Learning Routes from Visualizations for Indoor Wayfinding: Presentation Modes and Individual Differences

Abstract

Participants (N = 78) studied a visualization of a route through a complex building and walked that route in the real building without further assistance. Erroneous turns on the route as well as indicators of uncertainty such as hesitations were assessed. Three types of route visualizations were compared: (1) an allocentric, map-based visualization with the route indicated in floor maps, (2) an ordered sequence of pictures of decision points shown from the egocentric perspective, and (3) an animation showing a virtual walk of the route from the egocentric perspective. In addition to the experimental variation, gender differences, differences in visual-spatial abilities and differences in self-reported wayfinding strategies were considered as predictor variables. Wayfinding performance did not differ between allocentric (map) and egocentric (decision point pictures and animation) visualizations. However, wayfinding performance was better with animated than with static egocentric visualizations. Individual differences in the ability to encode visual-spatial information from the visualization played a critical role for route learning. Self-reported sense of direction related to egocentric wayfinding strategies also predicted wayfinding performance. Gender differences were attributable to differences in visual-spatial abilities and egocentric wayfinding strategies. Interactions between visualizations and individual differences were not found. It is concluded that animations of virtual walks are suitable to convey route information in complex buildings. Successful acquisition of route knowledge from maps is possible but might depend on the comprehensibility of the structure of the building.     

Risk-taking during wayfinding is modulated by external stressors and personality traits

ABSTRACT

Two experiments examined cue reliance and risk-taking during desktop virtual wayfinding, and how they might be modulated by personality traits and external stressors. Participants navigated a series of virtual buildings and we manipulated the strength of probabilistic cues available to guide turn decisions. Navigators frequently discounted probabilistic cues and instead took risks, particularly when costs were low and potential benefits were high. Risk-taking was predicted by higher sense of direction and lower need for structure. Introducing a time stressor lowered risk-taking, with a higher relative reliance on probability-based information. This was most pronounced in females and those with a high need for structure. Results provide novel evidence that spatial cue reliance is modulated by individual differences and contextual constraints.     

Wayfinding Performance in and the Spatial Knowledge of a Color-coded Building for Adults and Children

The study reported here investigates the effect color has on the performance in a wayfinding task,the wayfinding strategies used and the acquisition of survey knowledge of a total of sixty participants: twenty second graders,sixth graders, and adults each. All participants had to find their way to a goal in a virtual environment with either a colored or a gray ground. After that,they had to find the shortest way from the start position to the goal in two consecutive trials,to draw a sketch map of the maze,and to mark the position of the goal figure in an overview of the maze. The results showed that color helped all participants to improve their performance in the wayfinding task, influenced the use of some wayfinding strategies but did not improve the acquisition of survey knowledge. Furthermore, there was a developmental achievement from second graders to adults. The results implicate firstly that children and adults similarly rely on the structuring of space through color when navigating through an unfamiliar large-scale environment,and secondly that there is a dissociation between wayfinding behavior and spatial knowledge.     

Age differences in adults' spatial abilities,learning environmental layout,and wayfinding behavior

Empirical relations among age, general spatialability as assessed by psychometric tests,wayfinding-related skills as assessed byexperimental tasks in the laboratory,environmental layout learning as assessed in afield experiment, and wayfinding behavior asobserved in a field experiment were modeled ina study involving 120 younger and 120 olderadults. The best-fitting model showed thatage-related differences in learningenvironmental layout were significantly, butnot exclusively, mediated by a single abilityfactor defined by psychometric tests. Knowledge of environmental layout was theexclusive mediator between general spatialability and wayfinding behavior. Thus, agedifferences in psychometric test performancewere found to be a major factor in accountingfor aging-related decline in learningenvironmental layout, but other variables notassessed in this study also play a significantrole.     

