OpenStreetMapThe Free and Open World Map

Martijn van Exel

10/21/11

OpenStreetMap is a free editable map of the whole world. It is made by people like you.

OpenStreetMap allows you to view, edit and use geographical data in a collaborative way

from anywhere on Earth.

OpenStreetMap is Volunteered Geographic Information: the harnessing of tools to create, assemble, and disseminate geographic data provided voluntarily by individuals.Goodchild, M.F. (2007). "Citizens as sensors: the world of volunteered geography". GeoJournal 69 (4): 211–221

Free

● As in: without (many) licensing restrictions

● As in: at no cost to acquire

Editable

● Compare to Wikipedia● 450,000 contributors

● Data is always in flux

OpenStreetMap objects

NodesPoints with (X,Y) and attributes

WaysOrdered set of nodes. Polygons are closed ways, not a separate entity. Can have attributes.

RelationsGroups of objects with a functional or geographic relationship

OpenStreetMap data model

OpenStreetMap ‘Standards’

● Conventions rather than standards● Discussed on mailing lists and Wiki

● Proposal and voting system for new tags

● You can map whatever you want● The only rule is verifiability

OpenStreetMap editing tools

Potlatch – Flash-based web editor

OpenStreetMap editing tools

JOSM – Java-based desktop editor

Mapping Strategies (1)

Surveying with GPS, Camera, pen & paper

Mapping Party in the UK

Mapping Strategies (1)

Surveying with GPS, Camera, pen & paper

Walking Papers

Mapping Strategies (2)

“Armchair mapping”• Permission to

trace over Bing satellite and aerial imagery

• Enables mapping remote / disaster areas without local contributors

OpenStreetMap in Haiti

Mapping Strategies (3)

Importing free and open data

US TIGER line data import

OpenStreetMap is many maps

 

OpenCycleMap

 

http://opencyclemap.org/

OpenCycleMap

TopOSM

 

http://toposm.com/us/index.html

TopOSM

http://8bitcity.com/map?New%20York

8-bit cities

 https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Featured_Images/Jul-Sep_2011#Week_27

Maps on a blanket

 

 

https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Featured_Images/Jul-Sep_2010

Printed Maps

 

 

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/smsm1/4540641425/

 

 

http://www.kindle-maps.com/blog/kindle-specific-map-style.html

Maps on a Kindle

http://www.rollstuhlrouting.de/routenplaner.html

Wheelchair Routing

 

 

https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Featured_Images/Oct-Dec_2011#Week_41

Maps and directions on a SatNav

OpenTripPlanner

OpenTripPlanner• Multimodal trip planner for Portland metro

• Beta launched this week

• All Open Source software

• OpenStreetMap as base layer – most cost effective solution

• Result: improved trip advice, lower cost

• But: data quality not consistent – lot of cleanup / enhancement required

● Free form● Driven by personal

needs and interests● Organic● Bottom-up● Continuous

● Commissioned● Driven by abstracted

use cases● Pre-defined● Top-down● Discrete

VS. COLDWARMG E O G R A P H Y

Warm geography requires local communities

OpenStreetMap requires local communities

Ortigas/Mandaluyong (Phillipines) mapping partyPhoto from http://bit.ly/oJ3fKZ

Mapquest TIGER viewer

● 95% of edits done by 12% of users● 9% untouched TIGER● 4.8 avg version increase of TIGER roads● 8% of features touched in last 3 months, 40% in last year

Community score card

77°

● 95% of edits done by 5% of users● 32% untouched TIGER● 1.4 avg version increase of TIGER roads● 14% of features touched in last 3 months, 52% in last year

Community score card

59°

● 95% of edits done by 13% of users● 4% untouched TIGER● 4.2 avg version increase of TIGER roads● 2% of features touched in last 3 months, 7% in last year

Community score card

59°

● 95% of edits done by 27% of users● 13% untouched TIGER● 2.6 avg version increase of TIGER roads● 26% of features touched in last 3 months, 62% in last year

Community score card

87°

● 95% of edits done by 6% of users● 24% untouched TIGER● 1.5 avg version increase of TIGER roads● 3% of features touched in last 3 months, 5% in last year

Community score card

38°

● 95% of edits done by 8% of users● 40% untouched TIGER● 0.9 avg version increase of TIGER roads● 4% of features touched in last 3 months, 12% in last year

Community score card

34°

● 95% of edits done by 26% of users● 80% untouched TIGER● 0.4 avg version increase of TIGER roads● 1% of features touched in last 3 months, 7% in last year

Community score card

20°

SIGN-UP

CONTRIBUTE

COLLABORATE

OWN

Conclusions

● Free and editable geodata inspires and enables● OpenStreetMap is good enough for

professional use*● Local communities required for up-to-date, HQ

data● Barrier to entry is a significant challenge for

OpenStreetMap

Thank you

Martijn van Exel

m@rtijn.org