Bas Lijnse. (2019). Robust Private Web Maps with Open Tools and Open Data. In Z. Franco, J. J. González, & J. H. Canós (Eds.), Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management. Valencia, Spain: Iscram.
Abstract: Crisis management information often has a geospatial dimension that allows it to be visualized on a map. As
more and more systems are developed as web-based applications, maps have also become a common sight in such
applications. The de-facto solution to add maps to web-based applications is to integrate a third-party service.
For web-based crisis management information systems, this approach has two disadvantages. First, the third-party
service must be available and reachable. Second, by using third-party services you implicitly share what you are
viewing, with the risk of unintentionally exposing sensitive location information. In this Tool Talks paper, we show
how to create a robust and private alternative for web-based maps using open source tools and open data.
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Benjamin Herfort, Melanie Eckle, & João Porto de Albuquerque. (2016). Being Specific about Geographic Information Crowdsourcing: A Typology and Analysis of the Missing Maps Project in South Kivu. In A. Tapia, P. Antunes, V.A. Bañuls, K. Moore, & J. Porto (Eds.), ISCRAM 2016 Conference Proceedings ? 13th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Abstract: Recent development in disaster management and humanitarian aid is shaped by the rise of new information sources such as social media or volunteered geographic information. As these show great potential, making sense out of the new geographical datasets is a field of important scientific research. Therefore, this paper attempts to develop a typology of geographical information crowdsourcing. Furthermore, we use this typology to frame existing crowdsourcing projects and to further point out the potential of different kinds of crowdsourcing for disaster management and humanitarian aid. In order to exemplify its practical usage and value, we apply the typology to analyze the crowdsourcing methods utilized by the members of the Missing Maps project developed in South Kivu.
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Benjamin Herfort, Melanie Eckle, João Porto de Albuquerque, & Alexander Zipf. (2015). Towards assessing the quality of volunteered geographic information from OpenStreetMap for identifying critical infrastructures. In L. Palen, M. Buscher, T. Comes, & A. Hughes (Eds.), ISCRAM 2015 Conference Proceedings ? 12th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Kristiansand, Norway: University of Agder (UiA).
Abstract: Identifying the assets of a community that are part of its Critical Infrastructure (CI) is a crucial task in emergency planning. However, this task can prove very challenging due to the costs involved in defining the methodology and gathering the necessary data. Volunteered Geographic Information from collaborative maps such as OpenStreetMap (OSM) may be able to make a contribution in this context, since it contains valuable local knowledge. However, research is still due to assess the quality of OSM for the particular purpose of identifying critical assets. To fill this gap, this paper proposes a catalogue of critical asset types, based on the analysis of different reference frameworks. We thus analyze how good the emergent OSM data model is for representing these asset types, by verifying whether they can be mapped to tags used by the OSM community. Results show that critical asset types of all selected sectors and branches are well represented in OSM.
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Carolin Klonner, Melanie Eckle, Tomás Usón, & Bernhard Höfle. (2017). Quality Improvement of Remotely Volunteered Geographic Information via Country-Specific Mapping Instructions. In eds Aurélie Montarnal Matthieu Lauras Chihab Hanachi F. B. Tina Comes (Ed.), Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management (pp. 939–947). Albi, France: Iscram.
Abstract: Volunteered geographic information can be seen as valuable data for various applications such as within disaster management. OpenStreetMap data, for example, are mainly contributed by remote mappers based on satellite imagery and have increasingly been implemented in response actions to various disasters. Yet, the quality often depends on the local and country-specific knowledge of the mappers, which is required for performing the mapping task. Hence, the question is raised whether there is a possibility to train remote mappers with country-specific mapping instructions in order to improve the quality of OpenStreetMap data. An experiment is conducted with Geography students to evaluate the effect of additional material that is provided in wiki format. Furthermore, a questionnaire is applied to collect participants' socio-demographic information, mapping experience and feedback about the material. This pre-study gives hints for future designs of country-specific mapping instructions as well as the experiment design itself.
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Carolin Klonner, Sabrina Marx, Tomás Usón, & Bernhard Höfle. (2016). Risk Awareness Maps of Urban Flooding via OSM Field Papers- Case Study Santiago de Chile. In A. Tapia, P. Antunes, V.A. Bañuls, K. Moore, & J. Porto (Eds.), ISCRAM 2016 Conference Proceedings ? 13th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Abstract: Urban flooding has been increasing in recent years and therefore new specified methods need to be developed and applied. The rise of Web 2.0 technologies and collaborative projects based on volunteered geographic information like OpenStreetMap (OSM) lead to new dimensions of participatory practices. Thus, citizens can provide local knowledge for natural hazard analysis in a convenient way. In the following, a case study of the Quilicura community in Santiago de Chile -regularly affected by urban floods- is presented. A combination of OSM Field Papers and the risk perception of local people is applied in the concept of risk awareness maps including a questionnaire for participants? information. This explorative study is a promising approach for a complementing data source because insight into local knowledge is acquired in a fast way. Results reveal two main streets, which are identified by the participants as prone to urban floods.
