Spatial Semantics Research Articles

COMPARISONS AS EXPLICATION IMAGES OF SPACE IN N. S. GUMILYOV AND L. N. GUMILYOV'S WORK

The scope of the research is represented by the spatial images expressed by means of comparisons-likenings in L. N. Gumilyov’s ethnographic discourse and N. S. Gumilyov’s poetry. The choice of subject is motivated by the common interests of the father and the son, their mutual love for actual and mental travel, for ancient history ofEurasia. The aim of the research is to define similarity and distinction in the use of comparisonslikenings with spatial semantics in L. N. Gumilyov's monographies and N. S. Gumilyov's poems, to present stylistic features of the ethnographer’s discourse. The following general scientific methods are used: observations; classifications; comparisons and the subsequent interpretation of the collected actual material; the communicatively-pragmatical approach to language of the text together with contextual and component-sememic analysis (in part). The article summarizes material on the nature of comparison, its modes of expression, its structure in the simple sentence. The likening-comparison is represented as a leading constant of the functionalsemantic field of comparativity. Several types of comparative images of space have been singled out both in L. N. Gumilyov’s ethnographic discourse and N. S. Gumilyov’s poetry; their similarities and differences have been described. The peculiarities of the individual style of the ethnographer in his use of metaphorical combinations are revealed. Types of comparisons in relation to the reader's perception, connected with the effect of recognition, novelty, unexpectedness are defined, which makes it possible to reveal the connection of scientific narrative with art. The article adds to the understanding of L. N. Gumilyov’s language personality. Conclusions. The figurative comparison, reflecting the concept of space (and its parts) in L. N. Gumilyov's ethnographic works and N. S. Gumilyov's poetry, corresponds with the following three types of reader's perception: the effects of recognition / novelty / unexpectedness. This observation has revealed the certain features of the use of comparisons in the Gumilyovs’ language in their work. The article can be used at special courses and special seminars, devoted to functionalsemantic fields, general and art stylistics, communicative – pragmatical approach to the language of texts of different styles.

Using an Optimized Chinese Address Matching Method to Develop a Geocoding Service: A Case Study of Shenzhen, China

With the coming era of big data and the rapid development and widespread applications of Geographical Information Systems (GISs), geocoding technology is playing an increasingly important role in bridging the gap between non-spatial data resources and spatial data in various fields. However, Chinese geocoding faces great challenges because of the complexity of the address string format in Chinese, which contains no delimiters between Chinese words, and the poor address management resulting from the existence of multiple address authorities spread among different governmental agencies. This paper presents a geocoding service based on an optimized Chinese address matching method, including address modeling, address standardization and address matching. The address model focuses on the spatial semantics of each address element, and the address standardization process is based on an address tree model. A geocoding service application is implemented in practice using a large quantity of data from Shenzhen Municipality. More than 1,460,000 data records were used to test the geocoding service, and good matching rates were achieved with good adaptability and intelligence.

Dynamic multi-granularity semantic representations for navigation facility services

The main purpose of this article is to tackle the management of alphanumeric data provided to end users in navigation facility services. We propose, via a top down and interpreted approach, to define a data model. The aim is to take into account the spatial relevance of alphanumeric attributes using a logical spatial representation (not using a cartographical representation). Based on a conventional database model extended with links to model relationships between alphanumeric attributes and spatial semantics, this model provides the management of several levels of abstraction (granularity levels). We describe a data manipulation operator to zoom into a deeper abstraction level and we define rules to build the data model associated with the results of this operator.

Building a 3-D Line-Based Map Using Stereo SLAM

This paper presents a graph-based visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system using straight lines as features. Compared with point features, lines provide far richer information about the structure of the environment and make it possible to infer spatial semantics from the map. Using a stereo rig as the sole sensor, our proposed system utilizes many advanced techniques, such as motion estimation, pose optimization, and bundle adjustment. We use two different representations to parameterize 3-D lines in this paper: Plucker line coordinates for efficient initialization of newly observed line features and projection of 3-D lines, and orthonormal representation for graph optimization. The proposed system is tested with indoor and outdoor sequences, and it exhibits better reconstruction performance against a point-based SLAM system in line-rich environments.

