Techniques for Representation of Regional Clusters in Geographical In-formation Systems

This paper provides an overview of visualization techniques adapted for regional clusters presentation in Geographic Information Systems. Clusters are groups of companies and insti-tutions co-located in a specific geographic region and linked by interdependencies in providing a related group of products and services. The regional clusters can be visualized by projecting the data into two-dimensional space or using parallel coordinates. Cluster membership is usually represented by different colours or by dividing clusters into several panels of a grille display. Taking into consideration regional clusters requirements and the multilevel administrative division of the Romania’s territory, I used two cartograms: NUTS2- regions and NUTS3- counties, to illustrate the tools for regional clusters representation.Geographic Information Systems, Regional Clusters, Spatial Statistics, Geographic Data Visualisation

TECHNIQUES AND METHODS OF GIS FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The paper presents some techniques and methods of geographic informatics systems, adapted and applied to the regional development applications. The characteristics of spatial databases, as they are required for regional applications are presented in the first part of the paper. Methods of displaying spatial data are compared and GIS procedures are described. The main techniques available in the GIS and useful for regional data visualization are exemplified. It is presented a case study that illustrates the use of GIS for analyzing the concentration of economic activities, based on employment datasets, for various branches in Romania’s counties.regional development, GIS, regional data visualization, cartogram, spatial analysis.

Techniques for Statistical Data Visualization in GIS

This paper proposes an original solution to present statistical data using the facilities provided by the Geographical Information Systems, to improve the means of statistical data figure and distribution inside the territorial profile. The proposed solution allows to represent more statistical data sets, on the same map, using two different methods of data representation: using a color ramp to represent the territorial distribution of an aggregate indicator and a set of charts overlapped to represent the proportions of the variables that form the indicator. On the other hand, there is a way to represent statistical data using 3D cartograms. Thus, in GIS, the users can distinguish the intensity of the studied economic or social phenomenon because of the heights of the administrative units will be different.Geographical Information Systems, Spatial Visualization, ArcObjects, 2D and 3D Cartograms

Geographical information systems technologies for spatial visualization of statistical data

This paper proposes an original solution to present statistical data using the facilities provided by the Geographical Information Systems, to improve the means of statistical data figure and distribution inside the territorial profile. The proposed solution allows to represent more statistical data sets, on the same map, using two different methods of data representation: using a color ramp to represent the territorial distribution of an aggregate indicator and a set of charts overlapped to represent the proportions of the variables that form the indicator.Geographical Information Systems, Spatial Visualization, ArcObjects, Cartograms

Visualization of Accessible Multimedia Content in Web Pages

Multimedia content still presented on the web sites. The visualization of multimedia content by the users with disabilities, those that usually use screen readers, is extremely difficult. With the onset of the audio sequence of multimedia presentation it is difficult for users with visual impairs to listen the audio component of presentation and the audio version of the screen readers too, because the two audio streams cannot be controlled using only one volume control. Therefore, because of the difficulties to control the available audio streams and because of the difficulties to access the control buttons by people with disabilities, the multimedia content is often inaccessible for users with visual problems. More than this, the use of dynamic users’ interfaces is a critical problem because the screen-readers cannot detect the dynamics in content changes. The current paper presents some solutions for multimedia content production and distribution in distributed multimedia web presentations.Accessible multimedia content, Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange

Techniques for Representation of Regional Clusters in Geographical In-formation Systems

This paper provides an overview of visualization techniques adapted for regional clusters presentation in Geographic Information Systems. Clusters are groups of companies and insti-tutions co-located in a specific geographic region and linked by interdependencies in providing a related group of products and services. The regional clusters can be visualized by projecting the data into two-dimensional space or using parallel coordinates. Cluster membership is usually represented by different colours or by dividing clusters into several panels of a grille display. Taking into consideration regional clusters requirements and the multilevel administrative division of the Romania’s territory, I used two cartograms: NUTS2- regions and NUTS3- counties, to illustrate the tools for regional clusters representation

Generating Multimedia Components for M-Learning

The paper proposes a solution to generate template based multimedia components for instruction and learning available both for computer based applications and for mobile devices. The field of research is situated at the intersection of computer science, mobile tools and e-learning and is generically named mobile learning or M-learning. The research goal is to provide access to computer based training resources from any location and to adapt the training content to the specific features of mobile devices, communication environment, users' preferences and users' knowledge. To become important tools in education field, the technical solutions proposed will follow to use the potential of mobile devices.M-learning, mobile devices, MPEG-21 standard, multimedia databases

Techniques for Statistical Data Visualization in GIS

This paper proposes an original solution to present statistical data using the facilities provided by the Geographical Information Systems, to improve the means of statistical data figure and distribution inside the territorial profile. The proposed solution allows to represent more statistical data sets, on the same map, using two different methods of data representation: using a color ramp to represent the territorial distribution of an aggregate indicator and a set of charts overlapped to represent the proportions of the variables that form the indicator. On the other hand, there is a way to represent statistical data using 3D cartograms. Thus, in GIS, the users can distinguish the intensity of the studied economic or social phenomenon because of the heights of the administrative units will be different

Using Raster Based Solutions to Identify Spatial Economic Agglomerations

The efficient economic activities incline to be concentrated in space, and therefore there is an increased attention over the forces of spatial economic agglomerations and the role of location in economic development. This paper proposes some solutions to automate the identification of spatial agglomerations and their intensities, function on the spatial distribution of items in the geographical areas. The software components developed to accomplish this task are Geographic Information Systems specific tools

A spatial analysis of tourism infrastructure in Romania: spotlight on accommodation and food service companies

Location is a key concept in tourism sector analysis, given the dependence of this activity on the natural, built, cultural and social characteristics of a certain territory. As a result, the tourist zoning is an important instrument for delimiting tourist areas in accordance with multiple criteria, so as to lay the foundations for finding the most suitable solutions of turning to good account the resources in this field. The modern approaches proposed in this paper use a series of analytical tools that combine GIS and spatial agglomeration analysis based techniques. They can be also employed in order to examine and explain the differences between tourist zones (and sub-zones) in terms of economic and social results and thus to suggest realistic ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of tourist activities in various geographical areas. In the described context this paper proposes an interdisciplinary perspective (spatial statistics and Geographical Information Systems) for analysing the tourism activity in Romania, mainly aiming to identify the agglomerations of companies acting in this industry and assess their performance and contribution to the economic development of the corresponding regions. It also intends to contribute to a better understanding of the way in which tourism related business activities develop, in order to enhance appropriate support networks. Territorial and spatial statistics, as well as GIS based analyses are applied, using data about all companies acting in tourism industry in Romania provided by the National Authority for Tourism as well as data from the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)