A study of the new representations and applications of geographic information in a ubiquitous network society.

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This reseach project was conducted by dividing the theme into five main subjects. The findings from this project are summarized as follows.(1) Present condition of ubiquitous mapping in Japan :Examination of the spatial representation and properties of maps in in-vehicle navigation systems (IVNS), mobile phones, and Websites on the Internet revealed that the styles of these maps basically follow those of the conventional paper maps, but they also incorporates a variety of features (e.g., interactive map-making, multimedia functions) specific to the digital maps.(2) Development of new design and expression of maps :GIS and VR (virtual reality) technologies were applied to the restoration of historical landscape of Kyoto city. In addition, mathematical methods for detecting clusters and smoothing point distribution were devised.(3) Effects of the digital maps on map users :The use and evaluation of digital maps by university students were examined. The results indicaved that digital maps on the Website are used comparable in frequency to paper maps though mobile phone maps are less popular because of its inferior quality and small size. Concerning the use of maps in IVNS, analysis of a questionnaire survey showed some gender-related differences which was clarified by the studies of spatial cognition.(4) Applications of interactive map making :A distinctive feature of digital maps, namely interactivity, promoted various styles of map making designed to public participation in making maps (e.g, Green map, crime maps). This was accelerated by the trend of the Web 2.0 in the Internet business after 2000.(5) Cross-cultural comparison of ubiquitous mapping :Comparison of the contents of guidebooks for major cities between Japan and USA revealed some cultural differences in the style of map. In addition, a distinctiveness of the ubiquitous mapping in Japan was clarified by quantitative and qualitative data.