LIPIcs, Volume 393

17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)



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Editors

Sabine Timpf
  • Institute of Geography, University of Augsburg, Germany
Gabriele Filomena
  • Department of Geography and Planning, University of Liverpool, UK
Armand Kapaj
  • Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Rui Zhu
  • School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
Nicholas A. Giudice
  • Spatial Computing, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
Ed Manley
  • School of Geography, University of Leeds, UK

Publication Details

  • published at: 2026-09-10
  • Publisher: Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik
  • ISBN: 978-3-95977-438-3

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Document
Complete Volume
LIPIcs, Volume 393, COSIT 2026, Complete Volume

Authors: Sabine Timpf, Gabriele Filomena, Armand Kapaj, Rui Zhu, Nicholas A. Giudice, and Ed Manley


Abstract
LIPIcs, Volume 393, COSIT 2026, Complete Volume

Cite as

17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 1-498, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@Proceedings{timpf_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026,
  title =	{{LIPIcs, Volume 393, COSIT 2026, Complete Volume}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{1--498},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-278484},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026},
  annote =	{Keywords: LIPIcs, Volume 393, COSIT 2026, Complete Volume}
}
Document
Front Matter
Front Matter, Table of Contents, Preface, Conference Organization

Authors: Sabine Timpf, Gabriele Filomena, Armand Kapaj, Rui Zhu, Nicholas A. Giudice, and Ed Manley


Abstract
Front Matter, Table of Contents, Preface, Conference Organization

Cite as

17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 0:i-0:xiv, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{timpf_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.0,
  author =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  title =	{{Front Matter, Table of Contents, Preface, Conference Organization}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{0:i--0:xiv},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.0},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-278462},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.0},
  annote =	{Keywords: Front Matter, Table of Contents, Preface, Conference Organization}
}
Document
From Markers to Meaning: A Cognitive–Symbolic Model of Cultural Placemaking

Authors: Maria Carolina Quintana Noriega and Christophe Claramunt


Abstract
This paper examines how cultural and artistic interventions contribute to the reappropriation of urban space by reorganizing attention, navigation, and the diffusion of place narratives. Comparing San Cristóbal de Las Casas (Mexico) and Le Panier (Marseille, France), we show that visible, meaning-rich markers act as attentional anchors, with micro-behaviours contributing to broader patterns of representation. Building on these empirical findings, we introduce a cognitive–symbolic model grounded in an anchor ontology that captures visibility, thematic resonance, persistence, and contextual relations, together with five indicators: Attentional Gain, Representational Reach, Neighbourhood Attentional Intensity, Counter-narrative Index, and Narrative Corridor that link micro‑level salience to macro‑level narrative prominence. Across both cities, the results reveal a dual regime in which curated, high‑visibility anchors structure specific routes, while dispersed counter‑narrative markers also persist. The model not only supports computable representations of place but also outlines pathways for integrating empirical data to better understand how cultural expressions shape the spatial narratives through which urban environments become meaningful.

Cite as

Maria Carolina Quintana Noriega and Christophe Claramunt. From Markers to Meaning: A Cognitive–Symbolic Model of Cultural Placemaking. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 1:1-1:18, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{noriega_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.1,
  author =	{Noriega, Maria Carolina Quintana and Claramunt, Christophe},
  title =	{{From Markers to Meaning: A Cognitive–Symbolic Model of Cultural Placemaking}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{1:1--1:18},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.1},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275457},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.1},
  annote =	{Keywords: Cultural Placemaking, Urban Street Art, Attentional ecology, Ontology}
}
Document
When Are Geographic Quantities Semantically Compatible with Each Other?: Towards a Constructive Theory of Amounts, Magnitudes, and Proportions

Authors: Simon Scheider, Shuai Wang, and Eric Top


Abstract
Geographic quantities are more than just numbers. A particular semantics is required to interpret them, which is best captured by constructive types. From a practical viewpoint, numerical operations are only applicable to certain types of geographic quantities, while for others, they become meaningless, even if they are numerically well-defined. For example, GIS experts know that it is meaningless to multiply some quantities - measured, for instance, in people or square kilometers - with one another. In contrast, areas can meaningfully be multiplied by population densities to obtain the number of people living in that area. We currently lack a semantic theory that allows us to determine whether quantities represented in geodata models are compatible with one another for deriving new quantities by common GIS operations. In this paper, we distinguish three distinct types of quantities that are often collapsed into numbers: amounts, magnitudes, and proportions. For each type, we introduce a constructive first-order logic theory. We then define quantifiable experiments represented by different data sources drawn from a geodata repository, and apply the theory to determine the compatibility of those sources for deriving new quantities.

