Web Map Research Articles

Augmented reality participatory platform: A novel digital participatory planning tool to engage under-resourced communities in improving neighborhood walkability

Engaging communities and utilizing local knowledge can alleviate the disparities faced by under-resourced neighborhoods with regard to providing sufficient opportunities for walkability. Digital technologies, and in particular smartphones, have created new opportunities to improve community engagement by expanding the inclusion of diverse stakeholders in decision-making. This paper introduces a novel digital participatory planning tool called the Augmented Reality Participatory Platform (ARPP). The platform uses mobile augmented reality (mobile AR) to engage residents, particularly in under-resourced communities, in identifying the design improvements necessary to enhance neighborhood walkability. ARPP consists of a mobile AR app, cloud database, and real-time mapping service. It provides a platform for two-way communication between residents of these communities and decision-makers, with potential benefits for both groups. ARPP enables residents to interact with street features and walkable design interventions in situ, generate walking-related spatial data, and share them and possible design solutions with decision-makers. The platform also assists decision-makers with presenting walkable street design alternatives developed based on community feedback to residents. To determine if ARPP is useful and user-friendly, experts and a group of residents from an under-resourced community evaluated the usability of the mobile AR app. We found that the app largely met the usability goals, and after we addressed must-solve issues identified by the experts, community participants faced very few issues when interacting with it. With recent technological advances in mobile AR and its potential for planning and design, integrating mobile AR into participatory planning is timely.

E-learning, sport and the sustainable development goals: mapping the field

The sport for development (SFD) field has grown significantly, and there has been increasing professionalization within the sector. E-learning tools, in particular, have increasingly been deployed to provide education opportunities within the field. Despite this, little is known about the delivery, content or pedagogical approaches within e-learning connecting sport and sustainable development. Against this backdrop, this paper provides an initial mapping of existing online courses connecting sport and sustainable development. To do so, we conduct a systematic search using two online resources and map out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and pedagogical approaches present within courses. Our results show that courses are primarily self-paced, asynchronous offers that focus on health, inequality and peacebuilding. Furthermore, offers mainly rely on the motivation and resources of individuals and organizations to complete courses and provide limited technical or social support. To conclude, we propose ways for courses to provide more engaging and inclusive experiences.

Association with the nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation duration and outcome of ExTRa Mapping-guided rotor ablation.

Additional ablation strategies after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for patients with nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation (non-PAF) lasting ≥2 years have not been fully effective. This is presumably because of insufficient identification of non-PAF maintenance mechanisms. In this study, we employed a novel online and real-time phase mapping system, ExTRa Mapping, to identify and modulate rotors as one of the non-PAF maintenance mechanisms in patients with non-PAF sustained after PVI. We investigated the relationship between outcomes of ExTRa Mapping-guided rotor ablation (ExTRa-ABL) and non-PAF duration prior to this procedure. This study consisted of 73 non-PAF patients (63 ± 8 years, non-PAF duration 31 ± 37 months) who underwent the first ExTRa-ABL in patients with non-PAF sustained after completion of PVI. Freedom from non-PAF/atrial tachycardia (AT) recurrence at 12 months after ExTRa-ABL was achieved in 50 (69%) of patients. The non-PAF duration prior to ExTRa-ABL was significantly longer in patients with non-PAF/AT recurrence after ExTRa-ABL compared with those without (56 ± 50 vs. 19 ± 22 months, p = .001). In patients with non-PAF duration of ≤60 months prior to ExTRa-ABL, compared with >60 months, non-PAF/AT-free rate was significantly higher (68.9% vs. 23.1%, p < .001), during the follow-up of 36 ± 18 months. A non-PAF duration of ≤60 months prior to ExTRa-ABL was associated with a better outcome. The effect of ExTRa-ABL was considered to be limited in patients with >60 months of non-PAF duration.

