OpenStreetMap data quality enrichment through awareness raising and collective action tools—experiences from a European project

ABSTRACT

Nowadays, several research projects show interest in employing volunteered geographic information (VGI) to improve their systems through using up-to-date and detailed data. The European project CAP4Access is one of the successful examples of such international-wide research projects that aims to improve the accessibility of people with restricted mobility using crowdsourced data. In this project, OpenStreetMap (OSM) is used to extend OpenRouteService, a well-known routing platform. However, a basic challenge that this project tackled was the incompleteness of OSM data with regards to certain information that is required for wheelchair accessibility (e.g. sidewalk information, kerb data, etc.). In this article, we present the results of initial assessment of sidewalk data in OSM at the beginning of the project as well as our approach in awareness raising and using tools for tagging accessibility data into OSM database for enriching the sidewalk data completeness. Several experiments have been carried out in different European cities, and discussion on the results of the experiments as well as the lessons learned are provided. The lessons learned provide recommendations that help in organizing better mapping party events in the future. We conclude by reporting on how and to what extent the OSM sidewalk data completeness in these study areas have benefited from the mapping parties by the end of the project.     

Harmonisation requirements and capabilities towards a European spatial data infrastructure (ESDI): the HUMBOLDT protected areas scenario

Abstract

The HUMBOLDT project has the aim of implementing a Framework for harmonisation of data and services in the geoinformation domain, under the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) Directive and in the context of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) Initiative. The two-pronged approach of HUMBOLDT comprises a technical side of software framework development and an application side of scenario testing and validation. Among the HUMBOLDT Application Scenarios designed to demonstrate the capabilities of the Framework there is the one covering Protected Areas themes and use cases. It aims to transform geoinformation, managed by park authorities, into a seamless flow that combines multiple information sources from different governance levels (European, national, regional), and exploits this newly combined information for the purposes of planning, management and tourism promotion. The Scenario constitutes a step further towards the integration of monitoring systems envisaged in the view of Digital Earth. Protected Areas Scenario creates an examples of the use of the HUMBOLDT tools in Desktop and Web GIS environment, together with setting up a server environment exploiting HUMBOLDT harmonisation framework as taking into account user requirements and needs and providing benefits for making the road to ESDI establishment easier.     

How to Enhance Cartographic Visualisations of Natural Hazards Assessment Results

Abstract

Cartographic visualisations are important tools for the communication of hazard related data among stakeholders. Although these representations are essential for various hazard management tasks, an analysis of existing hazard visualisations showed that they often disregard cartographic principles. This leads to confusion on the part of users through poor representations and consequently to an impairment of the information flow. The objective of this research is to offer suggestions for enhanced hazard visualisations to facilitate hazard management tasks and decision making. Existing cartographic shortcomings are identified based on an extensive analysis of hazard visualisations and an expert survey. These shortcomings are discussed and improvements for important cartographic elements are presented.     

Three dimensional data structure and data model

3D GISs were developed simultaneously in the late 1980s in a number of different disciplines.The development of these 3D GISs can not yet meet all needs for new representations and analytical tools in 3D envir onments.In this paper,the data structures,especially solid-based data representa tions are introduced.Then,a typical object-oriented data model is put forth to show a new data model.And at last,two data access methods are proposed to make the data model clear.     

对空间数据多尺度表达有关问题的思考

多尺度空间数据表达及数据库建立在流媒体网络数据传输、自适应动态可视化、空间认知导航、互操作尺度匹配多个领域都有贡献，但实现该技术面临着数据存储量大、操作响应慢、横向空间一致关系难以维护、尺度变化难以达到真正的连续性等诸多问题。针对这些问题，提出了多级尺度显式存储、初级尺度变化累积、关键尺度函数演变和初级尺度自动综合四种技术策略。     

基于小波分析的线状特征数据无级表达

利用小波分析提出了线状特征空间数据的多尺度一致性无级表达模型，研究了基于该模型获取整数尺度上的地理信息，以及通过增量、连续地增补细节来获取分数尺度上的过渡地理信息，从而获取任意尺度上不同详细程度的地理信息的方法，动态地实现了线状特征空间数据的无级表达，并给出了实验结果。     

