Geomob: Recent Episodes
Ed Freyfogle
Ed interviews Jo Walsh, a pioneer of the open data movement, one of the earliest people involved in OpenStreetMap, and co-author of the highly-influential O'Reilly book "Mapping Hacks". They discuss the early days of the open data revolution, the emergence of projects like OpenStreetMap, and the challenges and future of open data. And much more.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed and Steven catch up on their summer activities. There is now a Geomob page on Ripple.fm a social network focused around podcasts. We encourage all listeners to join the discussion there. Next topic is the recent exodus from Twitter and the emergence of alternative platforms like Mastodon and speciifically BlueSky, where Steven is now also mirroring Mappery content. The conversation concludes with a reminder about the upcoming Geomob events and a break from #fridaygeotrivia for the month.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
George Porto Ferreira, chair of sponsorship for FOSS4G 2024, joins Steven to discuss the conference taking place in Belém, Brazil from 2nd-8th of December. This year the annual gathering of the open source geospatial community will focus on the environment, and will feature keynote speakers such as Veronica Andreu, Luis Mota, Ariel Antiany, Tom Crowley, Céline Jaquin, and Gilberto Câmara. As always the program will include workshops, academic papers, and presentations on various geospatial software. The event aims to attract a diverse group of attendees, with a special focus on Latin American participants.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Recent Geomob London speaker (April 2024) Wil Waters discusses the Geospatial Index, a listing of publicly traded geospatial companies he has developed. Wil is host of a new geospatial podcast of the same name. He explains the motivation behind the project and the potential for geospatial practitioners to capture more value from the industry. Wil also explores the idea of creating a publicly tradable entity based on the Geospatial Index and the challenges involved. He emphasizes the importance of taking a systematic approach to investing and encourages geospatial professionals to consider ownership positions in geospatial companies.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this episode we introduce new co-host Alastair Graham, who wil take the lead on all things Earth Observation here on the Geomob podcast!Long-time geospatial podcast listeners will of course recognize Alastair from the Scene From Above podcast which he co-hosted for several years. We are delighted to add his experience and insights to the show. We discuss Alastair's background in geospatial and Earth observation, and his reasons for returning to podcasting. We then also explore the challenges of making the Earth observation industry commercially viable and the need for education and use cases to create awareness and demand.It's exciting to add a new voice to the show. Welcome Alastair!Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Recent Geomob Berlin speaker and avid cyclist Dave Whittingham discusses his project Kreuzungen, a service that allows users to upload their GPX tracks and find out which rivers they have crossed. The project started as a fun idea and has now gained popularity amongst Strava users. Dave highlights the importance of open data and open-source tools in making the project possible. Kreuzungen serves as an example of learning through experimentation and play in the geospatial community.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Shoaib Burq, the founder of GeoBase, discusses his background in geospatial and the development of GeoBase, a geospatial backend as a service. GeoBase aims to provide developers with a powerful and easy-to-use platform for building geospatial applications. The product handles data storage, querying, and other backend services, allowing developers to focus on creating an amazing user experience. Shoaib highlights the growing demand for geospatial developers and the need for a tool that combines geospatial technology with software engineering. He also mentions various use cases for GeoBase, including real estate search, fleet tracking, and solar energy potential analysis. The project is currently in private beta and will be generally available soon.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Phil Cooper, an expert in remote sensing and geospatial data, joins the show to discuss Amazon's cloud services and their impact on the space and satellite sector. He explains the launch of Amazon Location Services, which offers mapping and geospatial capabilities tailored for B2B use cases. Phil also highlights the increasing importance of remote sensing and satellite data, driven by the reduced cost of launch and the exponential growth of data volumes. He discusses the process of capturing and processing satellite data, emphasizing the move towards near real-time data delivery. The conversation touches on topics such as data strategy, data formats, and the Overture Maps Initiative.Phil highlights the potential of geospatial data in addressing global challenges and the need for responsible and meaningful questions to be asked. He predicts the rise of companies working in space and the changing nature of the GIS profession.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Today's conversation is wide-ranging - taking us through the British electoral system, the distortion of electoral maps, the use of drones in agriculture, the importance of green spaces in cities, and statistical modeling in spatial contexts. The diversity of topics comes about due to our recap of the biggest week days in Geomob history with events in Edinburgh, Leuven (the first Geomob Belgium), and London. Ed had the good fortune to attend the Belgium and London events, he shares his impressions. Finally, the conversation touches on the energy consumption of AI and the need for sustainable solutions.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Lukas Hort, a game designer at Hamburg-based Pipapo Games, discusses their game Map Map, which is all about cartography and mapping. The game involves exploring islands, marking locations on a map, and finding clues to a legendary lost treasure. The target audience includes map fans and cozy gamers who enjoy relaxing gameplay. The game is still in development and will be available on Steam, where a preview video can be seen.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven and Ed discuss #geoweirdness, a series of content "threads" that OpenCage creates on mastodon to engage with their audience and promote their geocoding API. They talk about the challenges of marketing a geocoding API and the need to create content that is interesting and shareable. They discuss the different types of threads, including country-specific threads and threads about specific topics that span all countries. Steven cites the example of the recent thread about the European football championship and the changing borders of countries. From there the discussion moves to #fridaygeotrivia, a live geo trivia game Ed organized on the final Friday of the month on mastodon. He discusses the difficulty of coming up with new topics and questions. Finally, our hosts play a quick round of geo trivia, asking each other questions about football and geography. Ed and Steven encourage listeners to check out the geoWeirdness threads and participate in the geotrivia quizzes.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed chats with Steve McLeod, the founder of Feature Upvote, a service that allows customers to suggest and upvote ideas for products. At the recent Geomob Barcelona and Berlin events we used the service to vote for best speaker at Geomob events. They also explore the challenges of gathering feedback, distinguishing between different types of feedback, and overcoming language barriers. Steve shares advice for managing feedback and making customers feel listened to.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Our conversation covers two recent Geomob events, one in Barcelona and the other in Berlin, with discussions on the talks, speakers, and audience feedback. We then delve into the Amazon geospatial event in London, the new voting system, upcoming Geomob events, and the challenges of managing sponsors. Finally we salute Geomob sponsor Ed Parsons on recently winning the Royal Geographic Society's Professional Geography Award. Well done!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Gala Camacho, organizer of Geomob Edinburgh, joins Ed on the podcast to discuss her experience organizing the event and provide advice for others interested in starting GeoMob in their cities. The first event in Edinburgh was a success, with a diverse range of talks covering technical, artistic, and business topics. Gala emphasizes the importance of creating a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere at Geomob events, where attendees can make connections and discuss geospatial topics. She also highlights the need for more speakers and encourages anyone interested to submit their ideas. Overall, the event received positive feedback and demonstrated the demand for a geospatial community in Edinburgh. The next Geomob Edinburgh will be on June 25th
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Sanna Jokela, CEO of Gispo, joins us to discuss a project the company did with UNESCO's International Institute for Educational Planning, and which was presented at the most recent Geomob Finland in Turku. The project focused on using rainfall data to find optimal school hours in sub-Saharan Africa. Gispo specializes in open source geospatial tools and works with both local and global clients. We also briefly discuss the Finnish geospatial scene, which has a strong emphasis on open source, with many companies using tools like QGIS. The project for UNESCO is still being tested, but the QGIS plugin they developed has the potential for impact in the community. The conversation also touches on the importance of open data and the power of OpenStreetMap in school projects.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
James Morrison, head pilot and UAS ("Unmanned Aircraft System") lead at Ordnance Survey, discusses the use of drones in mapping and surveying. He shares examples of how drones were used to quickly assess landslips and update mapping in the Isle of Wight, as well as capture data for residential housing developments. James explains the different types of drones used by Ordnance Survey and their capabilities, including capturing imagery with centimeter-level accuracy. He also discusses the importance of safety and following regulations when flying drones. James envisions the continued use of drones in surveying, with potential advancements in sensors and flight times.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Robin Wilson, maker of the British Placename Mapper, discusses his project and the power and joy of digital geography. The web app allows users to search and explore British place names, revealing fascinating patterns and historical trends. Robin built the tool for fun during a period of free time and was pleasantly surprised by its viral success on social media and Hacker News. He emphasizes the importance of simplicity in building web geo-focused tools.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Giuseppe Salazzo, an open data expert and one of the organizers of Open Data Camp 9, returns to the podcast to discusses the upcoming event and the state of open data. Open Data Camp 9 will take place on July 6th and 7th in Manchester, and is a community event that brings together people interested in data from various angles, including data activists, OpenStreetMap contributors, and public sector workers. It is a discussion-based unconference where attendees pitch topics and engage in conversations. Giuseppe also talks about the evolution of open data in the UK, highlighting the importance of data maturity and understanding how to use data effectively. He mentions the successes in data release, such as TFL's open transport data, but also acknowledges the challenges of maintaining and standardizing data. We also highlight Giuseppe's weekly data newsletter, which covers a wide range of data-related topics and has been running for 12 years.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Carston Hernke, the founder of Honeycomb Maps, and recent Geomob Berlin speaker, shares his journey of building a geospatial data analysis tool using WebAssembly. He discusses the frustration of building geospatial applications that don't meet user needs and the aha moment of discovering the concept of direct manipulation. Carston explains how WebAssembly allows for faster and more responsive geospatial experiences in the browser. He introduces Honeycomb Maps, a tool designed for operations teams in the mobility and last-mile delivery markets. Carston emphasizes the importance of simplicity in geospatial tools and offers resources for learning more about WebAssembly.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this week's conversation Ed and Steven recap the recent Geomob London event, including discussing the best speaker contest and potential improvements to the voting process. They mull how to best celebrate the 20th anniversary of OpenStreetMap's founding. Finally the discussion turns to recent developments on their respective projects, including a feature in The New York Times for Mapillary and tutorial videos for OpenCage.Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven is joined by old friend Sean Wiid to discuss UP42, a geospatial marketplace and platform that connects users with commercial geospatial data sources and processing algorithms. Sean shares his journey in the geospatial industry and explains how UP42 aims to address the complexity and fragmentation in the Earth observation and geospatial industry. They discuss the tasking of satellites, the number of data providers on the platform, and the importance of analytics-ready data. Sean also highlights the differences between UP42 and other competing marketplaces and emphasizes the focus on providing a user-friendly interface and API for customers.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this episode Ed interviews Octavio Herrera, the founder of recently-launched AddressHub, an address intelligence API for parcel delivery companies. Octavio discusses the importance of address data and the challenges associated with it. He highlights common mistakes in address data, such as abbreviations, inconsistent formatting, and assumptions about addresses working the same way in different countries. Octavio explains how AddressHub helps solve these issues by cleaning and normalizing address data and using multiple geocoders to find accurate coordinates. He also shares his perspective on alternate address solutions. Finally, Octavio promises he will be speaking at a Geomob Berlin in the near future.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Nigel Edmead, of enumanation, joins Steven to discuss the importance of teaching geospatial professionals how to articulate the business benefits of their work. He explains that geospatial professionals need business skills to compete for investment resources and secure funding for geospatial projects. Nigel highlights the need for soft skills, such as communication and marketing, to effectively promote the adoption and uptake of geospatial information. He describes the development of a certificate of leadership skills for geospatial professionals and the delivery of e-learning modules and webinars. Nigel emphasizes the importance of tailoring business skills training to the geospatial industry and providing real-world case studies and examples.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed is joined by recent Geomob London speaker James Milner who discusses Terra Draw, a cross-platform, open source map editing tool. He explains the inspiration behind Terra Draw and its use cases, highlighting its differentiation from other mapping tools. James shares the current status of the project and future plans, as well as the open-source nature of Terra Draw and the contributions from the community. He discusses funding and sponsorship, including the support he received from OSGeo UK. James reflects on his experience presenting at FOSS4G and the value of the Geomob community. He concludes by inviting listeners to get involved with Terra Draw and share their feedback.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven's guest this week is Jorge Sanz. They discuss the evolution of open source in the geospatial industry, particularly around the role of larger tech companies like Carto, where Jorge previously worked, and Elastic, where he now works. They delve into the capabilities of Elasticsearch and its use in geospatial applications. The conversation touches on the importance of data privacy and ownership, as well as the need for individuals to have an exit strategy from social media platforms. Jorge also shares his involvement in the geospatial community, Geoinquiets Valencia, his recent visit to his first in-person Geomob event in Barcelona, and his aspirations for a Geomob chapter in Valencia.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed Freyfogle interviews Jake Cracknell, co-founder and CTO of doorways.ai, a company focused on geocoding and routing for the delivery use case. They discuss the frustration of navigating the last 100 meters of a delivery and the need for efficient routing and parking solutions. Jake explains how doorways.ai provides navigable geocoding, doorway geocoding, and optimized paths that avoid barriers. He also highlights the challenges of geocoding and routing in complex areas and the potential for using AI and machine learning in the future. The recently-founded company now exposes a public demo so potential users can see the benefits of doorstep level geocoding. Finally, no discussion of geocoding or routing would be complete with out a horror story. Jake and team have done the analysis and found the worst routing example in the UK.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Max Lenormand returns to the podcast, this time to join Steven in discussing the emergence of generative AI and its applications in the geospatial field. Max explores the challenges and opportunities of using generative AI in geospatial data analysis and mapping. The conversation delves into the importance of trust and accuracy in geospatial data, as well as the potential impact of AI on historical mapping and indoor mapping. Max also shares his concerns and excitement about the future of AI in geospatial and envisions a future where explainability and trust are key factors in AI-generated data. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed and Steven announce the first ever Geomob Edinburgh (March 26th) and recap recent Geomob events in London, Barcelona, and Berlin.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Old friend Thierry Gregorius, an executive coach and founder of True Horizon Coaching - and occasional London geomobster - discusses his journey from the geospatial industry to coaching. He highlights the transferable skills developed within the geospatial industry and the challenges faced by professionals transitioning in and out of the industry. Thierry and Ed also explore the impact of AI on the geospatial industry and emphasizes the importance of human skills, such as emotional intelligence and creativity, in complementing AI capabilities. We conclude with advice for individuals contemplating their career paths.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed and Patrick Ribeiro discuss explorer.land, a map-based storytelling and transparency tool for nature-based projects related to climate change. The platform allows organizations to showcase their projects on a map, providing transparency and accountability to stakeholders. It offers features such as aerial imagery, thematic layers, and real-time data to help users understand the impact of these projects. The goal is to build trust and encourage financial support for organizations working on climate change initiatives. Patrick emphasizes the importance of addressing real challenges and needs on the ground rather than focusing solely on technology. He also highlights the role of storytelling in effectively communicating the impact of these projects.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven interviews Ana Lucia González Paz, a senior journalist in visual journalism with the BBC World Service. They discuss the role of visual journalism in a radio program, the importance of maps in storytelling, and the personal connection between maps and memories. Ana Lucia shares her inspiration for creating A Map Inside, a flip book that explores the geography of mountains and how they shape our identities. They also touch on the topic of disputed borders and the challenges of creating maps that are acceptable in different regions. Ana Lucia reveals her future project of researching her ancestor's involvement in cartography.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this episode Neelima Mohanty and Pragya Pant share their experiences as young women in the geospatial industry and the impact of mentorship on their careers. They discuss the challenges they face as women in a male-dominated field and the importance of equal opportunities. Nalima talks about her internships and the practical experience she gained, while Pragya highlights the transformative nature of mentorship. They offer advice to mentors and mentees, emphasizing the need for flexibility, guidance, and promotion of underrepresented individuals. The conversation also touches on the importance of gender representation at tech events and ways to encourage more women speakers.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed and Steven catch up on their holiday experiences, their projects, and look forward to this week's Geomob London event. They discuss the growing financial challenges of running Geomob and explore potential sponsorship ideas to cover the rising costs. One idea is to offer a 'buy one, get one free' sponsorship package, where sponsors support both the podcast and an open-source project.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Joining Ed this week is data expert Auren Hoffman. Auren is the founder of SafeGraph, a geospatial company that aggregates geospatial data from multiple sources and sell it to a diverse list of clients. Listen in as Auren explains where the data comes from, how it is used, and the issues around accuracy. They also discuss the business of places data and the type of clients that need it the most. The key, according to Auren, is knowing your customer and building your product with them in mind. Tune in to learn about Safegraph’s Placekey initiative, an entity matching system for places that enables merging/syncing of places data. Learn how to access this highly accurate merging system on this week’s episode.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this episode, Steven and Ed discuss their favorite tools and workflows for daily tasks. They cover clipboard management tools like Clip Menu and Clipy, the differences between browser-based and local installations, the use of password managers like OnePassword and LastPass, the power of the Perl programming language, and the convenience of QGIS to Web for building interactive web maps. They emphasize the importance of mastering tools and investing time to understand their full functionality. The episode concludes with a New Year's resolution to make the most of the tools at hand.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
We start off 2024 with a new series focussing on the humanitarian use of GIS and partnering with MapAction, the humanitarian mapping charity and volunteer driven organisation that works with local and regional disaster management agencies worldwide. Joining Steven are Renee Babb, Lavern Ryan, and Alan Mills. The focus of the discussion is the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and their partnership with MapAction. Lavern has been working at the government of the small community of Montserrat and she is also a volunteer with MapAction. She has some great insight about the use of GIS for land use planning, biodiversity and conservation and disaster risk reduction. The Caribbean is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters due to its location, but organisations such as CDEMA have been helping to ease the burden before, during, and after these disasters occur. Renee, who is from Barbados, is the GIS specialist at CDEMA. Alan has been with MapAction for over 15 years and has undertaken many emergency missions in the Caribbean. Tune in to find out what it's like to experience these disasters first hand, how the different organisations find ways to collaborate and to learn if the systems in place can be used in other regions.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Once again we convene the Geomob expert panel to look back on 2023 and make predictions for 2024. Join Steven, Ed and the geo-elves: Ken Field, Mark Iliffe, Jeremy Morley, Ed Parsons Denise McKenzie, and Alex Wrottesley for our extra-long holiday special.We wish all of our listeners a restful holiday break and a geotastic 2024!Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
You'll want to take a look at these photos before you listen to this episode. Joining Steven this week is anthropologist and humanist Angel Arenas, the creator of Giant Interactive Maps that promote different territories in a gamified way. These huge outdoor maps are placed in public spaces and walked on by hundreds of people at a time. However, they are not just works of art, the public is encouraged to answer questions and interact via virtual reality and learn about the areas on the map. Angel and his team work with politicians, universities, and various organisations that want to connect people and promote their country or region across the world. The maps offer activities for people of all ages even as young as three! Tune in to find out how they are made, and how you can get involved.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Simon Poole returns to Geomob this week for a deeper look at building an OpenStreetMap editor. Having spent the last ten years working on Vespucci, an OSM editor for Android phones, Simon is well versed in OSM editor innovation. Editors have come a long way since OSM started. The main difference is that everyone now has a mobile device, and for some users, that’s all they have. The devices themselves have evolved with a wide range of features and sensors, how do they impact the capabilities of OSM editors such as Vespucci? There are actually only a handful of "full" editors currently active while there are many specific use case editors with a small number of users. Join Ed and Simon as they discuss the positives and negatives of creating new editors (as opposed to joining active projects).
