B. Köbben

Visualization of Relationships Between Spatial Patterns in Time by Cartographic Animation

This paper deals with dynamic visualization methods. The focus is on synchronization, one of the aspects that can dynamically control visualization. Synchronization refers to the possibility of running several animations simultaneously and manipulating their starting points in display time to discover relationships. The literature provides examples where animations are juxtaposed to discover (usually) causal relations. Can synchronization be relevant for other relationships? How complex is its application in practice? And are there alternatives for the perceptually difficult juxtaposing of animations? We investigated design options for the visual exploration and analysis of three relationships between spatial patterns in time: convergence, similarity, and stability. For each relationship we used two data sets to produce experimental designs, in which we tried to incorporate knowledge on vision and cognition. It seems useful to distinguish between synchronization in world and in display time. If it is not necessary to view the data sets separately and to manipulate them independently in display time, one animation is sufficient. In other cases, two animations and, sometimes, alternative options for juxtaposing seem useful. However, empirical testing is still required to determine whether the proposed tools are effective. The experimental designs discussed in this paper are published on the Web.

Wireless Campus LBS: Building Campus-Wide Location Based Services Based on WiFi Technology

This paper describes a project that has just started at the University of Twente (UT) in cooperation with the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) to provide Location Based Services (LBS) for the UT campus. This LBS will run on the existing Wireless Campus system that provides the whole 140 hectare University grounds with WiFi based internet access. The project serves as a testbed for research activities as well as an infrastructure to develop practical use cases upon. The former includes research into wireless LAN positioning techniques, into context awareness of ubiquitous data management systems, and into data dissemination for LBS and mobile applications. A first use case will be to provide the participants of SVGopen2005, the 4th Annual Conference on Scalable Vector Graphics (August 15-18, 2005) with an LBS to help them navigate the conference locations and locate fellow attendants.

Collaborative Post-disaster Damage Mapping via Geo Web Services

To mitigate the consequences of increasingly frequent disasters across the globe, better real-time collaborative post-disaster management tools are needed. The International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’, in conjunction with intermediary agencies, provides for space resources to be available to support disaster response. It is widely seen as a successful example of international humanitarian assistance following disasters. However, the Charter is also facing challenges with respect to lack of collaboration and validation, with the information flow being largely mono-directional. It is, therefore, fundamental to move away from static map data provision to a more dynamic, distributed and collaborative environment. Geo Web Services can bring together vast stores of data from heterogeneous sources, along with geospatial services that can interact in a loosely coupled environment and be used to create more suitable information for different stakeholders. The aim of this chapter is to evaluate the relevance and importance of Geo Web Services in the disaster management domain and present a suitable Geo Web Service architecture for a collaborative post-disaster damage mapping system. We focus particularly on satellite image-based post-disaster support situations, and present our ideas for a prototype based on this architecture with possibilities for User Generated Content.

Wireless Campus LBS: A Test Bed for WiFi Positioning and Location Based Services

The Wireless Campus LBS project is designed to provide a test bed for location-based services (LBS) research, and it is a valued service for the University of Twente (UT) campus community. Initiated in early 2005, the projects research team is comprised of members from the University of Twente Computer Architecture Design and Test for Embedded Systems group, the UT department of Information Technology, Library and Education, and the International Institute for Geo–Information Science and Earth Observation. The research has focused on Wireless LAN positioning techniques and contextually aware data management systems for ubiquitous computing. The system delivers mapping information for LBS and mobile applications through the use of adaptive, cartography-aware database objects. In this paper, we describe the theoretical background of LBS and positioning services in location-aware GIS and database technology, the University of Twente Wireless Campus, and the prototype we developed for providing positioning and location-based services using that Wireless Campus environment.

