Project Period
October 1, 1996-September 30, 2002
Level of Access
Open-Access Report
Grant Number
9613646
Submission Date
7-6-2003
Abstract
This project investigates the use of two concurrent communication channels, graphics and speech, to achieve a successful interaction between a person and a geographic information system (GIS). The objective is to construct a multi-modal spatial query language in which users interact with a geographic database by drawing sketches of the desired configuration, while simultaneously talking about the spatial objects and the spatial relations drawn. This study will increase our understanding of multi-modal spatial interactions, and will lead to improved strategies for intelligent integration and processing of such multi-modal spatial queries in a GIS. The key to this interaction is the exploitation of complementary or redundant information present in both graphical and verbal descriptions of the same spatial scenes. A multiple-resolution model of spatial relations is used to capture the essential aspects of a sketch and its corresponding verbal description. The model stresses topological properties, such as containment and neighborhood, and considers metrical properties, such as distance and directions, as refinements where necessary. This model enables the retrieval of similar, not only exact, matches between a spatial query and a geographic database. Such new methods of multi-modal spatial querying and spatial similarity retrieval will empower experts as well as novice users to perform easier spatial searches, ultimately providing new user communities access to spatial databases.
Rights and Access Note
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Recommended Citation
Egenhofer, Max J. Editor; Turner, Elise H.; Turner, Roy M.; Overmyer, Scott; and Bertolotto, Michela, "Multi-Modal Spatial Querying" (2003). University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports. 85.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/orsp_reports/85
Rights Statement
Additional Participants
Graduate Student
Andreas Blaser
Isolde Schlaisich
David Caduff
Other Collaborators
Lockheed-Martin Management and Data Systems