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven and Ed wrap up the year (though don't worry, our traditonal Christmas Chaos episode is coming!) by running through their various projects. Ed is proud to continue OpenCage's long-running, end-of-year tradition of donating to HOT, while Steven calls for submissions for Mappery's "12 days of Christmas" (while also bragging about now being the owner of mapsinthewild.org). All this and much more ...
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
The topic this week is "vehicle video analysis" as Jorit Schmelzle - a recent speaker at Geomob Berlin - joins Ed to talk about his company: Peregrin. Using various devices such as dash cams or smartphones, Peregrin collects visual data for real time interventions as well as later use. Primarily used by professional driver fleets, the data helps to alert drivers on their journeys in various dangerous situations. The data can also help drivers later to review situations or provide information on vehicle safety. The video data can also be useful for third parties like mapmakers or city road crews. Tune in to find out they are able to collect the data while ensuring privacy is protected, and what's in store for the future or Peregrin.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Geomob welcomes back Marco Bernasocchi this week for a close look at QField. With a full QGIS core QField has a user interface that is made for amateur users. Digitising and taking care of mobile data so that you can do what you need to do "in the field" with all the data available to you anywhere you are. There is now also a QField Cloud that synchronises the data. Listen in as Steven and Marco discuss the benefits of open source technology due to transparency and collabortation. While QGIS has many companies working on it there is a higher chance of conflict in code alterations, in QField they are stricter about what is added, and have more control so there is a lower risk of clashes. Find out how many users have embraced QField and what is on the horizon for 2024.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
There are many services that focus on transporting people by cars, but on this episode of the Geomob podcast, we flip things around and learn about an on-demand service where people transport cars. Our guest today is Miika Sikala, winner of the best speaker prize at last week's Geomob Finland and research director at Biila, where they solve the complex problem of short and fast delivery of vehicles to buyers or dealers. Miika explains the use cases, the complex logistics of the service, and shares his insights. Tune in to find out how using freelance drivers and chaining multiple trips helps Biila to deliver vehicles in an efficient and economical way.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Another Steven and Ed catchup. After briefly recapping the Lisbon event, Ed rants a bit about Wise's recent decision to change OpenCage's bank account number on very minimal notice. But then the discussion turns to What3Words, a company many in the georati love to hate. Our hosts recount a recent experiment in which Chris Sheldrick (What3Words co-founder, and past Geomob London speaker) posted a letter to himself using only a What3Words "3 word address". The letter arrived in two business days!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Come for the geo-merch, stay for the e-textiles! If you’re a frequent Geomob London attendee you will be familiar with this weeks’ guest David Overton, co-founder of SplashMaps, sponsor of our best speaker prize. David has been on the podcast before to introduce us to SplashMaps. Since then, the business has grown and the use cases for SplashMaps have expanded. When you can’t, or don’t want to use your mobile device, you can make and have a map that everyone can look at and use. Whatx separates their maps from other custom mapmakers are the materials used. Adventure lovers are already using these maps for hiking or cycling trips. SplashMaps have also been found useful for commemorative walks, people tracing the battles of their ancestors or history buffs are using them. They are navigational aides, and sometimes mementos of adventures past. David explains how a partnership with academia led SplashMaps to the newest e-textile tech. If you’ve never heard of e-textile you should definitely tune in to this episode. Find out why maps are an easy and effective way to exhibit the advances in this new tech
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week's episode focuses on open tech, diversity, and inclusion as Petya Kangalova joins Steven. Petya is an Open Tech Advocate and works in Community Engagement at HOTOSM. Proving that you don’t need to have a degree in tech to make an impact, Petya explains there are many ways of getting involved even if you’re new to tech or mapping. Steven and Petya discuss the lack of diversity in tech and ponder how to change that. The first step, according to Petya is having an awareness of your privileges. Only then you can begin to work as an ally. While many focus on the lack of women in tech, it’s not only about gender inclusion but also being inclusive of those who may not have the same access or the language skills. Tune in to find out how HOT is contributing to diversifying and how you can be an ally too.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Joining Ed this week is Hannah Babineau from Data Appeal. Hannah explains how Data Appeal is processing and organising geospatial data for brands to use in marketing campaigns. Listen in as she explains the process of sorting through the vast amount of data and making it useful for clients such as Best Western and the Campari Group. Simplifying and democratising data is the mission, and there certainly is a lot to work. Hannah explains some use cases, how AI tech contributes, and how data literacy varies geographically. Tune in to learn which industries are at the forefront of utilising geographic data and who could benefit making better use of data.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
The European OpenStreetMap (OSM) community is having its biggest meeting - State of the Map Europe - next month in Antwerp, from November 10-12th, so Ed catches up with one of the organizers: Ben Abelshausen. Ben is not new to State of the Map, he has been a part of the OSM community for over 15 years and has organised State of the Map before. Ben fills us in on the Belgium OSM community. Ed and Ben exchange ideas on how to get a younger generation involved in not only mapping but also participating in organising these crucial networking events. This year the focus will be less on content and more on the social side of the conference so many chances for those who are looking to connect and networking with the OSM community to do so. Tune in to find out why you should come to Antwerp in November.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven shares his impressions from FOSS4G UK Local, and then Ed and Steven look back on recent Geomob events in London and Barcelona. We hope you can join us at an in-person Geomob in the near future.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven and Ed reflect on achieving the milestone of 200 episodes. They are joined by fellow geospatial podcaster Maxime Lenormand to discuss the challenge of endurance. As the saying goes: "Building is easy, maintaining is hard", a truism that particularly applies to the work of geospatial: the world never stops changing. Join us as discuss the challenge of long-running projects and plot the path forward.Many thanks to all the podcast guests over the years, and especially to the listeners. We look forward to many more episodes.Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Steven chats with a special guest about the non-profit mapping organization PLACE. Denise McKenzie is a veteran in the geospatial community with over 20 years experience in the field. She returns to the podcast for the third time to explain why mapping data is so important in the modern digital ecosystem and how this startup is making a difference across the world. Tune in to find out how PLACE is fulfilling their mission to map the urban world, how they are funded, and which countries have already benefited from their work.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Do you like travelling off the beaten path? Joining Ed this week is Sascha Klement of Bareways. Offering a different approach to navigation, Bareways provides a highly customisable routing service. Find out how the service works, what they are doing differently than Google and other major players, and what technical challenges Bareways' creators face. The service is thriving with features such as weather routing, and Sascha is looking to add new members to the team. Tune in to find out more. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week's guest warrants an immediate visit to her website so you can look at the maps while you listen. Joining Steven is fantasy book, role play game, and computer game cartographer Chloe Bolland. A physicist by trade, Chloe explains how in her spare time she is able to combine her love of maps and games into a fun side hustle. Tune in to learn all about the latest projects for Chloe and which celebrity got commissioned her for a custom role play map. If you’re a Tolkien maps fan you’ll definitely want to check out Chloe’s work.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed welcomes a distinguished Geomob speaker to the podcast this week. Tim Fernando has won best speaker at Geomob London twice. One of those talks was about his travel journal service Esplorio. Esplorio is an app for those who don’t want to share their journeys with the entire internet universe, but still want to document and share with a few. The program allows you to record your trips automatically without draining battery with constant manual check ins. Tim is now looking for a new operator for the business, someone who sees the potential and the need to make it even bigger. Tune in to learn more aboue Esplorio, and what it takes to run the travel documenting service in a post pandemic world.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed and Steven take a break from summer break to chime in on some recent geonews. First up they consider the Overture dataset release, then the discussion turns to whether Apple Maps has improved and/or whether Google Maps has worsened. Enjoy the break everyone and we hope to see you at Geomob events in September. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week the spotlight is on the new Executive Director of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), Rebecca Firth. Chatting with Steven, Rebecca recalls how she got involved with HOT, what the volunteer run organisation has achieved, and what you can expect as she moves forward with her new role. The main goal is to map under mapped places in an area home to a billion people across 94 countries. HOT aims to address community needs through mapping, make mapping accessible for everyone, and make data usable for as many people as possible. Tune in to find out what’s in store for HOT with Rebecca at the helm, the role of AI in mapping, and how you can get involved.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
