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OpenStreetCam plugin becomes KartaView and integrates new visualisation feature

OpenStreetCam plugin becomes KartaView

Following OpenStreetCam’s transition to KartaView at the end of last year, we’re writing to announce that our plugin component will undeniably mirror these changes. The latest version integrates a new name and a matching set of icons and colors which we hope you’ll find not only aesthetically pleasing, but also convenient to work with.

Let’s not stop here, though!

Wrapped 360° photo visualisation

The current KartaView plugin is about to bring to the community some new features related to photo visualisation. Recently, the team has integrated in the tool the support for displaying wrapped 360° images and the possibility to switch between these two available formats.

Map representation and design updates

The wrapped photos integration has been visually enhanced with the following features:

the purple dots represent the location of the photos, which now offer the option of visualising both photo types (wrapped and front-facing)
the blue dots mark the location where only front-facing imagery can be found

Moreover, this fresh plugin version now uses a cool new set of icons for illustrating the actions found in the panel in a more intuitive way.

Switch options and photo display

You can choose a favoured photo format from the preference panel by selecting it from the available options – this will have a general impact on the actions from the tool (e.g. seeing the photos of a loaded track or loading previous/next photo).

Another switching option is pressing the 360^o button from the panel. It is an extremely useful feature for changing the format of the currently shown photo. As seen in the attached picture, all the previously implemented features are available on both formats, including the rendering of the corresponding detections.

This being said, we’re eager to find out how you are going to use this fresh, interesting feature. You can get in touch with us any time at geo.kartaview@grabtaxi.com and let us know what projects you’re working on – we’re always psyched to share with the world what our talented community is up to.

OpenStreetCam plug-in – Search Box for detection filtering

The most recent version of the OpenStreeCam plugin contains a new feature for improving detection filtering. This option became a need due to the significant growth of sign types. Its main purpose is to increase the ease of finding data. Therefore, the signs displayed in the characteristic area are reduced.

The team has added a search box to enable users to find a specific sign by entering keywords. To make filtering more relevant, the typed words should include the category, the sign name, or a combination of these two information. As a result, the detection type area will be sorted according to the input text.

This feature also works alongside the selected value for the region.

We’ll strive to continuously improve the OpenStreeCam plugin with new features!

ImproveOSM plugin – design updates

The latest version of the OpenStreetCam JOSM plugin has many design changes which make the usage more intuitive. The Telenav OSM team added new icons for the three main layers of the ImproveOSM plugin (Turn Restriction, Traffic Flow Direction, Missing Roads) and modified the cluster colors accordingly.

Also, some improvements were made regarding the visualization of turn restriction detections at a high zoom level. The color for the grouped detections was changed in order to match the aspect of the corresponding cluster and to facilitate spotting the detections from the map, the turn restriction icon was changed too.

OpenStreetCam JOSM plugin – new features

The Telenav OSM team just released a new version of the OpenStreetCam JOSM plugin. In the last couple of months we had improved our sign detections and improved the detection map view, by displaying aggregated traffic sign detections instead of individual detections. Traffic signs are detected per OpenStreetCam photos, in dense areas the same traffic sign is detected several times. Checking several detected signs that represent the same traffic sign in real life is time-consuming and slows down the mapping process. In order to improve the mapping process, detections that represent the same traffic sign were aggregated into a single detection.

Map View Changes

Aggregated detections are displayed for high zoom levels starting with zoom level 16. Each aggregated detection is represented by a traffic sign cluster icon rotated based on the detection heading.

Aggregated detection data

An aggregated detection can be selected by a right click from the map and unselected by a double click. When an aggregated detection is selected the detection icon along with the belonging photo locations are highlighted on the map and its information is displayed in the right side OpenStreetCam Detection panel. The photo on which the detection has the best visibility is also loaded automatically.

Loading other photos that contains the detections can be done by either selecting a photo location from the map or by pressing the Next/Previous buttons from the OpenStreetCam Detection panel. For the associated shortcuts take a look at the OpenStreetCam shortcuts from JOSM Preferences.