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Christian Reuter, Thomas Ludwig, Timo Funke, & Volkmar Pipek. (2015). SOMAP: Network Independent Social-Offline-Map-Mashup. In L. Palen, M. Buscher, T. Comes, & A. Hughes (Eds.), ISCRAM 2015 Conference Proceedings ? 12th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Kristiansand, Norway: University of Agder (UiA).
Abstract: Maps, showing the tactical or the administrative situation at any particular time, play a central role in disaster management. They can be realized as interactive map mashups. In addition to classical information (weather, water levels, energy network, forces), they can also be used to present a view on citizen-generated content, e.g. from social media. In this paper we offer insights into how mobile map mashups can assist citizens during infrastructure failures that often occur in large-scale emergencies. Based on a review of approaches and mobile applications from literature and especially from practice, we present SOMAP (social offline map), a mobile app we developed in Android. It offers offline map functionality in terms of (A) pro-active loading and storing of potentially needed maps of the respective area as well as (B) the possibility of exchanging information from social media using Bluetooth. The application was evaluated qualitatively, to gain insights into the potential of such applications.
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Johannes Anhorn, Benjamin Herfort, & João Porto de Albuquerque. (2016). Crowdsourced Validation and Updating of Dynamic Features in OpenStreetMap – An analysis of Shelter Mapping after the 2015 Nepal Earthquake. In A. Tapia, P. Antunes, V.A. Bañuls, K. Moore, & J. Porto (Eds.), ISCRAM 2016 Conference Proceedings ? 13th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Abstract: The paper presents results from a validation process of OpenStreetMap (OSM) rapid mapping activities using crowdsourcing technology in the aftermath of the Gorkha earthquake 2015 in Nepal. We present a framework and tool to iteratively validate and update OSM objects. Two main objectives are addressed: first, analyzing the accuracy of the volunteered geographic information (VGI) generated by the OSM community; second, investigating the spatio-temporal dynamics of spontaneous shelter camps in Kathmandu. Results from three independent validation iterations show that only 10 % of the OSM objects are false positives (no shelter camps). Unexpectedly, previous mapping experience only had a minor influence on mapping accuracy. The results further show that it is critical to monitor the temporal dynamics. Out of 4,893 identified shelter camps, 54% were already empty/closed six days after the first mapping. So far, updating geographical features during humanitarian crisis is not properly addressed by the existing crowdsourcing approaches.
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Martin Hilljegerdes, & Ellen-Wien Augustijn-Beckers. (2019). Evaluating the effects of consecutive hurricane hits on evacuation patterns in Dominica. In Z. Franco, J. J. González, & J. H. Canós (Eds.), Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management. Valencia, Spain: Iscram.
Abstract: The Caribbean island of Dominica is at constant risk of being hit by tropical storms during the hurricane season.
Therefore, Dominica and areas in similar situations need to raise their resilience to natural hazards. The potential
consequences of climate change intensify this risk. After a hurricane hit, repair of damage to buildings and
infrastructure can take several months. As hurricane frequency is increasing and time between hurricanes
fluctuates, modeling sequences of hurricane events can help to determine different evacuation strategies. This
paper introduces an agent-based model, simulating two hurricane events in one season. The prototype simulates
the movement of evacuees over a road network and damage to buildings and infrastructure. Initial results show
marked differences between road movements of evacuees during a second evacuation. Although shifts in the
average shelter occupation are small (up to 2%) for our case study, this can indicate that adjustments to shelter
capacities are necessary.
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Melanie Eckle, & João Porto de Albuquerque. (2015). Quality Assessment of Remote Mapping in OpenStreetMap for Disaster Management Purposes. In L. Palen, M. Buscher, T. Comes, & A. Hughes (Eds.), ISCRAM 2015 Conference Proceedings ? 12th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Kristiansand, Norway: University of Agder (UiA).
Abstract: Over the last couple of years Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) and particularly OpenStreetMap (OSM) have emerged as an important additional source of information in disaster management. The so-called OSM Crisis Maps are primarily developed by OSM contributors who work remotely. While local OSM contributors know their area of interest and rely upon local knowledge, often the sole basis for the remote mapping is satellite imagery. This fact may raise doubts about the quality of the Crisis Maps. This study introduces an experimental approach to assess the data quality that remote mappers produce. In an experimental setting, data sets produced by a group of remote mappers are evaluated by comparing them to data sets created by a selected expert mapper with local knowledge. The presented approach proved to be useful for assessing data quality of remote mapping and can be used to support decisions about the suitability of crowdsourced geographic data.
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Melanie Eckle, Benjamin Herfort, Yingwei Yan, Chiao-Ling Kuo, & Alexander Zipf. (2017). Towards using Volunteered Geographic Information to monitor post-disaster recovery in tourist destinations. In eds Aurélie Montarnal Matthieu Lauras Chihab Hanachi F. B. Tina Comes (Ed.), Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management (pp. 1008–1019). Albi, France: Iscram.