OpenStreetMap (OSM) is 19 years old! As the global project completes its ‘teen years’, Ed reflects back on the early days along with OSM veteran Andy Allan. Going back to the early days when there were only 20 streets mapped, Ed and Andy discuss what was and what is to come for OSM in the next twenty years. You’ll hear all about the slow but satisfying process or early virtual mapping days. Whether you're a long-time OSMer or just joining the community, tune in to the discussion of how far OpenStreetMap has come but also whether fundamental changes are needed to continue the growth.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week we hear from Akansha Saklani from the World Resources Institute. If you haven’t heard of the WRI before you’re not alone, the program was news to Steven. Listen in as Steven chats with Akansha about the very important work she is doing through the Energy Access Exlorer Program at WRI. Akansha leads the creation of energy access maps that show electrical data in India, and other parts of the world, with the aim of improving the service delivery outcomes and reach UN sustainable development goals. Learn how the WRI works with municipalities and communities to bring electricity to the billions who do not have stable access.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Turning words into maps is no easy feat, but that’s exactly what our guest this week does. Joining Ed for a chat is Dario Raijman of Textomap, an easy map making tool that works with natural text (in many different languages) to instantly create interactive maps. Dario explains how Textomap differs from other map creation websites/apps: there is no need for app or tool downloads and there are several ways to turn text into a map, even using an AI prompt. To put it simply, it’s fast, easy and helpful for travellers, content creators, teachers and anyone who may need a quick map. Tune in to find out how a two-person, husband and wife team manages this major task. Textomap will be presented at the next Geomob Berlin on September 27th. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
OpenStreetMap is well known by the geospatial community, but does the average person use it? To help answer this question this week Ed welcomes Roman Tsisyk to the podcast. Roman, a co-founder of Organic Maps, the most widely used consumer-facing, OSM-based mapping service. In their discussion, Ed and Roman explain the differences users experience with Google Maps vs OSM and discuss how the two can work together. Organic Maps is a privacy-focused, open-source fork of Maps.me app. The offline feature makes it particularly convenient for travellers, hikers, and cyclists. Listen as Roman explains how he and his team use the power of community to keep evolving their maps, and why having "regular people" contribute to mapping is so important.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven and Ed discuss Florian Ledermann's geospatial Mastodon list before looking back on the recent Geomob events in Tel Aviv and London. Have a great summer everyone.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week tune in to hear what it’s like to volunteer at MapAction. Steven chats with an old friend: Ant Scott. MapAction is "the bridge which enables geospatial experts and professionals to contribute their services to helps with global humanitarian needs" - a non-profit that partners with organisations all over the world to help prepare and respond to humanitarian emergencies. In this episode Steven dives deep into the day to day of MapAction activities. Ant explains the response process step-by-step with anecdotes from his own experiences. Join in for this enlightening chat and shout out to the amazing volunteers.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Ed chats with the winner of the best speaker prize at the April 2023 Geomob Finland. Juha Koponen is the COO of Collective Crunch. To put it simply, Collective Crunch counts and analyzes the trees in the forest using remote sensing. Juha and his team combine the latest tech in geospatial including earth observation, machine learning, and AI, to assess forestry needs quickly and accurately. Tackling problems like forest density and bark beetles activity, Collective Crunch is able to monitor what goes on in the forest without always needing to travel long distances and measure manually. Listen in as Ed and Juha deep dive into the mechanics of machine learning and AI specifically for forestry and learn about the benefits of this technology for other applications.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Joining Ed for an interesting chat this week is Dr. Merve Keskin, a geomatics engineer and cartographer who works for the National Land Survey of Finland and the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute. Merve studies how people use maps with a focus on eye tracking. With the rise of mobile maps and mapping apps there is an assumption that getting around is simpler, but is it? Do the navigation tools affect our special cognition positively or negatively? Merve explains in detail what you can learn by studying how people use maps and gives some advice to cartographers who want to create maps that people will actually use. Tune in for this informative conversation.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
A catch up episodes with our hosts Ed and Steven. Ed recounts the second Geomob Berlin (summary thread). Steven is already on the ground in Tel Aviv where Ed will soon join him for the June 20th GeomobTLV. In other news OpenCage is again mentoring an OpenStreetMap Google Summer of Code project, while Mappery once again grapples with the technical snafu of publishing to Twitter. Finally the discussion turns to Lyft's recent announcement that they will begin relying on OpenStreetMap for their maps.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week we spotlight an exciting event: London Data Week. This city wide festival will take place from 3rd to the 9th of July and is meant to bring London’s thriving data community together. It’s also a chance to brainstorm ideas on how to bring useful data to the general public. Joining Steven is Jen Ding of the Alan Turing Institute (and winner of the SplashMap best speaker prize at our April 2023 London event). Jen explains the aims of the week and gives Steven a preview of what to expect. Whether you’re into cycling, comedy, or AI, London Data Week has it all. This community led event aims to encourage people to actively participate in data collection themselves. Events by Citi Maps, Geomob London on the evening of July 5th, and Statisticians for Society are just some highlights of the festival, tune in to find out what else is in store and how you can participate.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Joining Ed this week is co-founder and CEO of Radar, Nick Patrick. Radar is a New York based company that aims to be the go to all-in-one location infrastructure provider. Over the past years they have worked with many consumer brands to create innovative geospatial experiences, and the company is now working on the next generation of foreground/product-centric geofencing use cases, like "in-store mode" for retailers or order ahead arrival detection for restaurants. A lot has changed over the past 15 years, while privacy and permissions have become more difficult to obtain, location accuracy has vastly improved. Radar is at the forefront of working with consumer brands to bring modern geospatial interactions to life. Tune in to hear Ed and Nick chat about the challenges of working with geocoding, the development of open source maps, and geofences.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Steven chats with two member of the team responsible for FOSS4G 2023, which will be held in Prizren, Kosovo from June 26th to July 2nd. Steven shares his own FOSS4G experience with Besfort Guri and Gresa Neziri ahead of their first ever FOSS4G in Kosovo. The hosts hope to spotlight Kosovo and bring attention to their local geospatial organisations, but they have also assembled an international team to ensure there is a wide range of topics and experts in attendance. The three chat about the logistics of organising this event, and share which speakers they are looking forward to the most. The conference will only be available in person this year, but there is still time to register to join. Tune in to find out how to get involved.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Ed chats with Peter Rushforth from the Maps for HTML project. This is an open source project with accessibility at the centre of their work. With their "lead by example" approach, the community has defined a vocabulary to make maps native elements of the web. Peter is convinced that specifying and implementing accessible maps on the web remains not only possible, but also of huge potential benefit to society. Tune in to find out where the project is now, how to get involved, and what drives Peter to continue with the project despite the difficulty of the undertaking.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Do you know the difference between GNSS and GPS? This week Ed chats with Xavier Banqué Casanovas from Rokubun. Xavier is a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) expert and the perfect person to explain the importance of precise geolocation. Learn how GNSS has evolved, how it can be used for mass market applications and how accurate it actually is in this weeks episode. For those familiar with GNSS, you’ll want to tune in to hear about the hottest research topic in the GNSS area and what solutions are on the rise for those pesky GNSS/GPS jammers and spoofers.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Joining Ed for a chat this week is the CEO and founder of Hivemapper, Ariel Seidman. A relatively new player to the crowdsourced map community, Hivemapper is mapping the world using custom dashcams built with mapping in mind. In contrast to models like Waze, Hivemapper believes every contributor should be rewarded for their contribution. Drivers earn cryptocurrency (HONEY tokens) as they drive and contribute to the map. Hivemapper has mapped over two million kilometers in the United States and Europe. Listen in to learn how this new tech is pushing a new paradigm in mapping, and how you can get involved.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed had the pleasure of attending the first Geomob Finand in Helsinki (see the summary thread), and was then off to London to join Steven for the biggest Geomob London ever (summary thread). They recap both events, ponder the skyrocketing price of beer in UK (which means we really could do with some more sponsors), muse briefly on whether London has lost its international technical mojo, and then give brief updates on their projects.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
What does it take to make a detailed illustrated map of Melbourne? A lot. On this episode Steven speaks with the self-proclaimed ‘accidental map maker’ Melinda Clarke. This large scale map project began 30 years ago when Melinda was travelling and collecting illustrated maps. When she couldn’t find one for her own town, Melbourne, she decided to make it. Listen in as she explains the journey that includes hitchhiking on helicopters, last minute hot air ballon flights, and years of ‘ink on paper’ drawing. Melinda's love affair with her hometown continues 30 years on with a new Melbourne map available in traditional or jigsaw form. Tune in to hear about the process of this amazing map/art project and what Melinda is working on next.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Joining Ed this week is cartographic technologist and the man behind Protomaps, Brandon Liu. Protomaps is a set of tools for creating and deploying maps, or as Brandon describes it: an open source Google maps. Tune in to learn how Protomaps attempts to simplify map making for some of the more underserved groups including journalists and non-profit organisations. Ed and Brandon discuss the cost and complexity of using OpenStreetMap for your business, and clear up some misunderstandings and misconceptions about mapping with open data. Is a simpler and radically cheaper service really possible? Listen in to find out!Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this episode Steven and Ed examine challenge of commercializing geo. They discuss the evolution of Citymapper and Mapbox, and muse about how much money you need burn to create a unicorn. Is it possible in the age of open data and open source, even with a mountain of VC money? And how much can/should companies give back to the open community before jeopardising their own position?
