Map Symbols Research Articles

Symbol Mapping Design for Bit-Interleaved Polar-Coded Modulation With Iterative Decoding

In this letter, we design a bit-interleaved polar-coded modulation system with iterative decoding subject to constraints on complexity, error floor, and waterfall region performance. We show that the hill-like trajectory of polar code extrinsic information transfer curves allows us to predict the gap of the bottleneck region that a polar code achieves at a given received signal-to-noise ratio for a given labeling rule. Using the gap, we propose a 3-D linear objective function to optimize for error floor, waterfall region performance, and complexity. The objective function requires Monte Carlo simulations for only three points on the extrinsic information transfer curve of the demapper for a given labeling rule. Our simulations show that the proposed method designs labeling rule and polar code duos that trade off error-floor and waterfall region performance with complexity and latency.

Unravelling the epidemiology of tick paralysis in Australia: Application of passive surveillance and GIS

Unravelling the epidemiology of tick paralysis in Australia: Application of passive surveillance and GIS

К вопросу разработки типовой методики создания тактильных карт

Tactile maps (maps for blind and visually impaired people) play an essential role in education and social adaptation of visually challenged people. The tactile cartography rapidly develops along with the development of science and technology, and various new technical means and materials for printing three-dimensional graphics have appeared recently. The need for cartographic materials for the visually impaired is great, and so there is an urgent need for the approved methodology for tactile maps and 3D models creation, which could be used as a standard to provide educational institutions, municipalities, and other organizations working with visually challenged people with tactile cartographic materials. Recommendations on the use of map symbols and design of tactile maps are given in the article. The recommendations are based on the research carried out on the grounds of Novosibirsk Regional Special Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired and devoted to tactile perception of map symbols by various groups of blind and visually impaired users. The technology of making tactile maps is currently based on processing of images in graphic editors regardless of the geodata storage and processing systems, is labor-consuming and imposes high demands on professional skills of cartographers. The use of geoinformation systems will make it possible to automate the process of creating tactile maps in many respects. The authors’ recommendations can be the basis when developing functional requirements to software that ensures GIS options integration with automated preparation of tactile maps and other special cartographic materials for the blind and visually impaired.

Real-Time Visualization of Geo-Sensor Data Based on the Protocol-Coupling Symbol Construction Method

Obtaining and visualizing the internal state and position information of the remote device using sensors are important aspects of industrial manufacturing. For large-scale geo-sensors that have been recently used, map-based management and visualization of the geo-sensor devices have become ubiquitous. Users often build multiple map symbols to represent the multiple states of a device based on traditional map symbols. Visualizing multiple geo-sensor data in real time with one map symbol is difficult. In this paper, a protocol-coupling map symbol and a construction method for real-time data visualization is introduced where different sensor states of the geo-sensor are expressed with one symbol. The sensor data visualization method in supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA) was introduced and applied to the construction and visualization process of map symbols. First, based on the traditional vector map symbols and the communication protocol parsing interface, the mapping relationship between the sensor data item and the graphic element is defined in the map symbol construction process. Second, by referring to the streaming services method in ArcGIS GeoEvent, geo-sensor data acquisition and a transfer broker in a GIS server is built, through which the real-time sensor data can be transferred from the remote side to the map client and used for map symbol rendering. Finally, the new map symbols are used for real-time geo-sensor data visualization in applications. In the application of the real-time monitoring of geo-sensor devices, remote device information was acquired by sensor and transmitted to the broker then cached on the server side. If the cached sensor data has changed compared to the previous, the changed data will be pushed to map client by broker. The communication module in the map client that communicates with the broker receives changed geo-sensor data and triggers a refresh of the map. Then the protocol-coupling map symbol is rendered according to the mapping profile and the status of the geo-sensor device will be displayed on the map in real time. All the methods and processes were verified in client-server and browser-server GIS architecture.

Map Symbols for Crisis Mapping: Challenges and Prospects

ABSTRACTCrisis maps and visualizations utilized routinely by international agencies, humanitarian organizations, and non-governmental organizations for aid and relief activities commonly require complex sets of map symbols. However, effective map symbology for humanitarian relief purposes entails several challenges, including consideration of the following: (1) taxonomy development, (2) symbol design issues, (3) promulgation and sharing of map symbols, and (4) standardization of symbols within and among organizations. This paper discusses these key challenges to the design and use of crisis map symbology through a review of the cartographic literature as well as results collected from a survey targeted at humanitarian organizations from around the world. The survey was designed to gather information on current symbology design and use practices in order to understand common challenges. Survey results confirm agreement in the persistence of these four primary symbology challenges, especially the importance of intuitive symbol design. Respondents disagreed most about the adequacy of current crisis map symbology standards as well as the ease in which standards may be implemented within and across organizations. Survey results suggest the need for expert systems designed specifically for symbology design to support humanitarian relief activities.

