Virtual geographic environments in socio-environmental modeling: a fancy distraction or a key to communication?

Modeling and simulation are recognized as effective tools for management and decision support across various disciplines; however, poor communication of results to the end users is a major obstacle for properly using and understanding model output. Visualizations can play an essential role in making modeling results accessible for management and decision-making. Virtual reality (VR) and virtual geographic environments (VGEs) are popular and potentially very rewarding ways to visualize socio-environmental models. However, there is a fundamental conflict between abstraction and realism: models are goal-driven, and created to simplify reality and to focus on certain crucial aspects of the system; VR, in the meanwhile, by definition, attempts to replicate reality as closely as possible. This elevated realism may add to the complexity curse in modeling, and the message might be diluted by too many (background) details. This is also connected to information overload and cognitive load. Moreover, modeling is always associated with the treatment of uncertainty–something difficult to present in VR. In this paper, we examine the use of VR and, specifically, VGEs in socio-environmental modeling, and discuss how VGEs and simulation modeling can be married in a mutually beneficial way that makes VGEs more effective for users, while enhancing simulation models

MULTIMODAL AND MULTIDIMENSIONAL GEODATA VISUALIZATION SYSTEM

It has been observed that Virtual Geographic Environments (VGEs) has been taking a lot of attention over the last decade, particularly within the domain of geographical information systems (GIS) and geographic analysis area. In this paper, we shed the light on the benefits of implementing archaeological visualization systems through the use of Google Earth application. Our application helps the end users and archaeologists working in data exploration and excavation analysis to deal with new web services that allows them to visualize huge amount of data in a new and usable way. For the purposed of our study, have tested our system with data from The Rocha Castle (an historic castle in the Galicia region (Spain) that was built in the 12th century). The system provides access to the excavation database and automatically updates the visualization, whenever the database is changed. The system can handle various types of Data, which could be, one, two or three-dimensional data. The paper aims to answer four fundamental questions regarding archaeological GIS systems: I. How to integrate a one and three dimensions representation into the same scenes? II. How to adapt data resolution to fit them into a particular Level of Visualization Detail (LOD) III. How to optimize data retrieval for efficient recovery data interpolation or continuous visualization? And finally IV. How to represent many objects in the same coordinates without overlapping

Modelling of cross-country transport in raster format

The content of this paper refers to the modelling of the geographic environment impact on the off-road vehicles movement in raster format. The common influences of relief slope, micro-relief forms, soils, vegetation, hydrology, built-up areas, meteorological factors, etc. on the vehicle speed deceleration are calculated. To determine the impact of various geographic environment types on the vehicle movement, many field tests and laboratory analysis were provided using military and rescue vehicles. Modelling principle of cross-country vehicle mobility in raster format is based on the idea that each geographic factor "F" located at given elementary terrain area and affecting vehicle speed has its own value of deceleration coefficient Ci. The value of this coefficient expresses the fact of how many times (or percent) a certain geographic factor will decelerate the vehicle speed. The final vehicle deceleration is calculated using synthesis of corresponding raster cells in elementary terrain area in which the influences of geographic factors on vehicle speed are constant. The ArcGIS software suite was used for building the cross-country movement (CCM) database and constructing the CCM map. The database, which has been developed for selected vehicles by the Military Geographical Service of the Czech Armed Forces, should serve as a military geographical support tool during the military and civil operations to improve vehicle navigation.Obsah tohoto příspěvku se týká modelování vlivu geografického prostředí na pohyb terénních vozidel v rastrovém formátu. Jsou vypočítány společné vlivy reliéfního svahu, mikroreliéfních forem, půd, vegetace, hydrologie, zastavěných ploch, meteorologických faktorû apod. na zpomalení rychlosti vozidla. K určení dopadu různých geografických typů prostředí na pohyb vozidel bylo provedeno mnoho terénních zkoušek a laboratorní analýzy pomocí vojenských a záchranných vozidel. Princip modelování mobility mobilních vozidel v rastru je založen na myšlence, že každý geografický faktor "F", který se nachází v dané oblasti a ovlivňuje rychlost vozidla, má svou vlastní hodnotu zpomalovacího koeficientu Ci. Hodnota tohoto koeficientu vyjadřuje, kolikrát (nebo procentuálně) určitý geografický faktor zpomaluje rychlost vozidla. Konečné zpomalení vozidla se vypočte pomocí syntézy odpovídajících rastrových buněk v základní ploše terénu, ve které jsou vlivy geografických faktorů na rychlost vozidla konstantní. Softwarová sada ArcGIS byla použita pro vytváření databáze průchodnosti - cross-country movement (CCM) a pro sestavení mapy CCM. Databáze, která byla vyvinutá pro vybraná vozidla Vojenskou geografickou službou Armády ČR, by měla sloužit jako nástroj vojenské geografické podpory během vojenských a civilních operací s cílem zlepšit navigaci vozidel.The content of this paper refers to the modelling of the geographic environment impact on the off-road vehicles movement in raster format. The common influences of relief slope, micro-relief forms, soils, vegetation, hydrology, built-up areas, meteorological factors, etc. on the vehicle speed deceleration are calculated. To determine the impact of various geographic environment types on the vehicle movement, many field tests and laboratory analysis were provided using military and rescue vehicles. Modelling principle of cross-country vehicle mobility in raster format is based on the idea that each geographic factor "F" located at given elementary terrain area and affecting vehicle speed has its own value of deceleration coefficient Ci. The value of this coefficient expresses the fact of how many times (or percent) a certain geographic factor will decelerate the vehicle speed. The final vehicle deceleration is calculated using synthesis of corresponding raster cells in elementary terrain area in which the influences of geographic factors on vehicle speed are constant. The ArcGIS software suite was used for building the cross-country movement (CCM) database and constructing the CCM map. The database, which has been developed for selected vehicles by the Military Geographical Service of the Czech Armed Forces, should serve as a military geographical support tool during the military and civil operations to improve vehicle navigation