By default, the plugin displays the photo locations of a selected cluster, but the plugin can be configured to display also the actual detections. This can be enabled from JOSM Preferences->OpenStreetCam plugin -> Aggregated detection settings.

If enabled individual detections are connected to the corresponding photo. This visualization is used mainly for debugging purposes.

Data filters

The OSC plugin data can be filtered based on various new filters. Some of these filters were already present and others were extended.

data to display – the type of data to be displayed for high zoom levels; by default, we display OpenStreetCam photos and aggregated detections; if both detections and aggregated detections are selected then besides aggregated detections only the detections that do not belong to any aggregation are displayed
only mine – displays OpenStreetCam data contributed by the logged in user
not older than – filters out data based on a given timestamp
detection filters – are applied to detection/aggregated detection data
- mode – is applicable only to individual detections; if set filters data based on detection mode; manual detections are detections that were manually marked on the OpenStreetCam photos, while automatic detections are detections recognized automatically by our platform
- edit status – is applicable only to individual detections; if set filters detections based on edit status (if the user had edited or not in OSM the detection)
- OSM comparison – filters the data based on the status; OSM comparison represents a status of a detection regarding its presence in OpenStreetMap; this filter is useful since the mapper can visualize only detections that need to added to the map
- detection type – filter data based on detection type and subtype; this filter is useful if the mapper would like to focus on mapping only a certain type of signs

Default filter settings can be reset by pressing the “Reset” button.

If you are interested in the components used for aggregating the traffic sign detections check out the following presentation: https://youtu.be/3I8lsIttqVA?t=290.

Upcoming features
The JOSM plugin is work on progress, we are working on improving the usability and plan to add new features from time to time. In the near feature, we plan to improve the detection mapping workflows.

We hope that you enjoy the new features! If you have ideas, suggestions or encounter any issue with the plugin during editing sessions please submit either to the GitHub issue page or to the Feedback forum .

Have fun improving the map by using OpenStreetCam images!

ImproveOSM plugin – new features

The Telenav OSM team just released a new version of the ImproveOsm plugin. We have added a location search box (helpful feature for reaching an area to be mapped) and a button for downloading previously selected ways.

Location search box

A new feature we added to the ImproveOSM plugin is the location search box. It enables the user to visualize the desired geographical point at a higher zoom level after entering its coordinates in the text field. The input of the search box should contain the values for latitude and longitude separated by a comma. If the plugin doesn’t understand your input, an intuitive message is displayed in order to help you. This works similar to the JOSM Jump to position but the search box brings advantages such as the single field for data collecting and more validations for the latitude-longitude values.

Download way button

Another feature is the download way button for the Traffic Flow Direction layer. This enables the user to download the ways of the selected road segments in a new Data layer. This option is only available if the Traffic Flow Detection Layer is active. Furthermore, the button becomes enabled when one or more road segments are selected.

OpenStreetCam JOSM plugin – new features

Last week we had released a new version of the OpenStreetCam JOSM plugin. While we are continuously working on improving and fixing existing functionality, we also keep adding new and exciting features.

Map view improvements

This new release introduces a major improvement to the map view. For small zoom levels, we had adopted a similar visualization as in the case of the web and mobile OpenStreetCam applications. Instead of displaying individual photo locations, we display ways that have OpenStreetCam data coverage. Segments are colored with purple and have different transparency based on the data coverage: segments that have many images are opaque while the segments that have only a few images are more transparent.

By changing the initial MapView visualization we were able to display OpenStreetCam data starting with zoom level 10. This way we can indicate areas that have street view coverage at a country view level and possibly give a hint to the user where he/she can find an extra source of mapping support.

Starting with zoom level 18 the map view changes and individual photo locations are displayed similarly as in the previous versions of the plugin.