Landsat satellite imagery of the Qattara Depression area,Egypt

The Qattara Depression lies in the northern part of the Western Desert of Egypt at a distance of some tens of kilometers to the south of the Mediterranean Sea Coast. The depression in question is the largest one in the great Sahara extending across North Africa. It covers an area of some 19,000 km² at ? 60 m level and the absolute level of its lowest point is about ? 134 m. The depression extends for about 300 km in a roughly ENE-WSW direction, while its width is variable reaching to a maximum of about 145 km. Feasibility studies are currently carried out for the Qattara solar-hydro-electric project which aims at generating hydro-electric power by the drop of the Mediterranean Sea water into the depression after passing through a canal/tunnel system. Peak load electric power may be also generated by raising the water to the small hollow of Deir Kirayim, situated at a higher level near the depression, and allowing it to drop to a low level.For the purpose of assessing the regional criteria involved in the implementation of the project and the environmental impact of such implementation, the Qattara Depression and the surrounding area has been studied on a regional scale by the utilization of LANDSAT satellite imagery. The maps produced by the interpretation of the images in question include those of the geological and environmental units, structural lineations, drainage and vegetation cover. Lineation density and drainage density maps are derived by the computation of the structural lineation and drainage maps respectively. A map of groundwater conditions is worked out on the basis of the image interpretation, and the observations previously carried out on the groundwater aquifers in the Qattara Depression and the surrounding area. LANDSAT satellite image interpretation and computation are supported by intensive observations carried out in the field as well as chemical, petrological and mineralogical analyses of the samples collected.The LANDSAT satellite images proved to be of great importance in mapping the Qattara Depression floor which is hardly accessible to classical mapping, and especially in view of the large area which could be covered by imagery mapping in a reasonably short time compatible with the duration of the feasibility study. The special characters of the spaceborne multispectral imagery have been paramount in deciphering the major regional features of the investigated area.The overall synoptic picture of the regional setting of the geological and environmental units, faults, fractures and folds, drainage lines and plant cover in the large area studied has been clarified for the first time. It has been demonstrated that the Qattara Depression is actually constituted of several small depressions. The environmental impact of the project implementation has been visualized especially regarding the possible influence of the saline water on the fresh groundwater sources. The thick salt accumulation in the depression has been found to be of such extension as to increase the salinity of the Mediterranean Sea water stored in the depression following the implementation of the project. The lineation density map has been particularly of great help in the localization of sites subjected to intense crustal deformation, greater slope instability and run off surface water flooding.     

Is Memory for Routes Enhanced by an Environment's Richness in Visual Landmarks?

We tested the hypothesis that a route's memorability is dependent on the frequency with which people are exposed to visual landmarks. Undergraduates learned either a route through an urban area lacking visually salient features, or a route in a neighborhood with many shops and urban objects. They were then asked to recall the learned route in the form of route directions and sketch maps. The results showed higher recall performance for the richer environment. When presented with photographs depicting scenes along the route, participants exposed to the richer environment had higher recognition scores and shorter response times than the others. The data confirm the functional role of landmarks in route memory and wayfinding.     

两种不同注水方式的燃气蒸汽式发射系统内弹道性能比较

对逐渐注水冷却与集中注水冷却燃气蒸汽式发射动力系统进行了研究,着重分析不同注水方式下发射动力系统结构的差异、注水的特点及其对发射内弹道性能的影响,在此基础上开发出一套用于预估和比较不同注水方式下发射系统内弹道性能的系统化程序。计算结果显示,不同注水方式下导弹在发射筒内运动加速度、速度、位移随时间变化的规律和发射筒内工质气体状态参数随时间变化的规律,为燃气蒸汽式发射系统的设计和方案选择提供参考依据。     

Assessment of between-floor structural and topological properties on cognitive map development in multilevel built environments

The present study investigated cognitive map development in multilevel built environments. Three experiments were conducted in complex virtual buildings to examine the effects of five between-floor structural factors that may impede the accuracy of humans’ ability to build multilevel cognitive maps. Results from Experiments 1 and 2 (of three experiments) revealed that difficulties in developing multilevel cognitive maps are not solely caused by the z-axis offset, as is suggested in the literature, but are due to the factorial combination of a between-floor overlap and a z-axis offset. Results from Experiment 2 showed that this process becomes substantially more difficult when the reference directions between different floors have an angular offset from each other. Finally, results from Experiment 3 demonstrated that confusing between-floor heading shifts in aligned buildings did not make it reliably harder to build multilevel cognitive maps. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of theories of mental representations in multilayered three-dimensional spaces, as well as for architectural design.     

