with Maps (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
  • Ramm, F., Topf, J., and Chilton, S. (2011). OpenStreetMap: Using and Enhancing the Free Map of the World. Cambridge: UIT Cambridge.
  • Zuboff, S. (2019). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. New York: PublicAffairs.
  • Newson, P. and Krumm, J. (2009). 'Hidden Markov Map Matching Through Noise and Sparseness.' Proceedings of the 17th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems (GIS '09).
  • Thompson, S.A. and Warzel, C. (2019, December 19). 'One Nation, Tracked.' The New York Times.
  • Carpenter v. United States, 585 U.S. ___ (2018).