This paper presents the results of an empirical economic data-based survey of the costs and reven... more This paper presents the results of an empirical economic data-based survey of the costs and revenues of geographical data and Web services across public administration in Czechia. The survey was composed of questionnaires and interviews. The data was collected from the 19 biggest public producers of geographical information and 25 organizations that use geographical information. The results focus on the economic consequences of data opening, splitting finances within public administration bodies, the prioritization of activities related to geographical information, licensing issues and life cycle planning etc. We also consider user opinions on the restrictions on the (re)use of geographical information of public administration, including open data.
Missing Maps is a humanitarian mapping project that maps vulnerable places in the developing worl... more Missing Maps is a humanitarian mapping project that maps vulnerable places in the developing world. Its outcomes are used to target aid in affected areas and to help achieve Sustainable Development Goals. A mapathon is an event in which a group of volunteers maps a defined location. The presented communication answers the following questions: What is the motivation of different contributors in the Missing Maps community in Czechia and Slovakia? How can a mapathon be set up to attract as many participants as possible? How exactly can the contributors to humanitarian mapping subjectively evaluate their contribution so far? A questionnaire about the motivation of contributors and the analysis of statistics from eighteen public mapathons in Brno (Czechia) were used as the primary research methods. The analysis of motivation found six strong motivators. Half of them concern altruism and half of them relate to the importance of the OpenStreetMap project and the mapping community. Analysis...
The use of touch displays and 3D visualization are both increasing. Devices with touch displays a... more The use of touch displays and 3D visualization are both increasing. Devices with touch displays are used daily, especially by the younger generation, who are also known as digital natives. This paper examines a comparison between digital natives and adults (so-called digital immigrants). We created a pilot user experiment (within-subject design, two tasks, Acer LCD touch monitor and digital terrain models textured with satellite images as stimuli) testing the ability of participants to solve simple spatial tasks by manipulating a 3D environment on a touch screen. The tasks required a hidden object to be found in the terrain. Our own testing tool, called 3DtouchR, was used for this purpose. Response time, gestures used, and virtual movements were recorded and analysed. Results revealed that digital natives were quicker with interaction (shorter response times and average speed of virtual movements). The success of solving each task was evaluated by determining the distance between th...
The huge technological leap in recent years brought extensive possibilities of hypotheses testing... more The huge technological leap in recent years brought extensive possibilities of hypotheses testing in immersive virtual environments (VE) and geovisualizations. Traditional research standards require well controlled experiments with strict setting to bring valid data about human behaviour. Unfortunately, such experiments testify in a limited way about complex processes of human behavior and cognition and it is not usually possible to transfer their conclusions into real life. For various reasons, experiments are often strictly narrowed to reveal particular point, however for the price of external and ecological validity losses. With the use of VE, people can relive authentic simulation in controlled environment, providing ecological validity as well as huge deal of data, infinite options of experimental stimuli and simple customization and administration. In this paper we discuss the value added to virtual reality (VR) in the matter of ecological validity. We suggest procedures for b...
The use of Virtual Reality (VR) in general and virtual geographic environments (VGEs) in particul... more The use of Virtual Reality (VR) in general and virtual geographic environments (VGEs) in particular is becoming more and more common. However, the use and usability of traditional graphical variables within such environments is still rather unclear. Our research is based on a review of studies about the three-dimensional spatial visualization. We performed two empirical studies focusing on the role of colour hue and the level of realism within the VR environment on the task (wayfinding) performance of users. In the first pilot study we compare their wayfinding ability using colour hue markers (decision points) versus grey markers in the test virtual environment. In the second pilot study we compare their wayfinding within two environments with different levels of realism, realistic and symbolized, including points of interest (PoI) used for navigation. Our results showed that colour hue highly influences the participants’ selection of points of interest and the level of realism affe...
Various widely available applications such as Google Earth have made interactive 3D visualization... more Various widely available applications such as Google Earth have made interactive 3D visualizations of spatial data popular. While several studies have focused on how users perform when interacting with these with 3D visualizations, it has not been common to record their virtual movements in 3D environments or interactions with 3D maps. We therefore created and tested a new web-based research tool: a 3D Movement and Interaction Recorder (3DmoveR). Its design incorporates findings from the latest 3D visualization research, and is built upon an iterative requirements analysis. It is implemented using open web technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, and the X3DOM library. The main goal of the tool is to record camera position and orientation during a user’s movement within a virtual 3D scene, together with other aspects of their interaction. After building the tool, we performed an experiment to demonstrate its capabilities. This experiment revealed differences between laypersons and expe...
