THE USE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGIES IN THE GEOSPACE 3D VISUALIZATION

ABSTRACT

Spatial information became ordinary for everyday use hidden in different kinds of both paper and web maps, navigation, and map applications. People perceive more than 85% of the information by eyesight. Also, the majority of maps is produced for reading with eyes. Visually impaired including blind people perceive the world differently and have the insufficient amount of possible ways how to investigate the surroundings. Also, creating a particular map for blind people is conceptually different, more expensive and more difficult comparing to normal maps. Despite this fact, modern mobile technologies e. g. Smartphones with the internet connection and GNSS navigation brought new possibilities how to quickly convert text into voice, navigate using vibrations and provide actual information.
At the Department of Geoinformatics, Palacký University Olomouc, several tactile maps were produced. These maps were produced in colour using expensive 3D printers as well as cheap open-source 3D printers in mono-colour mode. Our presented research aimed to access the possibilities of the use of modern technologies in the 3D visualisation for tactile maps. The contribution includes the presentation of case study realised at the department, focusing the creation of interactive tactile maps using different kinds of technological approaches.

Keywords: 3D visualization; technologies; interactive maps; geospace visualization