A highly integrated Horizontal coordinate-based tool for ...

A highly integrated Horizontal coordinate-based tool forarchitecture

Chi-Li Cheng1, June-Hao Hou21,2National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, [email protected] [email protected]

In this research, we attempt to develop a tool which integrates certain commongeographic information from OpenStreetMap and OpenTopography intoGrasshopper. We name it as OSMKIT temporarily. Besides, in order to make theintegration in the design process easier, this tool includes the bilateral conversionfunction of coordinate in Rhinoceros 3D and the coordinate of the World GeodeticSystem. These characteristics bring about several possibilities for further usage.This paper contains explanations of functions and examples. For instance, it canbe employed for data visualization on a map when these data contain coordinateinformation. Additionally, since this tool is simple and intuitive to convert pointsinto GPS coordinates, it can make users plan drone for photogrammetry and dealwith other related tasks on the rhinoceros 3D interface, helping them to gain mostcurrent urban models. Moreover, architects or designers can be not only usersbut also contributors for open source map system such as OpenStreetMap; theprocess of sharing the mode which user measure is demonstrated in this paper. Tosum up, this coordinate system based tool is designed to be multifunctional andsuitable for interdisciplinary usages in grasshopper.

Keywords: open-source maps, data visualization, geographic informationsystem, urban research, parametric design, interdisciplinary

INTRODUCTIONSince the data-driven Design process is played a cru-cial role in the contemporary architecture field. Over-laying various data on the map is a handy way for re-search or site(Jung Hoon et al. 2013). Nevertheless,Architects usually struggle with integrating abun-dant and various information and software, seekingthe solution everywhere. Certain researchers in ar-chitecture engaged in promotingWebGIS(Antje et al.2018) and relative planning tool(Daniel et al. 2018)for decision making cross scales and disciplines in

secondary schools andmore andmore architects areinterested in it; besides, the framework integratingand visualizing GIS-related big data has been pro-posed(Chen et al. 2014). Since these data available, itprovides awhole newperspective of viewby visualiz-ing them(Dutt et al. 2016).On the other hand, as theprogress of the measurement technique, architectsor designers begin to pay attention to the potentialof using these techniques in the designprocess(Danilet al. 2018). By now, either scholars nor architectsagree with the importance of the role of data. For in-

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stance, the case of the research about utilizing opendata for analysis of livability of urban space mani-fests the power of it(Eleanna et al. 2017). Addition-ally, photogrammetry anddrone techniques becomemore and more common and more and more re-searchers improve relative technology; it seems suit-able and practical for measurement for either largescale(Faine et al. 2015) or focusing on one sub-ject(Demetrios et al. 2015). The appearance of var-ious digital tools was a good start to enhance archi-tects. Even though it seems powerful that architectshave begun using parametric design tool, it bringsabout even more challenge that architects have re-quired even more complicated analyses during thedesign process and the presentation because clientsview current architects are capable and responsiblefor analyzing with computation. The difficulty andcomplexity of integrating various data can be seenin the relative research which involves BIM, Big Data,CityGML, etc(Jungrim et al. 2015). The reason whythe integration of complex information in the designprocess is always a big issue can arguably be specu-lated that the situation results from the fact that themajority of design software is designed without thearchitect’s perspective; somehowtheyarebarkingupthewrong tree. Those functions and interfaces are ei-ther too complex or confusing for architects who arein the design process. As a result, these vain requiresthat architects can not conquer results in chaos in thearchitect field. On the other hand, in the view of thefact that architects have started to be used to uti-lizing the parametric design tool, a parametric toolthat manages certain most common and open geo-graphic information simultaneously might work forfacilitating architectural design processes.

RELATEDWORKCertain tools are already existed for gaining modelfrom open-source maps or converting location sys-tem. However, they are not easy to integrate themtogether. First of all, the Elk, which developed byTimothy Logan, is a tool to generate the map andthe topographical surface from OpenStreetMap. It is

a powerful tool that contains the completed selec-tion function for picking points of particular features,but a fly in the ointment was that Elk hasn’t the func-tion of dealing with the conversion of points and Ge-ographic coordinates. On the other hand, the toolMEERKAT GIS, which is developed by Nadlowe, con-tains the conversion function; However, it is SHP for-matbased tool. Themajority of this kindof data is notopen and not accessible. Besides, MEERKAT GIS is nomore updated, being incompatible with the newestversion rhinoceros 3D. Even when they work, it is in-convenient and sophisticated to overlay the modelsgenerated from these two tools. Itmakes spatial datavisualization in the urban model problematic. Addi-tionally, @it is a tool that is capable of dealing withOSM format and SHP format. Nevertheless, sometools of it are no more functional; besides, it is quitecomplex to use them. Therefore, It is time to figureout the new solution for relative tasks or research.Additionally, the solution to reducing the thresholdof contributing models is also taken into account.

