Formal representation of qualitative direction. Issue 12 (2nd December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Freksa, Christian; van de Ven, Jasper; Wolter, Diedrich
• Is Part Of: International journal of geographical information science. Volume 32:Issue 12(2018)
• Page Start: 2514
• Page End: 2534
• Publication Date: 2018-12-02
• Subjects: Qualitative spatial and temporal representations -- formal representation -- qualitative direction; Geography -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Information storage and retrieval systems -- Periodicals; Géomatique -- Périodiques; Systèmes d'information -- Périodiques; 910.285
• DOI: 10.1080/13658816.2017.1420794
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1365-8816

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper reviews formal approaches to representing spatial knowledge about qualitative direction. Unlike geometric direction information, qualitative information does not employ numerical values but relies on comparison. The qualitative approach is often regarded as suitable for capturing commonsense concepts and thus is relevant to human-centered interfaces for spatial information systems. To establish a context for the work on qualitative direction, we preset a brief history of the development of qualitative temporal and spatial representations from different scientific perspectives. We identify main focal areas of these representations of spatial direction and propose a taxonomy. In the light of more than three decades of fruitful research, we obtain a map of formal representations that reveal interrelationships between different research strands in the field.