Each week Spatial Source highlights the best that the internet has to offer.
With the Rio Olympics now a matter of days away, a number of maps have sprung into existence. On the back of the huge criticisms Rio’s organisers have come under, Esri created the “Ready or Not, Let the Games Begin” story map, detailing the economic struggles, the controversial developments and the untimely outbreak of Zika.
Similarly, The New York Times published a story map about Guanabara Bay, where a number of the water events will be held amid pollution that doctors have strongly advised avoiding.
For those more interested in taking part in your own games, you’re probably thinking about Pokémon Go right now. If so, the Pokévision map is for you. Unlike other crowdsourced Pokémon maps it doesn’t show you where Pokémon have been caught, but where they are right now.
If you thought drones were exciting, what about the fact that you can now control them with your mind? How about controlling several robots with your mind while you’re at it? That’s exactly what researchers from Arizona State University are currently doing, as shown by Sensors & Systems. Soon drone mapping may involve nothing more than sitting back and thinking about it.
Maps and virtual reality are set to become a winning combination, as evidenced by both Greenpeace and the new Legend of Tarzan movie. Both combined the two for an immersive mobile VR effect, grounded in the reality provided by maps. Maps Mania even show you how to get started with VR maps.
