The first achievement of the LostInZoom is the definition of our research subject, i.e. the interactive multi-scale maps now used by the general public and by professional users on their phones or computers (e.g. Google Maps, Bing Maps, OpenStreetMap, or authoritative counterparts, such as the Plan IGN in France). We called these maps “pan-scalar maps”, because the integrated map holds more information for the user than the sum of what can be seen at each scale independently. For instance, in a zoomed view inside Paris, you do not need to display the name Paris but the user knows as they arrived here by zooming in from a view that displayed the name, or by entering an address located in Paris. Then, we collected user experiences on cartographic disorientation, i.e. disorientation periods while using a pan-scalar map, to better characterise this phenomenon. We also conducted experiments that showed that disorientation was more frequent when map users were zooming in strongly. By contrast, zooming out, even strongly, does not generate much disorientation, as it is an action that brings more context to a self-localisation cognitive process. We also conducted experiments with users drawing on maps, to capture what they consider as the main landmark in a topographic map: for instance, the Seine River is considered as a major landmark or anchor in maps around Paris, France. We coupled these experiments with eye-tracking measures that showed that people use these anchors with frequent gazes to localise themselves during a zoom. We also started the design of machine learning systems able to automatically recognise these anchors in any image of a map. Regarding the design of novel maps, more adapted to the interactive use, i.e. the second pillar of the project, we developed an open Python library for cartographic generalisation, called CartAGen. Cartographic generalisation is a complex process of abstraction and simplification of the geographic data to obtain legible small-scale maps. For instance, cartographic generalisation chooses the best roads and rivers to show at small scales. Finally, regarding the professional use of pan-scalar maps, we conducted a joint design process with firemen in charge of post-earthquake crisis management, and proposed a prototype of pan-scalar map to use in a control room during crisis management.
