Research

At this laboratory we are using GIS to study the use of geospatial information, such as Geospatial Information Authority (GSI) maps and digital national land information, maintained by the national government as well as open data maintained by local governments and big data such as movement history acquired by GPS. For example, the results of this research are being used to support the formulation of plans for tsunami evacuation in snowy and cold regions. The winter environment in snowy and cold regions (frozen road surfaces, reduced road width due to snow, etc.) makes tsunami evacuation in coastal areas extremely difficult. At our laboratory we generate a lot of information necessary for planning, such as the demarcation of difficult-to-evacuate areas, the estimation of difficult-to-evacuate populations, and evaluation of the capacity of evacuation sites under such snowy cold conditions, and publish our techniques and results. In this way, we are developing technologies to easily and quickly create socially useful information from a geographical perspective, and are continuing our research to contribute to the formation of the foundation for an advanced information society.