METHODThe goal of developing this tool is facilitating the in-tegrationof various information; the fundamental ca-pability is tomeet themost general need. Hence, thedevelopment started from importing the street mapand terrain as base data. Besides, in order to makeit easy to adapt. This tool is developed for the mostcommon platform: Grasshopper and all of the func-tions are collected in one single component as versa-tile as a swiss army knife. As a result, users just needto focus on only one component and various taskswill be solved by it. The first step to use it is inputtingfile from OpenStreetMap or Opentopography. Then,themap or terrain will appear in the interface; subse-quently, this tool will enable the function of the co-ordinate converter according to the map. From thenon, users are able to handle the conversion betweenPoints in Rhinoceros 3D and coordinate system fromother sources freely; besides, it is a crucial part of thistool which makes it multifunctional.

For instance, the further function of this tool is

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Figure 1Applications of thistool.

Figure 2This component iswith pop upfunction.

Figure 3Displaying the mapof OpenStreetMap.

Figure 4The function toselect particularmodels by key.

Figure 5The example ofgenerating citymodel.


to convert polyline of building into the format thatis used for uploading onto OpenStreetMap. The us-agewhich contains converting series points toDronePath Planning in Grasshopper interface. The utiliza-tion of tagging information into the map for spatialdata visualization and spatial analysis (Figure 1). Insum, there are various handy usages could be basedon the conversion mechanism. The functions andworkflow of this tool will bementioned in the follow-ing.

FUNCTIONSPOP UP. The pop-up function is employed in thistool. It will be triggered when the user doesn’t inputmap or terrain but just activate it. Then, the twoweb-sites of OpenStreetMap and Opentopography willpop up immediately and simultaneously(Figure 2),implying that users can gain data from them.

OpenStreetMap. There are three inputs serve theapplication of using OpenStreetMap, including OSMMap, Search by Key, and Brep. Besides, six outputsfor it, such as Entire Map, Elements of Entire Map,Models from Searching, Values from Searching, Keyin Map, and Values in Map. Once the map which isdownloaded from OpenStreetMap as OSM format isinputted, the polylines of themapwill appear instan-taneously(Figure 3).

However, the polylines which just appear are notclassified. If the user wants to select certain polylinesthat belong to a particular key, the output Elementsof Entire Map will output all of the keys included inthe map. Thus, the user can input the key neededinto the input Search by Key; then, the polylines ofthe key will be outputted from Models from Search-ing(Figure 4). The values correspond to keys will beavailable as well.

The following is the demonstration of generat-ing the model of Manhattan(Figure 5). In order tomake the data flow as simple as possible, it keeps thedata structure. Nonetheless, It might result in warn-ingmessages because certain data are filtered out bythe Search by Key. On the other hand, these data af-ter filteringare correspondentwitheachother; there-

fore, the user doesn’t need to worry about it but linkthese components intuitively.

Coordinate Conversion. Because the data fromOpenStreetMap is globally accessible, it is appropri-ate to be used as the backgroundmap. The functionsof the location are based on the map from Open-StreetMap. These points in Grasshopper through thistool will be related to Geographic coordinate system.Users are able to derive Geographic coordinate fromthe map. In this case, it demonstrates the visualiza-tion with tagging texts of longitudes and latitudesat points(Figure 6). These functions have a variety ofapplications, such as data visualization, spatial mea-surement, and even planning path of a drone.

Furthermore, this function serves to convert Ge-ographic coordinates to points in Grasshopper. It canbe utilized for visualization of sorts of data with Geo-graphic coordinates. For example, the data of waterquality formData.Taipei can be automatically taggedon the map in Grasshopper(Figure 7).

Opentopography. This tool contains the function ofconverting the ASC file from Opentopography intomesh model in grasshopper(Figure 8). The meshmodel is outputted from Terrain by SRTM.

Visualizing the GPX format and geographic infor-mation. GPX is a common format for tracking path.There are various applications that users can utilizethem on their mobile devices. The user can link upthe file path of the GPX file to the input (Location orgpx). Besides, this tool allows users to input the filepath of GPX format and the list of Geographic coor-dinate in Grasshopper. It contains the mechanism torecognize what the data is. To do so, the user canuse this tool to visualize and convert them intopointswith visualization of elevation by color in Grasshop-per(Figure 9).

Contributing building model onto Open-StreetMap. In order to facilitate the usage of con-tributingbuildingmodels, this tool contains the func-tion that converts the Brepmodel of building into theOSM format for JOSM. In addition, this tool will checkwhether the models from rhinoceros 3D have inter-


Figure 6Visualization of thelocations by texts.

Figure 7The visualization ofwater quality inTaipei city.

Figure 8Generating theterrain.

