Methodology of creating tactile maps based on integrating geoinformation and additive technologies

Abstract

The authors consider the current state of the tactile cartographic products manufacturing making the conclusion on the necessity of improving the existing techniques, as well as formalizing and automating the process of designing and further printing such maps. The authors propose a new methodological approach to creating them based on the integration of geoinformation and additive technologies. A technical solution is presented, within the framework of which a way of converting digital maps into three-dimensional models of tactile maps was developed. It has 4 stages, each one, in turn, consists of sequential operations that enable any user of the geographic information system to obtain the tactile map printed on plastic. The algorithm for conversion of digital cartographic data is implemented based on the geographic information system ArcGIS Pro, however, it is universal and can be applied to any geoinformation system that allows developing and installing the additional software modules for working with the mentioned data. Thus, the authors implemented a formalized approach to transforming digital maps into three-dimensional models of tactile ones.