Author: Chris Nickola<\/p>\n
An emerging form of real-time mapping is giving companies a new way to make workplaces safer and more efficient. Powered by a geographic information system (GIS), the new capability is a sophisticated twist on a technique called geofencing. A typical geofence recognizes when a car, mobile phone, or other object moves into a digitally \u201cfenced\u201d area and triggers a corresponding alert or action. For instance, a home goods store could set up a geofence around the surrounding square block area. When a customer using the company\u2019s mobile app crosses that threshold, location technology would trigger a notification about a sale or a popular item that\u2019s back in stock.<\/p>\n
Now, real-time mapping\u2014showcased in the video below\u2014enables organizations to track the proximity of multiple moving objects and issue alerts when they near one another.<\/p>\n
In business settings where vehicle operators work in close proximity and with limited visibility\u2014such as warehouses, solar energy installations, or airports\u2014these automated geofencing alerts can reduce accidents and ensure smoother workflows. In addition, by analyzing the data streams of moving assets, managers gain location intelligence on the patterns that shape everyday business operations.<\/p>\n
The video of this technology at work shows a ski area where the operator has employed dynamic geofencing to alert drivers of snowmobiles and snowplows to each other\u2019s presence. The principles at play could just as easily apply to companies managing shipyards, rail terminals, vineyards, or rental car lots.<\/p>\n
Inclement weather, rugged terrain, obstacles, and nighttime conditions can make it difficult for operators of vehicles and moving machinery to see each other. The ski company was facing thick precipitation and mountainous topography that created dangerous gaps in visibility for employees crisscrossing the slopes.<\/p>\n