Location

Access the user’s GPS coordinates to build location-aware apps on MentraOS using the LocationManager.

Quick Start

Get continuous location updates as the user moves:

protected async onSession(session: AppSession, sessionId: string, userId: string) {
  // Subscribe to continuous location updates
  const unsubscribe = session.location.subscribeToStream(
    { accuracy: "standard" },
    (data) => {
      const { latitude, longitude, accuracy } = data;
      
      session.logger.info(`Location: ${latitude}, ${longitude}, accuracy: ${accuracy}m`);
    }
  );
  
  // Cleanup when done
  // unsubscribe();
}

Get Latest Location (One-Time Poll)

Request a single location fix without subscribing to a stream:

protected async onSession(session: AppSession, sessionId: string, userId: string) {
  try {
    const location = await session.location.getLatestLocation({
      accuracy: "high"
    });
    
    session.logger.info(`Got location: ${location.latitude}, ${location.longitude}`);
  } catch (error) {
    session.logger.error("Failed to get location:", error);
  }
}

LocationManager API

The SDK provides session.location with three main methods:

Method	Parameters	Returns	Description
`subscribeToStream(options, handler)`	`{ accuracy: string }`, `(data: LocationUpdate) => void`	`() => void` (cleanup function)	Subscribe to continuous location updates
`unsubscribeFromStream()`	None	`void`	Unsubscribe from the location stream
`getLatestLocation(options)`	`{ accuracy: string }`	`Promise<LocationUpdate>`	One-time location poll (15 second timeout)

Accuracy Tiers

Choose the accuracy tier based on your app’s needs. Higher accuracy tiers provide more precise location data but drain more battery.

Accuracy Tier	Description	Update Frequency	Battery Impact	Use Case
`"realtime"`	Highest precision, fastest updates	Very High	High	Navigation, real-time tracking
`"high"`	High precision GPS	High	Medium-High	Precise location features
`"tenMeters"`	~10m accuracy	Medium	Medium	Local place detection
`"standard"`	Default accuracy (balanced)	Medium	Low-Medium	General location features
`"hundredMeters"`	~100m accuracy	Low	Low	City-level features
`"kilometer"`	~1km accuracy	Very Low	Very Low	Regional features
`"threeKilometers"`	~3km accuracy	Very Low	Very Low	Wide-area features
`"reduced"`	Battery-saving mode	Minimal	Minimal	Background location

Example:

// High accuracy for precise features
session.location.subscribeToStream(
  { accuracy: "high" },
  handler
);

// Lower accuracy for battery efficiency
session.location.subscribeToStream(
  { accuracy: "hundredMeters" },
  handler
);

LocationUpdate Data Structure

The LocationUpdate interface contains location data:

Field	Type	Required	Description
`latitude`	`number`	✅	Latitude in decimal degrees
`longitude`	`number`	✅	Longitude in decimal degrees
`accuracy`	`number`	✅	Accuracy in meters
`altitude`	`number`	❌	Elevation in meters above sea level
`timestamp`	`Date`	✅	When the location was captured
`correlationId`	`string`	❌	Used for tracking poll requests

TypeScript Interface:

interface LocationUpdate {
  latitude: number;
  longitude: number;
  accuracy: number;
  altitude?: number;
  timestamp: Date;
  correlationId?: string;
}

Usage Examples

Display Location on Dashboard

protected async onSession(session: AppSession, sessionId: string, userId: string) {
  session.location.subscribeToStream(
    { accuracy: "standard" },
    (data) => {
      session.dashboard.content.writeToMain(
        `Lat: ${data.latitude.toFixed(4)}\n` +
        `Lon: ${data.longitude.toFixed(4)}\n` +
        `Accuracy: ${data.accuracy}m`
      );
    }
  );
}

Show Location on Voice Command

protected async onToolCall(toolCall: ToolCall): Promise<string | undefined> {
  if (toolCall.toolId === "show_location") {
    const session = this.getSessionByUserId(toolCall.userId);
    
    try {
      const location = await session.location.getLatestLocation({
        accuracy: "high"
      });
      
      return `Your current location is ${location.latitude.toFixed(4)}, ${location.longitude.toFixed(4)} with ${location.accuracy}m accuracy`;
    } catch (error) {
      return "Could not get your current location";
    }
  }
}

Cleanup Subscriptions

protected async onSession(session: AppSession, sessionId: string, userId: string) {
  const unsubscribe = session.location.subscribeToStream(
    { accuracy: "standard" },
    (data) => {
      // Handle location updates
    }
  );
  
  // Clean up when session ends
  session.events.on('disconnect', () => {
    unsubscribe();
  });
}

Permissions

Location access requires the location permission in your app manifest. Configure this in the Developer Console at console.mentra.glass.