Cite as

Simon Scheider, Shuai Wang, and Eric Top. When Are Geographic Quantities Semantically Compatible with Each Other?: Towards a Constructive Theory of Amounts, Magnitudes, and Proportions. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 2:1-2:23, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{scheider_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.2,
  author =	{Scheider, Simon and Wang, Shuai and Top, Eric},
  title =	{{When Are Geographic Quantities Semantically Compatible with Each Other?: Towards a Constructive Theory of Amounts, Magnitudes, and Proportions}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{2:1--2:23},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.2},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275464},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.2},
  annote =	{Keywords: geographic quantities, semantics of measurement, GIS, geodata repositories}
}
Document
Qualitative Spatial Representation for Material Documents

Authors: Mark Bell and John G. Stell


Abstract
This paper proposes the use of Qualitative Spatial Representation (QSR) to model the complex relationships of paper documents and books, both in their physical and digital forms. We begin with motivating examples from The National Archives' holdings, and literature, to describe the myriad ways something as simple as text on paper can be manifested, and introduce appropriate terminology. The primary focus is on the challenges of working with documents comprised of multiple pages, and understanding the relationships between the pages themselves, text items which span more than one page. We end by presenting case studies using Allen Intervals to represent relationships between physical documents, their digitised representations, and the text on the page.

Cite as

Mark Bell and John G. Stell. Qualitative Spatial Representation for Material Documents. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 3:1-3:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{bell_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.3,
  author =	{Bell, Mark and Stell, John G.},
  title =	{{Qualitative Spatial Representation for Material Documents}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{3:1--3:19},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.3},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275474},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.3},
  annote =	{Keywords: Qualitative spatial representation, QSR, spatial text, document understanding, information extraction, Allen interval relations, archives}
}
Document
RCC-8 as a Benchmark for Diagrammatic Reasoning in Multimodal Foundation Models

Authors: Robert E Blackwell and Anthony G Cohn


Abstract
Diagrams are commonly used to define relations in qualitative spatial calculi, and humans routinely rely on diagrams for spatial reasoning. Thus the question arises: can multimodal AI foundation models make use of diagrams for qualitative spatial reasoning? Using the Region Connection Calculus (RCC-8), a well-known qualitative spatial calculus, we investigate three capabilities: whether Vision–Language Models (VLMs) can recognise RCC-8 spatial relation diagrams, whether text-to-image and text-to-video models can illustrate RCC-8 relations, and whether Large Language Models (LLMs) can exploit diagrammatic reasoning. We show that, while no state-of-the-art model is fully reliable, the best models typically recognise vector diagrams more accurately than raster diagrams, albeit with problems recognising relations with a precise tangent. Diagrams with squares or circles are more readily recognisable than triangles or blobs. State-of-the-art LLMs can answer composition questions remarkably well, but there is little evidence that they benefit from explicit prompting for diagrammatic reasoning. Although state-of-the-art image and video generation models are widely used to, for example, produce social media content, they struggle to provide accurate RCC-8 relation or conceptual neighbourhood illustrations except when SVG is the output format.

Cite as

Robert E Blackwell and Anthony G Cohn. RCC-8 as a Benchmark for Diagrammatic Reasoning in Multimodal Foundation Models. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 4:1-4:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{blackwell_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.4,
  author =	{Blackwell, Robert E and Cohn, Anthony G},
  title =	{{RCC-8 as a Benchmark for Diagrammatic Reasoning in Multimodal Foundation Models}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{4:1--4:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.4},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275489},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.4},
  annote =	{Keywords: Large Language Models, Foundation Models, Vision-Language Models, Spatial Reasoning, Diagrammatic Reasoning}
}
Document
An Extended Qualitative Model for Reasoning About 3D Objects Using Depth and Different Perspectives

Authors: Martí Ejarque and Zoe Falomir


Abstract
Reconstructing a three-dimensional structure from partial two-dimensional views requires spatial reasoning. This paper presents the EQ3D, a dimension-agnostic extension of the Qualitative 3D (Q3D) model that generalises qualitative volumetric reasoning to arbitrary H× W× L configurations. EQ3D preserves symbolic depth representations while incorporating adjacent-view propagation rules that increase cross-view inference opportunities. Implemented in SWI-Prolog as a fully declarative pipeline, EQ3D infers hidden views from three orthographic Front-Right-Up views, producing correct inferred cells for the Q3D-Dataset which includes 24 objects of varying size and shape, while ambiguous cells remain explicitly undetermined. Coverage of hidden structure ranges from 26.85% to 82.67%, demonstrating that while inference remains logically sound, the proportion of determinable volume is inherently configuration-dependent. EQ3D provides an interpretable symbolic framework for qualitative 3D reasoning that scales across resolutions without size-specific adaptation.

