DYNAMIC GEOVIZUALIZATION IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Both in the EU member countries and in the accession countries, there are several large-scale data/information infrastructures being created (INSPIRE, GMES). They are built in order to support management and decision-making processes, and they are also used for solving a wide range of problems, including crisis management. These solutions require updated, precise, interoperable and integrable spatial data and information equipped with metadata.

In the Czech Republic, as well as abroad, there is significant public demand for integrated participation of several scientific disciplines in provision of crisis management. Up-to-date information, their suitable structuring, and easy access to them are necessary for supporting timely and correct decision-making in emergency/crisis situations. Most of such information are area-bound. Cartographic visualization plays an important role for user’s orientation. Visualization is not an isolated element of the information transfer process; it depends on the status of source databases, decision-supporting models, and behaviour of user. Current solutions of crisis management employ static cartographic visualizations based on pre-prepared models of crisis situations. This project concentrates on research of dynamic visualizations of real-time generated models.

Both public and private institutions gradually shift their focus from collection of data to their use in varied applications. Use of existing data, verification of their timeliness and integrity, analyses of their qualitative features, interpretation, presentation and implementation of their accessibility to users – these are currently the key requirements of public and private institutions that maintain the databases.

This project comprehensively deals with the process of transfer of geoinformation to the user. Complex approach to the topic covers geoinformation, geostatistic, cartographic, environmental, psychological, and other aspects. The project follows current cartographic trends leading towards individualization of cartographic presentation. Members of the research team want to utilize their knowledge of theoretical-methodological solutions of European and global projects and experience with building of national, regional and continental spatial data infrastructures in the research plan. Demand for such solutions in the Czech Republic and for potential results of the research plan can be documented with letters from the Czech Ministry of Informatics, Ministry of Environment and the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre in Prague.

Definitions, structure, and methods of individual work packages (WPs)

WP1 Project management
responsible person.: M. Konečný

The main task is management of the research project, control of results of individual partial tasks and their finalization. WP1 provides technical maintenance, contracting of programming works, and communication with crisis management institutions. WP1 also includes publication of results of the research plan.

WP2 Databases, knowledge management, and support of crisis management decision-making
responsible person.: J. Kolejka

Main objectives of WP2 are status evaluation of crisis management databases, development, formulation, formalization, and algorithmization of procedures for support of decision-making, design and testing of possibilities of further extensions of existing databases. This task can be performed only on basis of interdisciplinary integration of data and knowledge of natural, economic, and social aspects of environment.

WP3 Time-space modeling, classification techniques and data mining
responsible person.: J. Michálek

The main goal of the WP3 is to establish a link between statistical methods suitable for object classification and time-space modeling and geographic infrastructural data warehouses. Another task is computer implementation of selected classification methods, estimation of their efficiency and applicability and development of new techniques specific for data structures of considered system databases.

The aim is to further develop both standard methods of time-space modeling, in particular those based on regression and kriging, and also brand-new techniques of functional modeling such as data representation via wavelet expansions or their various generalizations using even nonorthogonal and/or overcomplete bases – so-called frames – in order to describe prediction of time-space series which are crucial in dynamic cartographic visualization. Functionality of the methods will be verified both on simulated and real data retrieved from available databases.

Another goal will be researching and developing of methods originating from artificial intelligence, particularly in relation to knowledge-based systems and data mining from time-space and alphanumeric data warehouses. These methods will provide intelligent tools for both visualization and data analysis to support efectively the management of crisis situations, highest priority being given to their usability in mobile devices operated under unfavourable terrain conditions.

WP4 Dynamic cartographic visualization
responsible person.: V. Talhofer

The main objective of WP4 is analysis of the entire system of geoinformation infrastructure from the point of view of its functionality for cartographic visualization oriented on dynamic visualization, analysis of methods and tools of dynamic cartographic visualization, concept design, concept validation on testing samples, and elaboration of a pilot project. The task also includes designing a communication system providing maximum possible speed and stability of data transfer, independence on potential crisis situations, and functioning under all circumstances.

WP5 Perceptional aspects of visualization in crisis management
*esponsible person**.: J. Švancara*

The main objective of WP5 is to provide support for cartographic visualization from he point of view of user's interaction with this visualization. This concerns provision of visualization ergonomics both in normal conditions and in crisis situations.

Introduction

Definitions, structure, and methods of individual work packages (WPs)

WP1 Project management
responsible person.: M. Konečný

WP3 Time-space modeling, classification techniques and data mining
responsible person.: J. Michálek

WP4 Dynamic cartographic visualization
responsible person.: V. Talhofer

WP5 Perceptional aspects of visualization in crisis management
*esponsible person**.: J. Švancara*

Diagram of WP interaction

Contact

Head of the team:

Introduction

Definitions, structure, and methods of individual work packages (WPs)

WP1 Project management responsible person.: M. Konečný

WP3 Time-space modeling, classification techniques and data mining responsible person.: J. Michálek

WP4 Dynamic cartographic visualization responsible person.: V. Talhofer

WP5 Perceptional aspects of visualization in crisis management esponsible person.: J. Švancara

Diagram of WP interaction

Contact

Head of the team:

WP1 Project management
responsible person.: M. Konečný

WP3 Time-space modeling, classification techniques and data mining
responsible person.: J. Michálek

WP4 Dynamic cartographic visualization
responsible person.: V. Talhofer

WP5 Perceptional aspects of visualization in crisis management
*esponsible person**.: J. Švancara*