sMAPWhat is sMAP?sMAP is a suite of tools to allow the low cost collection of geospatial data using a mobile phone. We use a copy of the server stack from the "OpenStreetMap" project to store the collected data.
The mobile phone application downloads directions on the data to be collected using the OpenStreetMap (OSM) API. The collected data is then uploaded to the server also using the OSM API.
The OSM database integrates with backend servers which can request data to be collected and analyse the results.
Key ConceptsObjects in a geospatial database representing real world things or locations can be annotated with instructions for gathering more information. These instructions can be downloaded to a mobile phone or other data collecting device which can acquire the additional data and load it back into the database.
When directions for gathering additional information are being added to new database objects which don't have location then they are effectively templates for the creation of new objects. These objects will get location when the results are loaded from the phone.
The initial application area is in surveys which are pretty abstract. However this software can also support acquiring of data on real world points of interest. For example:
The amount of carbon captured by a pre-defined area The level of flood water Water quality, colour, odour etc
One of the benefits of using a mobile phone to record the data is that ultimately a human answers the questions and hence the types of questions can be very flexible
More informationSystem Overview Project Roadmap What is OpenStreetMap?OpenStreetMap is a "free editable map of the whole world". It is a set of freely available geographical data released under a "share-alike" license. Its maps are used on such sites as !Wikipedia and !Flickr.
Who develops and maintains sMAP?sMAP is currently developed by Master's of Computer Science candidates at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, as part of their senior project. These projects last for about 4 months and take place twice a year. It is also maintained and supported on a permanent basis by graduates from the RMIT program and other software developers with an interest in geospatial systems.
Can I Contribute?Yes, we'd like that. In fact, that's one of our goals of this project. We'd recommend you start by joining our discussion list, downloading/browsing our source code, and using our issues tracker to discuss any features you'd like added or bugs you've found.