From spatial to platial - the role and future of immersive technologies in the spatial sciences

Immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality have been part of the technology mindset in computer and geospatial sciences early on. The promise of delivering realistic experiences to the human senses that are not bound by physical reality has inspired generations of scientists and entrepreneurs alike. However, the vision for immersive experiences has been in stark contrast to the ability to deliver at the technology end; the community has battled nuisances such as cybersickness, tethers, and the uncanny valley for the last decades. With the \u27final wave\u27 of immersive technologies, we are now able to fulfill a long-held promise and freely and creatively envision how immersive technologies change spatial sciences by creating embodied experiences for geospatial applications. These experiences are not restricted by time or place, nor are they limited to the physical world. This contribution envisions the future of spatial sciences in light of place-like experiences enabled through immersive technologies and their potential to infuse research in the spatial sciences community

Integrating Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) with Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) creating a Global GIS platform

Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) are a special category of data hubs that involve technological and human resources and follow well defined legal and technical procedures to collect, store, manage and distribute spatial data. INSPIRE is the EU’s authoritative SDI in which each Member State provides access to their spatial data across a wide spectrum of data themes to support policy-making. In contrast, Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) is one type of user-generated geographic information (GI) where volunteers use the web and mobile devices to create, assemble and disseminate spatial information. There are similarities and differences between SDIs and VGI, as well as advantages and disadvantages to both. Thus, the integration of these two data sources will enhance what is offered to end users to facilitate decision-making. This idea of integration is in its early stages, because several key issues need to be considered and resolved first. Therefore, this chapter discusses the challenges of integrating VGI with INSPIRE and outlines a generic framework for a global integrated GIS platform, similar in concept to Digital Earth and Virtual Geographic Environments (VGEs), as a realistic scenario for advancements in the short term

Geographical Information Systems: the past, present and future

The main challenges of the XXI century are caused by the large amount of geospatial information through a GIS. Throughout time there have been many attempts to define Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Yet there is still no consensus on its definition and to restrict it to one is limited. In the acronym - Geographic Information Systems - geographic refers to the Earth's surface and near-surface, therefore, all human production and activity, as well as non-human are possible to spatialize using GIS.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Artificial intelligence and visual analytics in geographical space and cyberspace: Research opportunities and challenges

In recent decades, we have witnessed great advances on the Internet of Things, mobile devices, sensor-based systems, and resulting big data infrastructures, which have gradually, yet fundamentally influenced the way people interact with and in the digital and physical world. Many human activities now not only operate in geographical (physical) space but also in cyberspace. Such changes have triggered a paradigm shift in geographic information science (GIScience), as cyberspace brings new perspectives for the roles played by spatial and temporal dimensions, e.g., the dilemma of placelessness and possible timelessness. As a discipline at the brink of even bigger changes made possible by machine learning and artificial intelligence, this paper highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with geographical space in relation to cyberspace, with a particular focus on data analytics and visualization, including extended AI capabilities and virtual reality representations. Consequently, we encourage the creation of synergies between the processing and analysis of geographical and cyber data to improve sustainability and solve complex problems with geospatial applications and other digital advancements in urban and environmental sciences

Leveraging VGI Integrated with 3D Spatial Technology to Support Urban Intensification in Melbourne, Australia

High density residential development in metropolitan Melbourne, where contradictory imperatives of neighbourhood character and urban intensification play important roles, remains an uncertain practice. One key issue for plan implementation is the lack of consistency between authorities, developers and the community in interpreting the standards, design guidelines, and state/local strategies, especially those relating to neighbourhood character. There is currently no mechanism to incorporate community perceptions and place experiences as subjective aspects of neighbourhood character in development assessments. There is also little use of micro-scale and multi-dimensional spatial analysis to integrate these subjective aspects with objective measures (e.g. building volume and height; streetscape) to communicate effectively—and in a limited timeframe—with all stakeholders. This paper explores the potential of two emerging geospatial technologies that can be leveraged to respond to these problems. Evidence in the literature suggests that volunteered geographic information (VGI) can provide community input around subjective aspects of the urban environment. In addition, a deluge of three-dimensional (3D) spatial information (e.g. 3D city models) is increasingly available for micro-level (building- or property-level) assessment of the physical aspects of the urban environment. This paper formulates and discusses a conceptual framework to link these two spatial technological advancements in a virtual geographic environment (VGE) that accounts for micro-scale 3D spatial analysis incorporating both subjective and objective aspects of neighbourhood character relevant in implementing compact city strategies