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Are you still using Twitter? This week the focus is on Mapstodon, the cartography and geospatial server on Mastodon. Steven chats with spatial data scientist and geographer: Jérémy Garniaux. Jérémy is the man behind Mapstodon, the server created a few months ago when Twitter uncertainty drove all the self-proclaimed geeks to Mastodon. Jérémy and Steven discuss the differences between Twitter and Mastodon and reminisce about Twitter's early "non-toxic" days. Tune in to find out how to join Mapstodon, and how you can contribute to keep it running.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Gearing up for the first Geomob Finland on April 13th, this week Ed chats with one of the organisers: Antti Jakobson. Antti has been working with the National Land Survey of Finland for over 30 years. This year he is also leading a new Location Innovation Hub as part of the European Digital Innovation Hub network. Antti fills us in on what you can expect from a Finnish crowd and how it may differ from previous Geomob events. Ed will be speaking alongside speakers from Zero Gravity, ICEYE, Collective Crunch, and CGI. Tune in to find out why Antti decided to partner with Geomob and learn about the geospatial community in Finland.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week the focus is on the aftermath of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Joining Ed for an important chat is Nama Budhathoki, Regional Director of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Teams (HOT) Open Mapping Hub - Asia Pacific. Nama explains what type of help mapping can offer and how mappers across the world can help those struggling in Turkey and Syria today. Learn what it takes for HOT to step in, the importance of a thriving local community, and what steps HOT has made one month in. Thinking of doing something to help? Nama explains what is needed now and how to you can get involved.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed and Steven catch up following the first Geomob Berlin. Listen in as Ed recalls the most interesting parts of GeomobBER and announces dates for the upcoming Helsinki, London, and Tel Aviv events. Then the discussion turns to what’s new with OpenCage and Mappery. There is new pricing at OpenCage, and an important reminder for anyone using OpenCage: they cannot, never have, and never will provide mobile phone location tracking. Tune in to find out how Ed’s Mastodon post about his strange ordeal went viral.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Steven chats with Edoardo Neerhut about his work with Mapillary for internet giant Meta. Edoardo started off as an intern at Mapillary and is now the Program Manager, XR Insight: Maps - Reality Labs. Listen in as these two discuss the differences between OSGeo and OpenStreetMap communities, Edoardo’s work with OSGeo Oceania, and the perception of big corporations in the community. Tune in to learn about his "ideology free" approach to problem solving and why listening to the community is so important in open.Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week we’re going back to the early days of OpenStreetMap for a moment this week as Ed chats with Mikel Maron - his oldest OSM colleague. Mikel introduced Ed to OSM back in 2006 and has since gone on to many OSM accomplishments. He is currently on the longest serving OpenStreetMap Foundation board member. Ed and Mikel reminisce about their journey with OSM, discuss the current state of OSM, and how passion affects progress. Find out what it’s like on the inside of the OSM board and how things really work. Can communication improve at OSM? How will Overture change the landscape? Listen in to hear as this OSM pioneer weighs in. Plus, find out about Mikel's new job and the role geospatial tech plays in climate and environmental problem solutions, and how you can collaborate.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this week’s episode Ed finds out what the future holds for GeoHipster. Taking over from Mike Dolbow, Randal Hale has become the new CEO of GeoHipster, your source of what’s hip in all things geo. If you haven’t heard about GeoHipster before you’re missing out. Over 10 years of interviews, calendars, and cool maps, later Randal is still consistently updating the exact definition of "hip" but fans will be happy to hear there are no major changes under the new leadership. Listen in to find out how you and your geopatial idea can be featured
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Nick Bearman and Kevin Williams, two of the organisers of the recent FOSS4G:UK 2022, join Steven to reflect on how the event went. For the first time the event was held in a unique hybrid format, with many different venues across the UK. The goal was to capture the benefits of in-person networking and experience, while also reducing the need to travel and, via online streaming, allowing participation from everywhere. Overall the experiment was deemed a great success, with over 300 people attending in-person across the nine venues (many more than previous in-person events), but there are of course lessons learned for future events. Finally, Nick and Kevin share plans for OSGeo:UK in 2023.
Thank you to all the organisers of FOSS4G:UK!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Steven chats with Loraine Rutt and for this one you’ll want to find a screen because her work is very visual. Marrying art and cartography through her pottery and sculpture, Loraine makes beautiful art with a message. Through thematic maps, journey vases, and social geography sculptures she has been able to create art that encourages conversations about climate change, poverty, and earth’s place in the universe. Her work is beautiful and fascinating, especially for map lovers. Loraine explains how her work begun, what inspires her, and talks about what it’s like to get the stamp of approval of her globes from an astronaut! Enjoy the episode, but then be sure you visit Loraine's website to see this amazing body of work
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
With Geomob’s first event of 2023 under their belts, Steven and Ed connect to discuss plans for 2023 and the latest hot topic in the community: Overture Maps. Many questions still unanswered after the announcement earlier this month, including how the members will manage to collaborate and how will Google react? Listen in as Ed and Steven debate and make their predictions about the future of OpenStreetMap. Do you want to join in the discussion? Come to a Geomob event! This year, even more cities will be hosting Geomob, including Berlin, Helsinki, and Lisbon, so there are even more chances to connect with the community!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Ed chats with one of the most active long-time members of the OpenStreetMap community: Simon Poole. Simon has contributed to OSM in many ways over the years: as a mapper, as developer of one of the most popular editors, as a local organizer of the Swiss OSM community, as a leading member of the Legal working group, and as Chair of the OpenStreetMap Foundation board. He is the perfect person to weigh in on the health of the project, particularly in the context of the latest open mapping news about the start of the Overture Maps Foundation. Ed and Simon discuss the challenges OSM faces and the difficulties of moving forward in a massive global collaborative project. Tune in to hear Simon’s perspective on how to improve communication and push progress along. Spoiler Alert: it starts with taking a step back to truly understand the issues
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Shortly before Christmas the Overture Maps Foundation was announced, a collaboration between tech giants Amazon Web Services, Meta, Microsoft, and TomTom to "create reliable, easy-to-use, and interoperable open map data". The geospatial world exploded with speculation about what this might mean for OpenStreetMap and for players like Google and Apple. Is Overture a threat, an opportunity, both, or something else entirely?
Our guest today is Marc Prioleau, geospatial industry veteran (having worked at deCarta, Cloudmade, Mapbox, Uber, and as a consultant for many others) and currently Meta's head of business development for Mapping and Location, to discuss exactly what Overture Maps hopes to be, why it was formed, and its intended place in the geospatial ecosystem. This is the first time one of the members of the OMF consortium has spoken publicly about the initiative.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
We kick off 2023 with fellow podcaster Maxime Lenormand, a geospatial data scientist and the man behind Minds Behind Maps. Steven chats with Max about his geospatial podcast which focuses on the people who create maps. The unique thing about Minds Behind Maps is the long format. If the idea of listening to a three hour long podcast seems daunting, you’re not the only one, but Steven, a self-declared long-form sceptic, was quickly convinced it’s worthwhile. Tune in to find out how the project began and which big names in the mapping community he’s spoken with so far.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
What would Christmas be without traditions? Just like in years past we offer a special episode for the holiday period. Join Steven Feldman and his band of geo-elves - Ken Field, Mark Iliffe, Denise McKenzie, Alex Wrottesley, Jeremy Morley, and Ed Parsons - as they look back on 2022 and forward to 2023. We wish all of our listeners a restful holiday break and a geotastic 2023! Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
As the year 2022 comes to an end, Ed and Stephen reflect and look ahead to 2023. This year saw a return to in-person events with London, Tel Aviv, and Barcelona events, and Ed shares a summary of November's GeomobBCN. Chatting about the eventful year about to end, it’s impossible to leave out the effect of the war in Ukraine and the changing economic conditions. Listen to hear Ed and Stephen discuss the challenges and upsides for OpenCage and Mappery in this memorable year. They also look back at the nearly three years of Geomob podcasting.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
The way people get around is rapidly changing. This week’s guest Christian Bäuerlein is CTO at ioki, where they build the software behind on-demand transport solutions. The idea is to make it easy and available for all. Christian explains who the clients are, and how the service works. You’ll want to tune in to this episode if you’re interested in the evolution of the mobility space or if you love a good data horror story.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed chats with Chris Barrington Brown this week. Chris spoke at Geomob London in September about his ambitious retirement project: creating a digital record of the build up to D-Day. Focusing on the logistics, Chris sorts through a massive amount of information to complete the archive in time for the 100th anniversary of WWII. Ed wonders how Chris intends to preserve this data in a tech world where things are constantly evolving past their original technology. Listen in to find out if you can help!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
With the season of giving approaching we catch up with the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team's Monica Nthiga, director of HOT's Eastern and Southern Africa Open Mapping Hub. Monica chats with Ed about four new focus areas for HOT: public health, gender equality, climate change, and migration. Previously focussed primarily on disasters as they were happening, HOT has now shifted their focus on what needs to be done ahead of time in order to respond better. Monica explains how you can contribute, and why OpenStreetMap data is necessary to better deal with these issues. Listen in to find out what HOT has been up to in 2022 and how to get involved in this impactful organisation.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Ed talks developer marketing with Adam DuVander. Adam is the founder of consultancy Every Developer, and the author of the book Developer Marketing Does Not Exist. Adam and Ed cover the most common mistakes when it comes to marketing for developers, and discuss the best way to tap into new markets. Adam shares his advice on how to build trust with authentic and consistent content and reveals the key to effective marketing for developers. Spoiler Alert: when done right it is invisible. Listen in and find out how you can read this insightful book.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven and Ed catch up on this week’s episode that focuses on the most recent Geomob Tel Aviv event and the future of Twitter. The hosts discuss what makes a great talk by comparing Geomob events around the world. Steven ponders what is more interesting to cover during geo talks: It is the the how or the why? They also discuss the best ways to spread the word about Geomob events and companies. Are we witnessing the end of Twitter? How do you navigate both now that Mastodon has entered the conversation? Listen in and then join the conversation there.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
On this week’s episode Ed chats with Tobias Jordans about a parking data project in Berlin. It’s something you may not have thought about, but the data about parking spaces and their use can have a big impact on urban dynamics. Tobias explains how city planners, NGOs, and politicians pushing for positive changes can all benefit from accurate parking data. Using OpenStreetMap, Tobias and his colleagues are making it easier to record, retrieve, and update information about parking spaces in Berlin. Listen in to find out about the challenges, learnings, and how you can bring this project to your city.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Do you remember the feeling of travelling with a folded map in your pocket? Whether you’re yearning for a bit of nostalgia, or a young person curious about the history of flying through maps, this week’s guest has something for you. Ed chats with the man behind Direction of Travel, Christian Nolle. This newspaper, a real physical newspaper you can buy, is dedicated to vintage airline maps. Christian uses his own expansive collection of maps to illustrate what flying means to us, how it has changed, and how world issues throughout history have affected flying. Each issue compares and contrasts two airlines. Not just for map nerds, this project attracts graphic designers, artists, and vintage airline magazine lovers. Listen in and you’ll understand why he was the winner of the SplashMaps best speaker prize at our September 28th, 2022 London event.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
How do you combine nostalgia with the future? This week’s guest Jeffery Linn is a Speculative Cartographer who views the future through retro maps. Using vintage maps as his base to project into the future, Jeffery imagines what the world will look like in the future. His work comments on nostalgia and the rapid changes in the environment. Playful teasing climate change deniers, Jefferey maps out a world shaped by climate change in his "Conspiracy of Cartographers" studio. Tune in to hear about the link between sci-fi and cartography and find out which famous author approves of Jefferey’s work
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Joining Ed this week is Geomob London regular (and speaker back in May of 2015), and first full time employee of OpenStreetMap Foundation, Grant Slater. After 15 years of volunteering for OSM, Grant became a full time employee in May 2022 and has continued to work tirelessly to improve the service many in the geospatial community rely on. Listening to Grant speaking of the work he is still so passionate about after all this time is inspiring, especially when you know how small the team is. Tune in to hear about the challenges of operating such a popular service, the evolution of his role, the future of OSM Operations, and how you can get involved.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
We hit 150 episodes! Ed recaps the recent highly-enjoyable and well-attended Geomob London event, which Steven unfortunately missed. Sadly it's not clear if it will be possible to have another event London this year due to possibly conflicting with the world cup. Steven will at least enjoy the second Geomob Tel Aviv coming up in early November. Next up is a discussion of the recent redesign of the Geomob website, and finally Ed shares a marketing success: the upcoming collaboration with MapScaping to promote OpenStreetMap projects (deadline for submission is Oct. 15th, so don't delay).
