Making navigation easier

Interactive map created with Google and XML file

By Olivia Obineme

Published: Wednesday, September 16, 2009

As students get hungry for their midnight snack at Pizans or want to visit a friend at the Burkshire, they can now log on to an interactive map to give them detailed instructions on how to get there.

The new map, created by The Geospatial Research and Education Lab, serves as an improved campus guide for students.

“[The map] can generate directions to a specific spot on campus and link a user directly to parking or shuttle information,” director of the design center Rick Pallansch said. “It also displays photos of the buildings the user is looking for.”

The map contains two parts, a drawing of the campus that is laid over a Google Map and there is an XML file that contains all of the building information, including coordinates, links to photos and web links for additional information.

“In the spring of last year, I came across another university that had built their campus map using the online Google Map application,” Pallansch said.

Pallansch helped the GRE to update the map graphics and information.

The whole project was worked on over the course of one year, and the new interactive map was launched after the start of classes this fall.

When a student, faculty member or visitor looks at the new map, they find that not only can they get directions for on-campus sites, but they can also get directions for off-campus sites.

The feedback on the new maps so far, has been positive, according to Pallansch, and part of the reason is because many people are already familiar with the Google Maps application.

Courtesy of The Towerlight