This paper is devoted to the user performance within interactive 3D geovisualizations. Most of th... more This paper is devoted to the user performance within interactive 3D geovisualizations. Most of the usability studies in cartography used static 3D geovisualizations (perspective views) as stimuli or if interaction was possible, it was not even monitored or analysed in detail. Only few studies as Wilkening and Fabrikant (2013), Treves et al. (2015), McKenzie and Klippel (2016) and Jurik et al. (2017) are exceptions. Their approaches and methods used for 3D User Interface evaluation, especially by the screen logging method inspired our work. We designed and used unique web testing tool 3DmoveR (3D Movement and Interaction Recorder) for the collection of data about user interaction and virtual movement. Methods that allow us to study or comparison of user interaction and virtual movement can be divided into two main groups: numerical metrics and visualizations methods. Numerical metrics are calculated from the virtual trajectory (length, average speed), virtual camera positions (averag...
Efforts related to minimizing the environmental burden caused by agricultural activities and incr... more Efforts related to minimizing the environmental burden caused by agricultural activities and increasing economic efficiency are key contemporary drivers in the precision agriculture domain. Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) techniques are being applied against soil compaction creation, using the on-line optimization of trajectory planning for soil-sensitive field operations. The research presented in this paper aims at a proof-of-concept solution with respect to optimizing farm machinery trajectories in order to minimize the environmental burden and increase economic efficiency. As such, it further advances existing CTF solutions by including (1) efficient plot divisions in 3D, (2) the optimization of entry and exit points of both plot and plot segments, (3) the employment of more machines in parallel and (4) obstacles in a farm machinery trajectory. The developed algorithm is expressed in terms of unified modeling language (UML) activity diagrams as well as pseudo-code. Results were...
ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
Asynchronous remote usability testing is a method based on a software platform used to automatica... more Asynchronous remote usability testing is a method based on a software platform used to automatically record test participants' activities when they interact with a given product in their natural environment, for example, at home. This method has been frequently used in previous decades in web design and mobile application development but has rarely been utilised in geovisualization. The importance of remote usability testing has rapidly increased in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 3DmoveR (3D Movement and Interaction Recorder) application was used for asynchronous remote testing presented in this paper. 3DmoveR is a research tool designed for user testing of interactive 3D visualizations in web browsers using open technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, and the Three.js library. This study focuses on an evaluation of interactive 3D city models presenting thematic information expressed by colour scale. An experiment was designed as a within-subject study consisting of two simple questionnaires, a training task and six experimental trials. Finding a building of a given category (depicted as building colour) within an interactive 3D city model was used as the experimental task. Speed and accuracy of user performances were recorded, as well as user strategy, subjective evaluations, and possible intervening variables. The results were recorded from 110 participants, where 76 of them were correct and analysed further. It can be concluded that the tested colour scale (based on the Energy Performance Certificate) was not entirely appropriate. We further analysed and discussed intervening variables that may affect remote usability testing of 3D visualizations.
Detailed measurements of yield values are becoming a common practice in precision agriculture. Fi... more Detailed measurements of yield values are becoming a common practice in precision agriculture. Field harvesters generate point Big Data as they provide yield measurements together with dozens of complex attributes in a frequency of up to one second. Such a flood of data brings uncertainties caused by several factors: accuracy of the positioning system used, trajectory overlaps, raising the cutting bar due to obstacles or unevenness, and so on. This paper deals with 2D and 3D cartographic visualizations of terrain, measured yield, and its uncertainties. Four graphic variables were identified as credible for visualizations of uncertainties in point Big Data. Data from two plots at a fully operational farm were used for this purpose. ISO 19157 was examined for its applicability and a proof-of-concept for selected uncertainty expression was defined. Special attention was paid to spatial pattern interpretations.
