Geomob

We start off 2024 with a new series focussing on the humanitarian use of GIS and partnering with MapAction, the humanitarian mapping charity and volunteer driven organisation that works with local and regional disaster management agencies worldwide. Joining Steven are Renee Babb, Lavern Ryan, and Alan Mills. The focus of the discussion is the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and their partnership with MapAction. Lavern has been working at the government of the small community of Montserrat and she is also a volunteer with MapAction. She has some great insight about the use of GIS for land use planning, biodiversity and conservation and disaster risk reduction. The Caribbean is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters due to its location, but organisations such as CDEMA have been helping to ease the burden before, during, and after these disasters occur. Renee, who is from Barbados, is the GIS specialist at CDEMA. Alan has been with MapAction for over 15 years and has undertaken many emergency missions in the Caribbean. Tune in to find out what it's like to experience these disasters first hand, how the different organisations find ways to collaborate and to learn if the systems in place can be used in other regions. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Once again we convene the Geomob expert panel to look back on 2023 and make predictions for 2024. Join Steven, Ed and the geo-elves: Ken Field, Mark Iliffe, Jeremy Morley, Ed Parsons Denise McKenzie, and Alex Wrottesley for our extra-long holiday special.   We wish all of our listeners a restful holiday break and a geotastic 2024! Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

You'll want to take a look at these photos before you listen to this episode. Joining Steven this week is anthropologist and humanist Angel Arenas, the creator of Giant Interactive Maps that promote different territories in a gamified way. These huge outdoor maps are placed in public spaces and walked on by hundreds of people at a time. However, they are not just works of art, the public is encouraged to answer questions and interact via virtual reality and learn about the areas on the map. Angel and his team work with politicians, universities, and various organisations that want to connect people and promote their country or region across the world. The maps offer activities for people of all ages even as young as three! Tune in to find out how they are made, and how you can get involved. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Simon Poole returns to Geomob this week for a deeper look at building an OpenStreetMap editor. Having spent the last ten years working on Vespucci, an OSM editor for Android phones, Simon is well versed in OSM editor innovation. Editors have come a long way since OSM started. The main difference is that everyone now has a mobile device, and for some users, that’s all they have. The devices themselves have evolved with a wide range of features and sensors, how do they impact the capabilities of OSM editors such as Vespucci? There are actually only a handful of "full" editors currently active while there are many specific use case editors with a small number of users. Join Ed and Simon as they discuss the positives and negatives of creating new editors (as opposed to joining active projects). Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Steven and Ed wrap up the year (though don't worry, our traditonal Christmas Chaos episode is coming!) by running through their various projects. Ed is proud to continue OpenCage's long-running, end-of-year tradition of donating to HOT, while Steven calls for submissions for Mappery's "12 days of Christmas" (while also bragging about now being the owner of mapsinthewild.org). All this and much more ... Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

The topic this week is "vehicle video analysis" as Jorit Schmelzle - a recent speaker at Geomob Berlin - joins Ed to talk about his company: Peregrin. Using various devices such as dash cams or smartphones, Peregrin collects visual data for real time interventions as well as later use. Primarily used by professional driver fleets, the data helps to alert drivers on their journeys in various dangerous situations. The data can also help drivers later to review situations or provide information on vehicle safety. The video data can also be useful for third parties like mapmakers or city road crews. Tune in to find out they are able to collect the data while ensuring privacy is protected, and what's in store for the future or Peregrin. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Geomob welcomes back Marco Bernasocchi this week for a close look at QField. With a full QGIS core QField has a user interface that is made for amateur users. Digitising and taking care of mobile data so that you can do what you need to do "in the field" with all the data available to you anywhere you are. There is now also a QField Cloud that synchronises the data. Listen in as Steven and Marco discuss the benefits of open source technology due to transparency and collabortation. While QGIS has many companies working on it there is a higher chance of conflict in code alterations, in QField they are stricter about what is added, and have more control so there is a lower risk of clashes. Find out how many users have embraced QField and what is on the horizon for 2024. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

There are many services that focus on transporting people by cars, but on this episode of the Geomob podcast, we flip things around and learn about an on-demand service where people transport cars. Our guest today is Miika Sikala, winner of the best speaker prize at last week's Geomob Finland and research director at Biila, where they solve the complex problem of short and fast delivery of vehicles to buyers or dealers. Miika explains the use cases, the complex logistics of the service, and shares his insights. Tune in to find out how using freelance drivers and chaining multiple trips helps Biila to deliver vehicles in an efficient and economical way.   Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Another Steven and Ed catchup. After briefly recapping the Lisbon event, Ed rants a bit about Wise's recent decision to change OpenCage's bank account number on very minimal notice. But then the discussion turns to What3Words, a company many in the georati love to hate. Our hosts recount a recent experiment in which Chris Sheldrick (What3Words co-founder, and past Geomob London speaker) posted a letter to himself using only a What3Words "3 word address". The letter arrived in two business days! Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Come for the geo-merch, stay for the e-textiles! If you’re a frequent Geomob London attendee you will be familiar with this weeks’ guest David Overton, co-founder of SplashMaps, sponsor of our best speaker prize. David has been on the podcast before to introduce us to SplashMaps. Since then, the business has grown and the use cases for SplashMaps have expanded. When you can’t, or don’t want to use your mobile device, you can make and have a map that everyone can look at and use. Whatx separates their maps from other custom mapmakers are the materials used. Adventure lovers are already using these maps for hiking or cycling trips. SplashMaps have also been found useful for commemorative walks, people tracing the battles of their ancestors or history buffs are using them. They are navigational aides, and sometimes mementos of adventures past. David explains how a partnership with academia led SplashMaps to the newest e-textile tech. If you’ve never heard of e-textile you should definitely tune in to this episode. Find out why maps are an easy and effective way to exhibit the advances in this new tech Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.