Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Formal Model of the Process of Wayfinding in Built Environments

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Spatial Information Theory. Cognitive and Computational Foundations of Geographic Information Science (COSIT 1999)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1661))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

Previous recent research on human wayfinding has focused primarily on mental representations rather than processes of wayfinding. This paper presents a formal model of some aspects of the process of wayfinding, where appropriate elements of human perception and cognition are formally realized using image schemata and affordances. The goal-driven reasoning chain that leads to action begins with incomplete and imprecise knowledge derived from imperfect observations of space. Actions result in further observations, derived knowledge and, recursively, further actions, until the goal is achieved or the wayfinder gives up. This paper gives a formalization of this process, using a modal extension to classical propositional logic to represent incomplete knowledge. Both knowledge and action are represented through a wayfinding graph. A special case of wayfinding in a building, that is finding one’s way through an airport, is used to demonstrate the formal model.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Chellas, B., Modal Logic. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1980.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Cohn, A., “The Challenge of Qualitative Spatial Reasoning”. ACM Computing Surveys, vol. 27, pp. 323–325, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Epstein, S., “Spatial Representation for Pragmatic Navigation”. In Spatial Information Theory-A Theoretical Basis for GIS, International Conference COSIT’’97, Laurel Highlands, PA, vol. 1329, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Hirtle, S. and Frank, A., Eds. Berlin: Springer, 1997, pp. 373–388.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. Fagin, R., Halpern, J., Moses, Y., and Vardi, M., Reasoning about Knowledge. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Frank, A., “Spatial Reasoning-Theoretical Considerations and Practical Applications”. EGIS’92, vol. 1. München, Deutschland, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Frank, A., “Qualitative spatial reasoning: cardinal directions as an example”. International Journal of Geographical Information Systems, vol. 10, pp. 269–290, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Freksa, C., “Using Orientation Information for Qualitative Spatial Reasoning”. In Theories and Methods of Spatio-Temporal Reasoning in Geographic Space, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 639, Frank, A., Campari, I., and Formentini, U., Eds.: Springer-Verlag, 1992, pp. 162–178.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Gärling, T., Bö öök, A., and Lindberg, E., “Spatial orientation and wayfinding in the designed environment: A conceptual analysis and some suggestions for postoccupancy evaluation.”. Journal of Architectural Planning Resources, vol. 3, pp. 55–64, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gärling, T., Lindberg, E., and Möntylä, T., “Orientation in buildings: Effects of familiarity, visual access, and orientation aids.”. Journal of Applied Psychology, vol.68, pp. 177–186, 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Gibson, J., The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Gluck, M., “Making Sense of Human Wayfinding: Review of Cognitive and Linguistic Knowledge for Personal Navigation with a New Research Direction”. In Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space, vol. 63, Series D: Behavioural and Social Sciences, Mark, D. and Frank, A., Eds. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1991, pp. 117–135.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Golledge, R., “Place Recognition and Wayfinding: Making Sense of Space”. Geoforum, vol. 23, pp. 199–214, 1992.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Gopal, S., Klatzky, R., and Smith, T., “NAVIGATOR: A Psychologically Based Model of Environmental Learning Through Navigation.”. Journal of Environmental Psychology, pp. 309–331, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hintikka, J., J., Knowledge and Belief. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Johnson, M., The Body in the Mind: The Bodily Basis of Meaning, Imagination, and Reason. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kripke, S., “A completeness theorem in modal logic”. Journal of Symbolic Logic, vol. 24, pp. 1–14, 1959.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. Kuhn, W., “Handling Data Spatially: Spatializing User Interfaces”. In SDH’96, Advances in GIS Research II, Proceedings, vol. 2, Kraak, M. and Molenaar, M., Eds. Delft: International Geographical Union, 1996, pp. 13B.1–13B.23.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kuipers, B., “Modeling Spatial Knowledge”. Cognitive Science, vol. 2, pp. 129–154, 1978.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Kuipers, B., “The’ Map in the Head’ Metaphor”. Environment and Behaviour, vol. 14, pp. 202–220, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Lakoff, G., “Cognitive Semantics”. In Meaning and Mental Representations, Eco, U., Santambrogio, M., and Violi, P., Eds. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1988, pp. 119–154.