Usability Evaluation of Tactile Map Symbols across Three Production Technologies

Introduction Technological advances have introduced three-dimensional (3-D) printing as an option for creating tactile maps for people with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision), diversifying the types of map products that are available. At the same time, it presents a challenge to map makers to implement designs across multiple production methods. We evaluated map symbols to determine their discriminability across three different materials: microcapsule paper, 3-D printer plastic, and embossed paper. Methods In a single session lasting less than 90 minutes, participants completed a matching task and provided informal feedback regarding their preferences. We measured speed and accuracy to establish discriminability of map symbols on each of the materials. Eighteen participants were recruited from a referred sample among attendees at the American Council of the Blind annual convention in 2013. Results Response times were significantly different across the three materials (p < 0.001). Without sacrificing accuracy, response times were faster for the 3-D printed graphics than for either the microcapsule paper (p < 0.001) or the embossed paper (p < 0.001). User preference was divided across the three materials. Some people disliked the “sharp” corners of the 3-D printed symbols, while others preferred their “crisp” edges. Discussion Our results demonstrate faster discriminability of a set of tactile symbols produced on a 3-D printer compared to those same symbols printed on microcapsule paper, the material for which the symbols were originally designed. Participant feedback reflected preferences both in favor of and against reading symbols produced on the 3-D printer. Implications for practitioners This article discusses the functional equivalence of tactile symbols produced across multiple production technologies. It addresses two considerations when using 3-D printing to make tactile maps: preparing digital files for printing and the printing work flow. Digital files ready for printing on each of the three materials are available for download (Brittell, Lobben, & Lawrence 2016).

Three-Way Symbolic Tree-Maps and Ultrametrics

Three-way dissimilarities are a generalization of (two-way) dissimilarities which can be used to indicate the lack of homogeneity or resemblance between any three objects. Such maps have applications in cluster analysis and have been used in areas such as psychology and phylogenetics, where three-way data tables can arise. Special examples of such dissimilarities are three-way tree-metrics and ultrametrics, which arise from leaf-labelled trees with edges labelled by positive real numbers. Here we consider three-way maps which arise from leaf-labelled trees where instead the interior vertices are labelled by an arbitrary set of values. For unrooted trees, we call such maps three-way symbolic tree-maps; for rooted trees, we call them three-way symbolic ultrametrics since they can be considered as a generalization of the (two-way) symbolic ultrametrics of Bocker and Dress. We show that, as with two- and three-way tree-metrics and ultrametrics, three-way symbolic tree-maps and ultrametrics can be characterized via certain k-point conditions. In the unrooted case, our characterization is mathematically equivalent to one presented by Gurvich for a certain class of edge-labelled hypergraphs. We also show that it can be decided whether or not an arbitrary three-way symbolic map is a tree-map or a symbolic ultrametric using a triplet-based approach that relies on the so-called BUILD algorithm for deciding when a set of 3-leaved trees or triplets can be displayed by a single tree. We envisage that our results will be useful in developing new approaches and algorithms for understanding 3-way data, especially within the area of phylogenetics.

A Proposal for Topographic Map Symbols for Large-Scale Maps of Urban Areas in Brazil

ABSTRACTTopographic mapping in Brazil has been performed without the direct application of cartographic theory to reflect local conditions. This problem is even more pronounced regarding large-scale mapping. Due to this motivation, we describe the method and related results that we have developed to propose a set of symbols for topographic mapping at large scales for the municipalities of Paraná, Brazil. We developed the study by considering cartographic principles and aligning them with the definitions of Brazilian systematic mapping. The first step in the research was making decisions about which elements should be part of the 1:2000 scale. We have also defined the meaning of each element, which were the basis for establishing classes and subclasses. Next, a symbology was designed. These results are essential for proposing a scientific framework for topographic mapping that benefits a large group of producers and users of urban maps in Brazil.

