Cartography in the 21st century

2005

Maps have a thorough and indispensable role as one of the basis of our civilization. The majority of human activities connected with space can hardly be realized without adequate cartographic presentations. In the past, many people who had any contact with maps were only users. Today, however, especially with larger and larger possibilities of interactivity on web, so called democratisation of cartography encourages larger and larger number of people to use their cartographic possibilities to full extent. The paper reminds of greater and greater importance of the data obtained by means of remote sensing in the production of various cartographic presentations. It also refers to the present situation in the production of paper and multimedia (electronic) maps and to the importance of GPS, GIS, Internet and LBS (Location Based Services) in modern cartography.

Annual ... of the Croatian Academy of Engineering, 2005

At the beginning of the article, there is a review of the remote sensing method, which is soon going to be the most important data gathering method in cartography. It is followed by a review of products of contemporary cartography, paper, multimedia and electronic maps, and 3D landscape visualizations and a representation of relations of Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Location Based Services (LBS), the Internet and cartography. Special consideration was given to the role of Croatian experts in the development and application of new technologies in cartography and geoinformatics.

Kartografija i Geoinformacije

The most important changes in cartography are associated with the development of computer technology, and regarding the function and usage of maps, the accent has been given to cartographic visualisation. Animation, multimedia presentation, Internet, WWW, market economy and politics have remarkably influenced cartography. The paper emphasises the need for closer collaboration of experts in informatics, geodesists, geographers, spatial planners and others with cartographers. The future of cartography is associated with map production, GIS, visualisation of spatial databases, and the production of detailed three-dimensional landscape presentations.

NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS , 2020

The article describes in detail the features of digital mapping and its current role in society. The research and analysis of analog mapping with digital. All previous and present possibilities of various methods of building maps are compared, including the economic component of market efficiency. INTRODUCTION The beginning of digital cartography can be counted from one thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven. This year the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) produced the first digital model of the terrain and terrain of the map, which was later used for designing roads. This indicates that in the cartography from the mid-twentieth century, new technological card-making and card-publishing processes and methods began to develop, which are being improved to date. The main areas and trends of improvement in them can be identified:  technological (electronic) methods for creating maps;  digital ways of organizing banks and databases;  technologies of geographic information mapping;  formation of cards in computer networks;  development of virtual mapping. For more effective application of scientific and technological processes for the development of cartography, the fastest delivery of the products created by it to the end user is required. Then they will be quickly used by consumers to solve their specific problems. In modern realities, all research and production sectors, including digital cartography , are oriented toward satisfying such requests and the needs of society. Thus, with the help of digital technologies, cartography is transformed from cognitive and simply means of orientation into mathematical tools and methods of design, organization, management and planning. It is already obvious that technological advances have influenced the use of maps, of which we highlight the following:  communication methods;  spatial information;  system decision making.

Cartography (from Greek χάρτης khartēs, “map”; and γράφειν graphein, “write”) is the art and science of representing geographic data by geographical means. Maps are the main products of cartographic work and are graphic representations of features of an area of the Earth or of any other celestial body drawn to scale. Regardless of the map type or the mapping technique applied (Chapter 3.2), every map has a coordinate system, a projection, a scale and includes specific map elements. These attributes usually depend on the size and shape of the mapped geographical area and the graphical design of the map representation that needs to be informative and understandable for the map-user (Chapters 5.4 and 6.4). Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are powerful tools for data Input, Management, Analysis and Presentation (IMAP principle) providing multiple possibilities for a better understanding of the structures and patterns of human and natural activities and phenomena (Chapter 3.4). Nevertheless, much of its easy-to-apply default-functionality can be misleading for an inexperienced map-maker. In the present chapter, we discuss the main characteristics of maps such as coordinate system, geodetic datum, projection, scale and map elements; how to choose them accordingly and what their role is for proper use of a map. The use of GIS has significantly simplified mapping and provides a good environment for the visualisation of Ecosystem Services (ES).

2002

The most important changes in cartography are associated with the development of computer technology, and regarding the function and usage of maps, the accent has been given to cartographic visualisation. Animation, multimedia presentation, Internet, WWW, market economy and politics have remarkably influenced cartography. The paper emphasises the need for closer collaboration of experts in informatics, geodesists, geographers, spatial planners and others with cartographers. The future of cartography is associated with map production, GIS, visualisation of spatial databases, and the production of detailed three-dimensional landscape presentations.

… Symposium on Remote …

International Journal of Geo-Information , 2021

In the face of strikingly intense technological development, there have been significant discrepancies in the understanding of the concept of the map; an understanding that is fundamental to cartography and, more broadly, GIScience. The development of electronic products based on geoinformation has caused a growing need for the systematization of basic concepts, including defining what a map is. In particular, the modification of the idea of the map may profoundly influence the future development of cartography. The comprehensive and innovative use of maps, for example , in location-based service (LBS) applications, may contribute to more in-depth analyses in this area. This article examines how the concept of how the map is used in technological or scientific literature about the latest geoinformation applications, as well as analyzing the survey results that confirm the change in social perception of the concept of the map in cartography. The article also refers to the role of the map in the process of indirect cognition and understanding of geographical space-cognition realized through maps. A social understanding of mapping concepts is evolving and covers the entire spectrum of geoinformation products. It seems that the latest geoinformation solutions, such as navigation applications and, in particular, applications supporting the movement of autonomous vehicles (e.g., self-driving cars), have had a particular impact on the concept of the map. This is confirmed by the results of a survey conducted by the authors on a group of nearly 900 respondents from a variety of countries. The vast majority of users are convinced that the contemporary understanding of the concept of the map is a long way from the classic definition of this concept. Therefore, in the opinion of the authors of this article, it is worth undertaking research that will become a starting point for a discussion about the broader definition of the map in GIScience.

Kartografija i geoinformacije, 2018

In recent decades, cartography has experienced a number of paradigm changes seen in refreshed research agendas and renewed education programs. Yet cartography remains the science, art and technology of making and using maps. This paper addresses four persistent research questions in cartography: 1 ) What is a map? 2) What are maps made for? 3) How are maps made? and 4) Who is making maps? Based on a retrospective analysis of cartographic advances since the introduction of the Internet in the early 1990s, the author gives an overview of evolution with regard to map types, map affordances, mapmaking workflows and the roles of mapmakers and map users. While some cartographic principles used since ancient times will continue to serve as anchor points for future development, ever-changing technological potentials and user requirements force us to maintain vitality with more and more innovative maps and map-based services. The author also appeals for a sustainable map creation ecosystem s...

E3S web of conferences, 2023