W3: Using CartoDB to map real-time data

Lead Presenter: Javier de la Torre (CartoDB)

Hallward Library: LG101 - Sept. 17, 2013, 11:30 a.m. to Sept. 17, 2013, 1:30 p.m.

CartoDB is an open-source tool for mapping and building apps around dynamic data. We will show you how to use CartoDB to build maps, and to use the maps to explore dynamic data.

CartoDB is an open-source tool for mapping and building apps around dynamic data. One of the most powerful features of the technology is that it allows users to manage and build maps from data that is regularly changing. Dynamic datasets such as weather conditions, traffic information, or even real-time GPS feeds lend themselves to beautiful maps and powerful applications. This workshop will be broken into two parts. In the first part, we will show you how to use CartoDB to build maps using CartoDB. This portion of the workshop will help new CartoDB users from any background start creating maps for the web. We will walk you through data import, map styling, and map publishing. No developer experience is needed. We will provide you the necessary datasets and free hosted CartoDB accounts. The second portion of the workshop will use the maps created in the first part to explore how dynamic data can be used in CartoDB. We will demonstrate how dynamic changes to the underlying data can be visualized published maps. We will walk participants through a few of the more advanced features of CartoCSS and some basic tools in SQL that can help them make really powerful maps from dynamic data. Previous examples of real-time in CartoDB include, the Barcelona Traffic Map (http://cdb.io/XTuH6T), NYC Traffic Map (http://cdb.io/13MfV9V), Global Forest Watch (http://vizzuality.com/projects/gfwprototype) and many others.