First Advisor
Kevin McGrath
Date of Award
Spring 6-14-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science and University Honors
Department
Computer Science
Language
English
Subjects
Capstone Review, GPS Tracking, Geocaching, APRS, SmartBeaconing, Software Development
Abstract
This thesis argues that hardware-integrated capstone projects develop software engineering skills that traditional coursework cannot replicate. A team of eight developers built a GPS tracking system on a Raspberry Pi 4 over two academic terms, integrating real-time position streaming, the APRS amateur radio protocol for network-independent location sharing, and PostGIS spatial queries for "new road" detection. The system implements SmartBeaconing for adaptive GPS data reduction, achieving approximately 80% storage savings while preserving route fidelity. The project exposed challenges absent from classroom assignments: hardware debugging without stack traces, cross-layer integration failures, and coordination overhead when deploying to unfamiliar architecture; demonstrating that the "last mile" of taking software from design through production deployment provides educational value that justifies incorporating hardware integration into computer science curricula.
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44769
Recommended Citation
Davis, Joshua A., "Custom SBC GPS Tracking and Geocaching Carputer Software Development and Implementation" (2026). University Honors Theses. Paper 1797.