TagMaps

Can we automatically create an "attraction map" of the world from Flickr geotagged images, and their associated tags? We performed an analysis of Flickr data and developed a visualization technique called Tag Maps to do exactly that. Using the analysis and the Tag Maps visualization, we created an exploration tool called World Explorer that visualizes the world like never before.

The idea behind our data analysis is simple: By taking a photo, photographers essentially express their interest in a particular place, and implicitly "vote" in favor of that location. Further, additional information can be extracted from the tags attached to these photos on Flickr. Tags that frequently appear in images from a specific location but are otherwise rare suggest a topic unique to the location, again "voting" in favor of that location, and suggesting a relevant tag. This data analysis provides us with a set of highly representative tags, associated with map locations.

The World Explorer is an extension of the Tag Map visualization tool for this Flickr data. The exploration is facilitated by placing the representative tags on a map (hence, Tag Map). We augment the Tag Map with photos that represent each tag at its specific location. Thus, World Explorer effectively provides a sense of the important concepts embodied in each map area and zoom level, and allows the user to explore these concepts via photos.

Bonus features: A Tag Maps module is available for developers as a visualization tool that supports any GeoRSS data stream. In addition, our data for World Explorer is available through an API. Also check the project page for Night Explorer and Trip Explorer, two additional visualizations created using Tag Maps.