Gastronomic tourism and smart solutions used for its development: the case of a region of Latvia

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to examine opportunities for gastronomic tourism development and smart solutions in the regions of Latvia.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is based on a qualitative approach applied to examine the theoretical and legal frameworks for gastronomic tourism, as well as on a case study based on mapping and a typology of gastronomic tourism.FindingsAn analysis of priorities for the Kurzeme planning region (including Talsi municipality) in tourism development revealed that digitalization, the introduction of smart solutions important for travellers and the integration of the digital environment and innovative solutions into tourism services are specified in policy documents. An examination of a mapping of tourist services supplied in the Talsi municipality and the role of gastronomic tourism therein showed that such a mapping can serve as a basis for developing targeted smart and digital tourism products for Talsi municipality, which involves both the target audience and the typology of food tourist behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsThe examination of smart solutions for the regions of Latvia represented an in-depth case study of one municipality – Talsi. Talsi municipality was selected as a typical gastronomic destination, which offers a wide range of gastronomic tourism opportunities, and this kind of tourism is also referred to in the tourism development strategy of the municipality (region).Originality/valueThis study's contribution is determined by the constantly changing dynamic environment that fosters the differentiation of supply of tourism products, as well as the integration of smart solutions into tourism products. Gastronomic tourism in Latvia and the Baltic states plays a steady role in contributing to the recognition of the cultural environment and regional traditions; therefore, the supply of smart solutions is essential and significant from the regional perspective. The originality of the research is also determined by an examination of smart solutions for gastronomic tourism in the tourism products supplied in the region.

LAND USE WEB MAP OF MOLDOVA CREATING USING WEB-BASED MAPPING SOFTWARE ARCGIS ONLINE

The motivation for creating of an interactive map for school is the desire to collect all the necessary information from different sources into one web map to facilitate and standardize the process of teaching geography of the Republic of Moldova, and due to the interactivity of the map to increase student academic achievement and motivation. In the article the methodology of the research, which is carried out within scientific project, the creation of Land Use Web school map of Moldova is considered. The content of the Land Use Web Map and interface screenshots showing functions of interactive map are presented in the article. In the main part of the article, the technology of the creation of Land Use map is described developed by means of work with spatial data of Laboratory of Geomorphology and Ecopedology of Institute of Ecology and Geography and using tools of Web-based mapping software ArcGIS Online. The first result of the study is the description of the technology by which any other thematic web map can be created. The second result is the Land Use web map of Moldova, which through the Internet can be used in any country of the world by students and school teachers.

Advances in IoT Security: Vulnerabilities, Enabled Criminal Services, Attacks, and Countermeasures

Although the Internet of Things (IoT) incorporates millions of heterogeneous devices to provide advanced intelligent services and has greatly impacted our lives over time, it has a huge blind spot since its design favors connectivity over security. Myriad efforts have been made to secure it, but it is still one of the most lucrative and often an easy target for attackers. IoT devices remain at higher risk of attack due to their intrinsic properties which include but are not limited to extreme heterogeneity, mostly plug-and-play nature, computational limitations, improper patch management, unnecessary open ports, default or no security credentials, and extensive use of reusable open-source software. To address these security concerns we need to thoroughly understand IoT devices’ vulnerabilities, associated attacks, and how criminal services can abuse these devices. In this paper, we present recent advances in IoT security vulnerabilities, criminal services by empirically identifying major vulnerable IoT devices and cyber attacks exploiting them by cyber criminals. Additionally, we present mapping of vulnerabilities, criminal services, attacks, and potential solutions against such vulnerabilities and attacks. We have also presented different approaches in a tabular form for side by side comparison.

