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Geohashing
Outdoor recreational activity From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Geohashing /ˈdʒiːoʊˌhæʃɪŋ/ is an outdoor recreational activity inspired by the webcomic xkcd, in which participants have to reach a random location (chosen by a computer algorithm), prove their achievement by taking a picture of a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or another mobile device and then tell the story of their trip online. Proof based on non-electronic navigation is also acceptable.[1]
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The geohashing community and culture is extremely tongue-in-cheek, supporting any kind of humorous behavior during the practice of geohashing and resulting in a parody of traditional outdoor activities.[2] Navigating to a random point is sometimes done with a goal in mind. Some geohashers document new mapping features they find on the OpenStreetMap project, clean up litter, or create art to commemorate the trip, among other activities.
A variation on geocaching, known as geodashing, features a closely comparable principle, with participants racing between coordinate points.
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Invention and spread
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On May 21, 2008, the 426th xkcd comic was published. Titled "Geohashing", it described a way for a computer to create an algorithm that could generate random Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates each day based on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the current date.[3] The algorithm was quickly seized by the xkcd community, which used it as intended by xkcd creator Randall Munroe.[4]
Originally a stub where people willing to try the algorithm in real life were to issue their reports, the geohashing official wiki expanded in the following weeks and was a working website as early as June 2008.[4] The current expedition protocol was then established during the following years, with the creation of humorous awards, regional meetups and a hall of amazingness for the various geohasher achievements.[5]
Over time, geohashing gained fame across the internet and now counts more than 15,000 expedition reports.[6] Over a thousand users are registered on the geohashing wiki, though not all are currently active.[7] Geohashing has spread mostly in North America, Europe and Australia, especially around cities.[8]
Geohashing is celebrated each year with global events like 'Geohash Day' on May 21, commemorating the original xkcd comic's publication.[9]
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Geohash
Geohashing divides the earth into a grid made up of graticules which are one degree wide in latitude and longitude. Inside these graticules, a random location is set. Geohashers then have the opportunity to go at the chosen location, either inside their own graticule or in a nearby one. If the location is inaccessible or in a private area, geohashers are advised not to try to reach it, although seemingly-inaccessible locations have been reached several times. In addition to the repeating location in each graticule, each day there is a single global hashpoint, much more challenging to reach.[10]
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Applications
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Geohashing has various applications in geospatial data management, analysis, and optimization. One such application Geohashing can be applied to Timehasing, which is a term meant to signify a combination geohash and timestamps, and can be applied to track hurricanes, crime patterns, and wildlife migration over time.[11]
With clusters of GPS points using geohash and GIS to label behaviors, traffic can be better planned as well as health and even future smart cities.[12]
Geohashing can even be redesigned to recognize uneven data loads to be evenly spread across computers to give faster map queries for the billions of GPS pings happening. This could allow things such as instantly finding Uber drivers near you.[13]
Geohashing can even be improved upon by fixing how geohash cells get skinnier near Earth's poles, which can lead to wrong are calculations. Fixing this could lead to accurate measuring of Arctic ice melt per square kilometer.[14]
Web maps such as Google Maps need to load fast on phones, so in using GeohashTile for vector maps, map data can be tiled and compressed which would lead to faster load times, especially in places with a weak signal. This method indexes data with Geohash and employs relative position projection for faster rendering.[15]
See also
- Benchmarking (geolocating) – Outdoor game
- Degree Confluence Project – Online volunteer photography project
- Letterboxing (hobby) – Outdoor hobby
- Location-based game – Game which reacts to the player's location
- Orienteering – Sport using maps and compasses
References
External links
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