In the past people and machines struggled to know even their approximate location, let alone make timely use of the information. Now we have the tools and data for a new level of location precision, dynamic awareness and contextual insight. These advancements in positioning intelligence are creating new, disruptive impacts, impelled by the needs of a data driven and dominantly mobile technology age.
Real time location and situational awareness have become increasingly important combinations for marketers to deliver relevant, timely and contextual service to consumers. That valuable message may be a finely tuned, micro-targeted promotional message from a nearby retailer or 3D directions to a destination or instructions for hailing the nearest taxi. Farmers may need drones that closely monitor moisture and soil conditions in a crop field combined with flash weather conditions from the surrounding counties. Fleet operators will benefit from real time, precise vehicle tracking and vehicle and cargo diagnostics to manage complex delivery logistics. Of course the promise of autonomous vehicles is predicated upon new levels of location precision, dynamic awareness and contextual insight delivered in a streaming mode.
We are undergoing a dramatic expansion in commercial opportunities for location intelligence as the proximity-technologies undergo dramatic refinement. We see this trend accelerating and coalescing with the Internet of Things and new applications break through, impacting nearly every application sector.