Environmental Assessment of the Fuel and Energy Complex of the Tyva Republiс

We examine the enterprises of the fuel and energy complex of the Tyva Republic in which the in which the coal industry and the heat power industry play a leading role. This complex is a crucial economic sector whereas it has a serious negative impact on the environment. Coal mined on the territory of the republic is currently being used primarily for the production of thermal energy. Tyva experiences a shortage of electricity that is offset by energy from the Unified Power Grid of Siberia. A characteristic of the coal–mining enterprises and heat power generation facilities is provided. For the environmental assessment of the coal–mining enterprises we used the most significant indicators, such as the method of mining and the area of disturbed lands whereas for the heat power generation facilities we took into account the amounts of atmospheric pollutant emissions. Data on pollution of soils and earth materials, groundwater, snow and atmospheric air are given. The most significant environmental problems were revealed for the Kaa–Khem coal mine and in the zone of influence of the Kyzyl thermal power plant located in the urban area of Kyzyl. Some measures for a minimization of environmental stress are considered. The findings are displayed on the environmental map. An original cartographic language was developed for this map compilation, which is represented by the system of graphical point signs for displaying coal deposits, the impact of mining enterprises on the environment, mapping of enterprises in the heat power industry and their environmental indicators. The area map symbols show the density of violations for municipalities. The findings expand the methods of thematic mapping and can be used in governance of environmental management.

More on the dynamics of the symbolic square root map

In our earlier paper [Peltomäki and Whiteland (2017) [5]], we introduced a symbolic square root map. Every optimal squareful infinite word s contains exactly six minimal squares and can be written as a product of these squares: s=X12X22⋯. The square root s of s is the infinite word X1X2⋯ obtained by deleting half of each square. We proved that the square root map preserves the languages of Sturmian words (which are optimal squareful words). The dynamics of the square root map on a Sturmian subshift are well understood. In our earlier work, we introduced another type of subshift of optimal squareful words which together with the square root map form a dynamical system. In this paper, we study these dynamical systems in more detail and compare their properties to the Sturmian case. The main results are characterizations of periodic points and the limit set. The results show that while there is some similarity it is possible for the square root map to exhibit quite different behavior compared to the Sturmian case.

Individuality in the Early Number Skill Components Underlying Basic Arithmetic Skills.

Early number skills underlie success in basic arithmetic. However, very little is known about the skill profiles among children in preprimary education and how the potential profiles are related to arithmetic development. This longitudinal study of 440 Finnish children in preprimary education (mean age: 75 months) modeled latent performance-level profile groups for the early number skill components that are proposed to be key predictors of arithmetic (symbolic number comparison, mapping, and verbal counting skills). Based on three assessment time points (September, January, and May), four profile groups were found: the poorest-performing (6%), low-performing (16%), near-average-performing (33%), and high-average-performing children (45%). Although the differences between the groups were statistically significant in all three number skill components and in basic arithmetic, the poorest-performing children seemed to have serious difficulties in accessing the semantic meaning of symbolic numbers that was required in the number comparison and mapping tasks in this study. Interestingly, the tasks demanding processing between quantities and symbols also most differentiated the poorest-performing children from the low-performing children. Due to remarkable and stable individual differences in early number skill components, the findings suggest systematic support and progress monitoring practices in preeducational settings to diminish and avoid potential difficulties in arithmetic and mathematics in general.

The civilization of barbarism: the thesaurus of the “lettered city” in the sketch of D.F. Sarmiento

In the second half of the XIX century, by the time that Independence was proclaimed in a number of Latin American countries, a new enlightened class had taken shape in the big cities of the region, differing from their predecessors due to their autonomy concerning the authorities. Despite the existing ideological differences, the common mission of the so-called “lettered city” was to create a “symbolic map” of the new republics, attributing cultural meanings to the vast and heterogeneous space of their native lands. The main source of the article is a classical text by the educator and statesman of Argentina, Domingo F. Sarmiento (1811–1888) “Facundo: Civilization and Barbarism” (1845). The method of thesaurus analysis developed by Russian culturologist Vladimir Lukov allows to define the intricate relation between the Self and the Other in the writer’s polarized worldview that eventually set the basis of the Argentine national identity.

Vector Modulation by Laser and Electroabsorption Modulator With Digital Pre-Coding and Pre-Compensation

We present a method to achieve vector modulation of lightwave using an electroabsorption modulator intregrated laser. The laser section is used for direct phase modulation followed by an amplitude modulation of the electroabsorption modulator section in a cascade manner, which is an alternative method to conventional IQ modulator. To allow an improved phase demodulation, we propose a digital pre-compensation technique for a transmitter in optical coherent system for the first time, which includes a phase-balanced differential phase shift keying encoding and a digital domain pre-equalization filtering. The phase-balanced encoding technique applies parallel DC-balance coding with a phase-balanced symbol mapping, which results in a bounded cumulative phase and a constant statistical characteristic of the modulating signal in differential M-ary phase shift keying and M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation formats. The digital pre-equalization filter also compensates for the phase response of the laser section. Experimental results show that the pre-digital compensation technique allows the improved complex signal demodulation compared to conventional DQPSK modulation in a back-to-back setup.