Yield is one of the primary concerns for any farmer since it is a key to economic prosperity. Yie... more Yield is one of the primary concerns for any farmer since it is a key to economic prosperity. Yield productivity zones—that is to say, areas with the same yield level within fields over the long-term—are a form of derived (predicted) data from periodic remote sensing, in this study according to the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). The delineation of yield productivity zones can (a) increase economic prosperity and (b) reduce the environmental burden by employing site-specific crop management practices which implement advanced geospatial technologies that respect soil heterogeneity. This paper presents yield productivity zone identification and computing based on Sentinel-2A/B and Landsat 8 multispectral satellite data and also quantifies the success rate of yield prediction in comparison to the measured yield data. Yield data on spring barley, winter wheat, corn, and oilseed rape were measured with a spatial resolution of up to several meters directly by a CASE IH harvester in the f...
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
Three-dimensional (3D) visualisations of geospatial data have become very popular in the last yea... more Three-dimensional (3D) visualisations of geospatial data have become very popular in the last years. Various applications and tools are based on interactive 3D geovisualisations. However, the user aspects of these 3D geovisualisations are not yet fully understood. While several studies have focused on how users work with these 3D geovisualisations, only few studies focus directly on interactive 3D geovisualisations and employ usability research methods like screen logging. This method enables the objective recording of movement in 3D virtual environments and of user interactions in general. Therefore, we created a web-based research tool: a 3D Movement and Interaction Recorder (3DmoveR). This tool is based on the user logging method, combined with a digital questionnaire and practical spatial tasks. The design and implementation of this tool follow the spiral model, and its current version is 2.0. It is implemented using open web technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, and the Three.js library. After building this tool, we verified it through load testing and a simple pilot test verifying accessibility. We continued to describe the first deployment of 3DmoveR 2.0 in a real user study. The future modifications and applications of 3DmoveR 2.0 are discussed in the conclusion section. Attention was paid to future deployment during user testing outside controlled (laboratory) conditions.
Urban waterlogging, as a common natural disaster in China, seriously restricted the development o... more Urban waterlogging, as a common natural disaster in China, seriously restricted the development of society. Nowadays, while the computer technology is developing continuously, the urban waterlogging model is also constantly improved. These models can simulate the process of urban waterlogging, but the simulation results are not intuitive. So it is difficult for users to understand how the model works. Therefore, it is important to find a way to show the simulation results so that people can see the waterlogging simulation intuitively. Cesium, as a three-dimensional visualization platform, can reproduce the process of the urban waterlogging. It will make sense if we could show the simulation results on the Cesium platform. Nowadays, many studies focus on both urban waterlogging and visualization methods. However, there are fewer studies on the combination of the two, especially the interactive visualization of urban waterlogging under parameter adjustment. Therefore, this paper mainly focuses on urban three-dimensional interactive visualization method based on Cesium.
Interactive 3D visualizations of geospatial data are currently available and popular through vari... more Interactive 3D visualizations of geospatial data are currently available and popular through various applications such as Google EarthTM and others. Several studies have focused on user performance with 3D maps, but static 3D maps were mostly used as stimuli. The main objective of this paper was to identify differences between interactive and static 3D maps. We also explored the role of different tasks and inter-individual differences of map users. In the experimental study, we analyzed effectiveness, efficiency, and subjective preferences, when working with static and interactive 3D maps. The study included 76 participants and used a within-subjects design. Experimental testing was performed using our own testing tool 3DmoveR 2.0, which was based on a user logging method and open web technologies. We demonstrated statistically significant differences between interactive and static 3D maps in effectiveness, efficiency, and subjective preferences. Interactivity influenced the results...
Human performance and navigation activity in virtual environments can be measured and assessed wi... more Human performance and navigation activity in virtual environments can be measured and assessed with the aim to draw specific conclusions about human cognition. This paper presents an original virtual geographic environment (VGE) designed and used for this purpose. The presented research is rooted in an interdisciplinary approach combining knowledge and principles from the fields of psychology, cartography, and information technologies. The VGE was embedded with user logging functionality to provide a basis from which conclusions about human cognitive processes in a VGE could be drawn. The scope of this solution is introduced, described, and discussed under a behavioral measurement framework. An exploratory research design was adopted to demonstrate the environment’s utility in proof-of-concept user testing. Twenty participants were observed in interactive, semi-interactive and non-interactive tasks, their performance and individual differences were analyzed. The behavioral measureme...
