Perceptual Maps: Mapping the visual perception of travelers in a city using google street view as sensor

Each geotagged panoramic image = visual sensor of the area What if I use every google street images of a city (e.g. Paris) and analyze specific visual perception/feature to create perceptual maps?

Keywords: Psychogeography, computer vision, Art, Flaneur/Baudelaire

Example: Claustrophobia Map - sensing the

“openness” of urban spaces.

how much sky can I perceive if I travel there?

Question: Where are the most open spaces in Paris?

People perception angle when traveling

Average openness= (yellow point)

Dark area = Orange/Red point

Mapping the perception Each colored point on the map represents the degree of “openness” of an area (computed for each associated google street view image)

Claustrophobia Map of Paris

Claustrophobia map of SAN FRANCISCO

Business center == no sky

Level of green perception in

the network of Paris (Perceptual GPS: I want a “green” travel,

guide me using such a map!)

unachieved personal research project

TODO

• Exploring other visual features (e.g. mapping the “colourfulness” of an area), detecting specific textures (e.g. mapping architectural styles in a city)

• Perceptual GPS: programming travels in a city according to visual perceptions (see also “random GPS” /“serendipity in a physical network” project)

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- What is the goal of such kind of maps?”

- just the pleasure to explore new maps: mapping the visual perception of travelers in a city. (not enough time to explore fully the concept)

Contact: n.maisonneuve@gmail.com (nicolas maisonneuve)