Lukáš Herman

Web 3D Visualization of Noise Mapping for Extended INSPIRE Buildings Model

This paper deals with cross-domain environmental aspects of noise mapping which is commonly understood as a stand-alone initiative. Scientific core of this research lies in the integration of noise mapping with interoperable data sources, where the European Union’s INSPIRE (INfrastructure for SPatial InfoRmation in Europe) Directive is nowadays one of the main.

Dynamic visualization of sensor measurements: context based approach

Abstract An amount of data measured with sensors is increasing year to year. Every sensor has a location and sensor data are mostly measured for long time period, so visualization of location and regular updating of visualized value is necessary. Various characteristics (e.g. meteorological conditions) can be automatically read at frequent intervals and those readings can be aggregated into the interactive map visualization. This map must be not only legible but also understandable also for readers that are experts in their specialisation, however, not in cartography. This paper presents possibilities of using and implementation of adaptive cartography and visual seeking principles for interactive visualization and analysis of sensor based data measured in real time. Our solution is described on experimental application for precise farming that we developed during research project Agrisensor.

Human-Computer Interaction in Real-3D and Pseudo-3D Cartographic Visualization: A Comparative Study

This chapter summarizes the results of an experiment performed as basic research on the three-dimensional (3D) display of geographical information using two alternative control devices (a Wii remote controller and a mouse). The aim was to explore the influence of a specific type of visualization on the human understanding of depicted geographical information and to discover which type of display—real 3D or pseudo-3D combined with a Wii remote controller and a computer mouse—can be considered better for working with geographical bases. The research was set up as an exploratory analysis and examined the performance of 17 participants. As expected, there were differences in the results between the types of visualization and devices used. Real-3D visualization appeared faster but less suitable for the successful management of tasks than the pseudo-3D visualization. We found no significant differences based on the controlling device when elaborating tasks, but we believe the Wii remote controller device to be a promising device for future studies.

When the Display Matters: A Multifaceted Perspective on 3D Geovisualizations

Abstract This study explores the influence of stereoscopic (real) 3D and monoscopic (pseudo) 3D visualization on the human ability to reckon altitude information in noninteractive and interactive 3D geovisualizations. A two phased experiment was carried out to compare the performance of two groups of participants, one of them using the real 3D and the other one pseudo 3D visualization of geographical data. A homogeneous group of 61 psychology students, inexperienced in processing of geographical data, were tested with respect to their efficiency at identifying altitudes of the displayed landscape. The first phase of the experiment was designed as non-interactive, where static 3D visual displayswere presented; the second phase was designed as interactive and the participants were allowed to explore the scene by adjusting the position of the virtual camera. The investigated variables included accuracy at altitude identification, time demands and the amount of the participant’s motor activity performed during interaction with geovisualization. The interface was created using a Motion Capture system, Wii Remote Controller, widescreen projection and the passive Dolby 3D technology (for real 3D vision). The real 3D visual display was shown to significantly increase the accuracy of the landscape altitude identification in non-interactive tasks. As expected, in the interactive phase there were differences in accuracy flattened out between groups due to the possibility of interaction, with no other statistically significant differences in completion times or motor activity. The increased number of omitted objects in real 3D condition was further subjected to an exploratory analysis.

Identification of altitude profiles in 3D geovisualizations: the role of interaction and spatial abilities

ABSTRACT Three-dimensional geovisualizations are currently pushed both by technological development and by the demands of experts in various applied areas. In the presented empirical study, we compared the features of real 3D (stereoscopic) versus pseudo 3D (monoscopic) geovisualizations in static and interactive digital elevation models. We tested 39 high-school students in their ability to identify the correct terrain profile from digital elevation models. Students’ performance was recorded and further analysed with respect to their spatial abilities, which were measured by a psychological mental rotation test and think aloud protocol. The results of the study indicated that the influence of the type of 3D visualization (monoscopic/stereoscopic) on the performance of the users is not clear, the level of navigational interactivity has significant influence on the usability of a particular 3D visualization, and finally no influences of the spatial abilities on the performance of the user within the 3D environment were identified.