POI Symbol Design in Web Cartography—A Comparative Study

This paper studies the design of point symbols on widely used online maps and apps that portray tourist points of interest (POIs). Tourist maps are among the most commonly used types of maps nowadays. The ease of travel leads to an ever-increasing demand for tourist maps. Therefore, appropriate map design, content and technical means are necessary for better information transfer and communication between the map and the user. Online maps and apps were selected according to specific criteria (e.g., language, geographic area, pictographic symbols, interactivity). Pictographic point symbols for POIs related to tourism activities were collected and described by variables. The frame and the pictogram of the point symbols were the two main directions for choosing the descriptive variables. Description is based on the cognitive scheme for interpretation of cartographic symbols with some improvements. The study reveals the characteristics of the point symbols and constitutes a documentation of the applied practices. The main trends prevalent in the design of these symbols are highlighted and commented on in relation to traditional cartographic practices and guidelines for the design of point symbols.

JAXA EARTH OBSERVATION DASHBOARD WITH COG AND WMS/WMTSS

Abstract. JAXA has developed and implemented earth observation (EO) dashboard jointly with ESA and NASA. The development of the JAXA dashboard, along with the "Earth-graphy" website and the newly developed "JAXA Earth API" service, demonstrate JAXA's commitment to providing climate change and earth science information to users worldwide. The EO dashboard serves as a platform to deliver valuable data and information related to climate change. The WMS/WMTS technology allows users to visualize and interact with geospatial information by providing web-based mapping services. This technology enhances the user experience by enabling the display of satellite imagery, overlays, and other geospatial data layers within the EO dashboard. To further facilitate the efficient use of satellite data, JAXA has developed the JAXA Earth API service. This service offers a user-friendly interface for accessing and utilizing JAXA's Earth observation satellite image data. By providing an easy-to-use format, JAXA aims to promote the effective utilization of satellite data and encourage its widespread use. Overall, the development and operation of the JAXA dashboard, with its integration of COG format data, WMS/WMTS technology, Python-based API. This paper introduces the status of development of JAXA Earth Observation dashboard with COG format data, WMS/WMTS technology, phyton based API and JAXA Earth Observation missions.

Developing a Web-Based GIS for Tourist Attractions and Cultural Heritage in Oyo Town, Nigeria

This research focused on developing a web-based GIS for tourist attractions and cultural heritage in Oyo town, Oyo state, Nigeria. The study considered the present situation of tourism in the study area as it seems almost dead due to the lack of awareness programmes to push the state's tourism to the world market. Before tourism can be well-accepted by all and sundry, understanding the locations of the various tourist attractions need to be made known. The town lacks an up-to-date tourist guide map, including the non-availability of digital information for tourism. The study aimed at developing a web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) for tourist attractions and cultural heritage in Oyo town. The methodology involved database design and creation, satellite image georeferencing and onscreen digitizing in ArcGIS 10.8, spatial analysis, and publishing of a web map in ArcGIS online. Products generated included tourist maps, digital road network maps, and other thematic maps showing hotels, restaurants, markets, and police stations. The paper recommended that government should properly document all the tourist sites in Oyo town, develop a functional tourism database using GIS technology to better enhance the tourist experience, and that detailed information about tourism activities should be easily made available and accessible from the tourism database.

Inconsistency Detection in Cross-Layer Tile Maps with Super-Pixel Segmentation

The consistency of geospatial data is of great significance for the application and updating of geographic information in web maps. Due to the multiple data sources and different temporal versions, the tile web maps usually meet the inconsistency question across different layers. This study tries to develop a method to detect this kind of inconsistency utilizing a raster-based scaling approach. Compared with vector-based handling, this method can be directly available for multi-level tile images in a pixel representation form. The proposed cross-layer raster tile map rendering method (CRTMRM) consists of four primary aspects: geographic object separation, consistency rendering rules, data scaling and derivation with super-pixel segmentation, and inconsistency detection. The scale transformation strategy with the super-pixel attempts to obtain a simplified representation. Taking the scale lifespan variation and geometric consistency rules into account, the inconsistency detection of tile maps is conducted between temporal versions, multi-sources, and different scales through actual and derived data overlay analysis. The experiment focuses on features of cross-layer water or vegetation areas with Level 9 to Level 14 in Baidu Maps, Amap, and Google Maps. This method is able to serve as a basis for massive unstructured web map data inconsistency detection and support intelligent web map rendering.

