Re: ANN: geometry2rdf software library

imho the role of a low level description of features in the map (i.e. geometry data) should not be limited to scenarios based in tourism. For example, the city council of Zaragoza publishes in RDF the descriptions of the procedures related with licenses  [1].  Some of these licenses are related with urban planning concepts [2]. e.g.

"Deberá identificar inequívocamente la finca, inmueble, polígono, unidad de ejecución o sector, de manera que no puedan producirse dudas acerca de su situación y las demás circunstancias de hecho que concurran en el caso."
(translated "Should clearly identify the property, property, estate, unit execution or sector, so that no doubts may arise of their situation and other circumstances of facts in the case.")

We can craft a plausible use case derived from these data.

If the city council decides to use the RDF model for managing  urban planning related licenses, it needs to provide an easy way to identify real estate. A convenient way to identify uniquely the location is to publish as RDF data the list of real estates in Zaragoza with is geometry data (boundaries). Then, when a user ask for a license can use a map to pinpoint its location as (x, y) coordinates (we can imagine here an application for quick licenses based in mobile devices). On the backend, a RDF based system interprets that the user asserts that he is asking for a license about a real state that spatially contains the location (x,y); then, using spatial queries on SPARQL (boundaries, or adding spatial functions) retrieve the real estates that match with the location. 

The above is the simplest case. We can imagine some more interesting.

Other kind of license is related with the use of the streets. For example, a cafe may ask a license for a sidewalk cafe ("terraza" in Spanish). Using the same application the license requester draw the location of the sidewalk cafe. Two sidewalk cafe cannot be at the same site. Additionally, the sidewalk cafe should be on the sidewalk (which today are available as digital information in geospatial databases and maps). These two topological constraints can be verified by the RDF system using spatial queries in SPARQL (given that the required spatial functions for FILTER are available) is the low level description of the features is available (the existing sidewalk cafes, the sidewalks). 

... and now the tourism-like case

A developer may use the public RDF data about cafe sidewalk licenses, which may include information such as accessibility and opening and closing time, to enrich the data offered by a foursquare-based application about Zaragoza.

... but also, it opens new uses

A local NGO may build an application that consume the public RDF data to check if the number of cafe sidewalks in an area are excessive. Yes, we are in Spain, but sometimes they can be disturbing :D Using the real estate public data published as RDF data, the NGO can create a RDF store that contains cafe sidewalks and real estate data. Then, its application can perform a spatial query to identify those real estates affected by an excessive number of near cafes sidewalks, and then, it can start to mail to their address to inform about the NGO initiative against the proliferation of sidewalk cafes.

[1] http://www.zaragoza.es/ciudad/risp/detalle_Risp?id=289 (in Spanish)
[2] http://www.zaragoza.es/datosabiertos/sparql?query=CONSTRUCT+{%0D%0A++%3Fs+a+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fctic%2Finfraestructuras%2Fservicios%23Procedimiento%3E+%3B%0D%0A++%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fctic%2Finfraestructuras%2Fservicios%23tramite%3E+%3Ft.%0D%0A++%3Fs+%3Fp+%3Fo+.%0D%0A++%3Ft+%3Ftp+%3Fto.%0D%0A}%0D%0AWHERE+{%0D%0A++%3Fs+a+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fctic%2Finfraestructuras%2Fservicios%23Procedimiento%3E+%3B%0D%0A++%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fctic%2Finfraestructuras%2Fservicios%23tramite%3E+%3Ft.%0D%0A++%3Fs+%3Fp+%3Fo+.%0D%0A++%3Ft+%3Ftp+%3Fto.%0D%0A+}&format=text/rdf+n3

Cheers

Francisco J. Lopez-Pellicer
Advanced Information Systems Group (IAAA)
Computer Science and Systems Engineering Department
University of Zaragoza

Edif. Ada Byron D2.22
C/ María de Luna, 1
Zaragoza, 50018 Spain

Tel. +34 976762331
Fax. +34 976761914
http://iaaa.cps.unizar.es/showContent.do?cid=fjlopez&sid=curriculum-iaaa&nid=paginas_personales.EN

Received on Saturday, 22 January 2011 12:53:53 UTC