ArcPad Mobile Mapping Application Development and Instructional Support Project
Stacey D.
Maples
The Map Collection / GIS Services
432-8269
Stacey.maples@yale.edu
Introduction
and Background
Geographic Information Sciences (GISci) and the
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) hardware, software, concepts and methods
are an increasingly essential element of research methodologies in virtually
all fields of academic inquiry. The Yale University Library, through its
Map Collection GIS Services, is at the forefront of promoting and supporting
the integration of spatial analysis in research methodologies. Through
the maintenance of enterprise-level licensing of the full suite of ESRI ArcGIS
analysis software, the development of digital cartographic collections and the
creation of instructional materials for their use, the Yale University Library
provides critical infrastructure for the Yale research community.
As a preeminent research institution,
This
grant will support an expansion of our effort to provide operational and
instructional support to the library’s users, and more specifically, the
growing community of Yale researchers who are integrating the study of spatial
relationships into their data collection and research programs.
Yale Map Collection instructional staff will use a Microsoft Windows-based
mobile computing system, enabled with Global Positioning System Technology
(GPS), ruggedized field case and ESRI’s ArcPad 7 software to develop a set of
standards and instructional materials for the implementation of mobile mapping
technologies in field research at
Purpose and
Expected Outcome of the Project
This project will support
the Library Mission in the following ways:
This project is directly related to requests by David Stern, Director of
Science & Information Services at Kline Library and Matthew Wilcox,
Librarian & Director of Academic Technology at the EPH/Public Health
Library. Both of these Librarians have been intimately involved in the
development and promotion of Geographic Information Systems Support Services
(provided through The Map Collection at Sterling Memorial Library) and have
expressed specific interest in the development of instructional materials and
hardware specifications for field data collection systems capable of
integrating geospatial measurements into research data collection. This
project will provide instructional materials of particular interest to their
patrons, who are increasingly interested in leveraging GIS technology for the
collection, analysis and management of field data.
This project will provide Map Collection instructional staff the opportunity to
experiment with mobile mapping technology for creating and using spatial data,
specify supported hardware/software systems and create instructional materials
for the further support of the Yale research community. Using
equipment acquired through the requested SCOPA grant and software already
licensed by the Yale Map Collection, a field mapping system will be developed
and field tested, whose purpose will be two-fold.
First,
the project will allow the development and evaluation of a set of hardware
specifications for an affordable and rugged mobile mapping system that can be
effectively supported by the Yale Map Collection’s GIS Services. These
specifications will be provided as a starting point to Yale Community
researchers who are concerned with using mobile mapping equipment that they can
be confident is supported by the Yale Map Collection GIS Services.
Second, the field-testing activities will produce a geodatabase (including examples of the three generic spatial entities used to model geographic objects: points, lines and polygons) that will provide the base data for a set of instructional materials to assist Yale researchers in the development of mobile mapping applications for the collection of their own spatially organized data. The project will culminate in the development and delivery of a “Mobile Mapping with ArcPad” workshop, as part of the Yale Map Collection GIS Workshop Series.
Budget & Time Allocation:
Hardware System:
Software System:
|
HP HX2795B Ipaq Pocket PC – Windows-Based Handheld Computer |
$499.99 |
|
|
$111.99 |
|
US Global Sat BC-307 CF to PCMCIA Adapter |
$8.99 |
|
SanDisk 2 GB SD Memory Card |
$49.99 |
|
OtterBox 1900 PDA Ruggedized Case |
$99.95 |
|
OtterBox 1900 Tall GPS POD Kit050 |
$34.95 |
|
OtterBox 1900 Screen-Saver Replacement Kit060 |
$19.95 |
|
Shipping Allowance |
$30.00 |
|
Total |
$855.81 |
Allocation
of time:
As the Yale University GIS
Assistant, my specific duties include the development of instructional &
support materials related to the implementation and maintenance of GIS in
research and teaching, and so, the execution of this project falls within the
range of my normal duties.
Methodology
Once
the hardware system has been assembled and required software has been
installed, basemap data will be assembled and the geodatabase framework for
data collection will be developed. This geodatabase will be created for
the express purpose of exploring the multi-user database capabilities provided
with ArcPad. The mobile application will be designed so as to allow easy
integration of multiple users’ datasets into a central geodatabase, in order to
simulate the type of large-scale data collection activities that might be
required by some Yale researchers’ programs.
The Map Collection has been asked by Sean Dunn, Facilities Information Resources Manager, to participate in collaboration between the Yale Office of Sustainability and Yale Facilities. The project seeks to survey bicycle parking facilities (bike racks) on campus and create a location-based dataset that will provide the basis for future decisions about bicycle facilities on campus. This project is still under development, but we are currently planning a survey of existing bicycle facilities, as well as ‘ad-hoc’ bike parking locations (chained to fences, trees, etc…), executed using the ArcPad System noted in this proposal. This survey data will be used in an analysis of the effective allocation of current and planned bicycle facilities. The bike rack survey project is particularly well-suited to the field testing and development of support materials for several of the capabilities of the system for which funds are requested (GPS integration, multiple attribute capture, georeferenced photography, temporally dependent data collection, point, path and areal delineation, etc…), and is choice for the demonstration project.
Timeline:
Benefit to Staff Development and YUL
A SCOPA grant for mobile mapping equipment acquisition will allow The Yale
University Library Map Collection GIS Services to become more familiar with
mobile mapping software currently licensed by Yale University, develop
instructional materials for the use of that software, define supported hardware
platforms for the implementation of that software and aid Yale researchers with
their implementation of custom ArcPad applications with a minimal investment of
time and money.
The materials created from the project will provide the basis for Library-based
instruction through the Map Collection GIS Workshop Series, as well as the
opportunity to provide Faculty with additional library content that may be
relevant to their students through other environments, such as