Figure 9Visualization of GPXdata.

Figure 10The models fromRhino to JOSM.


Figure 11Converting GPXdata into points inRhino.

Figure 12Using this tool fordrone pathplanning.

ference with the background map for avoiding over-lap. In JOSM, users are able to add more informationand then upload them onto OpenStreetMap(Figure10).

DRONE PATH PLANNING. After elaborating thesefunctions, the demonstration about integrating vari-ousdata forphotogrammetry is describedhere. In re-search or a design process, the acquisition of modelsplays a vital role. Besides, photogrammetry can notonly get themodel but also extract the texture(Marc.2015). It might bring about a huge advantage in ar-chitectural design. On the other hand, a convenienttool for customizing thepathof the drone can also fa-cilitate the research about how to plan better dronepath per se; it is crucial for improving the qualityof the model by photogrammetry. There are somecases about developing an algorithm to plan dronepath, such as the research that plan the path forthe plane, dealing with the more sophisticated taskthan hovering the helicopter(Joao. 2014). Besides,artists also begin viewing drone as a new media for

their work, such as drawing pattern or image in thesky(Russell Klimas. 2019). On the other hand, pho-togrammetry is also suitable for documenting thecurrent issue because it provides a 3Dmodel that canbe surveyed from various perspective(Stuart. 2016).

Those cases shows the significant potential ofplanning the drone path. Hence, it is worth devel-oping a more convenient and versatile process forit. Since the user is able to integrate GPX and Open-StreetMap informationmore easily by using this tool,the user can utilize GPX application to measure therough outline of the subject, planning and optimiz-ing drone path in the parametric design environ-ment. In this demonstration, we propose the ap-proach to avoid missing certain detail of the build-ing when taking photos in the sky. The path of thedrone is optimized by focusing more on these parton the outline with relative poor visibility. For exam-ple, the concave part of a curve might cause occlu-sion, causing the defect. The majority of planningpath application software doesn’t deal with it. Thistool makes the test and planning of drone pathmore


convenient. The following is the process from mea-suring rough outline to export waypoints onto droneapplication(litchi).

First of all, the user can acquire GPX data by us-ing GPX applications on a mobile device. Then, thepoints of the rough outline can be derived from theGPX data with this tool(Figure 11).

The next step is drawing an offset outline fromthe original outline as a preliminary path. The off-set outline can keep the particular distance from thebuilding, making the scale of the features on build-ing even. Then, the visibility of each part of theoutline for a drone can be analyzed in Grasshopper.These parts with poor visibility might cause the de-fect; therefore, it is better to make the drone camerapay more attention to these parts. After rearrang-ing the directions of positions, the subsequent stepis converting positions and directions in Grasshop-per into the waypoint format. The parameters thatthe drone path needs are the latitude, longitude, alti-tude, heading, and gimbal pitch. The latitude, lon-gitude, and altitude are derived from the points ingrasshopper; besides, the heading and gimbal pitcharederived from the vector of direction. Then,weusegrasshopper for string handling according to the for-mat that fits litchi hub(“flylitchi”. 2019). After gener-ating CSV file for litchi, the user can import the fileinto Mission Hub- Litchi, upload onto the Litchi appon amobile device. Then, the drone can be operatedfor photogrammetry(Figure 12).

CONCLUSIONIn this research, the tool for facilitating the designprocess is developed by considering the way that ar-chitects employ tools. That’s the reasonwhy this toolis so compact instead of scattered. From then on, ar-chitects can utilize OSMKIT for integrating various in-formation. Besides, architects are able to acquire themost current model without suffering from seekingmodels by hook or by crook. They can just employtheir own drone with photogrammetry technology.Moreover, this tool further democratizes the processof contributing to OpenStreetMap, encouraging the

relationship between user and data. The exampleof data visualization and planning drone path illus-trates how to integrate several media, showing howthe workflow can be. Additionally, the cause makesthis tool handy is that it contains two main func-tions simultaneously; the first one is acquiring openGeographic information and the second is bilateralConversion between points in Grasshopper andGeo-graphic coordinate. To sum up, this tool links up theGrasshopper to the earth, providing a more intuitivesolution to integrate various information.

FUTUREWORKAlthough these functions and usages in this researchare so practical for architecture, the potential for en-tertainment or art is worth thinking through. The fu-ture work would be the improvement of efficiencyand multifunctional. The compatibility of the SHPformat will be included in the next update. Further-more, the next project that we take into account isthe performance of drone swarm in grasshopper.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTThis research was supported by the Ministry of Sci-ence and Technology under Grant Number 108-2634-F-009-013-, and wasmanaged by the PervasiveArtificial Intelligence Research (PAIR) Labs, Taiwan.

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A highly integrated Horizontal coordinate-based tool for ...

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