3D geographic model vs street view panorama a cognitive study on navigation in different Google maps representations

Throughout history, different tools have been invented to help people navigate in space. The different tools use different modes of representation as abstractions of 3-dimensional space. Two of the representations used in Google Maps, a modem wayfinding technology, are the 3D geographic model mode and the street view panorama mode. In this thesis, we explore the wayfinding behaviors of people in those two representations by performing experiments. We find that each representation mode is advantageous for a different type of city structure (e.g., regular grid vs. irregular streets). Each representation mode is also preferred by people according to their spatial processing type preference and the wayfinding task type they perform. After evaluating our findings from the experiments, we propose a design of a new representation with facade images augmenting a 2D satellite map. We believe this design incorporates the advantages of both representations studied.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Architecture.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Gu, Tianxia

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Takehiko Nagakura.

• Architecture.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/118697

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/118697