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Indoor Navigation
Every day we orientate in
space. Often we are not aware of this process. However, as soon as we
are in an alien environment, e.g. on vacation or in an unfamiliar
building, orientation in space needs careful consideration and much of
our attention. Many navigational aids support the way-finding process,
for instance information signs, maps or navigation devices. The latter
enjoy great popularity because of their ability of automatic
positioning and calculation of routes. Nevertheless, when it comes to
indoor environments these functions are very limited due to weak or no
GPS-signals within buildings. Alternative positioning methods e.g.
WLAN or Wi-Fi are not ready for mass market yet. They are either too
inaccurate or too expensive to implement. So why focus on traditional
paper maps? Many aspects suggest that: we are used to them, they are
clearly arranged, they work without electricity, it is possible to
make notes on them, we can keep them as memory and if we lose them, we
can cheaply replace them.
Since 2008, in collaboration with
the department of geodesy and geoinformation science [1], we explore
how pedestrians orientate themselves using paper maps as navigational
aid in buildings.
Main Focus of
Research:
1. Sociology of Space
2. Methods of Social Research
Goals:
This is an interdisciplinary
study between geodesy and sociology:
From a
geodesist’s perspective, this project is
interesting because we test many different variations of maps using a
wide range of cartographic techniques. We do this in order to answer
the question of how maps should be designed to provide the optimal
guidance for their users.
Looking from a
sociologist’s stance, maps are communication media
that provide the user with information about space. To study different
cartographic methods and their suitability for efficient indoor
navigation empirically enables us to get a deeper insight in the
processes of orientation and in the construction of space.
That implies different research goals:
• The development of optimal designed maps
for indoor navigation that
guide the user
along predetermined routes through a building forcing
them to use or to avoid designated paths
or areas.
• Adaptation of maps to the
user’s needs (e.g. via implementing
information that are important to the
user such as gastronomic
or
cultural propositions)
• Ensure the spatial
conception of the route to provide the user
with a sense of familiarity and
independence and to influence
her
memories and associations with a place in a positive way.
To be more specific, up to now we varied the following aspects:
complexity of the route, representational perspective (2D versus 3D),
level of detail as well as the use of landmarks and of relevant
information for the user.
Data and
Methods:
Since 2009, we conduct annually social
experiments (factorial design without control group) during an event
called „Long Night of Science [3]”. A social experiment is a test
arrangement to identify causal relations. We apply a mixed method
research design consisting of surveys and focused ethnography.
During the “Long Night of Science”, co-workers of the
sociologic team talk to visitors at the main entrance of the main
building and ask them for their participation. In order to grasp
familiarity with the test location, orientation behavior, prior
experience, and personal characteristics, participants should answer
an a-priori survey before being assigned a map and a route. The
experiment itself is organized as a race, so that two parties (single
persons or groups) compete against each other, one using the Eastern
route and one the Western route. Both routes start in front of the
main auditorium within the entrance area of the main building of TU
Berlin and lead to the Geodätenstand, a geodetic laboratory on the
roof of the building. After arriving at the (same) destination,
participants are asked to answer an a-posteriori survey and open-ended
questions in order to assess the participants’ navigational
approach, their motivation for participation, as well as their
experience with the route and especially with the provided map. In
addition, we conduct a focused ethnography along the route, i.e.,
coworkers observe the participants during the navigational task in
order to see how they orientate within the building. Therefore, we
seek to analyze the process of orientation, spatial practices and the
construction of space from a sociologic view.
Collaboration:
Department of Geodesy and
Geoinformation Science [4]
Duration:
2008 project preparation stage
Since 2009 annual
survey waves at the Long Night of Science [5]
Contact:
Cornelia Thierbach [6]
Publications:
Lorenz,
Alexandra / Thierbach, Cornelia / Baur, Nina. und Kolbe, Thomas, H.
(2013). Map Design Aspects, route complexity, or Social Background?
Factors Influencing User Satisfaction with Indoor Navigation Maps. In:
CaGis 40 (3). 201-209.
Lorenz, Alexandra / Thierbach,
Cornelia / Baur, Nina und Kolbe, Thomas, H. (2013). App-Free Zone:
Paper Maps as Alternative to Electronic Indoor Navigation Aids and
Their Empirical Evaluation with Large User Bases. In: Progress in
Location-based Services, 319-338.