The displayed data type is user-configurable and can be changed from the OpenStreetCam plugin preference settings. You can access the preference settings from JOSM ->Preferences -> OpenStreetCam plugin -> MapView settings or from the OpenStreetCam panel by clicking on the preference icon.

From the MapView settings section, you can change the minimum zoom level at which image locations are displayed, along with the data type change method. By default, the MapView data type is changed automatically. When the “switch manually between segment and image view” option is enabled a new button is visible in the OpenStreetCam panel.

The “data switch” button is enabled starting from zoom 16 and is represented with different icons based on the displayed data type. For segment map view a photo icon is displayed while for image location views a segment icon.

If you click on the button the map view changes from segment view to image location view and vice-versa. The type of data can be changed manually for zoom levels bigger than 16.

Layer and panel improvements

The OpenStreetCam layer and panel default visibility had been improved and previous open/closed states are remembered for future JOSM sessions. After installing the plugin in order to see the OpenStreetCam data you need to open manually the layer and panel. The layer can be opened from the Imagery -> OpenStreetCam menu, while the panel from the left side JOSM menu.

We had changed the OpenStreetCam window button panel actions and removed the actions that were not related to the currently selected image. Feedback and filter actions were added to the OpenStreetCam layer menu:

In case you need a refresher: OpenStreetCam data can be filtered based on date and currently logged in OSM user. Basically, you can visualize images that were uploaded after the specified date. You can also visualize only your contributed data.

Nearby Photos

An important feature that we have added to the plugin is the nearby photos functionality. This functionality improves the mapping process especially if the selected photo does not contain all the information or if the selected photo has bad quality or has not the right angle.

A nearby photo of a selected photo can be visualized either by clicking on the “Nearby photo” icon or by pressing ALT+N keys.

If the “Load track on image selection” preference settings option is selected then also the track corresponding to the nearby photo is loaded.

Nearby photos are computed based on the currently visible photos, if the user moves the map or zooms in the set of nearby photos is recomputed.

A photo is considered nearby if belongs to a different track and it is located to the maximum distance from the selected photo.

Photo load on mouse hover

Another important feature that we had added to the latest release allows users to quickly load photos on mouse hover action. By default this feature is disabled and can be activated from JOSM ->Preferences -> OpenStreetCam plugin -> Image settings.

If this feature is activated, then the small thumbnail image is loaded in the OpenStreetCam panel and remains loaded only it is explicitly un-selected from the map.

A better resolution image is loaded if you click on the image location icon or if the OpenStreetCam panel is maximized.

Upcoming features

The JOSM plugin is a work in progress, we are working on improving the usability and plan to add new features from time to time.

We hope that you enjoy the new features! If you have ideas, suggestions, or encounter any issue with the plugin during editing sessions please submit either to the GitHub issue page or to the Feedback forum.

Have fun improving the map by using OpenStreetCam images!

OpenStreetCam JOSM plugin

The OpenStreetCam JOSM plugin helps the community to improve the map by displaying up-to-date street view images. Street view images are collected by the OpenStreetCam platform and are available also via the OpenStreetCam web application and map editor.

Having an extra source of free and open imagery eases the process of remote mapping and allows the users to reflect the reality also on the map. Street view images are helpful for editing map features that are not visible on satellite imagery like traffic signs, house numbers, bus stops, points of interest.

Installation

Install the OpenStreetCam plugin the familiar way, through the JOSM plugin Preferences menu item. After you install the plugin and restart JOSM, you should see the OpenStreetCam layer and panel.

OpenStreetCam layer

After a successful installation, the OpenStreetCam layer is available in the layer menu panel, and on the main map, the image locations are displayed. Image locations are illustrated with blue icons, each icon indicating the image heading.

An image location can be selected by single mouse click action as long as the layer is visible. You can select images even if the OpenStreetCam layer is not the active layer.

OpenStreetCam layer displays data starting with zoom level 14, so in order to see the data, you need to zoom in into the desired mapping area.