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week join Ed as he chats with Miguel Marques, founder and CEO of Mapidea. Miguel’s small team helps big companies like Vodafone and Dominoes to use their own data to create maps with meaning for them. Ed and Miguel discuss the lack of spatial culture in companies and a lack of awareness about the simple solutions that already exist for them. How do you connect the user with their right solution? By educating and involving the user, Mapidea has managed to retain customers for the long term. Tune in for this lively chat about the difficulty of creating a simple GIS product and the startup scene in Portugal. Plus, learn how Miguel’s tool for visualising census data: Locali is helping people to tell the story of their surroundings.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
If you’re a part of the GIS community there is little chance you haven’t heard of QGIS. This week Steven chats with one of the people behind QGIS, Marco Bernasocchi, chair of the QGIS association. Opensource advocate, consultant, and developer Marco explains how QGIS has evolved over the past 20 years, and how an open source project like this is financed. As Steven points out open source projects like this one are true miracles. The perfect example of the collaborative nature of the GIS community and what can be accomplished when people are willing to work together.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
A special podcast episode this week as we look back on FOSS4G 2022, which took place from August 22-28th in Florence, Italy. Whether you attended or not, this inside look at the conference includes the voices of a range of attendees from first timers, to veterans, to sponsors. While the speaker videos are available online, if like Steven you were not able to attend, this will give you an idea of the energy at the return of in person FOSS4G. Find out how people connected and what people were excited about this year. With 25 different voices, this episode is sure to transport you to the lively event. Many thanks to everyone who shared their impressions.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Steven speaks with geospatial tech leaders Colonel Paul Hammett and Major George McCrea of the British Army's Royal Engineers. Approximately one third of geospatial professionals work for the military. These particular geographic technicians are involved in many defence organisations operations by providing critical understanding of geospatial data to decision makers. Listen to learn about what they do, how they use existing technology to improve the user experience, and why paper maps will not to be phased out anytime soon!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
As summer comes to an end Ed and Steven catch-up and update you on what to look forward to in the fall. With two Geomob events scheduled (London and Tel Aviv) there are also plans for events in Barcelona and Berlin. Steven gets ready to celebrate four years of Mappery, while Ed talks about plans for a future marketing project at OpenCage. How do you market your business when your main competitor is Google? Ed gives a sneak peak of a new partnership (with a rival geo podcast of all people). Listen to find out how you can use a Geomob event to present your geo-start-up project, and how you can participate in the next Geomob Podcast Catch-Up!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
You’ll want to tune in to hear this week’s guest explain the origin story of her company: Proxi. Melinda Haughey explains how a "mom problem" led to the creation of a customised mapping system. Frustrated with the complexity of Google maps, Melinda and co-founder Chelsey Roney created a simple way of creating personal and shareable maps. Proxi aims to monetise unique maps by providing analytics back to the users/map creators, but that’s not their only aim. The big vision is to create a robust infrastructure of guides that are mapped. Melinda explains how mapped lists make life much more simple and why people the time for their service is now.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
What started off as a hobby tube map collection, became a documentary. This week Steven chats with Anthony Norris-Watson, a non-geographer, with a collection of over 260 London tube maps about his new documentary Interchange. Anthony’s fascination with the tube diagram is obvious as he passionately discusses this three part YouTube doc that focuses on the map designs throughout the years, a discussion on what makes them 'iconic', and a look at how tube mapping may change in the not-so-distant future. Listen as Anthony explains how his love for tube maps began, what he learned along his journey, and how he would improve the diagram.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed welcomes past Geomob speaker Ian Hannigan, the CEO and co-founder of indoor mapping start-up FORMATION. FORMATION is a location based approach to digitalising a business. Ian explains the evolution of FORMATION and explains how they cater to their clients based on their needs. FORMATION’s clients include the German Army, Bosch, and Kamax, and various research organisations. Ed wonders how the workers/employees feel about their bosses having their location, especially in a privacy hyper conscious country like Germany. Ian agrees, the drive for privacy is well founded, but the design of FORMATION takes that into account. Everything is designed with the workers themselves in mind because without their support, the system will not last for long. Tune in to learn how they map out indoor and outdoor spaces and what’s next for the company in this week’s episode!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this midsummer catch up Steven and Ed discuss separating life from work, Southeast Asia’s super app Grab, and contemplate the future of Google Maps. Using real problems from his daily work at OpenCage, Ed compiles questions for a monthly Twitter Trivia contest. It’s just one way to establish himself as a ‘geo-expert’. The conversation then turns to Super-apps such as Grab provide a range of services from delivery to vehicle rentals and much more, and recently announced the launch of Grab Maps. What affect will their maps have on Google and OpenStreetMap? Ed and Steven debate the pros and cons in this week's episode
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
On this week's episode Ed chats with Andy Ashburner the founder of Pin Drop. Andy was a Geomob London speaker all the way back in 2014 when the app he created to save locations first took off. Andy provides a unique perspective on progress in geotech since he left the industry for some time. He is now working on a new and improved Pin Drop app that will be designed with users in mind. Ed and Andy marvel at the range of uses for an app like this, and Andy explains how he only found out when he returned to the app himself that many people were still using it. What for? Listen now to find out.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
If you’ve ever used a ride share app, bike share, or delivery app, you’ll understand the struggle this week’s guest is trying to solve. Adam Simkin is the COO and VP for autofleet.io, and has been trying to improve the most frustrating part of the app experience: "estimated wait times". As the demand for these services grows, so does the expectation. Customers want short, reliable, and accurate wait times but as Adam admits, this is still a bit of an "unsolved problem". With so many variables, and many competing apps, there is still a lot of work for Adam and his peers to do to improve the experience not only for clients but also drivers/vehicle owners. Find out how far we’ve come, and what the predictions are for the future (autonomous cars?) in this week's podcast!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Tune in to the latest episode which is all about "geoing in public". Ed chats with geospatial industry veteran (and repeat podcast guest), James Fee. James discusses his long career in the industry and how it all began for him. Whether it be blogging, YouTube, or social media, James has tried it all and shares his most important advice to those getting into the GIS sphere and working in public - be yourself. Despite some negative reactions to his posts in the past, James says the collaborative nature of sharing your work far outweighs any negatives he has encountered. They discuss the various social media platforms, how they can be used effectively, and Ed inquires about James’ rumoured entry into the world of TikTok. Will we see this social media master conquer the latest platform? Listen to find out.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Join Steven as he discusses his two favourite things with Dr. Motti Zohar, a geographer specialising in geoinformation and spatial analysis. Motti describes in great detail how he and his team have been able to extract the location of tweets. Only 1-3% of tweets have coordinates, Motti’s methods can increase that number to approximately 15%. How might this be useful? Well for one, distinguishing which tweets come from users that are actually near the event or phenomenon can help to resolve or filter out fake news. They can also analyse how people use Twitter during natural hazard events such as wildfires or floods. Motti spoke about this topic at the recent first ever Geomob Tel Aviv in April 2022. Listen to the fascinating discussion and learn more about the process of location extraction. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Ed speaks with Luca Delucchi, a member of the local organizing team for both State of the Map (SotM) and FOSS4G which will be held in Florence, Italy in August. It's wonderful not just that these events are again taking place in person (SotM will be August 19-21st, FOSS4G will be August 22-28th), but that they will be held in the same city, allowing geospatial open data and open source enthusiasts to easily attend both. Luca tells about the preparations and what attendees can expect.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed and Steven catch up on the heels of two Geomob events. Ed compares the recent London event with the Barcelona event and ponders if London’s culture of sharing will eventually make its way to Barcelona. Focussing on the highlight of the Barcelona event, he describes the presentation by Bettermaps. Although still in the early stages, this app takes a written description of a location and turns it into a map. Ed and Steven discuss the possibilities of AI and the possible elimination of cartographers? We’re not quite there yet, but there certainly is potential in AI. Ed also discusses the recent launch of OpenCage's FlipCoords tool, while Steven shares that he will be presenting about Mappery at the British Cartographic Society annual event in September.
