Real-Time Geospatial Data Collection and Visualization with Smartphone

Koko Lwin,Yuji Murayama,Misao Hashimoto

doi:10.4236/jgis.2014.62011

Koko Lwin, Yuji Murayama + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/jgis.2014.62011

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Abstract

The development of the Global Navigation System and wireless networking technologies have changed the way we live, communicate, share information and even the collection of geospatial data in the field. Along with wireless networking technologies, the improvement in computational power of handheld devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs) and netbook computers allow field users to connect, store and stream large amounts of geospatial data from the web-server. Nowadays, geospatial data collection is more flexible and timely manner. In this paper we discuss field data collection using a smartphone and web-based GIS system, which collects, integrates, visualizes and analyzes the collected data in real-time. We built a web-GIS system for creating a user account, acquiring coordinates from GPS embedded devices or wireless access points, and providing a user-friendly survey form. The collected data can be visualized and analyzed by performing thematic mapping, labeling, symbolizing, querying and generating a summary report. We tested this system on a university campus management system, in which we collected information on illegal disposal sites and parking events within the university campus.

Highlights

Over the decades ago, field data collection is an expensive, time consuming and cumbersome task
Under the client-server setting in field data collection, a field user may take advantage of the digital repositories prepared for data collection, as well as information resources more generally available via the Web [1]
The construction of Web-GIS provides a pre-defined userfriendly Web-based survey form and coordinate information from mobile devices, which dramatically improved the finding of locations and entering of data during the field work

Summary

Introduction

Field data collection (i.e. pen-and-paper based) is an expensive, time consuming and cumbersome task. Basemaps need to be prepared, an ancillary dataset collected, as well as other paperwork. We need to take all the material to the field, and this is not practical in real-time disaster information. How to cite this paper: Lwin, K., et al (2014) Real-Time Geospatial Data Collection and Visualization with Smartphone. The combination of mobile communication technologies and Wi-Fi-based positioning system allow field users to acquire location information in timely and handy manner. Under the client-server setting in field data collection, a field user may take advantage of the digital repositories prepared for data collection (i.e. basemaps, satellite images and other ancillary data), as well as information resources more generally available via the Web [1]

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