In the previous post the method of collecting points and data used a dedicated platform known as ArcPad. This is a good method when you have a dedicated system and technology to run smoothly with ESRI technology. However in the modern era most people carry around a smart phone or a tablet device. These devices can have many times more computing power than GPS units and would be useful to use as collection devices. This is where the ArcCollector app comes in. it is a software app that works with ESRI and ArcMap to gather data on the fly using commonly found IOS software and Droid software.
image source: http://resources.arcgis.com/en/communities/smartphone-apps/
Study Area:
The study area that we selected is the same as the Arc Pad study area. We are also using the same criteria in our collection points. The collection points include wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, temperature and dew point. To complete the objective of the lab the class was broken into separate groups to collect points in their retrospective area to merge together later.
Methods:
The first step to using Arc Collector is downloading it onto the smartphone or tablet device. Once the app is downloaded we will have to connect it to the UWEC arcgisonline profile. This is the hub where we will be storing and collecting our data which can then be deployed to ArcMap for further modification. It was important to login using our Enterprise account so we can have access to the majority of the online functions that ESRI provides as well as have a online profile to transfer and modify data that we have collected. From the ArcGisonline account we can then deploy our project simply by going to the my content page and selecting the profile in which we will be deploying. ArcGISonline is also useful for editing the meta data of the project such as tags, editing, exportation of data and synchronization. For this project I have selected Microclass_Kerr to collect points to deploy as a web map. We already had the Geodatabase, domains, and feature classes created so this was useful to save time in our project.
To deploy our points we simply select what we would like to deploy to our device from our handheld smart phone. once the data has uploaded onto the smartphone or tablet the group could then exit the lab and being to collect points. To collect points we used various tools such as compasses to gather data relating to wind direction, and a digital monitor to measure the temperature and humidity. Two group members continued to gather 20 points in the study area to gather a total of 40 points giving us a large sample size that can later be imported into ArcGIS. Once all the points are collected they can be saved and with a strong wireless connection as long as the synchonization tab was selected in ArcGIS online. We would then be able to automatically update our map. From this point we just have to select the option "Open in ArcGIS for desktop" to complete our transition to ArcMap.
ArcCollector as seen on the Droid device.
Once our points were downloaded to Arcmap we uploaded our own set of points to a share folder. The other group members did the same and importing their points to our system was a breeze. The points were then imported to our own map which can then be edited into a functional map showing micro climates in the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire area.
Results:
The results of the collected micro climate points show varying differing temperatures that affect UWEC campus. This data is useful since the climate of Eau Claire can be different depending on the area where a person may be. for example, it may be more windy in one section such as the bridge area which can then be a cooler climate. To look more in depth about the various temperatures I created a Hotspot Analysis of where the hotter and cooler temperatures are taken. higher temperatures are centered around areas that get more direct sunlight and where heat isn't as absorbed from plant life and is reflected by buildings and roads. This is a simple map to show case the ArcCollector abilities and should not be taken as scientific fact.
Hotspot analysis of Microclimate temeratures with points collected by ArcCollector
The data that was collected using ArcCollector is useful to use since the points are collected all at the same time with different group members, this is a useful tool since gathering points with more people will cut the time down from a multi day project to a mere couple of hours.
Conclusions:
The ArcCollector app is a powerful tool in the geographers arsenal. it can be used with almost anyone that has a IOS or Droid device and does not rely on propitiatory software. This is also a useful app for collecting purposes since the data is seamlessly synchronized directly back to the registered online ArcGIS profile. The benefits of using ArcCollector over ArcPad are staggering. because of the ease of use and the quality of the maps that were created I would highly suggest using ArcCollector instead of ArcPad.
