The Spatial and Map Cognition Research Lab.
We study map use, navigation, and spatial thinking primarily. We use multiple measurement tools, including traditional laboratory and in-field behavioral methods as well as fMRI and eye-tracking.
SMCRL is a part of the Department of Geography at the University of Oregon - Eugene.
The tactile thematic maps designed for download on this website use a set of empirically designed and tested thematic tactile symbols. The tactile thematic symbols are composed of a series of dots that are legible and discriminable to replace traditional ramps of color implemented on visual maps. Much like a color scale works with visual thematic maps, where darker colors usually represent more of some phenomenon, and lighter colors less, counties with many dots have a higher value or more of the particular variable than those with fewer or no dots. While the density of the dots is used to distinguish relative amounts of something in a county, it is important to note that each individual dot does not actually represent a specific value. The dot patterns represent a range in values; that one county has, for example, more or less population than another, not that a county has a certain number of people.
These maps were designed for 11 by 17 on sheets of Microcapsule paper. They also require a tactile image enhancer.
Legend (coming soon)