Tune in to find out which other OpenCage projects are picking up momentum, where the next Geomob event will take place, and where you may bump into Ed in the summer months.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
If you’ve ever wondered how you can use a geospatial interface to encourage philanthropy, this is the episode for you. Ed speaks with Peter Rose, former Geomob speaker and Europe Director of Orbica. Orbica focusses on geospatial analytics, GeoAI and data science. Peter discusses a special project: ‘Lebenswald’ for the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. The goal of this project was to create a recurring revenue model. In order to motivate people to donate to prevent deforestation and preserve the habitat of the last Borneo Orangutans they have created an interactive map. Donors are able to choose the area they want to help preserve, claim it as theirs to sponsor and even draw on it. Peter talks about the challenges and benefits of working for a non-profit client. Tune in to learn more about this important project and great example of using geospatial in philanthropy.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this episode Steven chats with an old friend, professor of Geographical Information Science at UCL, Muki Haklay. Muki is one of the early adopters of combining geography with computer science, and one of the eariest supporters of OpenStreetMap. For the past ten years he has been focusing on extreme citizen science. There are a number of programs and apps that allow people all over the world to contribute geographical and environmental data. His team of 20 researchers work with indigenous communities on developing tools that can be used by anyone, even those who can’t read or write, allowing for more access to relevant data about their own communities. Steven and Muki discuss the benefits and drawbacks of citizen science as it becomes more common.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Ed speaks with Ilya Zverev, the man behind the new OpenStreetMap editor Every Door. Ilya is passionate about micro mapping, and argues there is a need for a tool like his but ultimately the time he spends on editing is as much a need as it is enjoyable. This is not his first OSM tool, and this is not the only editor out there, so what’s unique about Every Door? This editor focuses on things that are usually unmapped, the things that are often overlooked because it takes too long and is too tedious to map them. Ilya and Ed discuss the future of mapping apps and predict more thematic mobile editors will emerge (editors for shops, for runners, etc.). Listen to Ilya explain his passion and vision for a POI editor, and offer advice for those who want to create editor tools of their own. Show notes and map on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
What's more important: idea or execution? This week's guest is the head of Geovation: Carly Morris. Geovation was recently awarded the prestigious Go:Tech award for Incubator or Accelerator Programme of the year. Steven wonders if there really is a benefit for startups in the geospatial industry receiving help from accelerator programs such as the one Geovation provides. As Carly explains, the data speaks for itself, 76% of the startups that have worked with Geovation are still active five years after leaving the program. That's quite impressive considering 90% of startups overall fail within the first five years. Steven and Carly agree, simply having a brilliant idea does not guarantee success, it’s all about having the right solution and the right execution, that's where startup mentor programs such as the one Geovation offers come in. Join them for an enlightening discussion on how to take a geospatial start up to the next level.
Show notes and map on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week's guest is Jack Dangermond, co-founder and president of Esri, the most successful and influential geospatial business ever created. In this extra long episode Steven and Jack have a wide-ranging discussion on spatial being special, "the geographic approach" to problem solving, the unique role geospatial technologies and services have to play in addressing the climate crisis, the evolution of technology and the implications for a long-running business like Esri, and much, much more. It's a unique chance for us to hear the perspective of a geospatial visionary and successful founder who remains as deeply passionate about geo as when he started more than 50 years ago.
Show notes and map on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
One of our regular episodes in which Ed and Steven chat about their projects. Steven shares his impressions from the first ever Geomob Tel Aviv. Ed reflects on the challenges around the recent launch of OpenCage Geosearch. "Professor Feldman" uses the opportunity to share the lessons he recently imparted at his seminar about building a successful geospatial business delivered to the Edindurg Earth Observation (EEO) group (video hopefully available soon). In other geospatial news we discuss OSMF hiring its first full time employee - regular London geomobster and past speaker Grant Slater. Congrats!
Show notes are on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week's guest is Will Martin, long-time start-up investor, and co-founder of Portfolio Ventures. Will has invested in many different early-stage start-ups across the entire tech landscape, including some businesses with a geo focus. While not specifically focused just on geo, we thought Will's conversaton with Steven would be an interesting and relevant reference to help demystify the early stage investment process.
Show notes and map on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven speaks with historical geographer Dr. Anne Kelly Knowles, professor at the University of Maine, and co-founder of the Holocaust Geographies collaborative, a multi-institutional, collaborative research group that uses mapping and geography to examine spaces and places of the Holocaust. They discuss one specific map (linked on our website), and the challenge and power of using geography to provide a spatial lens into traumatic human experience. The map in question, documenting the experiences and memories of two of the victims, serves as a representation of the unique power and attributes, but also limitations, that mapping / GIS / spatial rendering bring to representing the horrific circumstances of the Holocaust specifically and conflict regions generally.
Show notes and map on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Two-time Geomob London speaker Manuel Timita joins Ed to discuss illustreets, the geospatial start-up he is co-founder of. Manuel shares the ups and downs of his entreprenurial journey and the challenge of turning impressive geo tech into a thriving business. As so often it is a case study in the power of perseverance.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Steven has the pleasure of speaking long-time open source geo contributor Howard Butler about foundational open source geo technologies GDAL and PDAL. The discussion turns, as so often here on the Geomob podcast, to the topic of open source sustainability. Howard comments on various strategies and business models including "barn raising", and the distinction between free software and free support.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Ed shows his ignorance about all things Earth Observation (EO) in a discussion with EO expert Julia Wagemann. Julia explains why the EO ecosystem has grown so much in recent years, and what the implications of the increased accesibility to and quality of earth observation data might mean. This is an exciting and fast-moving space that will have major implications for the geospatial industry; a space that every geomobster will no doubt want to learn about.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed and Steven catch up after the recent Geomob events in London and Barcelona. Steven looks forward to attending the upcoming first ever Geomob Tel Aviv, Ed calls for volunteers to speak at future events, hopefully to be held in June. The discussion then turns to the challenges of mapping the war in Ukraine, before finally reflecting on the ethics of providing software - both closed and open source, to participants in the conflict. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Over the last few months the world has been swept with frenzy for the word game Wordle. The popularity and simplicity of the game has prompted many variants, including several with a geographic twist. In this episode Steven chats with the makers of two such games. First he speaks with the makers of Countryle, in which players have to guess a country based on various geographic attributes. Then he welcomes back Giuseppe Sollazzo (who was first on the podcast all the way back in Episode 18) to tells us about his games Wardle (guessing a UK Local Authority) and Wardle-Parli (guessing UK parlementary boundaries).
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
How do we, on a biologial level, think about place and navigation? This is the question our guest, Kate Jeffery - chair of the Royal Institute of Navigation's Cognitive Navigation Group (CogNav) and professor of behavioural neuroscience at University College London, where she founded the Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience and runs the Jeffery Lab - attempts to answer. Steven has the pleasure of speaking with Kate to get a summary of the current state of research and understanding of how we comprehend location.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Our guest today is the anonymous author of open source intelligence "OSINT" newsletter Line of Actual Control, where he combines open data, imagery, social media, and other sources to create innovative investigative research about topics ranging from military conflicts to zoning law violations. We should note that this interview took place shortly before the Russian invasion of Ukraine when OSINT techniques gained much wider exposure as the world struggles to quantify and comprehend the war. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Every Wednesday at noon US west coast time, 3pm US Eastern time (21:00 central European time, 8pm UK time) "#gischat" takes place on twitter. In this episode Steven talks with organizers Kate Berg and Michele Tobias on what has become an industry phenomenon. #gischat topics range from the profound to the witty to the the mundane, providing an informal and worldwide forum for anyone to put forward their opinions and jokes about the geospatial industry, share career advice, post technical questions, vent about technical frustrations, and just generally make connections with others in the industry. Kate and Michele share the history of #gischat, and reflect on why it has become so popular.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed chats with well-known geospatial developer Tom MacWright to discuss his new project Placemark, a service for collaborative editing of geospatial data. Tom shares what Placemark is, the problems he is attempting to solve, the challenge of finding the balance between ease of use and power, but also why he is building it as an independent, bootstrapped business. Placemark is currently in private beta. You can sign up on the Placemark site to get access once it launches. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Another episode in which Ed and Steven share updates on their projects. Mappery is running well, and Steven is on the hunt for new consulting projects. Please get in touch with him if you think he could help you with your geospatial business of project. Meanwhile, Ed and the OpenCage team have (finally) launched their new geosearch service, though not without some perplexing ethical questions for the team. Geomob events are restarting - we look forward to seeing you in London on the 16th of March and Barcelona on the 22nd. In further good news, Steven reveals the wheels are in motion for Geomob Tel Aviv at some point in the coming months. After catching up Steven and Ed reflect on two years of the Geomob podcast! Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
"We tell people where to put things." Sounds basic, but with this simple strategy our guest this week, Blair Freebairn, has grown Geolytix from a one-man consultancy to a thriving multi-national company with a team of 40, and working with some of the world's best known brands. Blair joins Steven to reflect on growing his business, the pros and cons of building on open data and open source, and how the industry has evolved since the two worked together about 15 years ago. Geolytix is a great success story, and Blair shares some of the key lessons learned along the way.
