Since 2004, over 2000 people from 25 different cities around the world have participated in Christian Nold’s Bio Mapping experiment.  Using a GPS and GRS (Galvanic Skin Response) device (invented by Nold), Nold maps variant emotional responses of people as they travel through a city.  The bio-sensor (GRS device), which is based on a lie-dectector, measures changes in the sweat level of the wearers’ fingers and the GPS captures response geographically.  The assumption is that these changes are an indication of emotional intensity that is tracked by the GPS device and later mapped in Google Earth.  I wonder what the map would look like at a Dashboard Confessional concert…

The London based artist, describes the unique mapping experience as a “total inversion of the lie-detector, which supposes that the body tells the truth, while we lie with our spoken words.”  He further explains, “With Bio Mapping, people’s interpretation and public discussion of their own data becomes the true and meaningful record of their experience. Talking about their body data in this way, they are generating a new type of knowledge combining ‘objective’ biometric data and geographical position, with the ‘subjective story’ as a new kind of psychogeography.” 

Although I joke about connecting emotions with geography,  Nold’s device opens up a world of new marketing and psycho/social research capabilities.   It also presses on the ever increasing questions of emergence of technology and the human emotion.  Read also has an online book containing a collection of essays called Emotional Cartography.

Step 2 – - Using a GPS find the geocaches near the location of your geocaching event.   You could use them in your event and/or make sure that you’re caches aren’t close to those already hidden.

• Register for a free basic membership at www.geoaching.com?
• Click “Hide & Seek a Cache.”
• Enter the postal code of your event
• choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.
• Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS device.
• Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.

Step 3 —  While searching for the caches, also capture your geocaching event locations.  We suggest using a more accurate GPS device, like the Trimble Juno SC.

Step 4– Tranfer your points to a KML file and upload them to Google Maps and/or Google Earth.  We did this to check over our points and measure the approximate miles traveled between caches.  We don’t deem this step necessary, but it is still a lot of fun.

Transfer File into Google Maps

• Upload data from your GPS device into Pathfinder Office and save it as a KML file.
• Open Google Maps and log into your Google account.
• Go to “My Maps”
• “Create New Map”
• Import the KML file, make any editing changes, and click “Done.”

Transfer File into Google Earth

• Upload data from your GPS device into Pathfinder Office and save it as  a KML file.
• Open Google Earth
• Click “File”
• Click “Open”
• Find your saved KML file
• Click “Open”

Oh, That's Where He Hid It!

Step 5 — Purchase inexpensive containers.  We suggest purchasing small plastic paint containers (microcaches) for the event from Wal-Mart.  You can keep the paint in the container or clean them out and put other things in them.

Step 6 — The day before the event, take your points and hide the caches.  If you don’t know who is going to be apart of the event, try to avoid placing caches in dangerous/hazardous areas that could be harmful to others.  Follow along with your GPS device as if you were in the cache.  (We found a few issues with our locations that could have been avoided by following our GPS device more precisely.)

Step 7 –Email the geoacaching locations  map you created to the geocachers signed up for the event (You can also email links to the google maps you created).  Make sure each point is attributed correctly with at least the latitude and longitude, cache name, and any other comments or hints you would like to give the geocachers.  Don’t forget to include a meeting location and time in your email!

Step 8 –Create questions about each cache that could only be answered if the cache was found by the geocachers.  Print off enough for everyone in the event and make sure you bring pens/pencils for those who need them.  Also print off the latitude and longitude list of all the attributes in case the geocachers did not previously store the points from the email you sent them prior to the event.

Step 9 — Go over the rules and hand out all of the information.  Consider taking away points for people not back within a set time.  For our last event, each correctly answered cache question was worth 4 points but for any geocachers out past two hours, 1 point was reduced for each minute late.

Step 10 –Enjoy the event and make sure everyone gets back safely.  Go back and pick up the caches you placed.  If you plan on leaving the caches, fill out the online form on the geocaching website under “Hide & Seek A Cache” (you must be logged in).

Because of his expertise, Drew assists Cliff with GIS/GPS support calls.  If you have a question, he probably has the answer…and if you hit the right note, he might even sing it to you!.. Hey, it’s better than his squeaky chair!

