Comments on: OpenStreetMap and the next disaster, Part 1 http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/ because information can save lives Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:58:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Igor Carron http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-88020 Igor Carron Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:55:08 +0000 http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/#comment-88020 Paul and Mikel, I have tried to answer some of your questions here: http://nuit-blanche.blogspot.com/2007/10/producing-maps-using-commercial.html Please let me know if I need to expand on them. Igor. Paul and Mikel,

I have tried to answer some of your questions here:
http://nuit-blanche.blogspot.com/2007/10/producing-maps-using-commercial.html

Please let me know if I need to expand on them.

Igor.

]]> By: Paul Currion http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-87112 Paul Currion Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:15:05 +0000 http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/#comment-87112 Thanks Igor - people often forget that remote sensing can cover any imagery obtained at a distance, not just from satellite. The earliest remote sensing was generally done from planes, pioneered in the First World War, and it's only relatively recently that satellite images have dominated (for obvious reasons). I agree that going back to the earlier methods (including balloons and commercial overflights) offer some interesting possibilities - the only questions I have are whether a) they'd be systematic enough to provide reliable coverage, and b) who'd be tasked with cleaning and analysing the images (always a pain in the whatnot). Thanks Igor – people often forget that remote sensing can cover any imagery obtained at a distance, not just from satellite. The earliest remote sensing was generally done from planes, pioneered in the First World War, and it’s only relatively recently that satellite images have dominated (for obvious reasons). I agree that going back to the earlier methods (including balloons and commercial overflights) offer some interesting possibilities – the only questions I have are whether a) they’d be systematic enough to provide reliable coverage, and b) who’d be tasked with cleaning and analysing the images (always a pain in the whatnot).

]]> By: Igor Carron http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-85393 Igor Carron Fri, 05 Oct 2007 13:54:16 +0000 http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/#comment-85393 Paul, Thanks for the overview. I have put some thoughts on some of the cheap way to do remote sensing for disaster area: http://nuit-blanche.blogspot.com/2007/09/but-that-cant-be-its-still-in-google.html Cheers, Igor. Paul,

Thanks for the overview. I have put some thoughts on some of the cheap way to do remote sensing for disaster area:

http://nuit-blanche.blogspot.com/2007/09/but-that-cant-be-its-still-in-google.html

Cheers,

Igor.

]]> By: Brain Off » The Continuing Discussion on New Tech Approaches to Disaster Response http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-71049 Brain Off » The Continuing Discussion on New Tech Approaches to Disaster Response Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:15:19 +0000 http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/#comment-71049 [...] Currion wrote an insightful first response to my presentation on OpenStreetMap and disaster response. His main point is that there are two [...] [...] Currion wrote an insightful first response to my presentation on OpenStreetMap and disaster response. His main point is that there are two [...]

]]> By: Michael Howden http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-68251 Michael Howden Mon, 13 Aug 2007 03:02:24 +0000 http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/#comment-68251 Paul, I feel that your main issue here is the credibility of open and distributed systems. Kevin does raise a good point about confirmation by multiple sources, although I wouldn’t go that far. I would say that all information should be published, but it should also list its source. That way someone who is interested in a particular village can read the information submitted by the community leader AND the NGO volunteer. They should be professional enough to balance between the different stories and account for the biases. The multiple sources will hopefully give them a better picture. Although the system should provide sources of information, it should still be up to the professionals to analyze the information within the system. All the information should be linked back to its source, to add accountability. I believe the system should operate more like the entire internet, rather the Wikipedia. The only problem could be information overload, in which case a ranking system may need to be used, but is there ever a problem of too much information in an emergency? Increased accuracy and credibility of information will also be achieved through sharing “harder” forms of information: photos, videos and GPS data. Paul,
I feel that your main issue here is the credibility of open and distributed systems. Kevin does raise a good point about confirmation by multiple sources, although I wouldn’t go that far.
I would say that all information should be published, but it should also list its source. That way someone who is interested in a particular village can read the information submitted by the community leader AND the NGO volunteer. They should be professional enough to balance between the different stories and account for the biases. The multiple sources will hopefully give them a better picture.

Although the system should provide sources of information, it should still be up to the professionals to analyze the information within the system. All the information should be linked back to its source, to add accountability.

I believe the system should operate more like the entire internet, rather the Wikipedia. The only problem could be information overload, in which case a ranking system may need to be used, but is there ever a problem of too much information in an emergency?

Increased accuracy and credibility of information will also be achieved through sharing “harder” forms of information: photos, videos and GPS data.

]]> By: Kevin Toomer http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-68109 Kevin Toomer Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:24:24 +0000 http://www.humanitarian.info/2007/08/12/openstreetmap-and-the-next-disaster-part-1/#comment-68109 One solution to the credibility problem would be to publish only multiple source data. In other words data would have to be confirmed by multiple independent sources before it is published publicly. Sources could be coded for reliability (previous verified work) and professional knowledge. Published data could also be given a reliability rating. For example a rating of 1 could mean that the information was verified by multiple reliable sources while a rating of 5 would mean a single unverified source. One solution to the credibility problem would be to publish only multiple source data. In other words data would have to be confirmed by multiple independent sources before it is published publicly. Sources could be coded for reliability (previous verified work) and professional knowledge. Published data could also be given a reliability rating.
For example a rating of 1 could mean that the information was verified by multiple reliable sources while a rating of 5 would mean a single unverified source.

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