Cite as

Martí Ejarque and Zoe Falomir. An Extended Qualitative Model for Reasoning About 3D Objects Using Depth and Different Perspectives. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 5:1-5:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{ejarque_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.5,
  author =	{Ejarque, Mart{\'\i} and Falomir, Zoe},
  title =	{{An Extended Qualitative Model for Reasoning About 3D Objects Using Depth and Different Perspectives}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{5:1--5:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.5},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275490},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.5},
  annote =	{Keywords: qualitative spatial reasoning, spatial cognition, first order logics, three-dimensional information, perspectives, object perception, SWI-Prolog}
}
Document
On Spatial Reasoning and Perspective Transformation in Language Models

Authors: Haotong Zhang and Ian Pratt-Hartmann


Abstract
In this paper, we investigate the performance of language models on spatial reasoning with textually presented data, with particular focus on the ability to switch between different perspectives (route vs. survey) - an important component of human spatial reasoning. Our methodology involves the construction of large, automatically labelled corpora, as opposed to crowd-sourced, human-annotated datasets; this approach focuses attention on the language models' command of underlying geometrical principles, rather than their access to background knowledge and commonsense rules-of-thumb. Results reveal that language models can acquire basic spatial reasoning ability after finetuning on targeted tasks, though they do not fully capture the underlying rules. Furthermore, language models show significant differences from humans in the perspective-transformation task, exhibiting distinct patterns of performance across perspective conditions.

Cite as

Haotong Zhang and Ian Pratt-Hartmann. On Spatial Reasoning and Perspective Transformation in Language Models. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 6:1-6:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{zhang_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.6,
  author =	{Zhang, Haotong and Pratt-Hartmann, Ian},
  title =	{{On Spatial Reasoning and Perspective Transformation in Language Models}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{6:1--6:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.6},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275503},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.6},
  annote =	{Keywords: Spatial Reasoning, Language Models, Perspective Transformation, Spatial Cognition}
}
Document
LMM Modality Transfer: A Pre-Requisite for Autonomous GIS Agents

Authors: Ivan Majic, Zexian Huang, Franziska Hübl, Krzysztof Janowicz, Meilin Shi, Mina Karimi, Zilong Liu, and Alexandra Fortacz-Lazan


Abstract
AI models are becoming increasingly adept at understanding and processing spatial information, thereby facilitating agentic problem-solving in spatial tasks and workflows. However, most of the research on their spatial capabilities (e.g., spatial reasoning) has focused on the textual modality as input and output. This contrasts with the human approach to GIS workflows, where text and visual modalities are often used together, interchangeably, and in a complementary manner. Thus, to truly achieve an automated GIS analysis pipeline or carry out human-designed GIS workflows, AI models - Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) in particular - need to be able to seamlessly transition between image- and text-based modalities that are traditionally used in such workflows. We present a modality transfer task that (1) asks an LMM to first describe an input image of colored squares in a regular grid, and (2) asks a new LMM instance to re-generate an image of the original spatial scene using the textual description output by the former model. This task quantifies the ability of LMMs to transfer spatial information between image and text modalities. Ultimately, by examining the modality transfer capability of LMMs through the lens of spatial information theory, this work highlights a critical bottleneck: achieving strong and robust geospatial understanding in LMMs requires rigorous, multi-modal alignment. Our results indicate that recent LMMs (here from OpenAI) still struggle with modality transfer, when tasked with re-generating an image of a simple spatial grid of color squares.

Cite as

Ivan Majic, Zexian Huang, Franziska Hübl, Krzysztof Janowicz, Meilin Shi, Mina Karimi, Zilong Liu, and Alexandra Fortacz-Lazan. LMM Modality Transfer: A Pre-Requisite for Autonomous GIS Agents. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 7:1-7:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{majic_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.7,
  author =	{Majic, Ivan and Huang, Zexian and H\"{u}bl, Franziska and Janowicz, Krzysztof and Shi, Meilin and Karimi, Mina and Liu, Zilong and Fortacz-Lazan, Alexandra},
  title =	{{LMM Modality Transfer: A Pre-Requisite for Autonomous GIS Agents}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{7:1--7:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.7},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275514},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.7},
  annote =	{Keywords: Large Multimodal Model (LMM), Spatial Reasoning, GIS Agent, Modality Transfer, GeoAI}
}
Document
Mapping Cycling Experience in Valence-Arousal Space: A Geometric Approach to Appraisal Heterogeneity

Authors: Ayda Grisiute, Johanna Wörle, Panagiotis Mavros, and Martin Raubal


Abstract
In this paper, we argue that heterogeneity in experiential appraisals can function as an informative signal for subjective cycling experience. We introduce a geometric framework to characterize the "shape" of experiential appraisal within a two-dimensional affect space. Using data from a crowd-sourced survey, in which participants (N = 239) evaluated 30 first-person cycling video scenarios, we describe appraisal heterogeneity not only by its overall extent (dispersion), but also by its directional structure (anisotropy), bimodality (polarization), and the diversity of affective categories and environmental cues (entropy). Our findings reveal a structural asymmetry. Negative environments result in a rigid, more linear stress response, whereas positive environments allow for diffuse, multi-polar appraisals. We further find that observer experience modulates the magnitude of dispersion, whereas the direction of appraisal remains relatively stable across demographic subgroups. We propose that this approach can quantitatively distinguish between those environments that are consistently perceived as non-bikeable and those that evoke conflicting interpretations. Our methodology complements user-centric models, such as cycling archetypes, by describing the underlying structure of divergent experiences.

