Localization

Encyclopedia : L : LO : LOC : Localization

Localization can mean any of the following:

Generally, localization is the determination of the locality (position) of an object.
Often, localization is the adaptation of an object to a locality. An example is in software localization, where the messages which a program presents to a user need to be translated into various languages.
In economics, localization is a way to adapt products for non-native environments.
In telecommunications, localization is a technique for determining the location of a user of a GSM cell phone.
In mathematics, localization is a certain technique in abstract algebra; see also localization of a module, localization of a category.
In acoustics, sound localization describes how our ears find the direction of a sound source.
In web design and software, localization refers to the adaptation of language, content and design to reflect local cultural sensitivities.
In condensed matter physics, localization is the spatial confinement of particles in a structure.
In plasticity mechanics, localization refers to the concentration of strain deformation in the material as thin bands
In biology, localization of function refers to when different parts of an organ, tissue, cell, or other unit perform different tasks. It most often refers to localization of brain function.
In robotics, localization refers to the technique through which a robot can determine or update its location through analysis of sensor data. This is often done using sonar or by means of a laser range-finder.

Because in British English this term can also be spelled "localisation", the word is occasionally abbreviated as "l10n" (the number ten between the letters l and n) because there are ten letters between its first and the last letters. This is often done in software engineering to avoid confusion over spelling of the term.