THE LITERARY MYTH OF FACUNDO QUIROGA IN THE CULTURAL WORLDVIEW OF ARGENTINES

By the time of declaring their independence, Latin American countries had formed an enlightened class that was fundamentally different from its predecessors in terms of autonomy in relation to state power. Despite ideological differences, their common mission was to draw up a “symbolic map” of the newly formed republics, endowing the vast, ethnically and socially heterogeneous space of the native land with new cultural meanings. On American soil, writers, poets, historians and publicists of the second half of 19th century had first to rethink such political concepts as “state” and “nation”, established in the European consciousness. To solve this problem, the writers borrowed formal methods and techniques longstanding in Europe. Thus, within the framework of Latin American social romanticism, the search for national identity was accomplished by turning to myth. The article deals with the experience of literary myth-ma­king in the works of Argentine followers of romanticism. The main material of this linguoculturological study is the program work of the educator and statesman Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (1811—1888) “Civilization and Barbarism: The Biography of Juan Facundo Quiroga, and the Physical Appearance, Customs and Mores of the Argentine Republic”. Published in 1845, in the midst of a longtime civil strife in Argentina, it gained success among the compatriots as a cruel pamphlet against the leader of that time, Governor of Buenos Aires Province J.M. de Rosas, whose personal authority in the regions had been based on the brute force of the Caudillo. Meanwhile, the deep meaning of the text is embodied in the central figure of the narrative, “the evil Gaucho” Facundo Quiroga. On the historical material of the civil war of the first third of the 19th century, the writer created a mythical epic hero, designed to personify the underlying movement of the young Argentine nation. During the structural analysis of the myth of the charisma­tic people’s leader Facundo, the article highlights the mythological hypostases of this complex artistic image, which orga­nically combines the features of a primal ancestor, a totem, a trickster and a hero. The author concludes on the role of literary myth as a cultural mediator of Argentine society.

Evaluation of the Cartographical Quality of Urban Plans by Eye-Tracking

This paper describes a study of the evaluation of cartographic quality of urban plans in the Czech Republic using eye-tracking. Although map visualization is a crucial part of the urban planning process, only a few studies have focused on the evaluation of these maps. The plans of four Czech cities with different styles of visualization and legends were used in this eye-tracking experiment. Respondents were required to solve spatial tasks consisting of finding and marking a certain symbol on a map. Statistical analyses of various eye-tracking metrics were used, and the differences between experts and students and between the map and legend sections of the stimuli were explored. The study results showed that the quality of map symbols and the map legend significantly influence the legibility and understandability of urban plans. For correct decision-making, it is essential to produce maps according to certain standards, to make them as clear as possible, and to perform usability testing on them.

New Map Symbol System for Disaster Management

Abstract. In the last 10 years Bulgaria was frequently affected by natural and man-made disasters that caused considerable losses. According to the Bulgarian Disaster Management Act (2006) disaster management should be planned at local, regional and national level. Disaster protection is based on plans that include maps such as hazard maps, maps for protection, maps for evacuation planning, etc. Decision-making and cooperation between two or more neighboring municipalities or regions in crisis situation are still rendered difficult because the maps included in the plans differ in scale, colors, map symbols and cartographic design. To improve decision-making process in case of emergency and to reduce the number of human loss and property damages disaster management plans at local and regional level should be supported by detailed thematic maps created in accordance with uniform contents, map symbol system and design. The paper proposes a new symbol system for disaster management that includes a four level hierarchical classification of objects and phenomena according to their type and origin. All objects and phenomena of this classification are divided into five categories: disasters; infrastructure; protection services and infrastructure for protection; affected people and affected infrastructure; operational sites and activities. The symbols of these categories are shown with different background colors and shapes so that they are identifiable. All the symbols have simple but associative design. The new symbol system is used in the design of a series of maps for disaster management at local and regional level.