Cite as

Ayda Grisiute, Johanna Wörle, Panagiotis Mavros, and Martin Raubal. Mapping Cycling Experience in Valence-Arousal Space: A Geometric Approach to Appraisal Heterogeneity. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 8:1-8:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{grisiute_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.8,
  author =	{Grisiute, Ayda and W\"{o}rle, Johanna and Mavros, Panagiotis and Raubal, Martin},
  title =	{{Mapping Cycling Experience in Valence-Arousal Space: A Geometric Approach to Appraisal Heterogeneity}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{8:1--8:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.8},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275524},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.8},
  annote =	{Keywords: bike infrastructure, affect grid, inter-rater variability, online survey}
}
Document
Understanding Building Layouts from Minimal 360° Views: Effects of Viewpoint Overlap, Sequencing, and Landmarks

Authors: Ahmed Aly and Jakub Krukar


Abstract
While 360° panoramic virtual tours are widely used for remote spatial exploration, there is no standardized method for determining the placement or sequencing of such viewpoints. Computational solutions like the Art Gallery Problem can determine minimal viewpoints that ensure the building’s coverage, however cognitive research has not addressed whether these are sufficient to support the viewer’s understanding of the space. In other words, would the hypothetical guards understand their gallery’s layout? Drawing on the Network of Reference Frames theory and prior research on spatial integration mechanisms and associated integration costs, this study investigates how three design factors - visual overlap, route-based sequencing, and landmark availability - influence layout understanding from a minimal set of views. A reproducible web-based experimental framework was developed to enable systematic manipulation of viewpoint configurations and detailed behavioral logging. Fifty participants explored five systematically varied configurations across five building layouts and were tasked with recognizing the correct layout among visually similar alternatives, reporting confidence after each decision. Monetary incentives were used to encourage attentive exploration and constrain strategy use. Results revealed that while individual spatial ability is a strong predictor of layout understanding (p < .001), viewpoint design significantly modulates that understanding. Specifically, visual overlap between consecutive views significantly enhanced layout understanding only when paired with additional cues - namely landmarks or route-based sequencing. Among these, landmarks significantly improved layout recognition (p < .05), unlike route-based sequencing. Moreover, combining both cues yielded no additional benefit. These findings demonstrate how viewpoint configurations can be designed to better support layout understanding from a minimal set of views. In addition, the proposed replicable, web-based experimental pipeline enables systematic evaluation and optimization of viewpoint designs used in spatial learning and navigation tools.

Cite as

Ahmed Aly and Jakub Krukar. Understanding Building Layouts from Minimal 360° Views: Effects of Viewpoint Overlap, Sequencing, and Landmarks. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 9:1-9:23, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{aly_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.9,
  author =	{Aly, Ahmed and Krukar, Jakub},
  title =	{{Understanding Building Layouts from Minimal 360° Views: Effects of Viewpoint Overlap, Sequencing, and Landmarks}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{9:1--9:23},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.9},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275534},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.9},
  annote =	{Keywords: Virtual tours, Art Gallery Problem, museum guard problem, isovists, layout understanding, 360° panoramas}
}
Document
Much of Geospatial Web Search Is Beyond Traditional GIS

Authors: Ilya Ilyankou, Stefano Cavazzi, and James Haworth


Abstract
Web search queries concern place far more often than existing labelling schemes suggest, yet the landscape of geospatial web search queries - what people ask of place, and how often - remains poorly characterised at scale. We apply dense sentence embeddings, a lightweight SetFit classifier, and density-based clustering to the full MS MARCO corpus of 1.01 million real Bing queries without prior filtering for toponyms or spatial keywords, identifying 181,827 geospatial queries (18.0%), nearly threefold the 6.17% labelled as Location in the original annotations. The resulting taxonomy of 88 query categories reveals that geospatial web search is dominated by transactional and practical lookups: costs and prices alone account for 15.3% of geospatial queries, nearly twice the size of the entire physical geography theme. Much of this activity - costs, opening hours, contact details, weather, travel recommendations - falls outside the scope of what traditional GIS and knowledge graphs are built to serve. The categories vary substantially in the kind of answer they admit, from deterministic lookups answerable from spatial databases or knowledge graphs to evaluative or temporally volatile queries that require generative or real-time systems. We discuss implications for hybrid retrieval architectures and for benchmarks of geographic reasoning in large language models. We openly release the labelled dataset, classifier, and taxonomy.

