1. visualizing geospatial data
Seeing Is Believing
visualizing geospatial data
with Blender
Klaas Dijkstra
October 2011

2. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
Overview
who am I
why this talk
what is GIS
what is Blender
conclusions / future steps
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

3. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
Who am I
Klaas Dijkstra
Traffic engineer
GIS data analist at Nokia L&C (NAVTEQ)
Founder/owner of XYZtens.eu
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

4. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
Why this talk
GIS
Blender
open source
communication
kick-off
your input!
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

5. What is GIS Geographic Information System
Geographical Information Science
Geospatial Information Studies
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

6. Geographic / Geographical / Geospatial, because
with GIS we describe (a part of) our real world:
streets
a national park
a country
a continent
the world
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

7. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
Information, because
GIS holds properties of real-world objects:
streets (street furniture)
a national park (plant diversity)
a country (demographics)
a continent (river pollution)
the world (climate/weather)
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

8. System / Science / Studies, because
GIS
utilizes (Information) Technology
includes geometry tools
create / change / remove
mathematical calculations
includes attributing tools
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

9. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
GIS under the hood
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

10. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
GIS
connects objects’ attributes with their location
connects objects with other objects
simulates the real world
is about finding spatial relations
uses a map as a visual connector
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

11. Spatial Extract-Transform-Load software
FME (
Special GIS application, but...
multitude of formats
data-centered
simple mapping functionality
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

12. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
FME
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

13. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
FME Viewer
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

14. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
FME Viewer
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

15. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
FME Viewer demo
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

16. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

17. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
time! (4 D)
reality
open source
IS a visual UI
output IS visual
I thought a talk on how Blender could fill up the gap in the FME visualization is interesting for this FME audience.
At least this will be a challenge for me to really look into the possibilities.
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

18. GIS  Blender: what is needed?
GIS, to
process a format readable to Blender
Blender, to
make attribution available
bring in interaction (BGE?)
keep coordinate accuracy of original
enable the way back to GIS
I thought a talk on how Blender could fill up the gap in the FME visualization is interesting for this FME audience.
At least this will be a challenge for me to really look into the possibilities.
Consultation evening
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

19. visualizing geospatial data with Blender
Thank you!
Questions?
Shoot me!
visualizing geospatial data with Blender

20. Presentatie in Blender GE
Fly-through / animaties / navigatie
FME  B (2d)
FME  B (3d)
FME  B (3d) VR: tracking
BGE
B  FME

21. Waarom Blender en geen KML?
Waarom Blender niet via Collada?
3d, 3d +t, navigation, interaction
Virtual Tours / Augmented Reality
FME transformer Earth
Open source, Python compatibility
Attribution & editing?

22. About me / my profession
About GIS: layer approach, modelling our world, cartography/presentation, information, calculation, what-if scenarios; FME, ArcGIS, CAD, etc.
About Blender from my perspective: art, reality, 3d, time, BGE interactivity
Comparison: open v. proprietary, visual approach, strong community, Python
Where Blender can help FME: what is needed?
Demos: 2d, 2.5d, 3d, 4d, attribution, editing
Build a stripped down version of Blender
Future developments

23. Klaas Dijkstra
Traffic engineer
founder/owner of XYZtens.eu
GIS data analist at Nokia L&C (since 2005)