Geothopica and the interactive analysis and visualization of the updated Italian National Geothermal Database

The Italian National Geothermal Database (BDNG), is the largest collection of Italian Geothermal data and was set up in the 1980s. It has since been updated both in terms of content and management tools: information on deep wells and thermal springs (with temperature > 30 °C) are currently organized and stored in a PostgreSQL relational database management system, which guarantees high performance, data security and easy access through different client applications. The BDNG is the core of the Geothopica web site, whose webGIS tool allows different types of user to access geothermal data, to visualize multiple types of datasets, and to perform integrated analyses. The webGIS tool has been recently improved by two specially designed, programmed and implemented visualization tools to display data on well lithology and underground temperatures.This paper describes the contents of the database and its software and data update, as well as the webGIS tool including the new tools for data lithology and temperature visualization. The geoinformation organized in the database and accessible through Geothopica is of use not only for geothermal purposes, but also for any kind of georesource and CO₂ storage project requiring the organization of, and access to, deep underground data. Geothopica also supports project developers, researchers, and decision makers in the assessment, management and sustainable deployment of georesources.     

Stakeholder analysis of the governance framework of a national SDI dataset – whose needs are met in the buildings and address register of the Netherlands?

ABSTRACT

National spatial data infrastructures are key to achieving the Digital Earth vision. In many cases, national datasets are integrated from local datasets created and maintained by municipalities. Examples are address, building and topographic information. Integration of local datasets may result in a dataset satisfying the needs of users of national datasets, but is it productive for those who create and maintain the data? This article presents a stakeholder analysis of the Basisregistratie Adressen en Gebouwen (BAG), a collection of base information about addresses and buildings in the Netherlands. The information is captured and maintained by municipalities and integrated into a national base register by Kadaster, the Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency of the Netherlands. The stakeholder analysis identifies organisations involved in the BAG governance framework, describes their interests, rights, ownerships and responsibilities in the BAG, and maps the relationships between them. Analysis results indicate that Kadaster and the municipalities have the highest relative importance in the governance framework of the BAG. The study reveals challenges of setting up a governance framework that maintains the delicate balance between the interests of all stakeholders. The results provide guidance for SDI role players setting up governance frameworks for national or global datasets.     

An integrated virtual geographic environmental simulation framework: a case study of flood disaster simulation

Dynamic flood disaster simulation is an emerging and promising technology significantly useful in urban planning, risk assessment, and integrated decision support systems. It is still an important issue to integrate the large assets such as dynamic observational data, numerical flood simulation models, geographic information technologies, and computing resources into a unified framework. For the intended end user, it is also a holistic solution to create computer interpretable representations and gain insightful understanding of the dynamic disaster processes, the complex impacts, and interactions of disaster factors. In particular, it is still difficult to access and join harmonized data, processing algorithms, and models that are provided by different environmental information infrastructures. In this paper, we demonstrate a virtual geographic environments-based integrated environmental simulation framework for flood disaster management based on the notion of interlinked resources, which is capable of automated accumulating and manipulating of sensor data, creating dynamic geo-analysis and three-dimensional visualizations of ongoing geo-process, and updating the contents of simulation models representing the real environment. The prototype system is evaluated by applying it as a proof of concept to integrate in situ weather observations, numerical weather and flood disaster simulation models, visualization, and analysis of the real time flood event. Case applications indicate that the developed framework can be adopted for use by decision-makers for short-term planning and control since the resulting simulation and visualization are completely based on the latest status of environment.     

