The adaptive composite map projection technique changes the projection to minimize distortion for the geographic area shown on a map. This article improves the transition between the Lambert ...azimuthal projection and the transverse equal-area cylindrical projection that are used by adaptive composite projections for portrait-format maps. Originally, a transverse Albers conic projection was suggested for transforming between these two projections, resulting in graticules that are not symmetric relative to the central meridian. We propose the alternative transverse Wagner transformation between the two projections and provide equations and parameters for the transition. The suggested technique results in a graticule that is symmetric relative to the central meridian, and a map transformation that is visually continuous with changing map scale.
•A web-based spatial decision support system to delineate management unit zones.•Management unit zones are considered as dynamics entities in precision agriculture.•Vegetation indices, climate data, ...soil and crop properties were the input variables.•Fuzzy c-mean cluster technique was adopted for management unit zones delineation.
Precision agriculture (PA) is a farming management concept that aims to provide agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits. One of the fields of research in PA is the delineation of Management Unit Zones (MUZs). MUZs are the sub-division of fields featuring an inter-zonal variation delineated by agronomists for on-field PA operations. To develop MUZs, three factors typically need to be considered: input multi-dimensional data, procedures to process the information, and the optimal number of zones a field should be divided into. PA uses digital technologies to collect and analyze a large amount of data, outline MUZs, monitor crops, and carry out site-specific crop management. Web-based spatial decision support systems (WB-SDSS) can provide users with tools that ease the complex procedures for PA. The objective of this study is twofold: on the one hand, we developed a free and open source (FOSS) WB-SDSS to facilitate the implementation and use of such tools for delineating MUZs and monitoring crops; on the other, a MUZs outline procedure was developed based on Sentinel-2 and Planetscope time series data, and spatio-temporal dynamic clustering model using fuzzy c-means. Our study highlighted that the WB-SDSS might be a helpful solution for harmonizing data collected from different sources, easing the implementation and use of complex geospatial procedures for PA, and delineating MUZs. We tested the system on a particularly representative farm in the Emilia Romagna region (Northern Italy), with 512 hectares of durum wheat crops. Using the WB-SDSS, we quickly delineated homogeneous zones for 27 fields in the study area during the phenological cycle of durum wheat (November 2018-June 2019).
The purpose of this article is to show the differences in users’ experience when performing an interactive task with GUI buttons arrangement based on Google Maps and OpenStreetMap in a simulation ...environment. The graphical user interface is part of an interactive multimedia map, and the interaction experience depends mainly on it. For this reason, we performed an eye-tracking experiment with users to examine how people experience interaction through the GUI. Based on the results related to eye movement, we presented several valuable recommendations for the design of interactive multimedia maps. For better GUI efficiency, it is suitable to group buttons with similar functions in screen corners. Users first analyze corners and only then search for the desired button. The frequency of using a given web map does not translate into generally better performance while using any GUI. Users perform more efficiently if they work with the preferred GUI.
Today, unpredictable damage can result from extreme weather such as heat waves and floods. This damage makes communities that cannot respond quickly to disasters more vulnerable than cities. Thus, ...people living in such communities can easily become isolated, which can cause unavoidable loss of life or property. In the meantime, many disaster management studies have been conducted, but studies on effective disaster response for areas surrounded by mountains or with weak transportation infrastructure are very rare. To fill the gap, this research aimed at developing an automated analysis tool that can be directly used for disaster response and recovery by identifying in real time the communities at risk of isolation using a web-based geographic information system (GIS) application. We first developed an algorithm to automatically detect communities at risk of isolation due to disaster. Next, we developed an analytics module to identify buildings and populations within the communities and efficiently place at-risk residents in shelters. In sum, the analysis tool developed in this study can be used to support disaster response decisions regarding, for example, rescue activities and supply of materials by accurately detecting isolated areas when a disaster occurs in a mountainous area where communication and transportation infrastructure is lacking.
The outbreaks of a new pandemic in 2019 let humankind face a new type of challenge. People and groups in vulnerable situations were especially affected. Increasing urbanization, climate change, and ...global travel raise the likelihood of pandemics. COVID-19 has shown that sustainable and well-planned pandemic management is necessary, which also includes and identifies people in vulnerable situations. In this study, a socio-economic vulnerability assessment (VA) for supporting improved pandemic/epidemic risk management at the municipality level in Austria was conducted. The VA provides a holistic overview of the vulnerability under pre-event conditions in Austria, which can be used to support pandemic management. Therefore, we calculated a composite indicator with expert-based weighting. The necessary indicators were defined through a literature review and an expert consortium consisting of practical and scientific members. As a result, an interactive map containing the vulnerability index (VI) for each municipality was created, making it possible to also assess underlying vulnerable factors to support decision-making. The applicability of the VA was shown in the relationship between a high VI in a municipality and a high number of deaths. A limiting factor to the VA was the missing data for health indicators for the whole of Austria. Hence, we provide a list with recommendations on which data should be collected to improve the VA in the future.