Thanks Mike Curtis for the submission.. If you find yourself in an interesting location wearing the infamous MapThis! T-shirt, send us a picture and we will post it on the GEO-Jobe Blog..

For an added challenge, try the one click method… place your cursor where you think the answer is and click once without dragging the cross hair to the desired location.

Enjoy! Submit your scores in the comments!

Remember, you don’t need a reason to vote early.  Just show up at your nearest early voting location which are usually open from 9am – 7pm, including Saturdays.  Here are couple of links that will help you find what you need to vote this year.

Early Voting: October 15th , 2008 through October 30th , 2008

Voter Registration Lookup (check your voting location)

Address Change

Election Commission Map

Photo by Barbara Scott, Scott Summers, GIS Coordinator for the City of Brentwood.

By MELISSA WEBB
Correspondent
courtesy of Brentwood Life (www.brentwoodlife.net)

About two years ago, the City of Brentwood embarked on a huge project through its technology department to create a GIS – Geographic Information System – for the entire city. The ultimate purpose of the mapping system is to improve the city’s ability to make practical, informed decisions.“The GIS takes institutional memory and puts it on paper in a very accurate way,” said Mike Walker, Brentwood City Manager. “The information provided by the GIS will allow us to keep up to date and accurate records among various departments. Basically, all of our utilities are on the mapping system, which provides easy access to accurate data.”
 

“The benefit is in knowing where everything is and how it all interrelates,” said Kirk Bednar, Assistant City Manager, who was involved in the creation of the system. “Now we have this information readily accessible to everyone in the city to use and view; it is not just in someone’s head. GIS is all about the information and the ability to access it.”

In the last fiscal year, the City of Brentwood invested about $125,000 in one-time capital costs to get the GIS operation up and running. The investment included purchasing two plotters to print the large maps, various software licenses and computers and GPS units for use in the field. The current operating budget of the GIS division is $310,000, which includes three full-time employees and several part-time employees.

Scott Sumners is the GIS Coordinator for the City of Brentwood. He has been involved in the GIS development from the ground floor of the operation. The department’s first priority was to map all of the water and sewer lines in the city. Other city infrastructure is being added to the system as well.

“The water and sewer mapping is about 95-percent done,” said Sumners. “That means we have GIS positions on all of the sewer manhole covers, pipes and grinder pumps as well as the water valves, backflows and fire hydrants. We are working on the meters and storm water features as well.”

GIS maps for the entire City of Brentwood are currently available on the city’s Web site (www.brentwoodtn.org). Anyone can pull up four different interactive maps through the link for GIS mapping. The city is currently in the process of updating its Web site. Making the GIS information even more easily accessible through the site is a priority.

The GIS is literally a life-saver when it comes to emergency services. The city fire and police departments, which formerly used only the mapping systems in city vehicles, now have access to the most accurate data through the GIS.

“Before, with all of the growth occurring in the city, the maps in the city police cars were not kept completely up to date,” said Sumners. “It is very important for emergency services to know exactly where they are going and be able to track distances. With the GIS, they can calculate the exact footage of distances between points. Within seconds, they can access an accurate picture of the city. The system enables us to update addresses and street center lines in house as soon as a plat is finalized.”

City residents can utilize the GIS to get information on the locations of all the tornado sirens in the city as well as call boxes for emergencies. Zoning information for every city property can also be accessed through the system. Each city park is mapped as well, including the trail systems and locations of amenities.

“Part of our ultimate goal is to have one asset management database and we will be proposing that soon,” said Sumners. “Input wise, there is still a bit left to do, but it is an ongoing process. The new city Web site will make all of this information as easy to access as possible for everyone in the city. Most importantly, we now have a way to make institutional knowledge available for everyone to use in making plans and decisions.”

To access the GIS for the City of Brentwood, visit the city’s Web site and click on “GIS mapping” from the home page. For more information, contact Scott Sumners at (615) 371-7002 or scott@brentwood-tn.org.

Artwork Submitted, City residents can utilize the GIS to access maps of city parks. The maps detail each ammenity of the parks.