The Road Not Taken: Creating a Path-Finding Tool Using Consumer-Grade GPS Equipment

We automate the organization of GPS data to create a visibility map with correctly connected intersections. For our example case study, we use GPS data collected on the Swarthmore College campus. After the data is automatically organized and cleaned, a user is able to select points on a visual map to search for an optimal path between those points. 1 The Problem of Navigation Swarthmore College, set in the beautiful Scott Arboretum, has many scenic routes and winding paths between the lovely stone buildings. This serene setting is wonderful for long walks, but can be troublesome in trying to navigate from one’s dorm to a classroom when one is half-awake and running behind schedule. In order to assist the poor, sleepdeprived students of Swarthmore College, we create an interactive map of the campus to help users discover the appropriate paths between the various buildings on campus. In doing so, we develop a set of tools that can easily create similar systems for data collected in other locations.