Our look at the most interesting APIs of 2016 moves to the Mapping category. More and more developers are making use of Location and Mapping services to enhance their applications and these APIs provide recent technology in that sector. Other categories included here are Transportation, Engagement, Wireless, Bluetooth, and Travel.
MapFruitionTravel Time API provides developers with the ability to generate service area polygons based on mode of travel (drive, bike, or walk) and time/distance. Data coverage includes the Contiguous US, Alaska, and Hawaii.
MapmeAPI is a RESTful builder tool for maps. Mounted as a service on Google Maps API, Mapme allows easy creation and customization of content on maps. Mapme maps can include layers, tags, moderation for crowdsourcing, activity feed, privacy settings, search, mobile compatibility, more.
Build custom maps without coding via Mapme. Import and Export maps with the API Image Credit: Mapme
Melown is a interactive visualization platform for 2D and 3D geospatial data. Developers can utilize the Melown API for interactive rendering and embedding of 3D maps. Melown combines a JavaScript API with tens of terabytes of open data from the cloud, that works in every Web browser, is cross-platform and customizable. It returns map states, events, position, distance and more.
Here's a 3D map rending of Mikulov, city, South Moravia Image Credit: Melown
The FencerAPI is a geofence Web service for mobile apps, Web apps, and IoT. It offers "geofencing as a service". With the Fencer API, developers can create and manage geofences for applications or devices in quick, easy manner. In addition, they can query users' or devices' location relative to a geofence using the REST API.
Furkot is a road trip planning service. The Furkot API allows users to access detailed descriptions of their trip data, including the duration and designated stops of specific trips.
Furkot API allows trip planners to optimize a hike for navigation and points of interest Image Credit: Furkot/Twitter
eeGeo provides interactive 3D maps for many operating systems/devices, such as iOS, Android, OSX, OculusVR, and WebGL. The eeGeo 3D Map API allows developers to embed a 3D map into other applications.
eeGeo 3d Map examples Image Credit: eeGeo
Predix is an industrial software platform developed by General Electric Digital which aims to improve asset performance management (APM), operations, and business. They've introduced a number of APIs for machine-to-machine interoperability, or the Industrial Internet, such as the Predix Parking Planning API, which offers parking metadata obtained from lighting sensors in parking lots and along public roadways. Information such as real time occupancy status is available. Other Predix APIs include The Predix Traffic Planning API, which offers metadata obtained from lighting sensors along public roadways. and the Predix Time Series API, offering sensor data management, distribution, and storage. Read more about Predix APIs and the Industrial Internet of Things.
ProximiAPI can exact a location of app users within indoor locations by combining positioning technologies like WiFi triangulation, WiFi fingerprinting, beacons, BlueTooth, sensors, magnetic fields, and more.
Proximi.io API provides developers with unified access to all positioning technologies Image Credit: Proximi.io
HyperTrack.io provides location and tracking services. The HyperTrack API supports the integration of location tracking features in apps. It can be useful for developers who are building applications that monitor metering costs of drivers, can generate alerts for on-transit driver delays, customers' live order tracking, allows for dashboard tracking views integration, and drivers' incidents audits among other uses.
Tracking a friend's location and ETA is one potential use of the HyperTrack API Image Credit: HyperTrack.io