Engadget passes along an article about using cellphone locations and movement to determine traffic patterns in metropolitan areas. Sam from OGC was talking about these types of services in his presentation on campus, though I don’t think we captured it in the podcast interview. In the end, it is just a variation of a sensor web but still pretty cool.
Traffic reports to derive from cellphone location data – Engadget
I found reference to the National Toilet Mapping Project, as well as some sites mentioned on Very Spatial such as the map of Springfield at Humbolt University. They also have links to the Lunar Real Estate Finder which matches up any address with its corresponding place on the moon, the starwars, startrek, narnia, lord of the rings,UFO sightings…. (oh heck, its a bonanza for geeky and literary universes). Lots of geospatial fun in one place.
(Note: This post is referring to a nice directory of unusual maps on the Humboldt State University Library website)
Although at first glance the title of the article might seem humorous, it is very important. “The Australian Government has provided $31 million to the Department of Health and Ageing, since 1999 to fund the National Continence Management Strategy program.The National Public Toilet Map Project is apart of that strategy. The National Public Toilet Map team, has been working with Councils all across Australia to keep an update oÂÂn the toilet information. Currently 96% of all Councils that serve 9,000 out of the 14,000 public and private toilets, have successfully completed their verification.
The National Public Toilet Map was set up to provide toilet information to the estamated 3.8 million Australians who are affected by incontinence;but it is also helpful for families with small children and for people planning a road trip.” According to this article, Google, Vienna,NYC, Tokyo (humorous)and others also have toilet maps. There is also an American Restroom organization. and as always – a conference World Toilet Expo and Forum.
This is a wonderful, great civic use of GIS which probably increases the number of people out in public shopping and sightseeing.
Yes, that’s right. Chinese real estate developers have recreated an entire English town, dubbed Thames Town, in the Shanghai suburban area of Songjiang. It is complete with houses, pubs and shops and a stone bridge. The development cost over $600 million (US) and will support about 10,000 residents. It was in the news back in the spring when construction was still ongoing, but now pparently most of the homes have already been sold to people from the Shanghai area and they are beginning to move in. The details of the town are so authentic looking that one woman from Lyme Regis in Dorset, England says that her pub has been copied almost exactly and is a bit unhappy about it.
Via CNN Travel
The open source desktop GIS project, Quantum GIS, is looking for some support from its user community to help in the development of 0.8 and beyond. If you use QGIS and have a few dollars to spare head over and help out this great project.