Insomnia and circadian rhythm: a bibliometrics study and visualization analysis via CiteSpace.

The present study aimed to use CiteSpace to analyze the status of insomnia and circadian rhythm, identify the hot spots and trends, and provide a basis for future study. The Web of Science database was searched for studies related to insomnia and circadian from its inception to 14 April 2023. CiteSpace was used to generate online maps of collaboration between countries and authors and revealed hot spots and frontiers in insomnia and circadian rhythm. We searched 4,696 publications related to insomnia and circadian rhythm. Bruno Etain was the most prolific author with most publications, i.e., with 24 articles. The USA and the University of California were the leading country and the top institution in this field of study, with 1,672 and 269 articles, respectively. There was active cooperation between institutions, countries, and authors. Hot topics focused on circadian rhythm sleep disorders, circadian clock, light therapy, melatonin, and bipolar disorder. Based on the CiteSpace results, we recommend a more active collaboration between various countries, institutions, and authors to conduct clinical and basic research related to insomnia and circadian rhythm. Ongoing research focuses on the interaction of insomnia with circadian rhythms and the corresponding pathways of clock genes and by extension, the role of circadian rhythms in disorders such as bipolar disorder. Modulation of circadian rhythms may be a hot spot for future insomnia therapies (such as light therapy and melatonin).

Dual LIDAR online calibration and mapping and perception system

Making autonomous mobile devices capable of autonomous positioning and map building in a GPS-denied environment as well as being able to circumvent people in the operating area simultaneously, is essential for many UGV appliances. In this paper, a mapping and positioning system using dual LIDAR is proposed for positioning and building maps. The system may also detect people in the operating space of the equipment using infrared heat maps. The localization and mapping information from each LIDAR is unified in a loosely coupled approach after simultaneous extrinsic calibration. We propose a method for constructing factor graph using LIDAR point cloud geometric features to optimally solve the dual LIDAR extrinsic in real time. We tested the localization accuracy with a publicly available dataset and three real-world scenarios and compared it with three existing methods. The test results in open-source datasets and real scenarios show that our proposed method improves the position and attitude estimation by up to 50% compared to the three existing methods, and the proposed dual LIDAR extrinsic calibration method can achieve an estimation accuracy of 0.05 m for the translational extrinsic and 1deg for the rotational extrinsic. In addition, our proposed method achieves well position and attitude estimation when other existing methods show severe drift in trajectory estimation in real scenarios. Thus, our proposed method is suitable for obtaining high accuracy measurements of LIDAR extrinsic parameters and for dense mapping and accurate localization in the environment of GNSS-denied and human mobility.

Geovisualization of Historical Geospatial Data: A Web Mapping Application for the 19th-Century Kaupert’s Maps of Attica

This paper presents the development procedure and significance of a web mapping application designed for disseminating, exploring, and analyzing Kaupert’s 19th-century Maps of Attica, Greece. The application facilitates historical and geographical study by providing access to high-resolution map images and overlaying multiple vector layers of geospatial data. The paper outlines the methods used to create the application, which includes the process of interpreting, digitizing, and organizing the original mapped data, georeferencing the historical cartographic sheets, and developing the web-based mapping application. The results of this work include a comprehensive and interactive digital reference tool for studying the ancient topography of Attica, as well as a framework for future research. Overall, this work highlights the potential of digital technologies to transform the way we approach and study historical maps and other cultural artifacts.