Immersive virtual reality (iVR) devices are rapidly becoming an important part of our lives and f... more Immersive virtual reality (iVR) devices are rapidly becoming an important part of our lives and forming a new way for people to interact with computers and each other. The impact and consequences of this innovative technology have not yet been satisfactory explored. This empirical study investigated the cognitive and social aspects of collaboration in a shared, immersive virtual reality. A unique application for implementing a collaborative immersive virtual environment (CIVE) was developed by our interdisciplinary team as a software solution for educational purposes, with two scenarios for learning about hypsography, i.e., explanations of contour line principles. Both scenarios allow switching between a usual 2D contour map and a 3D model of the corresponding terrain to increase the intelligibility and clarity of the educational content. Gamification principles were also applied to both scenarios to augment user engagement during the completion of tasks. A qualitative research appr...
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
In this paper, we analysed and tested the possibilities for the use of low-cost VR (Virtual Reali... more In this paper, we analysed and tested the possibilities for the use of low-cost VR (Virtual Reality) headsets, with a focus on cartographic visualization. Low-cost devices were compared and classified into three categories (low-end, mid-range and high-end). We also created a pilot virtual environment, called "Carthoreality", and conducted simple pilot user testing using this virtual environment and the three low-end headsets. Our pilot test shows a few drawbacks to these devices, including weight of the headset and penetrating light. Some problems in terms of user aspects were also identified, such as nausea while wearing headsets or disorientation after removing them, which occurred for all users.
In the Czech Republic, Integrated Rescue System (IRS) is coordinated by regional emergency centre... more In the Czech Republic, Integrated Rescue System (IRS) is coordinated by regional emergency centres. Operators of these centres use the geographic information system for spatial analysis and visualization of the situation. It is obvious that the used cartographic visualization (colours, cartographic signs, etc.) should be unified in the whole Czech Republic to assure effective communication and organisation of emergency response – especially in a case of large disaster where IRS units from several regions need to be coordinated. The project “Geoinformatics as an instrument to support integrated emergency and rescue operations of state” aimed to develop a methodology of unified cartographic symbology for IRS. It consists of the recommended basic principles for the construction and definition of a symbol set, scaling range and standardized description of individual symbols to be used for maps in the analogue and digital forms. The presented paper describes the basics of the aforementio...
This paper presents the results of an empirical economic data-based survey of the costs and reven... more This paper presents the results of an empirical economic data-based survey of the costs and revenues of geographical data and Web services across public administration in Czechia. The survey was composed of questionnaires and interviews. The data was collected from the 19 biggest public producers of geographical information and 25 organizations that use geographical information. The results focus on the economic consequences of data opening, splitting finances within public administration bodies, the prioritization of activities related to geographical information, licensing issues and life cycle planning etc. We also consider user opinions on the restrictions on the (re)use of geographical information of public administration, including open data.
Missing Maps is a humanitarian mapping project that maps vulnerable places in the developing worl... more Missing Maps is a humanitarian mapping project that maps vulnerable places in the developing world. Its outcomes are used to target aid in affected areas and to help achieve Sustainable Development Goals. A mapathon is an event in which a group of volunteers maps a defined location. The presented communication answers the following questions: What is the motivation of different contributors in the Missing Maps community in Czechia and Slovakia? How can a mapathon be set up to attract as many participants as possible? How exactly can the contributors to humanitarian mapping subjectively evaluate their contribution so far? A questionnaire about the motivation of contributors and the analysis of statistics from eighteen public mapathons in Brno (Czechia) were used as the primary research methods. The analysis of motivation found six strong motivators. Half of them concern altruism and half of them relate to the importance of the OpenStreetMap project and the mapping community. Analysis...
The use of touch displays and 3D visualization are both increasing. Devices with touch displays a... more The use of touch displays and 3D visualization are both increasing. Devices with touch displays are used daily, especially by the younger generation, who are also known as digital natives. This paper examines a comparison between digital natives and adults (so-called digital immigrants). We created a pilot user experiment (within-subject design, two tasks, Acer LCD touch monitor and digital terrain models textured with satellite images as stimuli) testing the ability of participants to solve simple spatial tasks by manipulating a 3D environment on a touch screen. The tasks required a hidden object to be found in the terrain. Our own testing tool, called 3DtouchR, was used for this purpose. Response time, gestures used, and virtual movements were recorded and analysed. Results revealed that digital natives were quicker with interaction (shorter response times and average speed of virtual movements). The success of solving each task was evaluated by determining the distance between th...
