Openstreetmap
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International Journal of Interactive Communication Systems and Technologies, 2(1), 69-78, January-June 2012 69 OpenStreetMap Kevin Curran, University of Ulster, UK John Crumlish, University of Ulster, UK Gavin Fisher, University of Ulster, UK ABSTRACT OpenStreetMap is a collaborative web-mapping project that collects geospatial data to create and distribute online maps, freely available to anyone with an Internet connection. Once accessed, OpenStreetMap allows Internet users to contribute and edit geospatial data, effectively making it the mapping equivalent of Wikipedia. OpenStreetMap is maintained by volunteer cartographers from around the world who use GPS devices, por- table cameras, and laptops for field mapping. Collected data are complemented with digitised open source aerial photography and free maps from the governmental and commercial sources. This report provides a summary of OpenStreetMap as a remarkable example of participatory geographic information systems (GIS). Keywords: Citizen Cartography, Collaborative Maps, Crowdsourcing, Neogeography, Open Source Mapping, Participatory Geographic Information Systems (GIS), StreetMap INTRODUCTION access or contribute information, might create a snowball effect, which would eventually lead to OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a collaborative web the development of, in his own words, a “jigsaw mapping project—an example of participatory map of the world” (Musgrove, 2010). GIS—which makes free crowd-sourced geospa- Since its inception, OpenStreetMap has tial data available to anyone with access to the attracted countless Internet users throughout Internet. OpenStreetMap was started in 2004 the world who have contributed to the project by Steve Coast, a programmer from the United in different ways. At the time of the first State Kingdom residing in London. Using his laptop of the Map (SoTM) conference, set up by and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, OpenStreetMap Foundation in July 2007 in Steve Coast began mapping his neighborhood, Manchester, there were only 9,000 registered paying attention to the locations of particular users. Starting from 2007, Yahoo! allowed interest to him, and including much more de- OSM to tap into its vertical aerial photography tail than any available online map service was database, which greatly facilitated the progress providing at that time. He correctly envisioned of the OSM project (in 2010 Microsoft’s Bing that making such data augmentable, editable Maps also released its aerial imagery for the and freely available online, where anyone could OSM). By August 2008, the number of reg- istered users rose to 50,000; by March 2009, the number rose to 100,000 members; and by DOI: 10.4018/ijicst.2012010105 the beginning of 2010 the project had 200,000 Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. 70 International Journal of Interactive Communication Systems and Technologies, 2(1), 69-78, January-June 2012 members. In November 2011 the total number provide much needed relief encountered many of volunteers reached 500,000. problems identifying what roads and routes Among other milestones, one should men- were available for the rescue and delivery of tion: (a) valuable functionality was added in the necessary supplies. January 2008 making OSM available for cyclists According to the website CrisisCom- who started downloading map data to use it on mons.org, there were a number of stages in trips; (b) funding of 2.4 million euro became the development of the inclusive Haiti maps available from CloudMade, a company founded to allow the aid workers to get help to the vic- by Steve Coast, that uses OpenStreetMap data tims. Firstly, there was an immediate search for for providing commercial geospacial services; all available period and contemporary maps. (c) in September 2009 Flickr announced that These included various historic maps and even it began supporting OpenStreetMap, which maps unclassified by the CIA. Due to critical allowed geotagged photos of landmarks to circumstances, the New York Public Library, be uploaded to the OpenStreetMap server which has a specialized Map Rectifier facility, (Lardinois, 2009). Currently, netizens around provided volunteer cartographers with NYPL the world utilize and update data available Map Warper, a software application that allowed at the project’s website OpenStreetMap.org. for digitizing of the historic maps of Haiti and Citizen cartographers range from volunteers aligning them with contemporary maps. At this providing humanitarian relief work in disaster point, OpenStreetMap volunteers began to get regions—where up-to-date maps are essential deeply involved with the project. Before the and could be a matter of life and death for the earthquake of 2010, they had already collected victims—to residents of cities, small towns some mapping data of the disaster areas, which and villages; who simply want to map their were used in conjunction with historic maps. neighborhoods or highlight certain landmarks Starting from this point, the OpenStreetMap that might be of interest to others. At the time community began collecting and editing the of this writing, OpenStreetMap community field data and mapping collapsed bridges and continues to grow with contributors across the impassable roads, locations of hospitals and globe submitting novel data or editing existing refugee tent camps, as well as accurately mark- information. ing the position of damaged buildings where Probably the most significant use of victims could remained trapped. The next OpenStreetMap has come in the aftermath of vital step involved the United Nations releas- the massive earthquake that struck Haiti on ing satellite imagery of the region for public January 12, 2010 with the epicenter located 25 use, a move that was followed by commercial km to the west of the country’s capital Port-au- satellite overhead imagery providers such as Prince. Pre-earthquake maps of Haiti contained GeoEye and Digital Globe. All these combined little more than a few highways and roads, with efforts helped to collect a vast base of carto- Port-au-Prince being signified by a shaded graphic knowledge, which has permitted the outline. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in OpenStreetMap community to build what has the Western Hemisphere, and as very few of become the most comprehensive map of Haiti. the population could afford GPS, there was no The Haiti mapping effort may be the most point for the commercial mapping services in significant example of how OpenStreetMap has creating accurate digital maps. The lack of an had a major social impact, but there are many accessible online cartographic reference had other examples of OSM performing valuable serious impeding implications for the relief social service for society. A large part of the efforts once the catastrophic earthquake killed success of OpenStreetMap was due to its diverse hundreds of thousands of people, and made user base around the world. The OpenStreet- close to one million homeless. International Map official blog, user diaries and OSM forum rescue and aid workers who were trying to threads contain references to a number of local Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. International Journal of Interactive Communication Systems and Technologies, 2(1), 69-78, January-June 2012 71 or even global mapping events such, as Night agencies or commercial services, and volunteer of the Living Maps, a global OSM map editing cartographers in different countries work on marathon. The OpenStreetMap Wiki also high- securing them. Technical teams are set up to lights similar and smaller events. These events manage the conversion and import the data could be anything from a casual get-together when large datasets are available to use in the for novice users to explore neighborhoods using OSM. In some cases, GPS would not be used if on-the-ground GPS surveys or walking papers, satellite imagery had been previously uploaded with collected data to be later imported and to the OSM server. After the upload of data a processed in the OSM editing environment; to map editor is used to edit the data. mapping parties, where cartography enthusiasts Another important form of contribution meet with the aim of inclusive mapping of a to the OpenStreetMap project is based on an particular area; or events such as armchair editor’s own local knowledge, which allows mapping—editing cartographic information features such as schools, libraries, various com- collected in the field, working with available munity places and landmarks, roundabouts and sets of data or digitizing aerial photography. busy roads bypasses to be placed on the map. While armchair mapping provides only a virtual A number of enthusiasts who are extremely camaraderie, the mapping parties are made up committed to the project will methodically map of a number of people who then usually split whole towns or rural districts over a period of into groups of two. Using GPS units, volunteers time by systematically organising mapping typically start with plotting the locations of parties to intensively map a particular area in obscure roads and footpaths, local landmarks, the evenings or over weekends. A score of other etc. Coordinates can be recorded in handwritten volunteers correct errors and add features by form by novice users, or saved on GPS receiv- performing a large number of smaller