Cite as

Ilya Ilyankou, Stefano Cavazzi, and James Haworth. Much of Geospatial Web Search Is Beyond Traditional GIS. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 10:1-10:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{ilyankou_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.10,
  author =	{Ilyankou, Ilya and Cavazzi, Stefano and Haworth, James},
  title =	{{Much of Geospatial Web Search Is Beyond Traditional GIS}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{10:1--10:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.10},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275546},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.10},
  annote =	{Keywords: Web search queries, geographic information retrieval, query classification, geospatial query taxonomy, MS MARCO, sentence embeddings, density-based clustering, GeoAI, large language models, place theory}
}
Document
Georeferencing Non-Gazetteered Place Names Using Biological Specimen Records

Authors: Aneesha Fernando, Surangika Ranathunga, Kristin Stock, Raj Prasanna, and Christopher B. Jones


Abstract
Biological specimen records collected by natural history institutions constitute a rich source of temporal geographic knowledge, capturing biodiversity information about regional landscapes as they were recorded at different times. Using digitised data from the Allan Herbarium (New Zealand), this study identifies place names in these specimen locality descriptions that are absent from current gazetteers; we refer to these as non-gazetteer place names (NGPs). These place names are typically historical, vernacular, or colloquial and were used as landmarks to describe a specimen’s location at the time of collection. We then investigate the problem of georeferencing the NGPs using only the limited information available in the specimen records. To resolve this, we leverage repeated occurrences of the same place name across specimen records with different specimen locations and spatial relation terms, extracting and inverting these relations to derive constraints on NGP locations. This approach is instantiated within deterministic, probabilistic, and LLM-based methods, enabling a comparative analysis of their strengths and limitations for text-based spatial inference. On a pseudo-NGP benchmark, probabilistic inference achieves the highest accuracy (median error 1.43 km; A@1 km 36%), while the LLM yields competitive but less precise estimates (median error 1.80 km; A@1 km 31%), indicating that, despite advances in LLMs, traditional modelling remains advantageous when high spatial precision is required.

Cite as

Aneesha Fernando, Surangika Ranathunga, Kristin Stock, Raj Prasanna, and Christopher B. Jones. Georeferencing Non-Gazetteered Place Names Using Biological Specimen Records. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 11:1-11:22, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{fernando_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.11,
  author =	{Fernando, Aneesha and Ranathunga, Surangika and Stock, Kristin and Prasanna, Raj and Jones, Christopher B.},
  title =	{{Georeferencing Non-Gazetteered Place Names Using Biological Specimen Records}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{11:1--11:22},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.11},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275554},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.11},
  annote =	{Keywords: Non-gazetteered Place Names, Gazetteers, Toponyms, Georeferencing, Spatial Relation Modelling, Large Language Models}
}
Document
Extending ISO-Space to Annotate Spatial Information in Route Descriptions

Authors: Samira Goudarzi Ali Akbari, Stephan Winter, and Martin Tomko


Abstract
A robust spatial annotation scheme that explicitly represents spatial elements and the links between them in English natural (human) language route descriptions is required to support computational interpretation. Yet, existing spatial annotation schemes for English do not capture all the spatial elements and links that occur in route descriptions, including perceptual expressions and reorientation actions. Using Formal Concept Analysis (FCA), the elements and links are derived by modeling the conceptual space of route descriptions. These elements and links are then compared against ISO-Space, an annotation standard for encoding spatial entities, motion events, and spatial relations [Pustejovsky et al., 2012], selected as the reference framework due to its relatively comprehensive coverage among existing schemes. Based on the analysis, targeted scheme refinements and extensions interoperable with ISO-Space are introduced. The resulting scheme is evaluated through two annotation rounds on 48 route descriptions drawn from four datasets. The results show improved consistency and increased annotation coverage through perceptual and reorientation links, which account for 23% of all annotated links, without compromising annotation reliability.

Cite as

Samira Goudarzi Ali Akbari, Stephan Winter, and Martin Tomko. Extending ISO-Space to Annotate Spatial Information in Route Descriptions. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 12:1-12:23, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{goudarzialiakbari_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.12,
  author =	{Goudarzi Ali Akbari, Samira and Winter, Stephan and Tomko, Martin},
  title =	{{Extending ISO-Space to Annotate Spatial Information in Route Descriptions}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{12:1--12:23},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.12},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275560},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.12},
  annote =	{Keywords: spatial language, spatial information annotation scheme, route description}
}
Document
Mapinou: A Game to Assess the Skill of Using Pan-Scalar Maps