Users must grant location permission for your app to access GPS data. Always handle cases where location data is unavailable.

Best Practices

Choose appropriate accuracy:

// Good - Use lowest accuracy needed
session.location.subscribeToStream(
  { accuracy: "hundredMeters" }, // Fine for city-level features
  handler
);

// Avoid - Don't use highest accuracy unless needed
session.location.subscribeToStream(
  { accuracy: "realtime" }, // Drains battery quickly
  handler
);

Always unsubscribe when done:

protected async onSession(session: AppSession, sessionId: string, userId: string) {
  const unsubscribe = session.location.subscribeToStream(
    { accuracy: "standard" },
    handler
  );
  
  // Important: Clean up to stop location updates
  session.events.on('disconnect', () => {
    unsubscribe();
  });
}

Handle poll timeouts:

try {
  const location = await session.location.getLatestLocation({ accuracy: "high" });
  // Use location
} catch (error) {
  // Handle timeout (after 15 seconds)
  session.logger.error("Location poll timed out");
}

Check accuracy in handler:

session.location.subscribeToStream(
  { accuracy: "standard" },
  (data) => {
    if (data.accuracy > 100) {
      session.logger.warn(`Low accuracy: ${data.accuracy}m`);
    }
    
    // Use location data
  }
);

Error Handling

Handling Stream Errors

protected async onSession(session: AppSession, sessionId: string, userId: string) {
  try {
    const unsubscribe = session.location.subscribeToStream(
      { accuracy: "standard" },
      (data) => {
        if (data.accuracy > 100) {
          session.logger.warn(`Low accuracy: ${data.accuracy}m`);
        }
      }
    );
  } catch (error) {
    session.logger.error("Failed to subscribe to location stream:", error);
  }
}

Handling Poll Timeouts

try {
  const location = await session.location.getLatestLocation({ accuracy: "high" });
  session.logger.info(`Location: ${location.latitude}, ${location.longitude}`);
} catch (error) {
  session.logger.error("Location request failed:", error);
  // Provide fallback or notify user
}

Next Steps

Permissions

Configure location permissions

Location Manager API

Complete API reference

Dashboard

Display location on dashboard

AI Tool Calls

Add voice commands for location (under maintenance, returning later in 2026)

Getting Started

Core Concepts

SDK Reference

Quick Start

Get Latest Location (One-Time Poll)

LocationManager API

Accuracy Tiers

LocationUpdate Data Structure

Usage Examples

Display Location on Dashboard

Show Location on Voice Command

Cleanup Subscriptions

Permissions

Best Practices

Error Handling

Handling Stream Errors

Handling Poll Timeouts

Next Steps

Permissions

Location Manager API

Dashboard

AI Tool Calls

​Quick Start

​Subscribe to Location Stream

​Get Latest Location (One-Time Poll)

​LocationManager API

​Accuracy Tiers

​LocationUpdate Data Structure

​Usage Examples

​Display Location on Dashboard

​Show Location on Voice Command

​Cleanup Subscriptions

​Permissions

​Best Practices

​Error Handling

​Handling Stream Errors

​Handling Poll Timeouts

​Next Steps

Permissions

Location Manager API

Dashboard

AI Tool Calls

Quick Start

Subscribe to Location Stream

Get Latest Location (One-Time Poll)

LocationManager API

Accuracy Tiers

LocationUpdate Data Structure

Usage Examples

Display Location on Dashboard

Show Location on Voice Command

Cleanup Subscriptions

Permissions

Best Practices

Error Handling

Handling Stream Errors

Handling Poll Timeouts

Next Steps