Lorenz, Alexandra;
Thierbach, Cornelia (2012): Bewusst wo? Gewusst wie! Entwicklung
innovativer kartographischer Methoden zur effektiven Navigation in
Innenräumen. In: Sven Weisbrich und Robert Kaden (Hg.):
Entwicklerforum Geodäsie und Geoinformationstechnik 2011 – Junge
Wissenschaftler forschen. Aachen: Shaker Verlag, S. 89-100.
Thierbach, Cornelia (2011): Raumorientierung und Interaktion in
Gebäuden. Diplomarbeit. Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin.
Institut für Soziologie.
Lorenz, Alexandra; Thierbach,
Cornelia; Kolbe, Thomas H.; Baur, Nina (2010): Untersuchung der
Effizienz und Akzeptanz von 2D- und 3D-Kartenvarianten für die
Innenraumnavigation. In: Gerald Kohlhofer und Michael Franzen (Hg.):
Vorträge Dreiländertagung OVG, DGPF und SGPF - 30.
Wissenschaftlich-Technische Jahrestagung der DGPF, Bd. 19. Wien:
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Photogrammetrie, Fernerkundung und
Geoinformation (DGPF), S. 342‐355.
Presentations:
Map Design Aspects, route
complexity, or Social Background? Factors Influencing User
Satisfaction with Indoor Navigation Maps. Vortrag auf der Session
“Usability 1” auf der 26th International Cartographic Conference,
25.08. – 30.08.2013, Dresden (Deutschland).
App-Free
Zone: Paper Maps as Alternative to Electronic Indoor Navigation Aids
and Their Empirical Evaluation with Large User Bases. Vortrag auf der
Session “Interactions, User Studies and Evaluations” auf dem 9th
Symposium on Location Based Services 2012, 16.10 – 18.10.2012,
München (Deutschland).
Mixing Survey and Focused
Ethnography within a Social Experiment: the Case of Construction of
Space. Vortrag auf der Session “Comparative Analysis of Qualitative
and Quantitative Data” auf der “8th International Conference on
Social Science Methodology”, 09.07 – 13.07.2012, Sydney
(Australien).
A Research Design for Interdisciplinary
Research. The Case of Collaboration between Sociology and Geodesy.
Vortrag auf der Session “Exploring Collaboration and Partnerships in
Social Research” auf der “8th International Conference on Social
Science Methodology”, 09.07 – 13.07.2012, Sydney
(Australien).Bewusst wo? Gewusst wie! Entwicklung innovativer
kartographischer Methoden zur effektiven Navigation in Innenräumen.
Vortrag auf der Session „Kartographie“ des „Entwicklerforums
Geodäsie und Geoinformationstechnik“, 06.10. – 07.10.2011, Berlin
(Deutschland).
Untersuchung der Effizienz und Akzeptanz von
2D- und 3D-Kartenvarianten für die Innenraumnavigation. Vortrag auf
der Session „Geodäsie / Allgemein“ auf der „Dreiländertagung
– 30. wissenschaftlich-technische Jahrestagung der DGPF (Deutsche
Gesellschaft für Photogrammetrie, Fernerkundung und Geoinformation
e.V.)“, 01.07 – 03.07.2010, Wien (Österreich).
Set up
of the experiment (2013, german version) [7] |
What are methods? (2013, german version)
[8] |
Why sociology? (2013, german
version) [9] |
id-system (2009,
german version) [10] |
First
results (2009, german version)
[11] |
daesie_und_geoinformationstechnik/parameter/en/
Bildmaterial/LNDW/Abbildung_Experiment-en.jpg
daesie_und_geoinformationstechnik/parameter/en/
nelia_thierbach/parameter/en/
/Dokumente_Karten/Kartenrueckseite_lndw2013.pdf
/Dokumente_Karten/Was_sind_Methoden.pdf
/Dokumente_Karten/Wozu_Soziologie.pdf
3/Dokumente_Karten/ID-System.pdf
3/Dokumente_Karten/LNDW_2009_Erste_Ergebnisse_1.pdf