NextBillion.ai Monthly Product Bytes — November 2023

In November 2023, our product portfolio evolved: advanced task sequencing in our Route Optimization API, an intuitive Live Tracking UI for seamless asset control and Raster Tiles API for sharper maps.

Dive into our technical notebooks for deep insights and don’t miss the news about our listing on the Google Cloud marketplace.

Continue reading the article below to discover all the new updates this month brought to NextBillion.ai.

New Product Features

Advanced Task Sequencing in Route Optimization API

We introduced a new parameter, ‘min_duration’, to our Route Optimization API, allowing users to define precedence for a pair of jobs and specify the minimum gap between two tasks.

With the minimum duration attribute, users can specify a minimum time gap between two tasks specified in the steps object. When set, the second task will be completed after a minimum time gap, measured in seconds, following the first task.

You can:

• Precisely define the sequence of tasks by specifying the minimum time gap between them, ensuring optimal task execution.
• Leverage the precedence type relation to enforce specific task orderings, enhancing the control over the optimization process.
• Utilize this new soft constraint to experiment with task orders and fine-tune solutions.

Business benefits:

• Optimize task execution by defining precedence and ensuring a minimum time gap between tasks, leading to more efficient operations.
• Align task sequences with operational priorities and gain control over the optimization process.
• Balance optimization goals and task priorities with specific time-gap requirements.

Read more about this new feature in NextBillion.ai Route Optimization API documentation.

Customer Experience

Live Tracking user interface (UI) tool in the NextBillion.ai Cloud Console

We unveiled a new UI tool within our customer portal, NextBillion.ai Cloud Console (NCC) – the Live Tracking UI. This addition transforms the user experience, offering an intuitive interface to harness the full potential of our Live Tracking API.

You can:

• Navigate and manage assets seamlessly with the user-friendly Live Tracking UI.
• Leverage it to monitor assets in real time.
• Easily configure alerts and monitors within the UI.

Business Benefits:

• Improve operational efficiency and reduce the dependency on technical resources by managing live tracking directly through the intuitive customer portal UI.
• Alleviate the burden on technical teams by empowering non-technical staff to navigate and utilize live tracking features independently.
• Facilitate collaboration between non-technical and technical teams, fostering a more cohesive approach to asset management.

New Products

Enhance geospatial visualization with Raster Tiles API

We launched the Raster Tiles API this month, which efficiently delivers grid-formatted images from NextBillion.ai raster tilesets. These images enhance map displays, providing clarity and detail for seamless integration into geospatial visualization tools and map-based platforms.

You can:

• Integrate raster tiles into your geospatial tools for clear and detailed map displays.
• Easily incorporate raster tiles into your map-based tools, allowing customization with high-quality grid-formatted images.
• Optimize geospatial data representation, creating a more comprehensive and visually appealing experience for end-users.

Business benefits:

• Customize your map-based applications to ensure they meet specific business requirements and stand out in the market.
• Improve user engagement on map-based platforms with transparent and detailed maps.
• Make informed, data-driven decisions by visually presenting geospatial information compellingly.

Delve into the detailed technical functionalities outlined in NextBillion.ai’s Raster Tiles API documentation. 

Other Important Updates

Technical notebooks — insights for advanced geospatial visualization and logistics optimization

Access our latest technical notebooks, each offering deep insights into cutting-edge geospatial visualization and logistics optimization techniques. Explore the advanced capabilities of NextBillion.ai’s technologies through the following notebooks:

1. Animating trip data with NexBillion.ai Maps SDK and Deck.gl
   This notebook focuses on utilizing Deck.gl, in collaboration with NextBillion.ai’s Maps SDK, to enable interactive data visualization. The notebook uses the NYC Taxi Trip dataset to create real-time animations, offering significant insight into geographic data movement and patterns.
   
2. Vehicle breakdown contingency plan to reduce delivery failures
   The notebook addresses the challenge of vehicle breakdowns in logistics. It explores the creation of a robust vehicle breakdown contingency plan using NextBillion.ai products like Route Optimization API, Isochrone API, Directions API and Web Map SDK. The objective of the notebook is to minimize the impact of breakdowns by optimizing routes for time or distance, ensuring reliable and resilient supply chain operations.
   
3. NextBillion.ai Maps SDK examples
   This notebook explores the capabilities of NextBillion.ai Maps SDK, a JavaScript library seamlessly incorporable into web applications. Features include displaying enriched maps with custom markers, routing services, distance matrix services, snap-to-road/map matching services, and customizable map and marker appearances.
   

NextBillion.ai is now available on the Google Cloud Marketplace!

This collaboration merges Google Cloud’s trusted global infrastructure and NextBillion.ai’s advanced routing and navigation solutions.

With enhanced access to our products, deploy and manage your applications with speed and efficiency! Solve routing and scheduling challenges at scale by integrating high-performance APIs into your operations.

You can:

• Deploy our product efficiently within their Google Cloud Platform infrastructure, streamlining the integration process.
• Manage our product seamlessly alongside other Google Cloud Platform services, enhancing the overall efficiency of your cloud environment.
• Always have access to the latest features and improvements, minimizing manual intervention.

In The Pipeline

Coming soon in December 2023, NextBillion.ai is gearing up for a wave of enhancements!

From Route Optimization insights to Flexible Routing API features and Clustering API improvements, get ready for an upgraded experience.

Stay tuned for a December filled with exciting developments.