PROBE VEHICLE TRACK-MATCHING ALGORITHM BASED ON SPATIAL SEMANTIC FEATURES

Abstract. The matching of GPS received locations to roads is challenging. Traditional matching method is based on the position of the GPS receiver, the vehicle position and vehicle behavior near the receiving time. However, for probe vehicle trajectories, the sampling interval is too sparse and there is a poor correlation between adjacent sampling points, so it cannot partition the GPS noise through the historical positions. For the data mining of probe vehicle tracks based on spatial semantics, the matching is learned from the traditional electronic navigation map matching, and it is proposed that the probe vehicle track matching algorithm is based on spatial semantic features. Experimental results show that the proposed global-path matching method gets a good matching results, and restores the true path through the probe vehicle track.

Reference-point and blending in Korean non-nominative subject constructions

This article examines three types of Korean constructions: case stacking and two types of non-nominative subject constructions. Relying on an independently established descriptive construct known as reference-point, I argue that the complex forms of these constructions reflect their meanings and functions. I further argue that the reference-point-based analysis of these constructions offers a unified account of a substantial range of phenomena when it is combined with the notion of conceptual and constructional blending. In providing technical analyses of the phenomena, I adopt the Cognitive Grammar (CG) framework. To justify the choice of the theoretical framework of my analysis, I examine the crucial role of spatial semantics in the said constructions, which is viewed as the primary factor underlying the distribution of case marking in CG. I then demonstrate that my CG-based analysis yields a natural explanation of the constructions both intuitively and theoretically.

The Spatial Semantics of Symbolic Attention Control

A critical purpose of human communication is to inform others where to focus their attention, and humans use a wide variety of spatial symbols to accomplish this goal. Over the past several years, we have developed a theory of how spatial symbols control the orientation of attention in space. A key feature of this theory is that it uses spatial frames of reference to explain how the information conveyed by these symbols can influence the spatial distribution of attention. Here, we provide a brief summary of this theory, the evidence taken to support it, and how it has illuminated our understanding of attention control and the methods used to study it.

Processing of Topological BIM Queries using Boundary Representation Based Methods

Building Information Models (BIM) are comprehensive digital representations of buildings, which provide a large set of information originating from the different disciplines involved in the design, construction and operation processes. Moreover, accessing the data needed for a specific downstream application scenario is a challenging task in large-scale BIM projects. Several researchers recently proposed using formal query languages for specifying the desired information in a concise, well-defined manner. One of the main limitations of the languages introduced so far, however, is the inadequate treatment of geometric information. This is a significant drawback, as buildings are inherently spatial objects and qualitative spatial relationships accordingly play an important role in the analysis and verification of building models. In addition, the filters needed in specific data exchange scenarios for selecting the information required can be built by spatial objects and their relations. The lack of spatial functionality in BIM query languages is filled by the Query Language for Building Information Models (QL4BIM) which provides metric, directional and topological operators for defining filter expressions with qualitative spatial semantics. This paper focuses on the topological operators provided by the language. In particular, it presents a new implementation method based on the boundary representation of the operands which outperforms the previously presented octree-based approaches. The paper discusses the developed algorithms in detail and presents extensive performance tests.

Urban Mobility Dynamics Based on Flexible Discrete Region Partition

Understanding the urban mobility patterns is essential for the planning and management of public infrastructure and transportation services. In this paper we focus on taxicab moving trajectory records and present a new approach to modeling and analyzing urban mobility dynamics. The proposed method comprises two phases. First, discrete space partition based on flexible grid is developed to divide urban environment into finite nonoverlapping subregions. By integrating mobility origin-destination points with covered region, the partitioned discrete subregions have better spatial semantics scalability. Then, we study mobility activity and its distribution randomness during given time periods among discrete subregions. Moreover, we also carry out the analysis of mobility linkage of mobility trips between different regions by O-D matrix. We present a case study with real dataset of taxicab mobility logs in Shenzhen, China, to demonstrate and evaluate the methodology. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms the clustering partition and regular partition methods.

