Open-source geoinformation, methods and software for the benefit of the environment and society.
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This is the official account of HeiGIT (Heidelberg Institute for Geoinformation Technology) at Heidelberg University.
Check us out at https://heigit.org/
How can open #geodata support better decisions in humanitarian response, infrastructure planning, and climate action?
In our latest blog post, we present five open datasets that support humanitarian aid, infrastructure planning, and climate research. Each dataset is free for everyone to explore. ๐
๐ https://buff.ly/XtrsABo
#OpenData #Geospatial #HumanitarianData #ClimateAction
How far is too far to reach a school or clinic?
We built OpenAccessLens, a global, open-source platform measuring physical access to education and healthcare worldwide. Powered by @openstreetmap and #openrouteservice, it maps travel-time to essential services so humanitarian orgs, planners, and researchers can act on the gaps.
Open-source. Community-driven. ๐
The potential applications of street-level imagery and deep learning methods are countless: reliable logistics, inclusive mobility, accessibility analysis.
But there are many challenges, too: How to easily collect new imagery? How to process the imagery in a free, flexible and safe way?
We wrote about our best practices and related projects on our blog: https://buff.ly/0VCrNj3
Does anyone here have best practices or innovative uses of #streetlevel images to share? What should we map next?
๐บ๏ธ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต: ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐
The Heating Emissions tool in the Climate Action Navigator estimates COโ emissions from home heating using three main factors: the size of the building, the buildingโs age, and the type of heating energy used.
๐ Explore the Heating Emissions assessment tool: https://buff.ly/Oc4zTJN
๐ https://buff.ly/h0mk1F4
We are proud to share that the Sketch Map Tool was strategically used in Cali, Colombia
In Cali, the project worked with the communities of Pance and Comuna 18, encouraging participatory mapping that puts citizens at the heart of risk analysis. By combining technical skills with local knowledge, the team identified environmental conditions, hazards, resources, and safe evacuation routes for emergencies.
๐ Read More: https://buff.ly/ibg7zF6
#SketchMapTool #CaliCo #UseCase
Tropical Cyclone Gezani has caused massive destruction in the eastern coastal town of Toamasina in Madagascar. Approximately 250,406 people have been affected, 36,807 homes destroyed, 6,874 individuals displaced and 31 fatalities.
Please join us in mapping to help save lives and protect the livelihoods of those impacted by the cyclone. ๐
#cyclonegezani #madagascar #humanitarianmapping #geospatial #volunteer
Weยดve released a #QGIS plugin and new datasets to make it easier for humanitarian organizations to run risk assessments for floods, cyclones and other hazards.
With the QGIS Risk Assessment plugin, users can run tailored risk assessments without advanced coding skills. And with the global ready-to-use datasets, they can even skip most data processing.
Video tutorial to set up and use the plugin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stfcuFAtTC8
More info and datasets: https://heigit.org/open-risk-assessment-datasets-for-easier-humanitarian-action/
Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science! ๐โจ
Today, we honor women in science whose groundbreaking achievements continue to shape and inspire their fields. This map ๐บ๏ธ shows all the places where women from HeiGIT have studied, worked, done research, and shared their knowledge through jobs, seminars, conferences, and academic trips around the world.
My employer @heigit is looking for a student assistant: https://heigit-jobs.softgarden.io/job/62666059?l=de
#heidelberg
@thomas we are always incredibly happy to hear that openrouteservice finds new uses, thank you for recommending it!
If you have questions or feedback on openrouteservice, feel free to reach out to us
Interesante este #OpenRouteService, me gusta la opciรณn de mostrar isocronas con la distancia que se puede recorrer en un viaje 15 min y 30 min, en coche, bici y andando, e incluso en silla de ruedas.
Aquรญ dejo lo que me ha salido con Burgos, centrado en la Plaza Mayor:
@mdione we don't any more information on this particulat project to share, but you could have a look at hiBike, an assessment tool on the Climate Action Navigator that has exactly this goal: give high-resolution information on bikeability to inform action.
Climate Action Navigator (registration is required to do your own computation, but everything is free): https://climate-action.heigit.org/dashboard
More information on hiBike: https://heigit.org/?s=Hibike&e_search_props=2fd30fd-8313
Cc @theogeo6
๐ด How bike friendly is your city, really?
A new BIKE Index compares cycling conditions across European cities using data from #OpenStreetMap and open source tools. By simulating 210 cycling routes per city with #openrouteservice, the study reveals clear differences in how well city networks support bike travel.
The Index show where cycling works well & where infrastructure slows riders down, highlighting how #open-source tools turn maps into actionable insights.
๐ Letโs make International Reducing COโ Emissions Day a local, everyday practice.
Cities and communities are key to cutting emissions, but action needs the right tools. The Climate Action Navigator supports local climate action by providing data-driven insights.
Reducing COโ is a continuous journey, driven by collaborative action.
Whatโs your community doing?
Watch the video: https://youtube.com/shorts/N9PYIZ9lFpo?si=OzYss_ac2DNEMkQY
Try out the tool: https://climate-action.heigit.org/dashboard
โน๏ธ Following heavy downpours in parts of Kenya, landslides occurred, causing significant impacts. Support the Kenya Red Cross by mapping buildings to improve map data for disaster preparedness and response in Elgeyo Marakwet county.
๐ You can access the projects in the HOT Tasking Manager via this link:
https://tinyurl.com/969xrpsh
Thank you for your support! โญ
2025 has been an incredible year for MapSwipe!
From a major backend revamp to brand new project types (View Streets, Completeness, Assess Images) and stronger community collaboration. In this conversation, Nicole & Amar from the MapSwipe governance team look back on what was achieved, why it mattered, and whatโs coming in 2026 ๐
๐ Read the full reflection: https://mapswipe.org/en/blogs/2026-01-19-mapswipe-2025-reflections/
#MapSwipe #OpenStreetMap #OpenSource #HumanitarianMapping #MissingMaps #CivicTech
How do you analyze #OpenStreetMap data in near real time?
ohsome-planet can process OSM data via minutely updates, producing continuously up-to-date GeoParquet datasets. Incremental updates replace costly full reprocessing and integrate easily into modern data pipelines.
The tool is built for researchers, data analysts, and organizations that work with OSM data and need it in a GIS-ready format. Will you integrate ohsome-planet in your workflows?
๐https://buff.ly/abUmuPa
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ข๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ (๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ) ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐บ๏ธ
A new study analyzed over 15 years of @openstreetmap research, showing collaboration networks and research trends. An interesting reading for the #OSM community and all #VGI researchers: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2601.09338
Weยดre proud that Heidelberg University is at the center of OSM research and our Scientific Director Alexander Zipf is the most prolific author in the field!
How can we embed innovation into our daily work? ๐ค
At HeiGIT, we create space to experiment with new ideas and technologies, without immediate pressure to deliver results. This led to #Innovation Weeks, later evolving into Innovation Summer โ๏ธ, giving teams more flexibility to explore their ideas.
Taking time to try something new, even if it might not succeed, has already led to successful tools like #MapSwipe and #SketchMapTool