Fusion of radar sensing and wireless communications by embedding communication signals into the radar transmit waveform

A joint radar-communication (JRC) system with both radar sensing and communication abilities is proposed to improve spectrum utilisation efficiency. The transmitter of the JRC consists of multiple antenna subarrays transmitting orthogonal waveforms. If the communication receivers are in radar sidelobe directions, the communication data symbols are embedded in the magnitude ratio as well as the phase shift between transmit waveform pairs. In the case of the communication receivers in radar main lobe direction, the data symbols are embedded in the phase shift between transmit waveform pairs only to preserve optimum radar target detection performance. Novel symbol mapping constellation scheme is designed to achieve a high data transmission rate while maintaining a relatively low symbol error rate. The simulation results show that with medium pulse repetition frequency radar waveforms used, the data transmission rate of the proposed JRC system is in the range of Mbits/s.

Digging deeper: Shared deep structures of early literacy and mathematics involve symbolic mapping and relational reasoning

This study was based on the hypothesis that symbolic mapping and relational reasoning are part of the deep structure of both early literacy and mathematics. Eighty-six preschool children completed a range of symbolic, relational, literacy, and mathematics measures, as well as a measure of their receptive vocabulary. Results were consistent with the study’s hypothesis. Symbolic and relational scores were related to performance in both literacy and mathematics. Literacy and mathematics tasks grouped together in factor analyses according to hypothesized symbolic and relational demands. Further, the resulting cross-domain factor scores were related to symbolic and relational factor scores as predicted. Thus, symbolic mapping and relational reasoning were found to be cognitive processes related to both early literacy and mathematics, suggesting potential target areas for future intervention research. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for better understanding the relation between literacy and mathematics and for early childhood instruction.

A Novel PAPR Reduction Scheme for OFDM System Based on Deep Learning

High peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) has been one of the major drawbacks of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. In this letter, we propose a novel PAPR reduction scheme, known as PAPR reducing network (PRNet), based on the autoencoder architecture of deep learning. In the PRNet, the constellation mapping and demapping of symbols on each subcarrier is determined adaptively through a deep learning technique, such that both the bit error rate (BER) and the PAPR of the OFDM system are jointly minimized. We used simulations to show that the proposed scheme outperforms conventional schemes in terms of BER and PAPR.

A newly-discovered historical map using both national boundary and administrative line to represent the U-boundary in the South China Sea

A New Map of the People’s Republic of China was discovered through investigating a large number of historical maps. This map was published in April 1951, both continuous national boundary line and administrative region line were applied in this map to represent China’s national U shaped boundary line (U-boundary) in the South China Sea (SCS). It is an important historical material that supports the U-boundary line is the border of China’s South China Sea. This is the first research of this newly-discovered map. In the map, the U-boundary in the SCS (SCS U-boundary) is not only presented by a continuous boundary map symbol (·>—— —— This New Map of the People’s Republic of China was edited by the Guanghua and Geosciences Club and was published by SDX Joint Publishing Company. The continuous U-line in this map clearly shows the accurate boundaries of China’s border in the SCS. It is an important historical map that clearly proves the U-boundary line is the border of China’s territorial sea in the SCS. Moreover, the red solid administrative-line overlaying the U-boundary definitely indicated that the sovereignty of the sea within the U-boundary belonged to China. The regions of the SCS U-boundary include Dongsha Islands, Xisha Islands, Nansha Islands, Zhongsha Islands, Taiwan Island, Beibu Gulf and the Zengmu Reef. This study compared maps of historical U-line which were published before 1951, and also analyzed the domestic and international maritime situation, and drawing methods of the maritime boundary lines in the history. The results show that “the continuous line” was recognized by the international community in the corresponding historical period, and both the “intermittent (dotted) line” and “the continuous line” are appropriate descriptions and drawing-methods for the sea boundary in historical period. Analysis of six maps, including the historical maps and the latest vertical world map, showed that the territory of U-boundary line inherited the territory of China’s SCS in the “South China Sea Island Map” that was officially published and recognized worldwide in 1948. This study recommends using “the South China Sea U-Shape boundary line” (SCS U-boundary) to describe the border of China’s sea in SCS. “SCS U-boundary” not only emphasizes the U shape borderline of China’s sea in the SCS, but also can be easily expressed and remembered worldwide. Using “SCS U-boundary” is a better way to avoid problems of “number” and “number of segments”, and can further express the certainty of the integrity, continuity and border of the China’s seas in the SCS as well. In summary, the study points out: (1) SCS U-boundary is the border of China’s sea in the SCS, and its sovereignty belongs to China; (2) both “continuous U-boundary line” and “intermittent U-boundary line” are internationally recognized to describe sea borders; (3) “SCS U-boundary” is more vividly, accurately, completely and scientifically to characterize China’s sea border in the SCS.