This year we are yet again bringing hands-on GIS data collection to the masses. In collaboration with Texas A&M Department of Geography, Texas A&M Facilities Coordination, and Texas A&M Transportation Services, we are hosting the TAMU Building Bounty Mapping Challenge. The purpose of the challenge is to construct a realistic 3D textured model of all structures on the Texas A&M campus from crowd-sourced photos submitted by members and guests of the TAMU community. This event is proudly sponsored by the following organizations:
Throughout the course of the three-day long GIS Day event(s), any GIS Day participant will be able to submit data in the form of photos of the exterior of TAMU structures using with their own
personal cell phones through the official TxGIS Day Competition App.
The project team is seeking to gather images of the exterior of all structures on the TAMU campus including buildings, greenhouses, water towers, and any/all other structures that reside on our beautiful campus.
How data collection works:
- Install the TxGIS Day Competitions App on your mobile device (Android or iOS).
- Visit the Building Bounty Map (on this website or in the app).
- Find a building that has not been captured yet (for the most points), or pick a building convenient to you.
- Travel to the building.
- Indicate which building you are going to capture in the app dropdown list.
- Walk around the exterior of the building with you cell phone.
- While walking, take photos every few steps with your cell phone of the building's exterior from ground to roof. The more photos the better, so don't be shy. Each picture counts!
- When taking photos maintain an overlap of features between photos; an overlap of 80% is optimal. The overlap helps turn your photos into an interactive 3D model.
- Submit your building data through the app.
How competition points work:
- If you are among the first 5 people to capture any given, you get eight points for every photo.
- If you are among the first 6 to 20 people to capture a any given building, you get four points for every photo.
- If you are among the 21+ people to capture any given building, you get one point for every photo.
- Whoever gets the most points, wins first place.
- Whoever gets the second most points, wins second place.
Rules, Participation, and Winners
In order for a chance to win, participants will be required to
have an active GIS Day account. Using the official 2019 GIS Day iOS and Android applications, users will take photos of any and all structures on the TAMU campus. Capture buildings on main campus, west campus, riverside campus, and anywhere that you think is TAMU land and submit them.
The participant with the highest number of points from verified submissions at the conclusion of the GIS Day event will be awarded 1st place.
Winners will be awarded with prizes generously provided by
Texas A&M Facilities Coordination. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 13 at the Student Awards & Closing Remarks session.
Project Information Sheet
Why is this study being done?
The purpose of this study is to leverage the data collection abilities of the 2,500+ TAMU faculty, students, staff, and visitors who participate in the TxGIS Day events per year to gather data about the TAMU campus. Each year, the GIS Day planning committee organizes a GIS Mapping Competition where GIS Day participants gather data (GPS, photos, and other attributes) of amenities and services on campus. You are invited to participate in these data collection efforts!
Why am I being asked to be in the study?
You are being asked to be in this study because you have a relationship with Texas A&M either as a faculty or staff member, a student, or a visitor.
How many people will be asked to be in the study?
The study organizers hope to engage 2,500 study participants per year for each of the four years of the project. We will contact 50,000 people per year (roughly the number all TAMU students, faculty, and staff) in order to achieve these participant numbers for each year of the project.
What are the alternatives to being in this study?
The alternative to being in the study is not to participate. Participation in this study is not mandatory, and non-participation will not impact you in any fashion.
What will I be asked to do in this study?
You will be asked to walk around the TAMU campus and take pictures of buildings. In 2019, you are being asked to take pictures of the exteriors of TAMU structures. In future years, the organizing committee will survey different aspects of the TAMU campus.
Are there are risks to me?
The things that you will be doing are no greater than the risks you would come across in everyday life. While collecting data, you will be submitting your location (actually the location of the thing you are collecting about), which could expose the locations that you collected data at, should these data be stolen. Other risks include a breach of confidentiality should study information about you (name, email, TAMU department, and TAMU classification) be stolen.
Will there be any costs to me?
Aside from your time, there are no costs for taking part in the study. Your participation can take any amount of time up to seven days (the full length of the week around GIS Day), but we expect that most people will participate for less than two hours.
Will photos, video, or audio recordings be made of me during this study?
Photos, video, and audio recordings will not be taken of you as part of this study.
Will I be paid to be in the study?
You will not be paid for being in this study, but there will be an award given to at least one of the participants who will be selected at random from all participants who create accounts. creating an account is not mandatory. You can participate anonymously without creating an account, but in this case you will not be eligible for winning prizes (since we won't know how you are!!).
Will information from this study be kept private?
The records of this study will be kept private. Any personally identifiable information you submit during the course of creating an account will be removed from the data when it is used in publications or presentations. You may choose to submit data anonymously, in which case no identifiable information will be collected from or about you.
Research records will be stored securely in the College of Geosciences data center located in the basement of the O&M Building, and only Dr. Daniel Goldberg, other members of the project team, and TAMU IT data center staff will have access to the records. Representatives of regulatory agencies such as the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) and entities such as the Texas A&M University Human Subjects Protection Program may access your records to make sure the study is being run correctly and that information is collected properly.
What if I change my mind about participating?
This research is voluntary and you have the choice whether or not to be in this research study. You may decide to not begin or to stop participating at any time. If you choose not to be in this study or stop being in the study, there will be no effect on your status, grades, employment, or relationship with Texas A&M University, etc. Any new information discovered about the research will be provided to you. This information could affect your willingness to continue your participation.
Whom may I contact for more information?
You may contact the Principal Investigator, Daniel Goldberg, PhD, to tell him about a concern or complaint about this research at 979-845-6395 or daniel.goldberg@tamu.edu.
For questions about your rights as a research participant; or if you have questions, complaints, or concerns about the research, you may call the Texas A&M University Human Subjects Protection Program office at (979) 458-4067 or irb@tamu.edu.
TAMU IRB Approvals
IRB NUMBER: IRB2016-0672M
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 10/06/2016
IRB EXPIRATION DATE: 10/01/2021