用VisualLisp动态设计建筑施工总平面图

本文介绍了一种采用VisualLisp语言对施工图进行动态绘制的方法。本文从该方法的特点、设计思想和设计过程等方面进行了论述，作为一种适用的动态绘制方法，为快速绘制建筑施工总平面图提供了一种手段。     

Observing floods from space: Experience gained from COSMO-SkyMed observations

The COSMO-SkyMed mission offers a unique opportunity to obtain all weather radar images characterized by short revisit time, thus being useful for flood evolution mapping. The COSMO-SkyMed system has been activated several times in the last few years in occasion of flood events all over the world in order to provide very high resolution X-band SAR images useful for flood detection purposes. This paper discusses the major outcomes of the experience gained, within the framework of the OPERA Pilot Project funded by the Italian Space Agency, from using COSMO-SkyMed data for the purpose of near real time generation of flood maps. A review of the mechanisms which determine the imprints of the inundation on the radar images and of the fundamental simulation tools able to predict these imprints and help image interpretation is provided. The approach developed to process the data and to generate the flood maps is also summarized. Then, the paper illustrates the experience gained with COSMO-SkyMed by describing and discussing a number of significant examples. These examples demonstrate the potential of the COSMO-SkyMed system and the suitability of the approach developed for generating the final products, but they also highlight some critical aspects that require further investigations to improve the reliability of the flood maps.     

“高分一号”卫星PMS图像几何定位精度验证

卫星影像定位精度的验证是支撑卫星业务化运行和应用的基础性工作,文章测试了“高分一号”卫星PMS相机全色（PAN）二级产品和多光谱（MSS）二级产品几何定位精度。测试结果表明,卫星PMS相机全色测试数据的平均定位精度为27.9m,其中,平原、山区测试数据最大外部几何定位精度分别为16.4m、53m;多光谱测试数据的平均几何定位精度为23.2m,其中,平原、山区测试数据平均外部几何定位精度分别为10m、49.7m。“高分一号”卫星 PMS 相机全色与多光谱二级产品的定位精度满足1？10万比例尺地形图更新要求,其中平原地区二级产品精度能满足1？5万比例尺地形图更新要求。     

Heading south with a north-up map: A choice processing analysis of map alignment effects

This study employed an information accumulation model of choice reaction times to investigate alignment effects in mental representations of maps. University students studied a map from a single orientation (with north at the top). In a subsequent two-choice reaction time task, the students’ spatial knowledge of the map was assessed employing spatial left/right judgments, which were made from imagined perspectives that were either north-aligned or south-aligned. Data showed a standard alignment effect, favoring north- over south-aligned trials. To examine the locus of this effect, data were fit using the Linear Ballistic Accumulator (LBA) model of speeded decisions (Brown & Heathcote, 2008). Of interest were three model parameters: drift rate, the speed at which evidence accumulates toward a response; response threshold, the amount of evidence demanded from the decision maker before selecting a response; and non-decision time, the time consumed by pre- and postdecisional processes. The best-fitting model suggested that non-decision time accounted for the alignment effect. The difference in non-decision time between north and south-aligned judgments suggests a mental alignment stage on south-aligned trials, accounting for the longer reaction times for judgements misaligned with the presented north orientation of the map.     

线性仪表静态不确定度的统计估算

侧重分析静态回归直线误差模型及工程应用的可行性 ,通过例证比较说明统计估算法的优势。阐述环境温度引起仪表回归直线的平移和旋转 ,导出温度误差为零位温漂及灵敏度温漂相对值的代数和 ;该误差模型具有通用性 ,可推广至其它环境因素对回归直线影响的分析。介绍时漂的基本概念及经验公式。强调静态不确定度应包括回归直线误差及环境因素影响的误差。     

