Mapping Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill- From the water up

Jun 4, 2010 @ 4:48 PM by Britta Ricker -- google earth imagery map visualization

Here are some links to mapping initiatives taking place to monitor the disastrous Gulf Oil Spill.

This mashup by Paul Rademacher portrays the size of the spill in relation to major cities.  The map aims to give the reader a sense of the scale of this disaster (you will need the Google Earth browser plug-in).

Grassroots Mapping is covering the mapping of the oil spill. MIT students are using balloons and kites to map the disaster.

BP response maps – Static .pdf files

New York Times has a series of animated maps showing oil dispersion, where oil has made landfall, and links to multimedia coverage of the oil spill.

Also, almost every government agency is addressing the oil spill on their websites.

USGS is using satellite imagery. They also have a series of maps (static made with traditional GIS) showing the coastal washup of oil.

USGS data repository - Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS). You could use this to make your own mashup!

NASA has the latest images of the oil spill here. They have also stitched together this movie. From a Geovisualization standpoint, this is a very simple animation of only satellite imagery but portrays a very powerful message.

EPA uses Google Earth!

This is by no means an exhaustive list of mapping the oil spill but a start.

Kumiko and I both did work mapping for FEMA in Louisiana post Hurricane Katrina and Rita back in 2005-2006. I spent about two months in the region and I would return in a heartbeat. The Gulf Coast is absolutely an amazing place full of people who are warm and fun loving hard workers.

The wildlife and ecosystem are extremely unique. If you ever get the chance, you have to check this place out! Holy cow! Actually I see that Alligator Bayou is closed and for sale!!! If you love wetlands and have some cash, buy it and preserve this wonderful place!

Customize Your Google Maps

May 22, 2010 @ 4:27 AM by Kumiko Yamazaki -- google maps

We’ve done a lot of work with Google Maps and are glad to finally see some major improvements being made with API v3.

Cartographers around the world will be super delighted over this - Styled MapTypes!! This update now allows you to toggle features on and off (roads, parks, water, transit, etc) and create a new color scheme for Google Maps. Here’s a nice set of potential colors. What will you come up with?

iPad Apps Review, Part 2

May 20, 2010 @ 3:17 PM by Kumiko Yamazaki -- apple apps ipad review

Last month I reviewed some early map apps that made its way into the iTunes store (iPad Apps Review, Part 1). Let’s see what others have achieved since then:

1. NYC Way (Free!!)

A winner of 3 awards at the NYC BigApps Competition, NYC Way is an extremely well designed app that includes all the information you’ll ever need about the city whether you’re a tourist or resident. Location is huge these days and NYC WAY does a tremendous job implementing your location with nearby businesses and events (and restaurant inspections and job postings and subways and more!) and even allows you to check-in via Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare.

—

2. Topo Maps for iPad ($7.99)

A little pricey but well worth it if you are really really into USGS topo quads. Just navigate to the quad and download for offline use! It will detect your location and have the option to create and import/export waypoints. Beware if you’re expecting to see hiking trails with these maps. Many of these quads are old (the first I downloaded was from 1955 — Conestoga, PA) and only major trails are shown.

—

3. World History Atlas by Maps.com ($1.99)

Eh. Another static image dumping atlas with nothing else. Index is too small. Yawn.

—

4. MotionX GPS HD ($2.99)

This is a popular app for the iPhone but the iPad version currently does NOT allow you to save and send your tracks.. which I believe is an important feature to have. However, it’s still getting excellent reviews so give it a shot if you own a 3G iPad. I can tell you right now this app is fairly useless on my WiFi version despite its claims.

—

5. 123 World HD ($1.99)

Clearly I am too old for this but kids will enjoy this little coloring book app. Choose your color from the palette and click on the state/country/continent to color them in. As you fill your countries with colors, its name and capital will pop up on screen. Not bad, your kids can play and learn geography at the same time!

iPad assessment by a Geographer who does not have one

May 10, 2010 @ 7:33 PM by Britta Ricker -- apps atlas ipad iphone review

My feelings about the iPad have been evolving. I am sure a lot of you feel that way. When it first came out and I heard no camera and no GPS (I now hear the 3G does have a GPS) I was selfishly disappointed since my research is going in the direction of mobile augmented reality and location based services. The lack of these sensors really highlighted the point that This Week in Tech host Leo Laporte makes in that this device is for consuming information not producing and sharing information. I then started to accept the iPad for what it is. It is a map viewer not a map producer or manipulator.

This NPR article brings up the dangers of “Moving from Maps to Apps.” They point out that the demand for printed road atlases is on the decline. In the article Victoria Lawson (if you are doing a google search-the Professor of Geography not the porn star) is quoted saying “I get the impression that we are losing other abilities to navigate by the shape of the land, the orientation of mountains and rivers as we stare at a tiny screen.” I would like to point out that according to her website Dr. Lawson’s “work is concerned with the social and economic effects of global economic restructuring in the Americas and with articulating critical alternative conceptions of processes of impoverishment.” She is not an interface design expert or even a cartographer or critical GIS prof. However her point still made me think of the iPad.

GPS devices and smart phones have tiny screens that are best suited to reveal micro scale location based information. Viewing wide distributions of spatially related information is not optimal on the small screens. However the iPad… The iPad screen is about the same dimension as the medium sized paper atlas that I would stare at for hours during summer car trips with my family. An atlas is great for showing spatial distribution and relationships. An atlas on an iPad could be interactive and allow the user to inquire about specific information that he or she may be interested in on the fly.

The size of the screen is not the only unique feature of the iPad, from the limited exposure time I had with the device, I noticed that interface design for the iPad is like no other. It is not just a large iPhone, or maybe it is but the larger touch screen surface area make the apps seem much different. What this will mean for location based services and other geography related apps is yet to be seen I think.

I would be totally excited to see an app for the iPad to explore the new 3-D data sets of New York City collected by the twin-engine Shrike Commander! Or information from the oil balloon!

Quick AAG review

Apr 28, 2010 @ 3:32 PM by Britta Ricker -- game geoweb google earth review web2.0

I was fortunate enough to attend and present at the AAG conference (and meet Kumiko’s new iPad) in Washington DC earlier this month. The AAG is always a great time to be introduced to new ideas, reconnect with old friends and put faces with names. The problem with the AAG is that it is sooooooo BIG! I never feel like I have been to enough talks. I am only going to blog about a few here.

In no particular order, I will first report on the session titled: Geovisualization, Geovisual Analytics, Cognition, Behavior and Representation I: Navigation and Spatial Cognition organized by Kirk Goldsberry and Sara Fabrikant (note: I got here late, it started at 8am). I was really interested in Sandra Metoyer’s talk. In short, she did a study testing interactions among geovisualization tools to measure spatial thinking and student learning. She found that interactive web based maps really helped students learn about complex spatial issues. Horray!

Another session that I found very stimulating was: Global Dialogues for Emerging Science & Technology Africa: Results of two years of collaboration between US Department of State, AAG, and EIS-AFRICA

This panel was chaired by Lee R. Schwartz – who holds the title THE GEOGRAPHER OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! What a title! He is the head geographer for the U.S. Department of State. I was interested in attending this talk because it seems that Mr. Schwatz has his finger on the pulse of Neogeography and Web 2.0 and is trying to think of new ways that these tools can be used to help in the developing world. At the AAG last year I was fortunate enough to talk to him about his interests in incorporating new geospatial tools and software for a more inclusive process with state department work. Therefore when I saw this panel I was very excited to see what Mr. Schwartz has been doing! It seems like he is teaming with key players and they were all there to present their initiatives.

Panelists included:

Nathan Heard - U.S. Department of State
Charles Sebukeera - United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
Rebecca Moore - Google Earth Outreach (my personal hero! Read more about her and Google Earth Outreach to see why)
Carrie Stokes - USAID
Carmelle J. Terborgh - Federal/Global Affairs Team Lead, ESRI
Discussant(s):
Robert Swap - University of Virginia

I understand that panelists had a very limited time to present, but it seemed each shared a laundry list of projects that they were working on without actually explaining any of them in detail. They made it clear that they were “training the trainers” and not simply putting expats in Africa to do the job. Each speaker announced the need for a working organized Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) but they did not address how they were developing one and if Africans were involved in this the process. I did ask at the end and I was told they were going to discuss that in the next panel and made reference to the UN. This to me sounds like a top down approach to SDI development and participatory GIS. No one used the term public participatory GIS. There were very few academics in the room (I know this because they passed around a sign in sheet). Despite these minor let downs it was still great to see ESRI, Google Earth and the government working together to use their expertise and valuable tools to help Africa with issues such as public health, sustainable development, water resources management and a host of other vital challenges facing the African content.

Finally, my session was titled: Participatory Governance via Web 2.0 II and was organized by Dr. Renee Sieber of McGill University. There were several exciting panelist sharing their work harnessing the Geoweb for community engagement. All of the presenters were associated with the Participatory Geoweb research group funded by GEOIDE and the Canadian Government. My talk was titled: The potential for location-based services and serious gaming to enhance participatory governance and education. See my slides here.

iPad Apps Review, Part 1

Apr 20, 2010 @ 2:55 PM by Kumiko Yamazaki -- apple apps ipad review

While all of you were keeping busy at the AAGs in DC, I was in the office glued to the new love of my life, the glorious iPad!! I’ve already downloaded some geo-related apps so here’s a brief summary of each:

1. National Geographic World Atlas HD ($1.99)

Gizmodo recently called this “$2 of app spam” and it’s pretty accurate, albeit a little harsh. You receive several of their world maps, basic country info, and a search feature that plots the location on the map. It’s not jaw-dropping but it looks nice and runs ok (crashes every now and then). However at $2 and a brand like National Geographic, you just expect wayyy more than the few searchable world maps they provide. The free native Google Maps app will do fine for almost everyone.

—

2. The World Factbook for iPad ($1.99)

This is the entire CIA World Factbook packaged offline. It offers all their country maps, locator maps, flags, and more information than you’ll ever need on a particular country. It’s good reference material and the best of all world factbooks currently available.

Just to be nitpicky, I’m going to point out the flags on the left menu are all incorrectly shown as having the same dimensions.

—

3. Geo Hangman HD ($0.99)

BIG! SHINY! BUTTONS!! Geo Hangman looks beautiful and is a simple hangman game where each correct answer is a country. Once you’ve guessed correctly, you’re also informed the capital of the country and have the option of viewing its location on a map.

Some students may complain about the lack of a scoring system, but it does at least have educational value.. unlike some mindless games I’m officially (shamefully) addicted to!

—

4. World Atlas for iPad ($0.99)

This app does nothing but display a single general reference map for each country. These shaded relief CIA maps can all be found on the Perry Castañeda Map Collection website. Do not buy.

—

5. Carta Compact Atlas HD, Bible Maps ($4.99)

Over 30 Bible maps done well with traditional cartographic styles. Unfortunately, this app has zero interactivity other than pan/zoom and is priced too high.

—

What does everyone think? I think we can all agree that no ‘killer app’ has been developed yet. Personally, I’d like to see more geography games that are engaging to both students and adults - am I being selfish? :) I’d also like to continue reviewing iPad apps in the future so I hope you enjoyed this first installment!

Mapkist Earth (Prototype)

Apr 9, 2010 @ 10:00 AM by Kumiko Yamazaki -- atlas map openlayers

I believe it’s time we show off our latest map creation: Mapkist Earth!!

Inspired by CEC’s North American Environment Atlas, Mapkist Earth is a prototype atlas with KML interactivity and custom tiles built on the OpenLayers platform. It currently shows Earth’s population density for the past, present and future (1950, 2010, 2050).

Each data layer consists of both map tiles and KML files which preserves the visual appeal of traditional cartography and adds the interactivity that is expected of web-based maps.

I’ve also started to look into Amazon S3 and their CloudFront service for faster rendering of map tiles. Not sure if this is the solution I need but it might be worth a try - I know how impatient internet users can be :)

Future plans for Mapkist Earth involve expanding it to become a full fledged educational atlas in this format following National Geography Standards. Topics covered will range from the characteristics and spatial distribution of the Earth’s environment to the cultural mosaics of human life!

Don’t forget to let us know what you think so far, thanks!

kyamazaki@mapkist.com
bricker@mapkist.com



twitter/kyamazaki
twitter/bricker



All Points Blog