RIMapperWMS: a Web Map Service providing SVG maps with a built-in client

This paper introduces RIMapperWMS, a light-weight web mapping application that conforms to the Open Geospatial Consortium’s Web Map Service specification. It serves interactive web maps from a spatial database back-end. Compared to existing WMS implementations, it stands out firstly because it serves its maps in the Scalable Vector Graphics format. This allows it to offer high-quality vector cartography, specially suitable for mobile devices such as PDA’s and smartphones. Secondly, RIMapperWMS includes so-called Ven-dorSpecific Capabilities that the OGC specification allows, in this case enabling it to produce the SVG output with a built-in Graphical User Interface, allowing the data to be disseminated to any S VG-capable application, without the need for a separate WMS client.

A Web Application for Landslide Inventory Using Data-Driven SVG

The landslide map in the Serchio basin (Central Tuscany, Italy) is an official document that represent the actual state of the landslides in the region. At present, the updating of the map is carried out by different municipalities using paper sketch maps, sent by post to the Autorita di Bacino del Fiume Serchio (AdB). The objective of the work presented here was to significantly speed up and simplify this updating process, while taking into account the severe constraints of the municipalities. This was to be achieved by providing them with a lightweight Web based map application that allows inventory of new landslides and submitting them via the WWW directly to the AdB databases. Open Source technology and Open Standards were employed to build a database-driven application. The data is stored in a spatial database backend (MySQL), following OpenGIS Simple Features specifications. Server applications extract data from the database and deliver it as a client-side application in SVG, the Scalable Vector Graphics format of the W3C. This paper presents the technical background and setup of this application and plans for future development.

Towards a National Atlas of the Netherlands as part of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure

Abstract This paper is about different worlds, and how we try to unite them. One of these worlds is the world of National Atlases: collections of complex, high-quality maps presenting a nation to the geographically interested. The second is the world of National Spatial Infrastructures: highly organized, standardized and institutionalized large collections of spatial data and services. In the paper, we describe the two worlds and their fundamental differences and we present the theoretical framework in which these worlds could be united. We introduce a test bed we are using to try out the theoretical framework in a real-life use case. In the architecture of that test bed, we introduce a National Atlas Services layer and describe how we have created an Atlas Map Viewer component, using the Open Web Platform. We conclude by commenting on the results thus far and taking a look into future developments.

Webservices for Animated Mapping: The TimeMapper Prototype

Within a larger aim of improving automated vector animated mapping, the main objective of this research was to look into the possibility of combining two technologies: distributed webservices and animated, interactive vector maps. TimeMapper was developed as a prototype for an OGC-compliant Web Map Service implementation that serializes spatio–temporal data from a database backend as Scalable Vector Graphics. The SVG is used in a web browser to show animated maps with a built-in advanced user-interface. This interface allows the user to interact with both the spatial and the temporal dimensions of the data. The potential and limitations of the TimeMapper prototype were explored using Antarctic iceberg movement data. The prototype can be explored on the TimeMapper website (http://geoserver.itc.nl/timemapper/).

Dissemination of census and other statistical data through web maps

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role that Web maps play in the dissemination of census and other statistical data, including the geographical interfaces for finding and retrieving the data, the use of maps as a means of presentation, and for online analysis and exploration of the data. These functions are illustrated with examples from the Netherlands and Philippines. A worldwide inventory of the current websites of national statistical organizations and their functionalities and characteristics, including their cartographic aspects is also presented by the chapter. The chapter also explains peculiarities of the hardware and software requirements that make it possible for Web maps to function in various ways. These requirements, along with a lack of awareness of the potential roles of Web maps in the dissemination of census and other statistical data, explains why many national statistical organizations allow the use of Web map tools. The analysis of current websites reveals that not many national statistical organizations (NSOs) are making use of Web maps. This may be partly due to the fact that NSOs are not fully aware of the possible functions of Web maps.

Combining VGI with Viewsheds for Photo Tag Suggestion

In this research we attempt to develop an improved method for tagging of digital photos, making the tagging process simpler and more accurate for users, and thus ultimately increasing the quality of the VGI data as a whole. Our method combines Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) in the form of tags on photo sharing websites (such as Flickr and Panoramio) with a visibility analysis of the new photo to be tagged. This analysis is performed by combining the photo metadata with a Digital Surface Model and building footprints. This approach is used to derive a ranked set of suggestions for a given photograph. To deploy the system, a webservice was implemented.