基于增量调制的ICCP地磁匹配序列生成方法

为解决地磁匹配算法中匹配点的选取和匹配序列长度的设置问题，提出一种迭代最近等值线(ICCP)算法的地磁匹配序列生成方法。首先，分析了采样定理、地磁图分辨率、磁场起伏特征和磁传感器测量精度等对匹配序列采样间隔的约束，以及匹配序列长度与误匹配的关系；然后，在此基础上利用增量调制原理实现了匹配点的选取；最后，建立了本文方法参数优化的目标函数，并利用二进制粒子群优化（BPSO）算法对匹配序列的长度和增量调制的量阶进行寻优，使ICCP算法在保证匹配精度的前提下能够缩短匹配时间。仿真结果证明所提方法具有良好的环境适应性，对ICCP算法的精度和实时性都有明显改善。     

数据驱动的卫星关键部件剩余寿命预测模型

针对目前基于统计学方法对卫星及其关键部件进行剩余寿命预测时普遍存在的建模困难、预测精度不高等问题,为更快速、更精确地预测在轨运行卫星关键零部件的剩余使用寿命(RUL),选取时序数据特征提取能力较强的门控循环单元(GRU)网络构建RUL预测模型.在模型构建时,除了利用卫星遥测数据之外,还将反映卫星通信质量的统计类数据添加...     

贫氧燃气流过有机玻璃圆管耦合传热数值模拟

为了掌握燃气流过有机玻璃圆管的降温情况,以设计出可实现所要求的燃气出口温度的降温装置,对燃气流过有机玻璃圆管内,管内壁径向热降解的变化过程进行数值模拟,将推导出的PMMA管内壁面平均升温速率与特征降解温度关系式结合动网格和质量掺混技术求解该问题,得到固定与不固定燃气入口面积情况下管内壁面轮廓的时间形及流场参数时间分布。计算结果表明,固定燃气入口面积较不固定燃气入口面积对燃气的降温量大;固定燃气入口面积时,入口处管内壁面的径向降解程度最小,距入口沿轴向一段距离处管内壁面的径向降解程度最大;不固定燃气入口面积时,入口处管内壁面径向降解程度最大,出口处管内壁面的径向降解程度最小。     

基于互相关碰撞强度谱的航天器碰撞定位技术

在针对空间碎片碰撞事件的碰撞定位技术中,传统方法是根据不同位置的碰撞信号到达时间差进行定位.对于加筋板而言,由于受到加强筋对信号的反射及衰减影响,采用传统定位方法无法实现准确定位.为解决上述问题,提出一种基于互相关碰撞强度谱的碰撞定位方法.该方法使用不同传感器之间的互相关系数曲线计算被测试件各位置的碰撞强度,构成碰撞强...     

环帆伞可变参数对设计偏差的灵敏度分析

环帆伞初步设计时，部分参数需要设计人员根据经验进行选取，选取过程并没有固化的规则，使得在完成环帆伞几何结构的初步设计之后，需要对这些参数进行多次调整才能使设计结果满足预定的设计指标。文章将这一类影响设计结果并且没有规范化选取方法的设计参数定义为可变参数，并首次对环帆伞设计过程中初次设计结果与设计指标之间存在的面积偏差与结构透气量偏差规律进行了研究，同时分析了可变参数与这两个偏差的灵敏度关系，为设计人员提供利用可变参数修正初次设计偏差的参考依据，减少可变参数的调整次数，提高环帆伞设计工作的效率。     

Route generation and description using the notions of object's influence area and spatial conceptual map

In the GRAAD Project we aimed at creatinga system which could generate route directions thatare comparable to route directions created by humanparticipants. With this goal in mind, we started froma linguistic and cognitive study of route directionsproduced by people and the study of cognitive modelsof mental maps. We proposed a new qualitative spatialmodel that can support the spatial properties of humanroute directions. This model is based on the notion ofobject's influence area which is used to modelneighborhood, orientation and distance. The proposedapproach relies on the manipulation of spatialentities in a spatial conceptual map (SCM) which isthe computarized analog of a mental map used bypeople. We developped the GRAAD System, software thatgenerates routes in a SCM and describes them innatural language. Finally, we conducted an experimentin order to compare GRAAD's route directions androutes described by human participants in similarexperimental conditions. GRAAD's output was notdistinguishable from route directions created by humanparticipants. In this paper we present the mainresults obtained during all phases of the GRAADProject.