A loosely integrated data configuration strategy for web-based participatory modeling

Participatory modeling is an important approach for solving complex geo-problems from a comprehensive and holistic viewpoint, and it brings together stakeholders from multiple disciplines to provide diverse resources, including modeling, data fields and computational assets. Data configuration work (e.g., preparing appropriate input data for model execution, connecting a model’s output to the input data of another model) is important for constructing and executing a participatory modeling task. Most current data configuration methods depend on the model integration logic, which presents a challenge when adding new modeling resources into a model to dynamically create and execute new modeling tasks. To support the construction of participatory modeling tasks in a web environment, this article proposes a loosely integrated data configuration strategy for decoupling data configuration work from the execution process of a participatory modeling task. A model service controller is designed for model input/output (I/O) configuration, and a data service controller is designed for data access configuration. These two controllers can help modelers link the data I/O demands of a model-service with the appropriate data-services; thus, different modeling instances can be dynamically joined to a participatory modeling task and executed without reconstructing the original data configuration settings. A prototype participatory modeling system is proposed to demonstrate the flexibility and feasibility of the proposed method using an experimental modeling case. The results show that the proposed data configuration strategy supports the integration of different model-services based on the data dependency relationships and that the complexity and difficulty in configuring data for a participatory modeling tasks in the web environment are minimized.     

A Spatial Data Infrastructure Approach for the Characterization of New Zealand's Groundwater Systems

The future information needs of stakeholders for hydrogeological and hydro‐climate data management and assessment in New Zealand may be met with an Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards‐compliant publicly accessible web services framework which aims to provide integrated use of groundwater information and environmental observation data in general. The stages of the framework development described in this article are search and discovery as well as data collection and access with (meta)data services, which are developed in a community process. The concept and prototype implementation of OGC‐compliant web services for groundwater and hydro‐climate data include demonstration data services that present multiple distributed datasets of environmental observations. The results also iterate over the stakeholder community process and the refined profile of OGC services for environmental observation data sharing within the New Zealand Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) landscape, including datasets from the National Groundwater Monitoring Program and the New Zealand Climate Database along with datasets from affiliated regional councils at regional‐ and sub‐regional scales. With the definition of the New Zealand observation data profile we show that current state‐of‐the‐art standards do not necessarily need to be improved, but that the community has to agree upon how to use these standards in an iterative process.     

环境监测信息空间表征技术研究与应用

随着环境问题的日益凸显及公众对环境问题的日益关注,如何将污染分布及发生规律、环境质量状况及变化趋势以科学、准确、直观的方式进行展示并以浅显易懂的方式传递给广大公众,是摆在环境管理者面前的一个问题.本文提出了环境监测信息空间表征定义,并介绍了基于GIS、大数据技术的环境监测信息空间表征的主要形式,包括:①点数据的空间表征;②线数据的空间表征;③面数据的空间表征;④三维可视化空间表征;⑤随时间变化的空间信息表征,以及各空间表征方法在环境监测中的应用.     

基于GIS的静态图式表达方法与制图表达方法的对比分析

针对GIS生成的地图产品脱离GIS地理空间数据,割裂地理要素与地图对象完整性,导致输出地图产品更新困难。结合制图单位实际生成需求,研究GIS静态图式表达和GIS制图表达;基于GIS制图模板和GIS符号库,采用C#+ArcEngine编程技术,实现GIS专题制图系统。系统具有GIS静态图式渲染功能和GIS制图表达功能,并以某区域专题制图项目为例,对比分析不同方式专题制图效果。结果表明基于地理空间数据规则的地图制图表达技术能够兼顾GIS和地图制图对数据的不同要求,可快速完成地图制作,部分解决传统上必须通过大量人工编辑才能够完成的制图任务,一定程度提高工作效率。     

三维城市模型的研究与实践(英文)

The way we interact with spatial data has been changed from 2D map to 3D Virtual Geographic Environment (VGE). Three-dimensional representations of geographic information on a computer are known as VGE, and in particular 3D city models provide an efficient way to integrate massive, heterogenous geospatial information and georeferenced information in urban areas. 3D city modeling (3DCM) is an active research and practice topic in distinct application areas. This paper introduces different modeling paradigms employed in 3D GIS, virtual environment, and AEC/FM. Up-to-date 3DCM technologies are evolving into a data integration and collaborative approach to represent the full spatial coverage of a city, to model both aboveground and underground, outdoor and indoor environments including man-made objects and natural features with 3D geometry, appearance, topology and semantics. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( No. 40871212, No. 40671158), the Leading Academic Discipline Project of Shanghai Educational Committee( No.J50104).     