Authors: Justin Berli and Guillaume Touya


Abstract
The widespread adoption of topographic maps on smartphones, typically implemented as pan-scalar digital cartographic interfaces, has altered the competencies required for their effective interpretation and use. The skills necessary to navigate and analyze these maps now differ substantially from those associated with reading and employing traditional paper-based topographic maps. To facilitate a more rigorous assessment of these emerging competencies, the paper introduces a serious game, termed Mapinou, which is designed to be executable on any modern smartphone device. The game alternates between tasks that require the use of a pan-scalar map and spatial skill tests to study potential relations between the spatial skills of users and their competencies in pan-scalar map use. Our goal when designing this game was to propose a predictor of pan-scalar map use skills, and the spatial skill tests embedded in the current version of the game are intended to test the robustness of this prediction. In this paper, we analyze the data collected from almost two hundred early players of the game. The results show a weak but significant relation between the success in the game and the success to the water-level task, which is known to be related to spatial skills.

Cite as

Justin Berli and Guillaume Touya. Mapinou: A Game to Assess the Skill of Using Pan-Scalar Maps. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 13:1-13:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{berli_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.13,
  author =	{Berli, Justin and Touya, Guillaume},
  title =	{{Mapinou: A Game to Assess the Skill of Using Pan-Scalar Maps}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{13:1--13:19},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.13},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275579},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.13},
  annote =	{Keywords: cartography, pan-scalar map, sense of direction, spatial skill, serious game}
}
Document
An Operator Framework for Real-Time Analytics of Streamed Fields

Authors: JJ Paul and Silvia Nittel


Abstract
Continuous geospatial phenomena such as air quality, temperature, soil moisture, or noise evolve smoothly over space while potentially changing rapidly over time. They are increasingly observed through dense, real-time measurement streams from geosensor networks, mobile platforms, and live sensor infrastructures. While data stream engines provide low-latency processing over unbounded streams, they lack higher-level abstractions for spatially continuous phenomena. As a result, real-time field analysis is often implemented via ad-hoc pipelines that combine GIS tools, stream processing, and application-specific logic. In this paper we propose an analytical operator framework for streamed scalar fields. We derive a minimal, composable operator set building on principles of compact operator sets and dimensional reasoning over space, time, and theme. We demonstrate how analytics for streamed continuous phenomena are expressed through primitive operator compositions. The resulting framework provides a systematic basis for describing and implementing extensible stream-based, real-time field analytics.

Cite as

JJ Paul and Silvia Nittel. An Operator Framework for Real-Time Analytics of Streamed Fields. In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 14:1-14:22, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{paul_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.14,
  author =	{Paul, JJ and Nittel, Silvia},
  title =	{{An Operator Framework for Real-Time Analytics of Streamed Fields}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{14:1--14:22},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.14},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275584},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.14},
  annote =	{Keywords: Geostreaming, Spatiotemporal phenomena, Fields, Data streams, Real-time analytics, Operators, Algebra}
}
Document
Short Paper
Through and Through: Corpus-Based Semantic Analysis of a Spatial Preposition (Short Paper)

Authors: Brandon Bennett and Maria M. Hedblom


Abstract
We present a corpus-based analysis of sentences containing the highly polysemous word "through" and establish a framework for categorising sentence constituents in relation to this preposition. Using the annotated corpus, together with ideas from the fields of Lexical Semantics and Knowledge Representation, we specify a typology of figure, path-verb, and ground terms, characterised by the affordances they provide for participation in "through" relationships. We find that the mode of affordance provided by the ground is often ambiguous: many types of object can provide multiple modes of grounding for a "through" relationship, associated with different geometrical conditions between figure and ground. However, this ambiguity can be explained and often resolved or reduced by considering compatible combinations of figure and ground affordances in relation to the path.

Cite as

Brandon Bennett and Maria M. Hedblom. Through and Through: Corpus-Based Semantic Analysis of a Spatial Preposition (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 15:1-15:7, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{bennett_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.15,
  author =	{Bennett, Brandon and Hedblom, Maria M.},
  title =	{{Through and Through: Corpus-Based Semantic Analysis of a Spatial Preposition}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{15:1--15:7},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.15},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275594},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.15},
  annote =	{Keywords: Preposition, Polysemy, Semantics, Spatial Relation, Ontology}
}
Document
Short Paper
From Trajectories to Relations: Interpreting Overtake Manoeuvres with Large Language Models and Qualitative Spatial Representations (Short Paper)

Authors: Jana Verdoodt, Changbo Zhang, Lars De Sloover, Haosheng Huang, and Nico Van de Weghe


Abstract
This paper explores whether qualitative spatial encodings make overtake manoeuvres more interpretable to a large language model (LLM). Using simulated traffic trajectories from a microscopic road-network model, we encode the same overtake event at three levels of complexity through Point-Descriptor-Precedence (PDP) inequality matrices. An LLM is then used in a staged, zero-shot API workflow in which longitudinal and lateral descriptor encodings derived from these matrices are interpreted separately and then merged into a final manoeuvre interpretation. Outputs are assessed through expert-based qualitative evaluation focusing on relational correctness, spatial precision, completeness, and interpretive adequacy. For the selected case, the results suggest that the model can produce meaningful natural-language interpretations at all three levels, but that these change as complexity increases. The 2-point representation yields the clearest focal manoeuvre, the 5-point representation offers the best balance between contextual richness and interpretability, and the 10-point representation produces the most nuanced structural reading, although in a less concise form. The paper should be read as an exploratory study of representation effects rather than as a benchmark of LLM performance.

