Category Archives: Modelado 3D

Setting up Mapterhorn terrain in RStudio

¿Alguna vez has querido visualizar el relieve de un territorio en 3D directamente desde R, sin depender de software GIS externo? Mapterhorn es un proyecto open source que distribuye modelos digitales de elevación (MDT) de alta resolución — hasta 2 metros en España — empaquetados en formato PMTiles, un estándar moderno que permite servir datos geoespaciales sin necesidad de un servidor propio.

En este post veremos cómo configurar Mapterhorn en R usando el paquete mapgl en Rstudio, que nos permite crear mapas interactivos con terreno 3D en pocas líneas de código. El resultado: visualizaciones como la que ves abajo, con sombreado de relieve (hillshade) generado directamente desde los datos de elevación del IGN.

Aventuras y desventuras de un geógrafo en “desarrollo”

La cartografía siempre ha sido un oficio de precisión, paciencia y criterio espacial. Durante años, el flujo de trabajo de cualquier geógrafo pasaba inevitablemente por entornos de escritorio como ArcGIS Pro o QGIS: cargar capas, ajustar simbología, exportar mapas. Herramientas sólidas, probadas, indispensables. Pero algo está cambiando.

Cada vez más, el análisis espacial ocurre en la nube, en navegadores, en entornos de código. En anteriores post habéis visto algunos test/ideas/aplicaciones que he desarrollado con Javascript Google Earth Engine, que procesa imágenes satelitales a escala planetaria sin mover un solo archivo. Deck.gl y Maplibre renderizan millones de puntos en 3D directamente en el navegador. React convierte un mapa en una aplicación interactiva con pocas líneas de código.

From LIDAR USGS to DSM in a few lines of code. The magic of R

The USGS LiDAR Explorer, hosted via gishub.org, serves as a high-performance web gateway for interacting with the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) datasets. First thing, go to this GITHUB repository https://github.com/opengeos/maplibre-gl-usgs-lidar, download code for the project (code>download ZIP), get connected with RStudio, save new project and open a script window… It’s all set up!

Testing GEMINI for 3D environments. From SketchUp to an unlikely future!

The exercise shows how a simple SketchUp 3D volume, defined solely by its basic geometry, can be transformed into a complex architectural proposal. Starting from the initial schematic model, the system interprets proportions, levels, and shapes, and converts them into a fully developed building, complete with textures, vegetation, lighting, and an urban context

Mapping Something Unthinkable: Flood Risk in Madrid using Open Data

Dont get wrong if you see the IA background showing our handsome major almost showing his beautiful smile in Cibeles/Correos it’s only to get your attentions (only if you need it thou!). Flooding in urban environments is not a speculative hazard but something we can quantify. In the case of Madrid, the intersection of pretty mountainous terrain (it might surprise you there are 2000m difference between the highest spot in Madrid province, Pico Peñalara -2428m- and the Alberche river environment in some areas -430m-) and urban expansion presents a scenario of significant risk, particularly when analyzed through the lens of shared high-resolution geospatial data. This study integrates the buildings from BTN (Base Topográfica Nacional) provided by the Spanish “IGN”, the CNIG with the official flood hazard maps for a 100-year return period (T=100), published by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO). The T=100 scenario is the most representative for evaluating long-term flood exposure, as it reflects events with a 1% annual probability—rare but not improbable, and certainly not negligible.

Urban delineation methods beyond administrative boundaries

As a geographer working with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), I am particularly interested in exploring urban delineation methods that move beyond the constraints of administrative boundaries. Instead of relying on official municipal limits—which can often be outdated or misaligned with functional realities on the ground—I focus on delineating urban areas based on physical indicators such as built-up surface, population density, and spatial continuity. This approach allows for a more accurate and dynamic understanding of urban space.

Palestine 2023-2024

The 7th of October will forever be remembered in our collective memory as a day of tragedy and senseless violence, an operation that would shatter the dream of Israel’s inviolability. The attacks by Hamas were unequivocally condemnable. The targeting of civilians (+1200 dead and +250 kidnappings) is never acceptable, and those responsible for such acts must be held accountable. However, the response that followed has escalated into something far worse, a state-driven campaign of violence by Israel that has, in just one year, claimed over 42,000 lives, a staggering number of whom are women and children. This is not defense; this is mass murder. GENOCIDE.

Digital Twin. Real-Time Public Transportation Visualization on LiveMaps360.com

The primary feature of LiveMaps360.com is its ability to display public transportation data in real-time. By integrating data from Tokyo’s extensive public transportation network, including buses, trains, and subways, the website enables users to track the movement of vehicles and access critical information such as arrival times, routes, and service disruptions.

I FORO NACIONAL: CIENCIAS DE DATOS ESPACIALES COMO HERRAMIENTA EFICAZ EN LA GESTION PUBLICA. Lima (Perú)

Esta pasada semana he tenido el honor de viajar a Lima (Perú) para participar en el el Primer Foro Nacional de Ciencias de Datos Espaciales como herramienta eficaz para la gestión pública estos pasados 18-19 Julio 2023 en el Centro de Convenciones de Lima, Perú. Mi ponencia era sobre el DIGITAL TWIN en la ciudad de CUZCO así como el BRIGHT EARTH CITY TEXTURING, una solución de texturización procedural con semántica 3D de bajo mantenimento de mi empresa Luxcarta, un gran adelanto tecnológico de nuestro departamento de I+D.

The beauty (and precision) of LIDAR:

Lidar, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a technology that uses laser beams to measure distances and create detailed maps of the surrounding environment. It works by emitting laser pulses and then measuring the time it takes for the pulses to bounce back after hitting objects in their path. By analyzing the returning signals, lidar can accurately calculate the distance to various points and generate a three-dimensional map.