Data Acquisition using Mashup and 3-D Technology

Matt RahrCollege of Agriculture and Life Sciences

University of Arizona

Let’s Do It!

A “hybrid” website or web application Content from multiple sources Creates a completely new service

What is a Mashup?

+

Your Data

Characteristics of Mashups

Open source Multipurpose Can be used by communities to

share or collect information Can be interactive = “pin-maps”

e.g. Katrina They are not GIS, but could become

so…

&

Independent Site

HousingMaps.com

Craigslistdb

Mash Data Together

Mashup Example

Components of a Mashup

Data – you normally supply some of this

The API is published by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo – you tie your data to their maps/aerials

Web browser is the client interface

Using the API

Building a Mashup - using the API

Getting a key

Obtained at http://www.google.com/apis/maps/signup.html

Terms of use… Unlimited hits 50k geocode requests Google reserves the right to include advertising.

Must be freely accessible to end-user.

Must have a Google Account (@gmail) Must provide domain name… http://

Google Conditions (others do not have these, or these may change)

You get a key randomly generated for this domain – all your pages with maps must be at this file level.

API Steps

Create <div>’s = empty boxes where the content will go, e.g. a map or data

<div id="map" style="width: 500px; height: 300px"></div>

Use Javascript functions to “fill” the divfunction load(){ var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map"));

map.setCenter(new GLatLng(37.4419, -122.1419), 13);}

API Steps (cont.)Previous code will create this:

API Steps (cont.)

Add additional commands (“methods”, “properties” and “events”) to enable or constrain the map environment e.g. zoom, scroll, get xy center of map, add pins, etc.

Explore other ways to enhance your site

Data AcquisitionExisting Spatial Data into the Mashup

Write Javascript via the APIvar oldMainXY = new GLatLng(32.23153, -110.9529);

var oldMainMarker = new GMarker(oldMainXY); map.addOverlay(oldMainMarker);

Using free webtools…http://www.mapbuilder.net/http://www.wayfaring.com/

Convert existing spatial data to KML

What is KML?

Keyhole Markup Language

Its simple-text… readable!

Its XML based… organized, parsable

It can be easily edited… text editor

KML under the hood…

<Placemark><name>GeoWeb 2007</name><description>

Conference held in Vancouver, BC.</description><Point>

<coordinates> -123.112324, 49.284336, 0

</coordinates></Point>

</Placemark>

KML Other cool things…

KML can be searchable via Google

KML can be viewed across different clients… On the web via Google Maps In 3-Dimension within Google Earth In a mobile environment via Google Maps for

Mobile

KML can be “network-linked” Auto-refreshes when new data is added to the

KML layer.

Converting to KML

Plenty of Tools ArcGIS 9.2 tool

in Arc Toolbox

ArcScripts for 9.1 and below

Arc2Earth for Enterprise level…

Data AcquisitionCreating New Data within a Mashup

Microsoft Virtual Earth “Collections” Web-Based Sharable via menu…

Send in email Copy to clipboard Blog it Link to it

Geometric Measurements built-in Relief data just added Oblique imagery 3D-Built in

Data AcquisitionCreating New Data within a Mashup

Google Maps “My Maps” Web-Based Sharable via menu…

Send in email Link to it… Save as KML*

Embed HTML in your tag Extra content can be added to your

mashup

3rd Party Mashup Sites

www.communitywalk.com www.wayfaring.com

Built on top of an existing mapping API, such as Google or Virtual Earth

A good selection, each with their pro’s and cons.

Community Walk

Community Walk (cont.)

Community Walk (cont.)

Using Mashup Providers

Pro’s No programming required Quick startup time

Con’s The data you enter stays within the 3rd Party’s

database. Difficult to extract data for use in a GIS. Requires users to be registered to yet another

site. Map’s are shared, but only allows visiting users

to view data, not edit.

Katrina Info Map

Data AcquisitionWriting your own Mashup

Write a custom interface for your users Programmatically input data using the API.

Benefits: Get to collect multiple Attribute Fields Store the data how you want to…

XML, KML, CSV, plain-text file Database – MySQL, Oracle, SQLServer Spatial Database – SDE, Oracle Spatial, PostGIS

Data stored on backend

AJAX passes javascript requests to the server…

Server code then does your… ODBC – JDBC – ADO Connection

Spatial Database API ArcObjects, PostGIS API

Web Service ArcGIS Server Geoprocessing Service

Mobile Data Acquisition

Data can be acquired in the field with a smartphone, a cellular data plan, and a GPS.

GPS sends X,Y locations to the smartphone via Bluetooth or serial cable.

The phone initiates an IP connection to your database via its cellular data protocol (EVDO, EDGE, HSPDA). Requires mobile software…

The web-mashup reads data out of database in real-time.

Mobile Data Acquisition Solutions

Use 3rd Party Apps http://www.3dtracking.net http://goopstechnologies.com/

Or roll out your own. same pro’s and con’s

Using 3D Technologies in Data Acquisition

Helps with visualizing an application.

Potential for orientation in the field but there are issues…

Resolution

Bandwidth

How to integrate with open source mapping like Google Earth?

How to add GIS capability?

3-Dimension in Google Earth

Google Earth reads KML…

Points, Lines, Polygons Simple attributes

Real-time data can be added on-the-fly with KML’s “Network Link” attribute.

Real-time data can also be aggregated from a GeoRSS feed.

Raster Data can also be converted to KML… Draped over terrain.

Insert DRG

Close up of fly through

Non-geographical uses

You can make your z-value some other parameter, like populations statistics

e.g. states of Mexico

Example – states of Mexico

Example (cont.)

3D in Microsoft Virtual Earth

Built as a web-plugin.

Sits on the “webtop”, not a separate program.

Similar to Google Earth, but Data cannot be exported/imported on a

standard such as KML* Oblique photography automates 3D objects. Google Earth relies on users to graphically

create 3D objects and add to the collection.

Data Acquisition Mashups - summary

Powerful, easy-to-use and cheap.

Data integrates nicely into 3D

Data can move to the field for data collection and collaboration.

Custom mashups allow users to store data in spatial databases for GIS analysis

Thanks!

Any questions an be directed to me at rahr@ag.arizona.edu

This presentation can be downloaded at

http://cals.arizona.edu/calsnet/presentations/geoweb2007/