Kenny Lloyd ‘13 Develops a Mapping App for the Tabor Community
by Nate Meleo '95
When Kenny Lloyd ’13 began his “Introduction to Computer Engineering” course at Tabor this year, he had very little previous programming experience. What he did have was a curiosity about all things technological, and he immersed himself in learning about computers, how they work, and the languages used to create software. Halfway through the semester-long course, Lloyd had already demonstrated a talent for writing code. He quickly completed the required projects, and often added features that both made the program better and helped him figure out the nuances of writing in the Python programming language. By week five, Lloyd had created a graphical version of the classic board game “Mastermind,” as well as a graphic-interface calculator and test-score normalizer. For his final project, Lloyd decided to tackle a new challenge: developing a usable iPad/iPhone app. To do this, Lloyd began researching the development process and the tools required for creation of a brand new app. During class, he watched online tutorials while also learning to work with Apple’s Xcode integrated development environment. He also chose to work with a programming language different than Python called Objective-C. Each day, Lloyd used Xcode to figure out how to incorporate desired functions into his applcation and then test his efforts on iPad and iPhone simulators included in the environment. After learning the basics of design, Lloyd decided to create an app that would potentially help the Tabor community and be useful on a local level, the Tabor Maps app.
Tabor Maps is an application that uses the existing features of iPads/iPhones and creates an interactive guide for Tabor’s campus. Users can see over 40 locations, marked with labels and organized into categories, while also seeing their own relative position marked on the map by the devices’ GPS technology. The app also has a search feature that allows users to find desired locations on Tabor’s campus by scrolling through a list. As the location is highlighted on the list, a pin appears on the map for users to see. Lloyd hopes this application will be a useful tool for any campus visitors, from admissions guests and alumni to incoming freshmen and parents. Once the application was completed, Lloyd created and used an Apple Developer account to upload Tabor Maps to the App Store; a process that required much research and work on his part as well.