Cite as

Jana Verdoodt, Changbo Zhang, Lars De Sloover, Haosheng Huang, and Nico Van de Weghe. From Trajectories to Relations: Interpreting Overtake Manoeuvres with Large Language Models and Qualitative Spatial Representations (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 16:1-16:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{verdoodt_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.16,
  author =	{Verdoodt, Jana and Zhang, Changbo and De Sloover, Lars and Huang, Haosheng and Van de Weghe, Nico},
  title =	{{From Trajectories to Relations: Interpreting Overtake Manoeuvres with Large Language Models and Qualitative Spatial Representations}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{16:1--16:8},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.16},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275607},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.16},
  annote =	{Keywords: micro-scale traffic analysis, overtaking behaviour, symbolic movement encoding, spatial reasoning, expert evaluation}
}
Document
Short Paper
Limits of Spatial Reasoning Using LLMs (Short Paper)

Authors: Varis Ithivatana and Brandon Bennett


Abstract
This paper investigates the limits of spatial reasoning of LLMs in a grid-based warehouse environment, with ground-truth answers computed by simulation. We test two kinds of task: executing given movement instructions, and generating shortest action sequences for planning problems. In the execution tasks, an agent must follow egocentric and allocentric actions and report its final absolute direction relative to a target object. In the planning tasks, the model must find a shortest route, sometimes with object carrying, allocentric descriptions, or ordered pallet-pushing goals. We evaluate 100 instances per experiment using GPT-5-mini, and compare a smaller planning set with ChatGPT-5.2 (extended thinking), Gemini-Pro-3.1, and Grok-Expert. The results show high accuracy on short and moderately long instruction-following tasks, but reduced accuracy on long trajectories with a much sharper drop on planning tasks. Static landmark labels in the form of coloured walls improve robustness, compared with problems described in terms of cardinal directions, while planning with ordered object-pushing remains difficult even for stronger models.

Cite as

Varis Ithivatana and Brandon Bennett. Limits of Spatial Reasoning Using LLMs (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 17:1-17:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{ithivatana_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.17,
  author =	{Ithivatana, Varis and Bennett, Brandon},
  title =	{{Limits of Spatial Reasoning Using LLMs}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{17:1--17:8},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.17},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275616},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.17},
  annote =	{Keywords: Spatial Reasoning, Large Language Models, Frame of Reference, Path Integration, Planning}
}
Document
Short Paper
A Cross-Linguistic Evaluation of Cardinal Direction Reasoning in LLMs (Short Paper)

Authors: Panagiota Gyftou, Robert E. Blackwell, Manolis Koubarakis, and Anthony G. Cohn


Abstract
We present a cross-linguistic evaluation of cardinal direction reasoning in large language models. We extend an earlier cardinal direction benchmark, translating the questions into Greek and French and compare 10 LLMs on the new benchmarks.

Cite as

Panagiota Gyftou, Robert E. Blackwell, Manolis Koubarakis, and Anthony G. Cohn. A Cross-Linguistic Evaluation of Cardinal Direction Reasoning in LLMs (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 18:1-18:9, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{gyftou_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.18,
  author =	{Gyftou, Panagiota and Blackwell, Robert E. and Koubarakis, Manolis and Cohn, Anthony G.},
  title =	{{A Cross-Linguistic Evaluation of Cardinal Direction Reasoning in LLMs}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{18:1--18:9},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.18},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275629},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.18},
  annote =	{Keywords: Large Language Models, Spatial Reasoning, Cardinal Directions}
}
Document
Short Paper
Structuring the Underwater Environment: A Taxonomy of Aquatic Landmarks (Short Paper)

Authors: Eva Nuhn and Sabine Timpf


Abstract
Effective navigation in aquatic environments relies on the perception and use of environmental cues, or landmarks, that provide spatial orientation and facilitate wayfinding. While much research has focused on terrestrial and urban landmarks, comparatively little is known about underwater landmarks and how divers perceive and use them. Thirty-eight participants completed an online survey and provided information on the use and perception of underwater landmarks. Rock formations and caves, seabed features, and wrecks are the most frequently selected underwater landmarks, with no significant differences observed between recreational and professional divers or among different experience levels. Based on the results of the survey, we develop a data-driven taxonomy of aquatic landmarks comprising three top-level classes: Natural Landmarks, Artificial Landmarks, and Environmental Conditions. The taxonomy provides a structured framework for understanding underwater spatial orientation and serves as a foundation for future research, cognitive mapping studies, and the development of navigational aids in aquatic settings.