Finally, Steven thanks Blair for recently becoming a Geomob sponsor! Blair shares some of his motivations for giving back to the Geomob community.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Ed is joined by Andrew Trigg, Chief Geospatial and Data Officer at HM Land Registry, who spoke at Geomob London back in 2016. Our discussion covers what HM Land Registry is, the scale of their work, and the significant challenge of digitising records and turning them into useful geospatial resources. We also cover Land Registry's experience of opening their data and sponsorship of Geovation.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Following the recent discovery of the log4j bug, a wide-spread security vulnerability, the tech community once again grapples with the issue of reliance on and maintenance of core technology that is largely maintained by unpaid volunteers. In this episode Steven chats with Andrea Aime and Ian Turton, both long-time open source developers working on widely-used geospatial technologies. The three discuss the challenges of motivation, maintenance, setting expectations, and sutainable community. A timely discussion for anyone contributing to or relying upon open source technologies. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
A/B Street is an open-source transportation planning platform. The underlying data layer is OpenStreetMap. Ed speaks with project creator Dustin Carlino to learn what A/B Street is, how it has evolved, why, after several years, he almost ended the project, and how it is now moving forward again.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Today's topic is the Geograph Project, a crowd-sourced project that combines photography and maps via a simple idea: volunteers take photographs at each Ordnance Survey grid square. Started in 2005, the project recently celebrated the uploading of its 7 millionth photo upload, and has a thriving community with over 13,000 contributors across the British Isles. All images are freely available for use under a Creative Commons licence subject to attribution of copyright. Steven speaks with long-time community members and organizers Ruth Sharville, Philip Halling, and David Howard about what makes Geograph so special.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
The holidays are over and it is time to head back to school. Ed chats with Tom Armitage about teaching GIS in the modern era. Tom has more than a decade of experience teaching geospatial topics at the University of Edinburgh, and they discuss the current state of GIS training, relevance in the modern working world, and how training programmes can adapt in the face of a rapidly changing technology landscape.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed and Steven lay out goals for 2022 - for the Geomob podcast, Geomob events, the monthly Geomob newsletter, but also for their personal and professional projects. Please let us know if you would like to volunteer to speak on the podcast or at an event (in-person or online).
Our best wishes to all listeners for a healthy, happy, prosperous 2022! Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
As promised in our Christmas Roast episode earlier this week, Steven has managed to catch up with two more long-time Geomob regulars - Jeremy Morley and Kenneth Field - to reflect on 2021 and hazard predicitons for 2022. Enjoy!
And with that, friends, we close out 2021 and wish you all the best for 2022. Stay healthy and we hope to see you at an in-person Gemob very soon!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Fill your glass, grab a seat by the fire, and enjoy a geospatial chat with friends as a chance to unwind after a stressful year.
In what has become a Geomob podcast tradition we close out the year with a "Christmas Roast", an extra-long episode featuring Steven and Ed, but also guests Denise McKenzie, Mark Iliffe, Alex Wrottesley, and Ed Parsons. We look back on the highlights of 2021, discuss the state of spatial in general, lament the very limited number of in-person events in the past year, look back on our predictions for 2021, and even risk predictions for the coming year!
A few members of our "expert" panel couldn't make it to the Roast, and we hope to have them for a follow up Christmas Pudding episode later this week. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven catches up with "one of the most thoughtful people in geo", Ivan Sanchez. Ivan is a long-time vocal member of the FOSS and open data community, and a frequent speaker (and singer!) at FOSS4G conferences. The discussion turns "the politics of geo", a wide-ranging reflection on the realities of building, maintaining, and funding open source software and collection of geographic data. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed chats with Chris Guest, founder and CEO of Lightbug, who manufacture and sell a range of tracking devices for various use cases. Chris has a long history in the Internet of Things space, particularly around all aspects of device tracking. He tells his story, provides an overview of the state of play in the industry, and also shares some delightful antecdotes around tracking use-cases. This is a great conversation with an industry veteran about all aspects of the challenge of device tracking.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Winter is here, and with it comes ski season. Ed speaks with Misha Gopaul, founder of FATMAP, which describes itself as "the best map for the mountains". Originally started as an app for skiers, FATMAP has since expanded and now also provides 3D maps and guides optimized for all sorts of outdoor adventures. Misha tells the FATMAP story, going deep on the challenges of pairing an amazing visual experience optimized for the outdoors with other services for trip planning. He reflects on lessons learned in using geospatial services to build a thriving community, offers tips for other geospatial start-up founders, and shares what is next for FATMAP. Enjoy the discussion.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Today's guests are Nick McWilliam and Mark Gillick of MapAction. Steven speaks with them about the Integrated Humanitarian Data Package (IHDP) project. IHDP is a package of cleaned, checked and enriched data, accompanied by ready-to-use desktop GIS projects, survey tools and useful scripts, and is designed to be used by people with coordination and management responsibilities who are not experts in GIS. The first IDHP was created to assist Covid vaccine roll-out in South Sudan. Steven, Nick, and Mark discuss the motivation for IHDPs, initial learnings from the launch of the first IHDP, and plans for the future. MapAction would like to thank the Calleva Foundation for supporting this project which could have a significant effect on the speed of Covid vaccine rollout in low income countries.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Steven has the pleasure of speaking with Richard Hawthorn, founder of Traintrackr. Traintrackr produces live LED maps of things like transport or weather data. This is an absolutely delightful product for any transit, map, or electronics enthusiast, and is a physical manifestation of the type of innovation that happens when transport data is opened.
Richard spoke at the Feb 2021 Geomob online event where he won the SplashMaps best speaker prize.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed is recovering from breaking his jaw, Steven is literally zipping around the Tel Aviv tech scene, and IN-PERSON!!!! Geomob events are coming up soon. This is one of our update episodes in which we discuss our projects and general geo news. Some of the highlights: Geovation is starting a mentorship program, and our friends at Esri Startup program has renewed their sponsorship of Geomob. Thank you!
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week is the 103rd anniversary of the end of hostilities on the Western Front in World War I, traditionally commemorated as the end of the war. As such we thought it was appropriate to invite James Morley on to the podcast to tell the story of his A Street Near You project. James first presented the project to the Geomob community at a London Geomob event back in 2019 where he deservedly won the SplashMaps best speaker prize. Steven and James discuss the project which became a powerful example of the deeply emotional impact of location, but also a great story of how James, without any deep technical skills, created such a popular site. They explore the motivations behind the project, the technical challenges, and the response from the public.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
With Ed out for a few weeks due to injury, Steven has to celebrate episode 100 on his own. He tells the story of his twenty-year love affair with all things open source geo.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven talks with John Nelson about his work. But is it art or cartography? All is revealed as they explore John’s career (including the Sharknado map).
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven has the pleasure of interviewing two-time Geomob speaker James Cheshire about his new book Atlas of the Invisible, co-authored with Oliver Uberti. They discuss James' path to cartography and spatial analysis, before diving into the details of the book: the motivation behind it, the process of writing a book during lockdown, and the design process. Steven's summary, "Every page is beautiful. This is the book you want somebody to give you for Christmas"
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Ed speaks with Matt Brown and Mike Hall. Matt is co-author of “The Atlas of Imagined Places” which he wrote together with Rhys Davies. The book is illustrated by Mike, a freelance cartographer who many geomobsters will know from two previous speaking appearances at Geomob, most recently in February of 2021. The conversation examines the concept of the atlas, the process of creating it, and some of the cartographic challenges of mapping imaginary places. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Steven Feldman is joined by Stephen Mather to disucss the OpenDroneMap project. OpenDroneMap is a project to create sustainable solutions for collecting, processing, analyzing and displaying aerial data while also supporting the communities built around them.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
This week Ed speaks with Christian Rouffaert, founder and CEO of Teragence, and speaker at Geomob London in September 2016. Christian's story is an interesting one not just because of the innovative work Teragence does, but becaue he came to entrepreneurship later than most, making the leap to starting a business in mid-career. We cover what exactly Teragence does, and why they don't present themselves as a "GIS company" despite behing heavy users of geotechnology. The conversation then turns to things that might be relevant to other geo start-ups: how Teragence uses one dataset to serve many different types of customers, and how they thrived despite initially trying to sell to large telcos. Enjoy.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In 2006 Andrew Turner authored the book "Introduction to Neogeography". In 2009 he gave a much heralded talk "How Neogeography Killed GIS". Andrew (who today is director of R&D at Esri), joins Steven to look back on his influential work from that time, and reflect, fifteen years later, on the impact "neogeography" on the industry. Finally, Steven and Andrew turn the focus to the future and speculate on how the industry will continue to evolve.
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Summer vacation is over, and school is back in session! Ed and Steven look back on their summers, mull the return of in-person Geomobs, and provide updates on their projects. At OpenCage the focus is on geosearch (join the early access list), while Mappery is celebrating its third birthday
We discuss some episodes about new geo books (for example Episode 92 with Kenneth Field), and Steven is delighted by his new-found status as a geo "influencer".
Don't forget FOSS4G is coming up (as previewed in episode 87).
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this episode Steven welcomes back his old friend cartographer Kenneth Field, who recently published his new book Thematic Mapping: 101 Inspiring Ways to Visualise Empirical Data. In the book Kenneth takes the data from the 2016 US election and maps it in 101 different ways, showcasing many different cartographic techniques, and weighing the pros and cons of each. As was to be expected from the author of Cartography., Kenneth's new book is as beautiful as it is educational. By taking the reader on a journey through the many different map styles, Kenneth reveals the different ways data can be used to convey a message or spark a conversation. Steven and Kenneth discuss the process of writing the book, and some of Kenneth's favorite maps. Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
In this episode Ed chats with artist Chaz Hutton, who spoke at Geomob all the way back in March of 2016 and presented his "Map of Every City". Chaz shares the experience of having a map go viral. The discussion then turns to the role and power of social media in general, the implications for use of maps and effect on spatial awareness, but also the application of social media for promotion of geospatial concepts
Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.