The voice virtual assistant for geospatial data visualization is a collaborative research project between the BStreams application, Politecnico di Milano University, and the Federal University of Parana.
What is a Voice map?
The voice map application is the result of research for embedding the voice virtual assistant in the geospatial data visualization on Bstream. The voice map enables all the users to talk and interact with geospatial data through verbal communication and voice commands. The complexity of the geospatial data visualization and customization will be eased with the help of voice commands. The voice virtual assistant in the web application is facilitated with a chat bot that enables to follow the interactions and provide responses and feedback for the users.
The voice map is enabling the users to query and filter geospatial data, utilise customization on the visualization, and navigate through different places all around the world with Voice Commands. This chart is a combination of two available geospatial data visualization, Marker map and a Graduated color map, that can be customized and visualized with voice commands.
How to make a Voice map?
The development of the voice map aimed to remove the domain knowledge barrier for users. You can see the trace of this perspective in the development. However, because the voice map is a combination of two already existing maps (Marker map, and Graduated Color map), the creation of a voice map inherits the standard structures from it’s parents.
For this purpose, you have to navigate to the DevLab section and drag and drop the chart “Voice map” to your canvas.
- Select the dataset that contains geographic coordinates. (if your dataset does not include the Latitude and Longitude read this article to add coordinates to your dataset)
- Select the map that is suitable with geographic information in your dataset.
- Match the required latitude and longitude from your fields.
- Select a Metric that you wish to visualize on your voice map.
- Click on the “Apply” button.
- Click on “Activate voice” in the chatbot till the map hears your voice commands!
Your voice map is ready, and you can start exploring the world and your map with Voice!
For sure, your browser asks for consent to access your microphone, and if you wish to communicate with the voice map, you have to select the “Allow” option.
You can add more information and engage the users.
In the following table, you can find all the commands that are available for communicating with the voice map.
Command | Usage |
Help/Commands | With this command, you can see all the available commands that you can say to the to voice map in seven different categories. |
Change map/basemap | It alters the basemap behind the geospatial data visualization. |
Show basemap/map
Hide basemap/map |
These commands control the visibility of the basemap in your geospatial visualization. |
Move/pan/go to (*direction) |
This command changes the visualization of the map to the direction that you would like to explore.
*Direction: the direction in the voice map can be any type of normal, such as left/right/up/down or geographical direction such as east/north/west/south. |
Zoom in/out | It changes the scale of the map. |
Show me/Zoom to/Find/Go to (location) | With this command you can navigate to different spots and places of interest. The voice map allows you to fly around the world and explore better. |
Show/hide markers | This command controls the visualisation of the markers. |
Increase/decrease the cluster radius | The command alters the radius cluster related to the markers. By increasing or decreasing the radius cluster you can control the aggregation of the markers on your map. |
Change marker(s)/ Change shape of marker(s) | It can change the format of the markers into different shapes. |
Change (the) color of (the) marker to (prefered color) | This command changes the color of the markers to your preferred color. If the color that you said were not available you receive feedback from the voice map. |
Show/hide/remove regions | It can control the visibility of the graduated color maps. It removes or visualizes the choropleth maps segments. |
Increase/decrease opacity of map | This command alters the transparency of the graduated color visualization. By saying this command the opacity of the graduated color map will change 0.5 degrees. |
Change steps to (a number between 2 and 10) | The breakpoint between your metric can changes with this command. You can change the classification steps of your graduated color into steps between 2 and 10. |
Change color palette | This command change the color scale of the graduated color map. It shuffles the available color palette on your visualization. |
Show/hide legend | It controls the visibility of the legend for your graduated color map. |
Filter greater/less than (number) | This command is allowing you to query the graduated color map. The number is based on the metric that you choose. It ranges around the lowest and greatest numbers that you have in the selected metric field. |
Filter add/remove (name of the region/province) | Adding or removing specific areas, is possible with this command. You have to say the command and the name of the province that you have in your graduated color which wish to hide or visualize. |
Want to learn more about maps? Email us at support@bstreams.io
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