Automatic Spatial Annotation of Image Based on Object Recognition

The purpose of this paper is to improve automatic annotation efficiency and accuracy. The method is to identify objects in the image rather than comparing the whole image with another image. This can greatly improve the annotation accuracy. In order to obtain high efficiency of the algorithm, this paper uses color-shape index for similar matching. On the spatial semantics, this paper provides two kinds of spatial concepts: one is the location of the object relative to the image, the method is to divide the image into nine image location areas; another is the relative position between the objects, the method is to record the center of the object and outline. Standard Corel dataset and Caltech101 are used to test the accuracy and robustness of the proposed method. Experimental results show the proposed algorithm annotates images more accurately and efficiently than traditional algorithms.

Пространственная семантика концепта власть в русской политической культуре

Пространственная семантика концепта власть в русской политической культуре

Remote Sensing Image Retrieval by Scene Semantic Matching

This paper proposes a remote sensing (RS) image retrieval scheme by using image scene semantic (SS) matching. The low-level image visual features (VFs) are first mapped into multilevel spatial semantics via VF extraction, object-based classification of support vector machines, spatial relationship inference, and SS modeling. Furthermore, a spatial SS matching model that involves the object area, attribution, topology, and orientation features is proposed for the implementation of the sample-scene-based image retrieval. Moreover, a prototype system that uses a coarse-to-fine retrieval scheme is implemented with high retrieval accuracy. Experimental results show that the proposed method is suitable for spatial SS modeling, particularly geographic SS modeling, and performs well in spatial scene similarity matching.

Intelligent services for discovery of complex geospatial features from remote sensing imagery

Remote sensing imagery has been commonly used by intelligence analysts to discover geospatial features, including complex ones. The overwhelming volume of routine image acquisition requires automated methods or systems for feature discovery instead of manual image interpretation. The methods of extraction of elementary ground features such as buildings and roads from remote sensing imagery have been studied extensively. The discovery of complex geospatial features, however, is still rather understudied. A complex feature, such as a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD) proliferation facility, is spatially composed of elementary features (e.g., buildings for hosting fuel concentration machines, cooling towers, transportation roads, and fences). Such spatial semantics, together with thematic semantics of feature types, can be used to discover complex geospatial features. This paper proposes a workflow-based approach for discovery of complex geospatial features that uses geospatial semantics and services. The elementary features extracted from imagery are archived in distributed Web Feature Services (WFSs) and discoverable from a catalogue service. Using spatial semantics among elementary features and thematic semantics among feature types, workflow-based service chains can be constructed to locate semantically-related complex features in imagery. The workflows are reusable and can provide on-demand discovery of complex features in a distributed environment.

A new approach to analysing static locative expressions

AbstractAs speakers, we are frequently called upon to specify the locations of objects and landmarks in our environment. However, despite the considerable body of work on spatial cognition and semantics (i.e. Levinson 1992, 1996, 2003; Tyler and Evans 2003; Herskovits 1986; Vandeloise 1986), there has been almost no research on the expression of location from a multimodal viewpoint: that is, how do speakers use gesture, as well as speech, to express object location? This paper reports on a filmed study of 10 English speakers and 10 French speakers who were asked to express the locations of 28 objects in two spatial scenes. On the basis of our results we argue that a functional, as opposed to a grammatical, approach to the segmentation and analysis of these sorts of expressions is crucial. Such an approach reflects the fact that different Figures (i.e. objects to be located) can exist simultaneously across speech and gesture. Using filmed examples from our data set, we propose a new definition of static locative expressions and outline a multimodal approach for their analysis in oral discourse.

Optimized Spatial Query for Data Integration Based on Semantics

Data integration of geospatial data in distributed, heterogeneous environment involves the use of semantic ontologies. In this kind of integration system, semantic technologies play an important role in improving performance and effectiveness of spatial queries. This paper focuses on methods of query optimization based on spatial semantics at the top level of semantic layer in central data integration systems. After analyzing the hybrid approach for spatial data integration, two categories of query optimization strategies are proposed based on detailed examination of special characteristics of spatial data. With spatial knowledge explicitly specified in ontologies and associated rules, spatial queries can be optimized intelligently.