For Imagery layers, the data is loaded as you move the map and zoom in/out. In the case of OSM data, the OpenStreetCam layer data is loaded only for the downloaded area.

The plugin saves the open/closed state of the layer. So if you delete the layer then at the next JOSM session the OpenStreetCam layer will not be loaded by default. A previously deleted OpenStreetCam layer can be activated again from the Imagery menu.

OpenStreetCam panel
In the OpenStreetCam panel, you can interact with the currently selected image.

The panel along with the image displays basic information such as OSM username and date of creation.

The panel also has a number of action buttons on the bottom. These are for filtering, next/previous image loading, centering the map, opening the image web page, and giving feedback. Image-related actions are enabled only when the image is showing in the panel.

These features will be discussed in the next sections.

The plugin saves the open/closed state of the panel. So if you delete the panel then at the next JOSM session the OpenStreetCam panel will not be opened by default. If you don’t see the panel you should be able to open it by selecting the OpenStreetCam icon from the left side panel.

Image filtering

The displayed data can be filtered based on the creation time and JOSM user. In order to view only your uploaded images, you need to authenticate in JOSM using OAuth login.

By default no filter is set, custom filters can be removed by clicking the Clear button.

Visualizing an image and corresponding track
Individual images can be visualized by clicking on the image icon displayed on the map. The corresponding image is loaded in the OpenStreetCam panel and the corresponding track is displayed on the map.

An OpenStreetCam track is illustrated with a blue directed line. Images belonging to the selected track are illustrated with opaque icons; while other images along the track are illustrated with transparent icons.

Image zoom in/out

The displayed image can be zoomed in and out using the mouse wheel. In an already zoomed-in image details can be observed by moving the image left, right, up, and down.

Next/Previous image

You can navigate between the previous and next image of a track either from the OpenStreetCam panel by clicking on the Next/Previous button or by pressing the Alt-Left arrow/Alt-Right arrow.

If the next or previous image is not visible in the current view, the map is moved automatically and images near the track are downloaded.

Center map to the selected image

The map can be re-centered to the selected image location by clicking on the “Location” button from the OpenStreetCam panel. This feature is useful when the map was moved and the selected image location is not visible on the map.

Image web page

The selected image web page can be opened by clicking on the “Globe” button from the OpenStreetCam panel.

Upcoming features

We are working on improving our JOSM plugin and plan to add new exciting features. In the near future we plan to:

improve image loading speed by adding caching mechanism
allow the user to select easily nearby images to an already selected image
improve the map view and suggest street view coverage by displaying OSM ways instead of individual images. We will implement something similar as in the case of the web and mobile applications.

Source code

The source code for the plugin can be found on GitHub.

Feedback

Ideas, suggestions, and bug reports can be submitted either to the plugin’s GitHub issue page or to the Feedback forum. Other mapper’s ideas can be voted there.

We take a look at all incoming ideas, so be sure your input is heard and very much appreciated!

Have fun adding missing map features using OpenStreetCam images.

OSM Mapping party – spring edition

On the 17th of April, we had our first Mapping party event for this year. Our main focus was to improve the map of our hometown by reflecting on the latest changes. Cluj-Napoca is a dynamic city, many new buildings were constructed; POIs, turn restrictions, addresses have been changed and appeared since the last field mapping.

Around 30 map enthusiasts show up on Sunday morning for the Mapping party. There were both experienced mappers and newbies present at the event. The event had started with a morning coffee and some instructions regarding data collections.

For data collections we used the following tools:
• Field papers: our colleague Florin Badita had taken some time before the event and had created field papers for several city areas

• GPS tracker applications: OSMTracker, OSMAnd, Pushpin OSM and so an
• OpenStreetView application

We have divided the people into smaller groups of 2-3 persons. After each group had chosen an area to map we went out to collect the data.
In the afternoon we headed back to our meeting location to add the collected data into OpenStreetMap.

An outcome overview of our mapping effort is presented on the following images: