Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
(Yeh et al. 2006). Further approaches exist that enhance maps by means of
RFID tags (Reilly et al. 2006). The largest continuous Anoto pattern is
exhibited in the Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Austria where a 6 x 3 meters
city map serves as an interactive city- and geographic information system,
called SimLinz, that enables the user to access diverse media and informa-
tion like real-time data and allocate them geographically in the city (AEC
2009). A commercial application with the Anoto pattern in combination
with maps is offered by the company Adapx. Their solution enables print-
ing of maps with Anoto pattern out of ArcGIS. User records that are cre-
ated with the digital pen on that map can be automatically synchronized
with the geo data set in the GIS. The printed legend serves as a toolbar for
instance to create new objects (Adapx). Compared to this the maps in the
NavAD project shall allow information access as well as input of new
information through the analogue medium.
Where experience with test users of digitally enhanced paper maps are
published, they tend to be positive with respect to the underlying basic
principle (Norrie and Signer 2005, Reilly et al. 2006, Yeh et al. 2006). In a
test case of Norrie and Signer (2005) contestants were reluctant to posi-
tioning the pen on the map as they did not want to write on it. This reaction
is to be taken into account when employing the pen more as a pointing tool
rather than a writing tool.
2- Approach & methods
Basis of the digitally enhanced paper map is the technology developed by
the Swedish company Anoto. A patented unobtrusive dot pattern (Anoto
pattern) is printed on common paper. The pattern's carbonaceous black ink
reflects infra red light and this way can be read by a special electronic pen
with an embedded camera. The Anoto pattern and the electronic pen are
shown in
figure 1
. The pen only uses a 1.8 x 1.8 mm excerpt of the pattern
to determine its position on the paper with a resolution of 0.03 mm.
Recorded images are analyzed at 100 frames/s while every image contains
at least 6 x 6 dots of the pattern that are oriented according to an imaginary
grid where the dots are slightly shifted from the intersections of the grid
lines. The whole Anoto pattern can cover an area of 4.6 million km² which
is about 73 x 10
12
A4 pages (Kauranen 2004).