Does spatial thinking ability relate to performance when using web-mapping services? A survey with digital natives

Abstract. We present the design and implementation of an empirical synchronous remote study for exploring the relation between spatial ability and performance on web-mapping services involving undergraduate University students; digital natives. The study exploits Spatial Thinking Ability Test to assess participants’ spatial ability and to reveal if and to what extent it is related to their ability to perform tasks on popular web-mapping services. Participants’ performance was assessed on the basis (a) of successfully executing tasks and (b) of how much time participants needed to properly perform tasks. A usability scale was used to measure participants’ subjective perceptions of web-mapping services usability. Moreover, participants were self-assessed in digital skills using the Digital Natives Assessment Scale. Results reveal differences among services in task accuracy indicating that not only the web-mapping service but also the nature of tasks guide participants’ performance. Correlations between spatial ability, digital skills, system usability, familiarity, and performance using web mapping services tend to be low and not significant leading to the assumption that success when interacting with a web mapping service is underlined by other factors as well.

Open HD map service model: an interoperable high-Definition map data model for autonomous driving

ABSTRACT With the growth in the vehicle industry, autonomous driving has become a hot topic worldwide and has attracted increasing attention from both industrial and academic sectors. Maps, as pivotal geospatial information carriers, play a vital role in route planning and navigation service. Compared with conventional maps, high-definition (HD) maps possesses higher precision, richer information, and various services and are regarded as critical infrastructure for autonomous driving. However, heterogeneous HD map data standards and models have different characteristics and advantages, and thus they rarely meet all autonomous driving requirements for different driving objectives. This research presents an interoperable map data model, the Open HD Map Service Model (OHDMSM), to provide a reference for HD map development. The designed OHDMSM, which contains three data layers and a set of corresponding interfaces, demonstrates high interoperability for HD map data fusion and application. As a proof of concept, an HD map data system is implemented with all functions following the designed data model and interfaces of OHDMSM. The design and development of OHDMSM data structures, interfaces and systems will benefit data requesting, updating, and interoperation for HD map data worldwide, which can be helpful for developing autonomous driving and intelligent transportation in the Digital Earth.

Activating Life Course Theory through a Whole System Prevention Framework to Address the Wicked Problem of Maternal and Infant Morbidity and Mortality.

Racial/ethnic disparities in maternal and infant morbidity and mortality (MIM&M) is a wicked problem that is reinforced and perpetuated by our system[s] of care. Life Course Theory (LCT) helps to explain drivers of health disparities, but its application is challenged. An upstream approach that promotes systemic change requires the implementation of an expanded prevention framework that includes primordial and quaternary prevention. We developed an innovative expanded Whole System Prevention Framework (WSPF) that incorporates LCT, prevention (including primordial and quaternary prevention) and systems thinking. We implemented this new conceptual Framework with two Healthy Start community partnerships through training, service mapping, and strategic planning to address upstream drivers of MIM&M. Service mapping revealed few Healthy Start upstream activities/services with the predominance being delivered downstream at the program (microsystem) level. Service mapping provided a snapshot of the current service distribution of services across the systems. The preponderance were primary, secondary and tertiary prevention activities (75.5% and 65.6%) delivered at the program level (58.2% and 68%), revealing opportunities for upstream strategies to promote equity.The implementation process provided a new way to frame strategic planning and develop upstream strategies to promote health equity and reduce MIM&M. The Whole System Prevention Framework and its implementation methodology could be applied to address other wicked problems.

Using a Web Map Service to map Little Ice Age glacier extents at regional scales

Abstract Extending the record of glacier area changes into the past improves our understanding of climate change impacts. Although analogue maps showing historic glacier extents are abundant, digital outlines from before the satellite era are sparse as the digitisation of moraines and trimlines on freely available satellite images is challenging. With the now available very high-resolution images provided by Web Map Services (WMS), new doors are open for the precise digitisation. Here, we used the ESRI WMS to digitise Little Ice Age (LIA) glacier extents and present area changes since the LIA in four selected regions along with a detailed uncertainty analysis. We used modern glacier outlines as a starting point and additionally consulted Sentinel-2 images, the ArcticDEM and historic maps for interpretation. Dating records from the literature allowed calculating area change rates. In total, 493 LIA glaciers (4640 km2, now 891 ice bodies with 3590 km2) were digitised, yielding relative area changes of −20% (−0.14% a−1), −15% (−0.10% a−1), −26% (−0.16% a−1) and −61% (−0.19% a−1) for Alaska, Baffin Island, Novaya Zemlya and the tropics, respectively. The ESRI WMS images are a great asset to precisely map moraines and trimlines, but information about the timing of the related extents requires further sources.