Abstract: The aftereffects of disaster events are significant in tourist destinations where they do not only lead to destruction and casualties, but also long-lasting economic harms. The public perception causes tourists to refrain from visiting these areas and recovery of the tourist industry, a major economic sector, to become challenging. To improve this situation, current information about the tourist and infrastructure recovery is crucial for a “rebranding”- information that is however time and cost-intensive in acquisition using traditional information sources. An alternative data source that has shown great potential for information gathering in other disaster management phases, which was less considered for disaster recovery purposes, is Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI). Therefore, this paper introduces a VGI-based methodology to address this task. Initial analyses conducted with Flickr data indicate a potential of VGI for recovery monitoring, whereas the analysis of OpenStreetMap data shows, that this form of VGI requires further quality assurance.
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Melanie Eckle, João Porto de Albuquerque, Benjamin Herfort, Alexander Zipf, Richard Leiner, Rüdiger Wolff, et al. (2016). Leveraging OpenStreetMap to Support Flood Risk Management in Municipalities: A Prototype Decision Support System. In A. Tapia, P. Antunes, V.A. Bañuls, K. Moore, & J. Porto (Eds.), ISCRAM 2016 Conference Proceedings ? 13th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Abstract: Floods are considered the most common and devastating type of disasters world-wide. Therefore, flood management is a crucial task for municipalities- a task that requires dependable information to evaluate risks and to react accordingly in a disaster scenario. Acquiring and maintaining this information using official data however is not always feasible, especially for smaller municipalities. This issue could be approached by integrating the collaborative maps of OpenStreetMap (OSM). The OSM data is openly accessible, adaptable and continuously updated. Nonetheless, to make use of this data for effective decision support, the OSM data must be first adapted to the needs of decision makers. In the pursuit of this goal, this paper presents the OpenFloodRiskMap (OFRM)- a prototype for a OSM based spatial decision-support system. OFRM builds an intuitive and practical interface upon existing OSM data and services to enable decision makers to utilize the open data for emergency planning and response.
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Michael Auer, Melanie Eckle, Sascha Fendrich, Luisa Griesbaum, Fabian Kowatsch, Sabrina Marx, et al. (2018). Towards Using the Potential of OpenStreetMap History for Disaster Activation Monitoring. In Kees Boersma, & Brian Tomaszeski (Eds.), ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 317–325). Rochester, NY (USA): Rochester Institute of Technology.
Abstract: “Over the last couple of years, the growing OpenStreetMap (OSM) data base repeatedly proved its potential for various use cases, including disaster management. Disaster mapping activations show increasing contributions, but oftentimes raise questions related to the quality of the provided \emph{Volunteered Geographic Information} (VGI). In order to better monitor and understand OSM mapping and data quality, we developed a software platform that applies big data technology to OSM full history data. OSM full history data monitoring allows detailed analyses of the OSM data evolution and the detection of remarkable patterns over time. This paper illustrates the specific potential of the platform for disaster activations by means of two case studies. Initial results demonstrate that our flexible and scalable platform structure enables fast and easy information extraction and supports mapping processes and data quality assurance.”
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Svend-Jonas Schelhorn, Benjamin Herfort, Richard Leiner, Alexander Zipf, & João Porto De Albuquerque. (2014). Identifying elements at risk from OpenStreetMap: The case of flooding. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 508–512). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: The identification of elements at risk is an essential part in hazard risk assessment. Especially for recurring natural hazards like floods, an updated database with information about elements exposed to such hazards is fundamental to support crisis preparedness and response activities. However, acquiring and maintaining an up-to-date database with elements at risk requires both detailed local and hazard-specific knowledge, being often a challenge for local communities and risk management bodies. We present a new approach for leveraging Volunteered Geographic Information to identify elements at risk from the free and open-source mapping project OpenStreetMap. We present initial results from a case study in the city of Cologne, Germany, to validate our approach in the case of flood-hazard. Our results show that the identification of elements at flood risk from OpenStreetMap is a suitable and cost-effective alternative for supporting local governments and communities in risk assessment and emergency planning.
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Robert Soden, Nama Budhathoki, & Leysia Palen. (2014). Resilience-building and the crisis informatics agenda: Lessons learned from open cities Kathmandu. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 339–348). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: Information systems that support crisis responders and disaster risk management efforts are complex sociotechnical phenomena comprised of human capacities and relationships, data and software tools. Research in crisis informatics has highlighted the ways in which emergent groups of digital volunteers, or volunteer technical communities, have mobilized during disaster events to support information management efforts. This paper describes an action research project to support the creation of an ex ante volunteer technical community from among the potentially affected population in Kathmandu, Nepal, one of the most seismically at-risk cities in the world. In exploring this case, we argue that projects that attempt to create local open data ecosystems can be valuable but require investment in their design, execution and on-going maintenance.
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