This article deals with the creation of maps that depict the development of selected villages in Czechia in the 19th and 20th centuries. These maps are used for the artistic and historical research ...of rural architecture, which focuses on the type and detail of the surveyed buildings in the selected time period. Its results can be interpreted in a wider cultural context of the respective rural region. The maps of the development of rural architecture were created on the basis of a detailed analysis of available archival maps. The article describes the practical experience with the creation of these maps, contains an overview and description of available archive maps and the procedure of their processing using geographic information system (GIS) tools. The interactive presentation of the created maps on the Internet is also discussed.
The main objective of this article was to determine the effectiveness of a web map GUI (Graphical User Interface) layout designed specifically for desktop monitors and smartphones. A suitable design ...of buttons for the graphical user interface is vital for the effectiveness of web maps. This article presents a study of three rules that prevail in GUI map design in terms of responsiveness, which was analyzed on two devices: a smartphone and a PC screen. The GUI effectiveness study, based on six variants of web maps, was conducted by means of eye-tracking on a group of 120 participants. An additional goal was to find an index (based on eye movements, mouse tracking, and time) that would be assessing the effectiveness of the GUI layout on both devices. The main motivation for conducting the research described in the article was the desire to find a synthetic measure based on more than one factor (time) in the context of determining the effectiveness of the GUI.
The implementation of a Location Service for Emergency Medical Services system (LS4EMSs) is the goal of this study. by integration of pgRouting algorithm, Web Map Application, and Geo-IoT devices. ...The study is divided into 2 parts: (1) design of a security emergency incident location alarm system that can be used to track security emergencies in real time using Geo-IoT and (2) development of Emergency Routing Service (ERS) system based on web map application. NodeMCU ESP8266 and U-blox Neo-6 m GPS module were used for implementing Geo-IoT which can connect to Wi-Fi and give information including the location of the push button triggered by an individual in an emergency. ERS can determine the best route to take from the hospital or closest ambulance to the location where the Geo-IoT device is located. Free and Open-Source Software for Geospatial (FOSS4G) stack was used in the system’s development, since it is easily adaptable to cover different purposes, including fire, flood, or other transport movements. The Integration of Geo-IoT and Web Routing Service for LS4EMSs improves utility as it is a near real-time ERS system.
•Pilot project of city district and its transformation into a SMART City concept.•Thermography map was developed for the Smart City project.•Energy management and indoor comfort are the main ...refurbishment tasks.•Multi-criteria hierarchy general approach for sustainable housing refurbishment.•Renovation of urban localities is more efficient than individual refurbishments.
The SMART City concept is primarily associated with the European Union’s goals and strategies in the upcoming period and it is introduced in detail in the strategic EU document Europe 2020. The article describes the SMART Region concept being implemented in the Czech Republic environment. It introduces a pilot project in the city of Brno district – Nový Lískovec in the Czech Republic and its transformation from a prefabricated housing estate from the 1980s through energy efficient renovation of the entire city district towards a SMART City concept vision.
The energy refurbishment concepts and strategies applied to the city district together with real post occupancy operation data of a reference prefabricated block of flats are summarized. The current research activities related to the indoor climate in the prefabricated block of flats and energy efficiency of the whole city district region are further specified. The future research tasks, municipality visions, and targets to become a SMART Region city district are discussed.
The unprecedented COVID‐19 pandemic has affected human lives at all levels. Maps visualizing this pandemic have become a valuable tool for public to retrieve and understand the situation in their ...areas of interest. Some earlier maps visualize information at the level of country or state in the United States, but viewers could not access information at a finer level such as county. Motivated by the necessity of visualizing information at a finer level, this study designs a thematic map displaying confirmed COVID‐19 cases at the county level in the State of New York. The thematic map utilizes a choropleth design with defined data classification and colors for symbolization. This study then evaluates this designed thematic map with two other published maps: one from the New York State Department of Health and one from The New York Times. The evaluation collects 147 valid responses from public all over the world. Results show that choropleth design yields higher accuracy of map understanding. In addition, the designed map in this study receives higher preference among participants. This study suggests the importance of understanding the data, readers, and mapping purpose in the decision of data classification and symbolization in map design, as it contributes largely to the effectiveness of map interpretation.
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