Comparison of Standard- and Proprietary-Based Approaches to Detailed 3D City Mapping

3D information is essential for a number of applications used daily in various domains such as facility management, including energy management, urban planning, telecommunications, and safety and security, etc. This paper is devoted to 3D modelling at the level of city districts with the campus and buildings modelling use case. Different methods and technologies commonly used in this area are first analysed and discussed. Emphasis is placed on the comparison of the standardized approach, represented by the CityGML (City Geography Markup Language), and proprietary technologies (developed by Masaryk University as a part of facility management called the Building Documentation System). This comparison is demonstrated on a sample 3D model of the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University in Brno, the Czech Republic, situated on Kotlařska Street. Both types of 3D models were developed while focusing on their benefits and limitations. The conclusions drawn from the study present a concept of 3D city mapping with an emphasis on where the use of CityGML reaches its limits and the point from which proprietary-based solutions should be implemented. Recommendations on future CityGML development are given at the end of the article. Some of our current recommendations have been incorporated into version 2.0 of the CityGML implementation specification by the Open Geospatial Consortium. Furthermore, we are participating in the ongoing development of CityGML version 3.0.

The Design and Testing of 3DmoveR: an Experimental Tool for Usability Studies of Interactive 3D Maps

Various widely available applications such as Google Earth have made interactive 3D visualizations of spatial data popular. While several studies have focused on how users perform when interacting with these with 3D visualizations, it has not been common to record their virtual movements in 3D environments or interactions with 3D maps. We therefore created and tested a new web-based research tool: a 3D Movement and Interaction Recorder (3DmoveR). Its design incorporates findings from the latest 3D visualization research, and is built upon an iterative requirements analysis. It is implemented using open web technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, and the X3DOM library. The main goal of the tool is to record camera position and orientation during a user’s movement within a virtual 3D scene, together with other aspects of their interaction. After building the tool, we performed an experiment to demonstrate its capabilities. This experiment revealed differences between laypersons and experts (cartographers) when working with interactive 3D maps. For example, experts achieved higher numbers of correct answers in some tasks, had shorter response times, followed shorter virtual trajectories, and moved through the environment more smoothly. Interaction-based clustering as well as other ways of visualizing and qualitatively analyzing user interaction were explored.

Disaster Risk Reduction in Agriculture through Geospatial (Big) Data Processing

Intensive farming on land represents an increased burden on the environment due to, among other reasons, the usage of agrochemicals. Precision farming can reduce the environmental burden by employing site specific crop management practices which implement advanced geospatial technologies for respecting soil heterogeneity. The objectives of this paper are to present the frontier approaches of geospatial (Big) data processing based on satellite and sensor data which both aim at the prevention and mitigation phases of disaster risk reduction in agriculture. Three techniques are presented in order to demonstrate the possibilities of geospatial (Big) data collection in agriculture: (1) farm machinery telemetry for providing data about machinery operations on fields through the developed MapLogAgri application; (2) agrometeorological observation in the form of a wireless sensor network together with the SensLog solution for storing, analysing, and publishing sensor data; and (3) remote sensing for monitoring field spatial variability and crop status by means of freely-available high resolution satellite imagery. The benefits of re-using the techniques in disaster risk reduction processes are discussed. The conducted tests demonstrated the transferability of agricultural techniques to crisis/emergency management domains.

Evaluation of User Performance in Interactive and Static 3D Maps

Interactive 3D visualizations of geospatial data are currently available and popular through various applications such as Google EarthTM and others. Several studies have focused on user performance with 3D maps, but static 3D maps were mostly used as stimuli. The main objective of this paper was to identify differences between interactive and static 3D maps. We also explored the role of different tasks and inter-individual differences of map users. In the experimental study, we analyzed effectiveness, efficiency, and subjective preferences, when working with static and interactive 3D maps. The study included 76 participants and used a within-subjects design. Experimental testing was performed using our own testing tool 3DmoveR 2.0, which was based on a user logging method and open web technologies. We demonstrated statistically significant differences between interactive and static 3D maps in effectiveness, efficiency, and subjective preferences. Interactivity influenced the results mainly in ‘spatial understanding’ and ‘combined’ tasks. From the identified differences, we concluded that the results of the user studies with static 3D maps as stimuli could not be transferred to interactive 3D visualizations or virtual reality.

Flood Modelling and Visualizations of Floods through 3D Open Data

This paper is devoted to 3D modelling at the city level from data sources considered as open. The open data presented in this paper enable free usage, modifications, and sharing by anyone for any purpose. The main motivation was to verify feasibility of a 3D visualization of floods purely based on open technologies and data. The presented state-of-the-art analysis comprises the evaluation of available 3D open data sources, including formats, Web-based technologies, and software used for visualizations of 3D models. A pilot Web application visualizing floods was developed to verify the applicability of discovered data sources. 3D visualizations of terrain models, 3D buildings, flood areas, flood walls and other related information are available in a pilot application for a selected part of the city of Prague. The management of different types of input data, the design of interactive functionality including navigation aids, and actual limitations and opportunities for future development are discussed in detail at the end.