Enhancing the mental representations of space used by blind pedestrians, based on an image schemata model

The configuration of mental representation of space plays a major role in successful navigational activities. Therefore, navigational assistance for pedestrians who are blind should help them to better configure their mental representation of the environment. In this paper, we propose and exploit a computational model for the mental representation of urban areas as an aid to orientation and navigation for visually impaired pedestrians. Our model uses image schemata to capture the spatial semantics and configural elements of urban space necessary for this purpose. These image schemata are schematic structures that are continually requested by individuals in their perception, bodily movement and interaction with surrounding objects. Our proposed model also incorporates a hierarchical structure to provide different levels of detail tied to appropriate spatial perspectives at each scale. We presume that such computational model will help us to develop an appropriate structure of spatial data used to assist the target population. At the end of the paper, we illustrate the utility of our configural model by developing a typical scenario for the navigation of a blind pedestrian in an urban area.

Human Interaction Recognition Based on Transformation of Spatial Semantics

This letter proposes a novel approach for automated recognition of human-human interactions. First, the motion directions are obtained and the spatial relationships between persons (topological and directional relations) are modeled based on the tracking results. Then, we propose a method to extract the spatial semantics between persons, including front, back, face to face, back to back, and left or right. Finally, we adopt context-free grammar (CFG) to recognize the interactions, and thereinto the production rules are established based on the transformation of spatial semantics. Extensive experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

SSO 2011 Workshop Report: 1st ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Spatial Semantics and Ontologies (SSO) 2011

We were pleased to organize the 1st Spatial Semantics and Ontologies (SSO) international workshop as part of the 19th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems (ACM SIGSPATIAL GIS 2011). Semantic technologies are an emerging topic. This workshop was motivated by the need for semantics-related research for geospatial data and to provide a place for discussion and distribution of the work in this area. ACM SIGSPATIAL GIS 2011 offered a perfect venue to bring together computer scientists with spatial/geospatial domain experts, and this workshop was designed to help engage and create a synergy with computer and spatial scientists interested in the semantic area. We anticipated that technical advancements would be made by computer specialists focusing on the spatial area in collaboration with domain specialists who know the semantic problems they face. Having this workshop at ACM GIS opened the research to include wide areas of computer science.

How do Citizens in East Asian Democracies Understand Left and Right?

AbstractBoth general publics and elites have long used labels of left and right as cues for political communication and vote choice in Western democracies. This study examines the utility of these spatial semantics as means of encapsulating major political cleavages in East Asian democracies. Through analysis of public opinion surveys, we investigate the influence of organizational affiliation; views on socio-economic, religious, and ‘new politics’ issues, as well as attitudes toward the political system, as anchors of public understanding of the left–right dimension in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Patterns found in these countries are compared with two ‘Western’ nations in the region, Australia and New Zealand. Results show that citizens’ left–right positions in Japan and the Australasian countries are more clearly structured by well-defined cleavages, such as socio-economic issues and post-materialism, and that parties in these countries compete on the basis of clearer ideological profiles. In contrast, despite high rates of cognition of the left–right scale in South Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan, left–right orientations are less firmly anchored in attitudes and policy preferences. These differences in publics’ level of ideological conceptualization are likely related to party system development and democratic experience.

Grounding spatial language in the motor system: Reciprocal interactions between spatial semantics and orienting

Shifts of attention that are directed by spatial words are thought to be mediated by a spatial frame of reference. Previous studies have documented a selection cost when visual attention is directed along the left/right axis relative to the above/below axis due to the greater ambiguity of the horizontal endpoints. The present study investigated whether the horizontal endpoints may be more fully disambiguated when “left/right” cues are first enacted by nondivisible, more discrete, modes of orienting such as directional motor responses. This issue was investigated using a repetition priming paradigm in which the effects of prior enactments were measured on the subsequent conceptual control of visual attention. The results of four experiments showed that grounding spatial language in the motor system can enhance the focus of visual attention by disambiguating the endpoints of the horizontal axis. In so doing, the present study extends previous research demonstrating that spatial concepts can influence the spatial distribution of attention by demonstrating that different modes of orienting can also influence the semantics of space. Implications for the premotor theory of attention and grounded theories of cognition are also discussed.