Use of a Three-Domain Repesentation to Enhance GIS Support for Complex Spatiotemporal Queries

As the development of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) proceeds to advanced scientific and societal applications, there is an emerging need to enhance GIS support for complex spatiotemporal queries. Dynamic GIS representations (as opposed to static, map-based representations) that can integrate proper data elements in the production of geographic information are required. This paper demonstrates the use of a three-domain representation that facilitates compilation of higher-level information (such as frequency and rate) from preliminary data records (such as time and location) stored in a database. The three-domain representation is compared with snapshot, space-time composite, and spatiotemporal object models using a sample data set for forest transitions. While the three-domain representation is a normalization of these data models, it offers a conceptual alternative that enables GIS to represent spatiotemporal behaviors of geographic entities, in addition to entities as well as histories at locations as emphasized in most GIS data models. The comparison shows that the three-domain representation has combined the strengths of the space-time composite and spatiotemporal object models. Moreover, it enables aggregations of analytical use along with dynamic mappings between geographic concepts and locations, a distinct capability that takes GIS query processing beyond the level of information support offered by static map-based data models.     

Study on the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Germany

Infrastructure for spatial information is an important part of our national information construction that is the subject of essentials on the social of spatial information. As an EU member, Germany has...     

Characterizing European urban settlements from population data: a cartographic approach

ABSTRACT

The cartographic identification and characterization of urban settlements is problematic, particularly in varied areas or in large geographical extensions. This is due to the divergence between morphological area structures and data attribution, which is generally available at the level of administrative units. Most existing experiences focus on small regions or use indirect data, from which only indirect information can be derived. This paper proposes an identification of urban settlements in the European Union space, which combines urban population and shape through geographic information system (GIS) techniques. For that purpose, 1 km² cells with associated population data are used. A procedure is developed establishing three different types of urban settlements, according to population and population density values: high-density urban clusters, small and medium-sized towns, and very small towns. A validation of this procedure is performed using direct survey from local experts in 10 selected study areas. The final results show that 78,307 urban settlements can be identified: 88.17% of them are classified as “very small towns,” 10.75% as “small and medium-sized towns,” and 1.08% as high-density urban clusters. This exercise generates new information for the European Union and surrounding countries, and yields the basis for further research. All GIS operations are performed using vector layers, which is not usual in large-area regional studies.     

Data democracy – increased supply of geospatial information and expanded participatory processes in the production of data

The global landscape in the supply, co-creation and use of geospatial data is changing very rapidly with new satellites, sensors and mobile devices reconfiguring the traditional lines of demand and supply and the number of actors involved. In this paper we chart some of these technology-led developments and then focus on the opportunities they have created for the increased participation of the public in generating and contributing information for a wide range of uses, scientific and non. Not all this information is open or geospatial, but sufficiently large portions of it are to make it one of the most significant phenomena of the last decade. In fact, we argue that while satellite and sensors have exponentially increased the volumes of geospatial information available, the participation of the public is transformative because it expands the range of participants and stakeholders in society using and producing geospatial information, with opportunities for more direct participation in science, politics and social action.     

Enrichment of topographic road database for the purpose of routing and navigation

With growing demand on multi-purpose or multi-modal navigation, the route calculation needs to traverse semantically enriched road networks for different transportation modes. Currently, operational route planning algorithms reveal rather limited performances or their potential for comprehensive applications are constrained by the unavailable or insufficient interoperation among the underlying geo-data that are separately maintained in different spatial databases. To overcome this limitation, a novel approach has been proposed to integrate the routing-relevant information from different data sources, which involves three processes: (1) automatic matching to identify the corresponding road objects between different datasets; (2) interaction to refine the automatic matching result; and (3) transferring the routing-relevant information from one data-set to another. In process (1), the Delimited Stroke Oriented algorithm is employed to achieve the automatic data matching between different datasets, which has revealed a high matching rate and certainty. However uncertain matching problems occur in areas where topological conditions are too complicated or inconsistent. The remaining unmatched or wrongly matched objects are treated in process (2), with the help of a series of interaction tools. On the basis of refined matching results after the interaction, process (3) is dedicated to automatic integration of the routing-relevant information from different data sources.