UN Open GIS Initiative

Cost-effective web maps with Smart Maps Portable

Feel free to interrupt.

Materials are online.

https://unopengis.github.io/jica-2411

Hidenori

web map enthusiast

JICA Senior Advisor

Hidenori

  • Background in Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
  • Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (20yr)
  • IPI, Leibniz University of Hannover (1yr)
  • United Nations Geospatial Information Section (2yr)
  • Japan International Cooperation Agency (1yr)

UN Open GIS Initiative

Session objectives

What contributions can be made for

What benefits you can get from

the UN Open GIS Initiative

Focus

Surveying

Mapping

Publishing

Publishing = Web Maps

Sticky Note Map

https://amx-project.github.io/note/

Confirm you can open the map.

Digital maps on web browsers

Open Data

with global coverage

- OpenStreetMap

- NASADEM

- Terrain22 (demo)

made cloud-native by the Initiative.

Open Source Software

MapLibre GL JS

UN Vector Tile Toolkit

Interactivity

Double click anywhere to leave a comment

Comments are removed in 12 hours after posted

Feel free to comment on the map.

Q: Does your organization have a function to publish geospatial information?

Yes 🇦🇱🇲🇰🇯🇵🇭🇳(🇹🇭🇿🇼)

No 🇳🇵🇵🇬🇸🇸🇹🇴

Unknown

Topics of this session

  1. UN Open GIS Initiative
  2. UN Smart Maps Group
  3. Smart Maps approach in JICA Technical Cooperation projects

UN Open GIS Initiative

🇫🇮🇮🇹🇯🇵🇰🇷🇺🇸 2016-

Partnership for Technology in Peacekeeping initiative

Hosted by Department of Operational Support (DOS) and Office of Information and Communication Technology (OICT), United Nations

Supported by

  • Member States 🇫🇮🇮🇹🇯🇵🇰🇷🇺🇸
  • International Organizations including UN Agencies
  • Academia
  • NGOs
  • the Private Sector

Aim

to create an extended spatial data infrastructure by utilizing open source GIS solutions that meet the operational requirements of the United Nations (UN Secretariat including UN field missions and regional commissions).

The initiative also reaches to UN agencies and operating partners, and to developing countries.

open source?

refers to software whose source code is made freely available for use, modification, and distribution, typically under a license that promotes collaboration, transparency, and community-driven innovation.

open source means (1/6)

Accessibility

open source means (2/6)

Customization

open source means (3/6)

Collaboration

open source means (4/6)

Capacity Building

open source means (5/6)

Transparency and Trust

open source means (6/6)

Sustainability

UN Open GIS Initiative reaches to developing countries?

  • Not very successful yet due to lack of resources.
  • The original model is through UN peace missions and regional commissions.
  • Potential opportunity for JICA projects.

Intention

  • to provide sustainable, hybrid GIS platform (integrating open source software GIS technology with the existing proprietary GIS platform)
    • to effectively and efficiently support enhanced Situational Awareness and to inform decision-making.
  • This will fulfill UN core mandates that refers to or depends on the following:
    • geospatial information
    • the saving of lives and the support to emergency operations
    • the enablement of cost-effective operations

Outcomes

  • movement forward from the existing proprietary GIS platform toward the hybrid GIS platform
    • mobile GIS solutions (QField, ...)
    • desktop GIS solution (QGIS)
    • OpenDroneMap
    • Cloud Free Satellite Imagery
    • Hybrid GIS infrastructure.

Domain Working Groups (DWGs)

  • DWG-1 Hybrid GIS platform
    • Mobile GIS Solutions, including integration with Azure AD
    • UNMISS Story Map
  • DWG-2 Capacity Building
  • DWG-5 Geo-AI & Analytics
  • DWG-6 OpenDroneMap & 3D
  • DWG-7 Smart Maps

DWG-7: Smart Maps Group (SMG)

Fast and smart web map publishing components for the UN Open GIS hybrid GIS infrastructure.

Activities

  • Monthly meetings
  • DWG activities
  • Pilot projects like in UNMISS
  • Attending events like FOSS4G

https://github.com/UNopenGIS/

End of UN Open GIS Initiative part

Questions and Suggestions?

UN Smart Maps Group (SMG)

The 7th Domain Working Group (DWG) of the UN Open GIS Initiative

https://unopengis.github.io/smartmaps

Smart Maps definition

The use of modern web map technologies

for informed decisions.

Smart Maps vision

Keep web maps open

for a better world

Smart Maps mission

Test new technologies

for future geospatial applications

recent new technologies we are testing

Generative AI

Portable Web

Generative AI

Configuration

Query

Free and Open Information Library for Geospatial (FOIL4G)

A geospatial information library where anyone can request adding open geospatial data.

Librarians are assisted by Generative AI (Large Language Model) when creating configuration files to add data.

FOIL4G

10m GSD DEM by NLA, Rwanda

The same data in another app

Beauty of online open data

FOIL4G

1m GSD DEM by GSI, Japan

Generative AI

Configuration

Query

Database on web browsers

DuckDB-Wasm

DuckDB-Spatial

https://yuiseki.github.io/study-duckdb-wasm-spatial/

https://trident.yuiseki.net/duckdb

Where are European countries?