The huge technological leap in recent years brought extensive possibilities of hypotheses testing... more The huge technological leap in recent years brought extensive possibilities of hypotheses testing in immersive virtual environments (VE) and geovisualizations. Traditional research standards require well controlled experiments with strict setting to bring valid data about human behaviour. Unfortunately, such experiments testify in a limited way about complex processes of human behavior and cognition and it is not usually possible to transfer their conclusions into real life. For various reasons, experiments are often strictly narrowed to reveal particular point, however for the price of external and ecological validity losses. With the use of VE, people can relive authentic simulation in controlled environment, providing ecological validity as well as huge deal of data, infinite options of experimental stimuli and simple customization and administration. In this paper we discuss the value added to virtual reality (VR) in the matter of ecological validity. We suggest procedures for b...
The use of Virtual Reality (VR) in general and virtual geographic environments (VGEs) in particul... more The use of Virtual Reality (VR) in general and virtual geographic environments (VGEs) in particular is becoming more and more common. However, the use and usability of traditional graphical variables within such environments is still rather unclear. Our research is based on a review of studies about the three-dimensional spatial visualization. We performed two empirical studies focusing on the role of colour hue and the level of realism within the VR environment on the task (wayfinding) performance of users. In the first pilot study we compare their wayfinding ability using colour hue markers (decision points) versus grey markers in the test virtual environment. In the second pilot study we compare their wayfinding within two environments with different levels of realism, realistic and symbolized, including points of interest (PoI) used for navigation. Our results showed that colour hue highly influences the participants’ selection of points of interest and the level of realism affe...
Various widely available applications such as Google Earth have made interactive 3D visualization... more Various widely available applications such as Google Earth have made interactive 3D visualizations of spatial data popular. While several studies have focused on how users perform when interacting with these with 3D visualizations, it has not been common to record their virtual movements in 3D environments or interactions with 3D maps. We therefore created and tested a new web-based research tool: a 3D Movement and Interaction Recorder (3DmoveR). Its design incorporates findings from the latest 3D visualization research, and is built upon an iterative requirements analysis. It is implemented using open web technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, and the X3DOM library. The main goal of the tool is to record camera position and orientation during a user’s movement within a virtual 3D scene, together with other aspects of their interaction. After building the tool, we performed an experiment to demonstrate its capabilities. This experiment revealed differences between laypersons and expe...
This paper is devoted to the user performance within interactive 3D geovisualizations. Most of th... more This paper is devoted to the user performance within interactive 3D geovisualizations. Most of the usability studies in cartography used static 3D geovisualizations (perspective views) as stimuli or if interaction was possible, it was not even monitored or analysed in detail. Only few studies as Wilkening and Fabrikant (2013), Treves et al. (2015), McKenzie and Klippel (2016) and Jurik et al. (2017) are exceptions. Their approaches and methods used for 3D User Interface evaluation, especially by the screen logging method inspired our work. We designed and used unique web testing tool 3DmoveR (3D Movement and Interaction Recorder) for the collection of data about user interaction and virtual movement. Methods that allow us to study or comparison of user interaction and virtual movement can be divided into two main groups: numerical metrics and visualizations methods. Numerical metrics are calculated from the virtual trajectory (length, average speed), virtual camera positions (averag...
Efforts related to minimizing the environmental burden caused by agricultural activities and incr... more Efforts related to minimizing the environmental burden caused by agricultural activities and increasing economic efficiency are key contemporary drivers in the precision agriculture domain. Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) techniques are being applied against soil compaction creation, using the on-line optimization of trajectory planning for soil-sensitive field operations. The research presented in this paper aims at a proof-of-concept solution with respect to optimizing farm machinery trajectories in order to minimize the environmental burden and increase economic efficiency. As such, it further advances existing CTF solutions by including (1) efficient plot divisions in 3D, (2) the optimization of entry and exit points of both plot and plot segments, (3) the employment of more machines in parallel and (4) obstacles in a farm machinery trajectory. The developed algorithm is expressed in terms of unified modeling language (UML) activity diagrams as well as pseudo-code. Results were...
ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
Asynchronous remote usability testing is a method based on a software platform used to automatica... more Asynchronous remote usability testing is a method based on a software platform used to automatically record test participants' activities when they interact with a given product in their natural environment, for example, at home. This method has been frequently used in previous decades in web design and mobile application development but has rarely been utilised in geovisualization. The importance of remote usability testing has rapidly increased in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 3DmoveR (3D Movement and Interaction Recorder) application was used for asynchronous remote testing presented in this paper. 3DmoveR is a research tool designed for user testing of interactive 3D visualizations in web browsers using open technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, and the Three.js library. This study focuses on an evaluation of interactive 3D city models presenting thematic information expressed by colour scale. An experiment was designed as a within-subject study consisting of two simple questionnaires, a training task and six experimental trials. Finding a building of a given category (depicted as building colour) within an interactive 3D city model was used as the experimental task. Speed and accuracy of user performances were recorded, as well as user strategy, subjective evaluations, and possible intervening variables. The results were recorded from 110 participants, where 76 of them were correct and analysed further. It can be concluded that the tested colour scale (based on the Energy Performance Certificate) was not entirely appropriate. We further analysed and discussed intervening variables that may affect remote usability testing of 3D visualizations.
Detailed measurements of yield values are becoming a common practice in precision agriculture. Fi... more Detailed measurements of yield values are becoming a common practice in precision agriculture. Field harvesters generate point Big Data as they provide yield measurements together with dozens of complex attributes in a frequency of up to one second. Such a flood of data brings uncertainties caused by several factors: accuracy of the positioning system used, trajectory overlaps, raising the cutting bar due to obstacles or unevenness, and so on. This paper deals with 2D and 3D cartographic visualizations of terrain, measured yield, and its uncertainties. Four graphic variables were identified as credible for visualizations of uncertainties in point Big Data. Data from two plots at a fully operational farm were used for this purpose. ISO 19157 was examined for its applicability and a proof-of-concept for selected uncertainty expression was defined. Special attention was paid to spatial pattern interpretations.
Yield is one of the primary concerns for any farmer since it is a key to economic prosperity. Yie... more Yield is one of the primary concerns for any farmer since it is a key to economic prosperity. Yield productivity zones—that is to say, areas with the same yield level within fields over the long-term—are a form of derived (predicted) data from periodic remote sensing, in this study according to the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). The delineation of yield productivity zones can (a) increase economic prosperity and (b) reduce the environmental burden by employing site-specific crop management practices which implement advanced geospatial technologies that respect soil heterogeneity. This paper presents yield productivity zone identification and computing based on Sentinel-2A/B and Landsat 8 multispectral satellite data and also quantifies the success rate of yield prediction in comparison to the measured yield data. Yield data on spring barley, winter wheat, corn, and oilseed rape were measured with a spatial resolution of up to several meters directly by a CASE IH harvester in the f...
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
Three-dimensional (3D) visualisations of geospatial data have become very popular in the last yea... more Three-dimensional (3D) visualisations of geospatial data have become very popular in the last years. Various applications and tools are based on interactive 3D geovisualisations. However, the user aspects of these 3D geovisualisations are not yet fully understood. While several studies have focused on how users work with these 3D geovisualisations, only few studies focus directly on interactive 3D geovisualisations and employ usability research methods like screen logging. This method enables the objective recording of movement in 3D virtual environments and of user interactions in general. Therefore, we created a web-based research tool: a 3D Movement and Interaction Recorder (3DmoveR). This tool is based on the user logging method, combined with a digital questionnaire and practical spatial tasks. The design and implementation of this tool follow the spiral model, and its current version is 2.0. It is implemented using open web technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, and the Three.js library. After building this tool, we verified it through load testing and a simple pilot test verifying accessibility. We continued to describe the first deployment of 3DmoveR 2.0 in a real user study. The future modifications and applications of 3DmoveR 2.0 are discussed in the conclusion section. Attention was paid to future deployment during user testing outside controlled (laboratory) conditions.
Urban waterlogging, as a common natural disaster in China, seriously restricted the development o... more Urban waterlogging, as a common natural disaster in China, seriously restricted the development of society. Nowadays, while the computer technology is developing continuously, the urban waterlogging model is also constantly improved. These models can simulate the process of urban waterlogging, but the simulation results are not intuitive. So it is difficult for users to understand how the model works. Therefore, it is important to find a way to show the simulation results so that people can see the waterlogging simulation intuitively. Cesium, as a three-dimensional visualization platform, can reproduce the process of the urban waterlogging. It will make sense if we could show the simulation results on the Cesium platform. Nowadays, many studies focus on both urban waterlogging and visualization methods. However, there are fewer studies on the combination of the two, especially the interactive visualization of urban waterlogging under parameter adjustment. Therefore, this paper mainly focuses on urban three-dimensional interactive visualization method based on Cesium.
