Błażej Ciepłuch

Bio: Błażej Ciepłuch is an academic researcher from Maynooth University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Volunteered geographic information & Collaborative mapping. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 15 publications receiving 300 citations.

Comparison of the accuracy of OpenStreetMap for Ireland with Google Maps and Bing Maps

Abstract: We describe a comparison of the accuracy of OpenStreetMap for Ireland with Google Maps and Bing Maps. Five case study cities and towns are chosen for this comparison. Each mapping system is analysed for accuracy under three main headings: spatial coverage, currency, and ground-truth positional accuracy. We find that while there is no clear winner amongst the three mapping platforms each show individual differences and similarities for each of the case study locations. We believe the results described in this paper are useful for those developing Location-based services for countries such as Ireland where access to high-quality geospatial data is often prohibitively expensive or made difficult by other barriers such as lack of data or access restrictions.

The potential for using volunteered geographic information in pervasive health computing applications

Abstract: Volunteered geographic information (VGI), or geospatial crowdsourcing, is where citizens (volunteers) contribute data and information about the earth and environment that is explicitly or implicitly georeferenced and then disseminated via collaborative projects such as OpenStreetMap or social media such as Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook. VGI popularity is due in no small part to citizens making use of consumer devices, such as smartphones, to collect increasingly precise locational information and other environmental information. In this paper we describe the potential for using VGI in pervasive health computing applications. Pervasive health computing strives to provide healthcare (services or information) to anyone, at anytime, and anywhere by removing constraints of time and location. We use the OpenStreetMap (OSM) project as a case–study of a very successful VGI project. We analyse the strengths of OSM, its current applicability to pervasive health computing, and if it is a sustainable option for use as a source of spatial information for pervasive computing technologies, particularly in areas where access to information on healthcare services is limited or difficult. The paper closes by summarizing the advantages and challenges of VGI integration into pervasive health computing and outlining some of the key issues where further cross-disciplinary research is required.

Campus Guidance System for International Conferences Based on OpenStreetMap

Abstract: We present a web-based, multi-lingual, campus guidance system with emphasis on pedestrian navigation aimed at providing support for delegates attending International Conferences at the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM) campus. A special campus guidance system could improve the logistics of the conference and potentially attract more delegates to the conference. The Cloudmade Web Map Lite API which uses OpenStreetMap has been used for creating this interface. The system generates shortest pedestrian paths using both outdoor pavements and indoor corridors between various buildings and points of interests (POI). For visual assistance in pedestrian navigation geotagged images are used along the path at certain points in the route, such as road intersections, when the user needs to get their orientation correct. The interface is currently available in both English and Chinese language.

Using OpenStreetMap to deliver location-based environmental information in Ireland

Abstract: This paper outlines research work-in-progress on delivery of location-based services for environmental information in Ireland. A prototype web map service (WMS) is developed to deliver map-based environmental information using a specially customised version of the OpenStreetMap database. This WMS must deliver a location-based information package to the user: maps of the area that the user is viewing, key state-of-the-environment indicator information for that geographical area, and links to where the actual data and further environmental information can be obtained. This information package must be presented in a way that best matches the environmental preferences of the user. These preferences are derived from a set of 'user profiles' of potential users of the WMS. Software tools developed during this work to derive geospatial products from the OpenStreetMap database are described and some of our observations of working with OpenStreetMap are discussed. The paper closes with the likely directions for the continuation of this research.

Building Generic Quality Indicators for OpenStreetMap

Abstract: OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a very good example of the Volunteered Geographical Information (VGI) paradigm. After a literature review and technology overview of quality assessment in OpenStreetMap we feel that some new methods of quality assessment in VGI such as OSM are required. Currently OSM quality assessment is heavily reliant on “bug checking” and rely heavily upon human interaction to complete. In this paper we provide some alternative methods for quality assessment in OSM. Included in this discussion will be suggestions on how these methods can be implemented, categorization of the difficulty in implementation, and issues of automated quality assessment.

Assuring the quality of volunteered geographic information

Abstract: Volunteered geographic information (VGI) is a phenomenon of recent years, offering an alternative mechanism for the acquisition and compilation of geographic information. As such it offers substantial advantages, but suffers from a general lack of quality assurance. We discuss the issues involved in the determination of quality for geospatial data, and trace the history of research on VGI quality. We describe three approaches to quality assurance, which we term the crowd-sourcing, social, and geographic approaches respectively. We discuss the advantages and limitations of each, and the research that will be needed to operationalize the geographic approach.

A review of volunteered geographic information quality assessment methods

Abstract: With the ubiquity of advanced web technologies and location-sensing hand held devices, citizens regardless of their knowledge or expertise, are able to produce spatial information. This phenomenon is known as volunteered geographic information VGI. During the past decade VGI has been used as a data source supporting a wide range of services, such as environmental monitoring, events reporting, human movement analysis, disaster management, etc. However, these volunteer-contributed data also come with varying quality. Reasons for this are: data is produced by heterogeneous contributors, using various technologies and tools, having different level of details and precision, serving heterogeneous purposes, and a lack of gatekeepers. Crowd-sourcing, social, and geographic approaches have been proposed and later followed to develop appropriate methods to assess the quality measures and indicators of VGI. In this article, we review various quality measures and indicators for selected types of VGI and existing quality assessment methods. As an outcome, the article presents a classification of VGI with current methods utilized to assess the quality of selected types of VGI. Through these findings, we introduce data mining as an additional approach for quality handling in VGI.

A global map of roadless areas and their conservation status

Abstract: Roads fragment landscapes and trigger human colonization and degradation of ecosystems, to the detriment of biodiversity and ecosystem functions. The planet’s remaining large and ecologically important tracts of roadless areas sustain key refugia for biodiversity and provide globally relevant ecosystem services. Applying a 1-kilometer buffer to all roads, we present a global map of roadless areas and an assessment of their status, quality, and extent of coverage by protected areas. About 80% of Earth’s terrestrial surface remains roadless, but this area is fragmented into ~600,000 patches, more than half of which are

A Comprehensive Framework for Intrinsic OpenStreetMap Quality Analysis

Abstract: OpenStreetMap (OSM) is one of the most popular examples of a Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) project. In the past years it has become a serious alternative source for geodata. Since the quality of OSM data can vary strongly, different aspects have been investigated in several scientific studies. In most cases the data is compared with commercial or administrative datasets which, however, are not always accessible due to the lack of availability, contradictory licensing restrictions or high procurement costs. In this investigation a framework containing more than 25 methods and indicators is presented, allowing OSM quality assessments based solely on the data's history. Without the usage of a reference data set, approximate statements on OSM data quality are possible. For this purpose existing methods are taken up, developed further, and integrated into an extensible open source framework. This enables arbitrarily repeatable intrinsic OSM quality analyses for any part of the world.