From GeoVisualization to visual-analytics: methodologies and techniques for human-information discourse

2010 - 2011The objective of our research is to give support to decision makers when facing problems which require rapid solutions in spite of the complexity of scenarios under investigation. In order to achieve this goal our studies have been focused on GeoVisualization and GeoVisual Analytics research field, which play a relevant role in this scope, because they exploit results from several disciplines, such as exploratory data analysis and GIScience, to provide expert users with highly interactive tools by which they can both visually synthesize information from large datasets and perform complex analytical tasks. The research we are carrying out along this line is meant to develop software applications capable both to build an immediate overview of a scenario and to explore elements featuring it. To this aim, we are defining methodologies and techniques which embed key aspects from different disciplines, such as augmented reality and location-based services. Their integration is targeted to realize advanced tools where the geographic component role is primary and is meant to contribute to a human-information discourse... [edited by author]X n.s

Cartographic representation of spatiotemporal phenomena

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia InformáticaThe field of geovisual analytics focuses on visualization techniques to analyze spatial data by enhancing human cognition. However, spatial data also has a temporal component that is practically disregarded when using conventional geovisual analytic tools. Some proposals have been made for techniques to analyze spatiotemporal data, but most were made for specific use cases, and are hard to abstract for other situations. There was a need to create a method to describe and compare the existing techniques. A catalog that provides a clear description of a set of techniques that deal with spatiotemporal data is proposed. This allows the identification of the most useful techniques depending on the required criteria. The description of a technique in the catalog relies on the two frameworks proposed. The first framework is used for describing spatiotemporal datasets resorting to data scenarios, a class of datasets. Twenty three data scenarios are described using this framework. The second framework is used for describing analytical tasks on spatiotemporal data, nine different tasks are described using this framework. Also, in this document, is the proposal of two new geovisual analytical techniques that can be applied to spatiotemporal data: the attenuation & accumulation map technique and the overlapping spatiotemporal windows technique. A prototype was developed that implements both techniques as a proof of concept.research project “GIAP - GeoInsight Analytics Platform (LISBOA-01-0202-FEDER- 024822)”, funded by Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo (PORLisboa), included in Sistema de Incentivos à Investigação e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico (SI I&DT), through a MSc research fellowship from FCT-UN

A Chorem-based Approach for Visually Synthesizing Complex Phenomena

International audienceWhen dealing with scenarios referring to complex issues, such as political, economic and demographic problems, the usage of visual metaphors represents a more effective approach in supporting users to locate facts and new patterns. In this paper, we describe a research project whose aim is to investigate a cartographic solution able to represent dynamics, movements and changes that underlie possible problems. The solution we propose is based on the chorem concept. It represents an immediate synthesis of data of interest, and provides expert users with both a global view of objects and phenomena, and an insight into a specific issue. Based on preliminary studies, we first provide a formal definition and classification of chorems in terms of structure and meaning, meant to homogenize chorem construction and usage. Then, a system to generate chorematic maps from available data sets is described and an XML-like language, named ChorML is specified, enabling system modules communication. In order to validate our approach, we exemplify the construction of a chorematic map, which depicts the most significant flows of migrating population in Italy in 2000. Such a synthesis may represent the starting point for further processing tasks aimed to derive spatial analysis data, as well as to support expert users in decision making

A chorem-based approach for visually synthesizing complex phenomena

When dealing with scenarios referring to complex issues, such as political, economic and demographic problems, the usage of visual metaphors represents a more effective approach in supporting users to locate facts and new patterns. In this paper, we describe a research project whose aim is to investigate a cartographic solution able to represent dynamics, movements and changes that underlie possible problems. The solution we propose is based on the chorem concept. It represents an immediate synthesis of data of interest, and provides expert users with both a global view of objects and phenomena, and an insight into a specific issue. Based on preliminaries studies, we first provide a formal definition and classification of chorems in terms of structure and meaning, meant to homogenize chorem construction and usage. Then, a system to generate chorematic maps from available data sets is described and an XML-like language, named ChorML is specified, enabling system modules communication. In order to validate our approach, we exemplify the construction of a chorematic map, which depicts the most significant flows of migrating population in Italy in 2000. Such a synthesis may represent the starting point for further processing tasks aimed to derive spatial analysis data, as well as to support expert users in decision making