A Research Of Designing And Representing Methods For Embedded Children Map Symbols

As a model of the real world, the map is an important media of the acquisition of children’s spatial knowledge, and also a powerful tool to the cultivation of children’s spatial thinking, imagination, and cognition. The children map has been a research hotspot and an important content of early education aboard; however, it hasn’t gain much focus in China. The map symbol is important in the representation of map content, and it plays a key role in the expression and conveyance of map information. Following the step of information technology and wireless communication technique, the map media expand from paper map to electronic map, web map, and embedded map and so on. Of which the research of the embedded is mainly focusing on the navigation-oriented symbol, whereas the representation of the symbol hasn’t explored much. Therefore, a design and representation pattern of embedded map symbol, which both follows the characteristic and design principle of embedded map and also confirms to the children’s cognition ability is in need. This topic was studied and discussed is this dissertation. The details are as follows:1. Based on the characteristics of embedded devices and the types and features of embedded maps, a design principle for mobile embedded maps was proposed. And the basic theory of map symbol designation was summarized from the aspect of map symbol type and visual variable.2. After a review of basic theories about the representation of children maps, a design principle for embedded children map symbols was put forward. The design patterns of embedded map symbols for children were discussed from the perspective of map symbol types and visual variables. Also, a 3-dimension landmark symbol representation method from children’s perspective was presented on the basis of children’s spatial location encoding characteristics.3. Take Nanjing HongShan Zoo as a sample, we implemented the principle proposed above and produced a set of embedded map symbols orienting children in grade 1 to 3. A cognition experiment was also carried to test the correctness and satisfaction level of the symbols. As the result showed, the symbols can satisfy children’s cognition ability and visual feeling features.4. A prototype of embedded children map system was build, and a children’s perspective-oriented 3D landmark symbol rotating algorithm was implemented on that.