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Leiser, D. and Zilbershatz, A., “The Traveller-A Computational Model of Spatial Network Learning”. Environment and Behavior, vol. 21, pp. 435–463, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Lynch, K., The Image of the City. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press, 1960.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Mark, D. and Frank, A., “Experiential and Formal Models of Geographic Space”. Environment and Planning B, vol. 23, pp. 3–24, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. McCalla, G., Reid, L., and Schneider, P., “Plan Creation, Plan Execution, and Knowledge Acquisition in a Dynamic Microworld”. International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, vol. 16, pp. 89–112, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. McDermott, D. and Davis, E., “Planning Routes through Uncertain Territory”.Artificial Intelligence, vol. 22, pp. 107–156, 1984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Norman, D., The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Doubleday, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  27. O’Neill, M., “Effects of signage and floor plan configuration on wayfinding accuracy”. Environment and Behavior, vol. 23, pp. 553–574, 1991a.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. O’Neill, M., “Evaluation of a conceptual model of architectural legibility”. Environment and Behavior, vol. 23, pp. 259–284, 1991b.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Pawlak, Z., “Rough Sets”. International Journal of Computer and Information Sciences, vol. 11, pp. 341–356, 1982.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  30. Piaget, J. and Inhelder, B., The Child’s Conception of Space. New York: Norton, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Raubal, M., “Structuring Wayfinding Tasks with Image Schemata”. Department of Spatial Information Science and Engineering, University of Maine, U.S.A., 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Raubal, M. and Egenhofer, M., “Comparing the complexity of wayfinding tasks in built environments”. Environment & Planning B, vol. 25, pp. 895–913, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Raubal, M., Egenhofer, M., Pfoser, D., and Tryfona, N., “Structuring Space with Image Schemata: Wayfinding in Airports as a Case Study”. In Spatial Information Theory-A Theoretical Basis for GIS, International Conference COSIT’97, Laurel Highlands, PA, vol. 1329, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Hirtle, S. and Frank, A., Eds. Berlin: Springer, 1997, pp. 85–102.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  34. Seidel, A., “Way-Finding in Public Spaces: The Dallas/Fort Worth, USA Airport.”. 20th International Congress of Applied Psychology. Edinburgh, Scotland, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Siegel, A. and White, S., “The development of spatial representations of large-scale environments”. In Advances in child development and behavior, vol. 10, Reese, H., Ed. New York: Academic Press, 1975, pp. 9–55.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Weisman, J., “Evaluating architectural legibility: Way-finding in the built environment”. Environment and Behavior, vol. 13, pp. 189–204, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Worboys, M., “The Role of Modal Logics in the Description of Knowledge in a Geographic Information System”. In Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space, Mark, D. and Frank, A., Eds. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer, 1991, pp. 403–414.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Worboys, M., “Computation with imprecise geospatial data”. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, vol. 22, pp. 85–106, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Worboys, M., “Imprecision in finite resolution spatial data”. GeoInformatica, vol. 2, pp. 257–279, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Worboys, M., “Observations and Knowledge”. Department of Computer Science, Keele University, Staffs., England, Science Technical Report TR99.01, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geoinformation, Technical University Vienna, Gusshausstrasse 27-29, 1040, Vienna

    Martin Raubal

  2. Department of Computer Science, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, UK, ST5 5BG

    Michael Worboys

Authors
  1. Martin Raubal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael Worboys
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universität Hamburg, Fachbereich Informatik, Vogt-Kölln-Straße 30, D-22527, Hamburg, Germany

    Christian Freksa

  2. Department of Geography, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14261, USA

    David M. Mark

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Raubal, M., Worboys, M. (1999). A Formal Model of the Process of Wayfinding in Built Environments. In: Freksa, C., Mark, D.M. (eds) Spatial Information Theory. Cognitive and Computational Foundations of Geographic Information Science. COSIT 1999. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1661. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48384-5_25

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48384-5_25

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-66365-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-48384-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation