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Conclusion and Future Work

This exploratory research project has been focused on the development of a prototype mapping application. The intent of the application is to provide a platform for user to collaboratively build knowledge on a map using their Android powered smartphone. The primary use case for the application has been identified as, users who are responding to a disaster or emergency event. The application shows the location of each user on the map, and allows them to add incidents to the map. This information is shared between instances of the application using the resilient Ad Hoc mesh network, that is powered by the main Serval Project software. The research and software development has been undertaken to seek an answer to the following research question:

Is it possible to provide collaborative mapping services on mobile devices in an infrastructure independent manner?

The research has provided an affirmative answer to the question. It has been demonstrated that the prototype application supports collaborative mapping on Android powered smartphones in an infrastructure independent manner. As with any exploratory research, further avenues of investigation have been identified. It is also the nature of prototype software development that additional features and changes to functionality have been discovered. It is these two topics that are the focus of this final chapter.

Further Research

The literature review component of the exploratory research highlighted how systems such as [Ushahidi][Ushahidi] have been successfully used in the response to a disaster or emergency event. The information that has been added to these types of map has been crowdsourced, and came from a wider user base than what was proposed in the primary use case. It can be seen that the prototype applications has a potential role to play in these types of crowdsourcing activities and that this should be explored.

Additionally the research into other [use cases][Other Geographic Systems] highlighted some potential scenarios where collaborative infrastructure independent mapping may also be able to play a role. For example in environmental monitoring, or in the integration with data collection devices that could be used in conjunction with a smartphone. These wider user cases need to be identified and more fully explored.

The current iteration of the prototype application uses a very simple iconography scheme to represent the three different data points that are displayed on the map. The use of more complex iconography, in particular to support the exploration of the additional potential use cases, needs to be explored. The power of visualising data on a map comes from visualising it in such a way as to highlight trends, and make it easier to identify areas that may need further assistance or investigation. As Kobia[#kobia_01] noted it is important to remember that behind each marker is a human experience - and this is particularly true of the examples provided by the HarrasMap project[#ward_01] . Therefore a balance between simplifying the display of information, without trivialising or reducing the significance of the information, would need to be found.

As part of this exploration into more advanced iconography, different strategies need to be explored in order to represent different categories of information, the age of the information and in particular the authenticity of the information source. In relation to the primary use case this would include different markers for different categories of incidents, indicating how recently an incident was identified, and the authority of the user who added the information. In light of the need to explore the potential for crowdsourcing information the need for determining authority is particularly important.

Environmental monitoring has already been identified as a possible area where collaborative mapping could be used. Other additional areas include research at mass gatherings, and other scenarios where distributed data collection of information related to geographic locations can be used. Before the use of the prototype application can be expanded [further testing][Testing the Prototype Application] needs to occur and the functionality of the application needs to be expanded to support these research activities.

Prototype Application Enhancements

The four key objectives for [collaborative mapping][Collaborative Mapping] that were defined during the early stages of this exploratory research have been implemented in the prototype application. Additionally the [primary use case][Primary Use Case] has influenced the development of the application and narrowed its scope. To expand the number of potential use cases that the prototype application can be applied to, additional features and enhancements need to be developed.

The first new feature is to make use of the encryption capabilities of the main Serval Project when available, to encrypt the content of the packets used to share information between instances of the application. This would replace, or at least augment, the [plain text format][Packet Format] currently in use. Additionally the encryption capabilities can be used to include a cryptographic hash of the packet content. In this way users can be positively identified and the information used to construct the map can be secured against modification.

This supports the potential research avenue in using crowdsourcing techniques to collect information as users can be identified with some confidence which is the basis for addressing the concerns of authenticity. For example identifying information from relief team members versus information crowdsourced from individuals. This can also be extended to identifying individuals who have provided crowdsourced information which has been of consistently high quality and therefore have a higher degree of authority.

Provision in the packet format has been made for different types of location packets, and different categories of incident packets. In order to make the application more useful to other research areas these fields need to be actively used by the application. A solution to managing different lists of categories for incident information will also need to be addressed. It is possible that a more flexible approach will need to be taken where incidents become more generic points of interest. These changes are aimed exploring the issues of alternate iconography and finding a balance between complexity and simplicity in the display of information.

Lastly the mapsforge library has been used to render the map, and the capability of the library to used [cached map data][Cached Map Data] is a corner stone of the applications ability to operate independently of traditional telecommunications infrastructure. The current version of the prototype application allows only one map data file to be used to render a map which is chosen when the application starts. A proposed new feature for the application is to support the use of multiple map data files dynamically, choosing the most appropriate map data file depending on the current location of the user. In this way smaller map data files could be used to support the application. For instance map data could be generated for the entire world using a grid based system and shared amongst devices as required, rather than generating map data based on country or geographic area which may cause the file to include information that is not required.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this exploratory research project has shown that it is possible to provide collaborative mapping services on mobile devices in an infrastructure independent manner. It has done this by developing an Android based application that can be used to support the four core activities required for a collaborative map that uses cached map data and a resilient Ad Hoc mesh network for connectivity. Additionally it has shown that the prototype application can be used to address the primary use case, and that will some modifications additional use cases can also be explored. Lastly it has shown that geographic information can be added to the conversation that results from addressing the core tenet of the the Serval Project, which is that communication is a human right.