A Novel Approach to Geographically Mapping Effective Family-Based Services: Feasibility and Quality Comparison with 2-1-1.

Community social services are often fragmented and difficult to navigate. This presents a barrier to programs, such as health navigation, that focus on connecting individuals to available services. Existing service mapping efforts, such as those generated by 2-1-1, are helpful but limited in the specificity they provide, particularly with regard to whether services are based on evidence-informed principles. This may lead to a distrust of service quality or poor referral match. We developed a novel service mapping protocol to identify local, evidence-informed, family-based services, and compared results to 2-1-1's resource list. Our mapping protocol identified more evidence-informed services than 2-1-1 and collected greater detail related to accessibility. Recommendations for integrating this approach into routine community mapping efforts (e.g., 2-1-1) or as a stand-alone approach are discussed.

Online Stochastic Variational Gaussian Process Mapping for Large-Scale Bathymetric SLAM in Real Time

Rao-Blackwellized particle filter (RBPF) SLAM solutions with Gaussian Process (GP) maps can both maintain multiple hypotheses of a vehicle pose estimate and perform implicit data association for loop closure detection in continuous terrain representations. Both qualities are of particular interest for SLAM with autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in the open sea, where distinguishable features are scarce. However, the applicability of GP regression to parallel, real-time mapping in an RBPF framework remains limited by the size of the area to survey and the computational cost of the GP training. To overcome these constraints, in this letter we propose the adaption of Stochastic Variational GP (SVGP) regression to online mapping in combination with a novel, efficient particle trajectory storing in the RBPF. We show how the resulting RBPF-SVGP framework can achieve real-time performance in an embedded platform on two AUV surveys containing millions of points. We further test the framework on a live mission on an AUV and we make the implementation publicly available.

YOLOv5s-M: A deep learning network model for road pavement damage detection from urban street-view imagery

Road pavement damage affects driving comfort markedly, threatens driving safety, and may even cause traffic accidents. The traffic management department conventionally captures pavement damage information mainly using manual and vehicle-mounted equipment, which is not conducive to the detection of large-scale road pavement distress. Street-view images can provide full-view images of urban roads where the data is updated regularly by navigation map service companies, making it possible to rapidly detect pavement damage in urban areas. This paper presents a new pavement damage detection approach that is built upon an improved YOLOv5 network and street-view images. The proposed model can deal with a large-scale detection layer to improve the detection precision of large distress targets, achieving thus both cross-layer and cross-scale feature fusion by using the Generalized Feature Pyramid Network (Generalized-FPN) structure. The improved network also involves a diagonal Intersection over Union loss for regression calculation of the boundary box and builds the decoupled Head structure to achieve the decoupling detection of prediction and regression. As a result, the fusion of the weak feature information in feature layers is enhanced at different spatial scales, a more suitable method is achieved for pavement damage detection in the complex context of multi-scale street-view images, and the accuracy of the modified network is much improved in the detection of pavement distress from street-view imagery. Furthermore, We created a large image sample set for model training and testing, and a total of 156,304 street-view images, obtained from Fengtai District, Beijing, China was used for demonstrating the usefulness of the proposed network. The findings indicated that the proposed approach could effectively achieve pavement damage detection of urban roads from street-view images, with a precision average of 79.8% on the test samples. Moreover, the developed model was applied for pavement damage detection for all the roads in Fengtai District, Beijing, indicating that our method can offer viable damage data for road maintenance planning.