The UN Mapper of the month - August 2024
Our Mapper of the Month for August 2024 is Taichi Furuhashi, MAPconcierge on OSM, professor at Aoyama Gakuin University in Japan. Driven by a passion for using mapping to support and empower communities, Taichi has been actively involved in disaster response and resilience efforts since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011. During his career, he has led major projects. Taichi enrolled his students in our OSM validation course to further develop their skills. Discover more about his impactful work in the full interview.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am deeply passionate about mapping and connecting local communities through maps, with a strong focus on sharing knowledge to empower individuals. Following the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011, which severely impacted numerous cities and communities, we have been working alongside local residents to build a more resilient society using mapping, Panorama/VR, and drone technology. As a professor at Aoyama Gakuin University and the President of CrisisMappers Japan, an NPO, I am actively involved in these efforts. We have recently initiated the DRONEBIRD project, utilizing drones for disaster crisis response, in collaboration with the WeRobotics/FlyingLabs Network. Additionally, I serve as the advisory board chairman for Project PLATEAU with the Japanese Government, which focuses on the development of an Open 3D Digital Twin.
How did you know about UN Mappers?
Originally contributing to OpenStreetMap activities since 2008, I have been a Community Partner of the UN OpenGIS Initiative since 2020, focusing mainly on the social implementation of cutting-edge open source GIS technologies. In particular, I have worked on the development of an offline mapping tool called UNVT Portable and the integration of the latest Vector Tile technology with drone mapping technologies such as OpenDroneMap and OpenAerialMap. Through my activities in the UN OpenGIS Initiative, I learned about UN Mappers and joined the project with the hope that I could contribute to its data development together with our students.
What motivated you to enroll your students in our validation course?
As members of HOT - Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and TeachOSM, we have been actively using Tasking Manager to contribute to OSM mapping across various regions. However, we have faced challenges in developing students who can not only work as mappers but also as validators, which is essential for enhancing data quality. Unfortunately, Japan has yet to cultivate a team proficient in validation work. By involving students in the UN Mappers Validation course, they will not only improve their own skills but also gain valuable experience collaborating with the UN Mappers and Youth Mappers globally. This will help familiarize them with international cooperation and, I hope, make the validation process more commonplace for my students.
How did the validation course seem to you? Which topic did you and your students find the most interesting?
My students were primarily using the iD editor until they took the Validation course, and very few of them were proficient with JOSM. By taking this course, they learned about OSM editing tools other than the iD editor and various tools to check quality. I am sure that their contribution to improving the quality of OSM data by acquiring such applied skills will be useful for their work as professionals after graduation.
When do you map?
Mainly in my free time. If a disaster happens, I will map during working hours.
Do you enjoy mapping? Why?
My motivation is to enjoy the many beautiful landscapes, diverse cultures, and delicious foods and drinks with friends from all over the world. In addition, the world is always changing. One of my motivations is to archive these dynamically changing cities in digital space and create a world where my children, grandchildren, and their descendants can experience the history of the city.
Regarding your mapping activity and your journey in OSM, what lessons learned would you like to share with other members of the community?
Just keep walking, persistence paid off.
(Tadataka Ino, 1745-1818)
In which countries do you map the most?
Of course, I have done most of my mapping in Japan, but if I were to choose another country, it would be Brazil, where I worked for three years starting in 2008 in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, and mapped many buildings and other structures.