Interactive 3D visualizations of geospatial data are currently available and popular through vari... more Interactive 3D visualizations of geospatial data are currently available and popular through various applications such as Google EarthTM and others. Several studies have focused on user performance with 3D maps, but static 3D maps were mostly used as stimuli. The main objective of this paper was to identify differences between interactive and static 3D maps. We also explored the role of different tasks and inter-individual differences of map users. In the experimental study, we analyzed effectiveness, efficiency, and subjective preferences, when working with static and interactive 3D maps. The study included 76 participants and used a within-subjects design. Experimental testing was performed using our own testing tool 3DmoveR 2.0, which was based on a user logging method and open web technologies. We demonstrated statistically significant differences between interactive and static 3D maps in effectiveness, efficiency, and subjective preferences. Interactivity influenced the results...
Human performance and navigation activity in virtual environments can be measured and assessed wi... more Human performance and navigation activity in virtual environments can be measured and assessed with the aim to draw specific conclusions about human cognition. This paper presents an original virtual geographic environment (VGE) designed and used for this purpose. The presented research is rooted in an interdisciplinary approach combining knowledge and principles from the fields of psychology, cartography, and information technologies. The VGE was embedded with user logging functionality to provide a basis from which conclusions about human cognitive processes in a VGE could be drawn. The scope of this solution is introduced, described, and discussed under a behavioral measurement framework. An exploratory research design was adopted to demonstrate the environment’s utility in proof-of-concept user testing. Twenty participants were observed in interactive, semi-interactive and non-interactive tasks, their performance and individual differences were analyzed. The behavioral measureme...
Immersive virtual reality (iVR) devices are rapidly becoming an important part of our lives and f... more Immersive virtual reality (iVR) devices are rapidly becoming an important part of our lives and forming a new way for people to interact with computers and each other. The impact and consequences of this innovative technology have not yet been satisfactory explored. This empirical study investigated the cognitive and social aspects of collaboration in a shared, immersive virtual reality. A unique application for implementing a collaborative immersive virtual environment (CIVE) was developed by our interdisciplinary team as a software solution for educational purposes, with two scenarios for learning about hypsography, i.e., explanations of contour line principles. Both scenarios allow switching between a usual 2D contour map and a 3D model of the corresponding terrain to increase the intelligibility and clarity of the educational content. Gamification principles were also applied to both scenarios to augment user engagement during the completion of tasks. A qualitative research appr...
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
In this paper, we analysed and tested the possibilities for the use of low-cost VR (Virtual Reali... more In this paper, we analysed and tested the possibilities for the use of low-cost VR (Virtual Reality) headsets, with a focus on cartographic visualization. Low-cost devices were compared and classified into three categories (low-end, mid-range and high-end). We also created a pilot virtual environment, called "Carthoreality", and conducted simple pilot user testing using this virtual environment and the three low-end headsets. Our pilot test shows a few drawbacks to these devices, including weight of the headset and penetrating light. Some problems in terms of user aspects were also identified, such as nausea while wearing headsets or disorientation after removing them, which occurred for all users.
In the Czech Republic, Integrated Rescue System (IRS) is coordinated by regional emergency centre... more In the Czech Republic, Integrated Rescue System (IRS) is coordinated by regional emergency centres. Operators of these centres use the geographic information system for spatial analysis and visualization of the situation. It is obvious that the used cartographic visualization (colours, cartographic signs, etc.) should be unified in the whole Czech Republic to assure effective communication and organisation of emergency response – especially in a case of large disaster where IRS units from several regions need to be coordinated. The project “Geoinformatics as an instrument to support integrated emergency and rescue operations of state” aimed to develop a methodology of unified cartographic symbology for IRS. It consists of the recommended basic principles for the construction and definition of a symbol set, scaling range and standardized description of individual symbols to be used for maps in the analogue and digital forms. The presented paper describes the basics of the aforementio...
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Papers by L. Herman