Where are countries with less than 5000000 people?

values SMG is recently pursuing

Adaptability

Portability

recent new technologies SMG is testing

Generative AI

Portable Web

Key technology

Cloud-native

dataset in a single file

PMTiles

Smart Maps Portable

"Lunchbox Server"

Raspberry Pi 4B

USB UPS (10,000 mAh)

USB SSD (2TB)

GNSS antenna

USB power bank (20,000 mAh)

Runs 18 hours without external power supply.

Raspberry Pi 4B

Raspberry Pi Foundation

From 35 US$

Linux

Demo

Connect WiFi

SSID: smartmapsportable

password: smartmapsportable

Open

https://portable.local

Should work for more than 25 clients.

Ctrl-Drag for 3D view

Hosted contents

OpenStreetMap vector tiles (69 GB, Global)

NASADEM terrain tiles (183 GB, Global)

LiDAR 3D Tiles (414 GB, Nagasaki, Japan)

GNSS tracks in h3j

"Your data" can be hosted easily!

Software

MapLibre GL JS

PMTiles.js

Cloud-native files can be easily hosted on other than Smart Maps Portable:

  • On-premise Server
  • Object Storage
  • Existing platforms
    • Such as Open Data on AWS, Source Cooperative, OCHA HDX and UNDP GeoHub
  • InterPlanetary File System

Open Data on AWS

Source Cooperative

SMG on Source Cooperative

OCHA HDX

OCHA HDX country page

OCHA HDX country page

UNDP GeoHub

SMG is active in GitHub issues

End of UN Smart Maps part

Questions and Suggestions?

Smart Maps approach in JICA Technical Cooperation projects

CORS

Continuously Operating Reference Stations

🇰🇭🇯🇴🇸🇳🇹🇭

NSDI

National Spatial Data Infrastructure

🇦🇱🇧🇩🇧🇹🇩🇯🇺🇦

JICA Technical Cooperation is about Capacity Development

Three-layer capacity model

1.Technical Capacity

2.Core Capacity

3.Enabling Environment

1.Technical Capacity

Ability to use technologies

GIS, programming

GNSS positioning, remote sensing

Building workflows

2.Core Capacity

Organizational or individual habits and capabilities

Knowledge sharing

Initiatives

Planning, budget requesting

3.Enabling Environment

External supporting factors

Frameworks and standards

Open data policy

International cooperation

JICA Technical Cooperation Projects are not only about Technical Capacities.

Building Core Capacities and Enabling Environment are to be more emphasized for values.

Why, How, What

Start with why.

Value

Values are created in the strategic use.

Strategic Use of Geospatial Information

Operation

Sense-making

Decision-making

Smart Maps can help

1. Higher availability

2. Flexible app development

We need to improve the availability of the service implemented in the JICA technical cooperation.

80% availability of NSDI platform

98% availability of basemap services

We can make simpler service more distributed with Smart Maps approach

Hosting options

We can host cloud-native files on

  1. On-premise servers
  2. Object storage
  3. Existing platforms
  4. Portable servers
    • Smart Maps Portable
  5. Distributed servers
    • InterPlanetary File System (IPFS)

Smart Maps can help

1. Higher availability

2. Flexible app development

Flexible app development

web-based

AI-assisted

open where possible

https://observablehq.com/about

charites-like-opfs

Hosting on Source Cooperative

SDG11 app

Indicator 11.2.1 Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport

Indicator 11.3.1 Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate

→ kpop-pmtiles

Prototyped with Open Data

Better with Your Data

Strategic Use of Geospatial Data

operation

sense-making

decision-making

End of Smart Maps approach in JICA Technical Cooperation project part

Questions and Suggestions?

Preparation for Taro Matsuzawa's session on web maps

WiFi
SSID smartmaps
password 900913coredumped
  • Open Windows PowerShell
  • ping j2213

Find your machine

ssh local@m3XX

top

country machine
🇦🇱 m334
🇭🇳 m327
🇳🇵 m349
🇵🇬 m331
🇲🇰 m336
🇸🇸A m353
🇸🇸M m328
🇹🇭 m355
🇹🇴 m329
🇿🇼 m342
🇯🇵 m321

Session Review

[Topic 1] UN Open GIS Initiative

Initiative for Hybrid GIS

[Topic 2] UN Smart Maps Group

Keep web maps open

for a better world

Test new technologies

for future geospatial applications

[Topic 3] Smart Maps approach in JICA Technical Cooperation projects

3 layer capacity model

technical, core, enabling

Strategic use

operation, sense-making, decision-making

Cloud-native

for higher availability

[Objective 1] What contributions can be made for the UN Open GIS Initiative?

Anything you can bring to help.

Do-ocracy: a system where decisions and influence are earned through action and contributions, empowering those who do the work to shape the project.

[Objective 2] What benefits you can get from the UN Open GIS Initiative?

Smart Maps approach

make the best use of open

Cloud-native

Strategic use

🇦🇱🇭🇳🇳🇵🇵🇬🇲🇰🇸🇸🇹🇭🇹🇴🇿🇼🇯🇵

Keep in touch

Hidenori Fujimura

  • GitHub (hfu)
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  • fujimura.hidenori#jica.go.jp