Ordnance Survey – Great Britain's national mapping agency
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6.6: Mobile GIS (2)
Location-based services (LBS)
LBS are a relatively new concept in GIS. Although maps have been around for centuries, a map that can automatically find your nearest Italian restaurant, plan the most interesting route there, tell you what is currently on the menu, and allow you to place an order to be ready on arrival is a major advance. This is the promise of LBS and the reason why it is such a hot topic today.
Companies developing such services have had a hard time selling them to customers, and this may be for many reasons. Two of these may be a lack of understanding of what LBS is and the cost of the technology involved. The cost is coming down fast, however, and more and more people are beginning to understand what LBS can do for them. Today LBS applications are even available on some mobile phones, making them accessible to everyone.
Future LBS applications might:
Direct you to the nearest service station when your vehicle’s engine management system detects a problem, warn the station that you are coming so they have the necessary parts ready for when you arrive, order a taxi for you, and let your colleagues or family know you will be late.
Replace paper maps with electronic devices that not only allow you to see the area you are in but pinpoint your position, allow you to select map features and display information about them, plan routes, guide you with voice commands and recalculate routes automatically if conditions change.
Alert emergency services the moment a medical problem is detected, and direct them to your home via the quickest possible route, taking into account traffic conditions and drive restrictions. It could even alert them to what the problem is so that the appropriate treatment can be given immediately on arrival. Meanwhile, your calendar appointments could be automatically rearranged, leaving you worry free during your recovery.
The common theme running through all these suggested applications is the location of the user. It is this single parameter that defines LBS as a useful technology for the world of today.