Scientists from Berkeley have developed software to generate personal maps

Technology news and updates blog article

22nd August 2008

Scientists from Berkeley have developed software to generate personal maps Modern cartographic services offer tourists more useful information than the most detailed paper map. “However, the number of the proposed information may be excessive and confuse inexperienced traveler”, believes Floraine Grabler from the University of California.
Grabler has developed a software that enables generating a map of a town (in this case the City of San Francisco) that shows only the necessary information, and numerous 3D-models do not hide the scheme of city streets. Places of interest can be displayed both in “true” 3D and in the bevel projection, which allows exploring all visible sides of buildings, without rotating the card.
To determine the importance of each place of interest the original algorithm was used. Scientists have decided that any structure can be classified under three attributes: semantic (for example, theater relates to cultural attractions), visually (the building has a unique color and shape) and structural (building located in a strategically important point, on the crossroad, etc…).
This classification method has been applied to every building in San Francisco, after which all buildings were assigned with their own rating according to obtained points in each category. As a result, the final display on the map was given only to those places of interest, which won a proper amount of points.
Before generating a map the user will be able to choose its appointment. Thus, the map for shopping will display all stores and shopping centers, a restaurant map will provide complete information about restraints and cafes, etc…