Cite as

Eva Nuhn and Sabine Timpf. Structuring the Underwater Environment: A Taxonomy of Aquatic Landmarks (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 19:1-19:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{nuhn_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.19,
  author =	{Nuhn, Eva and Timpf, Sabine},
  title =	{{Structuring the Underwater Environment: A Taxonomy of Aquatic Landmarks}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{19:1--19:8},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.19},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275635},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.19},
  annote =	{Keywords: Aquatic navigation, Underwater landmarks, Spatial orientation, Landmark taxonomy, Diver perception}
}
Document
Short Paper
GeoKG for GeoFM: Neuro-Symbolic Integration of Semantically-Enriched Geospatial-Temporal Data (Short Paper)

Authors: Kai Moltzen, Debayan Banerjee, Julian Burmester, Anna Ehrenberg, Martin Kohler, Cedric Möller, Jann Pfeifer, Tilahun Abedissa Taffa, Hanna Marlene Schulz, Aida Usmanova, Patrick Westphal, and Ricardo Usbeck


Abstract
Solving complex real‑world problems requires integrating heterogeneous data. Although recent Geospatial Foundation Models (GeoFMs) excel at pixel‑level analysis, they make only limited use of the geographic information contained in natural language texts and therefore often lack the semantic context needed for complex geospatial reasoning. This vision paper argues for reconceiving unstructured texts as a core component of a neuro‑symbolic framework that populates a geospatial‑temporal knowledge graph (GeoKG). We outline an architecture in which modality‑specific extractors produce multi‑granular footprints that are fused into a GeoKG, synchronizing symbolic representations with embeddings, geometries, and grid cells. This GeoKG supports geospatial reasoning and provides enriched training data for truly multimodal GeoFMs, for which we pose a set of research challenges.

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Kai Moltzen, Debayan Banerjee, Julian Burmester, Anna Ehrenberg, Martin Kohler, Cedric Möller, Jann Pfeifer, Tilahun Abedissa Taffa, Hanna Marlene Schulz, Aida Usmanova, Patrick Westphal, and Ricardo Usbeck. GeoKG for GeoFM: Neuro-Symbolic Integration of Semantically-Enriched Geospatial-Temporal Data (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 20:1-20:9, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{moltzen_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.20,
  author =	{Moltzen, Kai and Banerjee, Debayan and Burmester, Julian and Ehrenberg, Anna and Kohler, Martin and M\"{o}ller, Cedric and Pfeifer, Jann and Taffa, Tilahun Abedissa and Schulz, Hanna Marlene and Usmanova, Aida and Westphal, Patrick and Usbeck, Ricardo},
  title =	{{GeoKG for GeoFM: Neuro-Symbolic Integration of Semantically-Enriched Geospatial-Temporal Data}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{20:1--20:9},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.20},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275645},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.20},
  annote =	{Keywords: GeoKG, Foundation Models, GeoFM, neuro-symbolic Data Integration}
}
Document
Short Paper
Conceptual Vagueness in Human and LLM Representations: Evidence from Migration Distance Categorization (Short Paper)

Authors: Songlin Wang, Krzysztof Janowicz, Ailin Benitez Cortes, Marion Borderon, Yingjing Huang, Mina Karimi, Zilong Liu, Annika Süß, and Patrick Sakdapolrak


Abstract
Conceptual vagueness is a fundamental characteristic of many geographic categories. The varied definitions of "long-distance" and "short-distance" in migration studies provides a typical example. Although interpretations of these categories are inherently context-dependent and heterogeneous, they remain widely used in domain research. This study investigates the extent to which different individuals reach a consensus on conceptualizing these categories. With a migration related corpus where "long" and "short" are generally not explicitly mentioned, we elicit human and LLM judgments in classifying each article into these two categories. Both human-human and human-LLM agreements are quantified. Our results show that human agreements are only moderate, confirming substantial conceptual variability among informed readers. LLM outputs exhibit a comparable level of variability, failing to converge on a stable category boundary. This disagreement arises from multiple sources, from detection of implicit signals to their interpretations. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using LLMs as probes to characterize conceptual vagueness in geography at scale. Returning to migration distance, we highlight that they should not be treated as universally shared categories in knowledge organization and representation. In contrast, resolving such vagueness requires richer contextual information or additional semantic signals.

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Songlin Wang, Krzysztof Janowicz, Ailin Benitez Cortes, Marion Borderon, Yingjing Huang, Mina Karimi, Zilong Liu, Annika Süß, and Patrick Sakdapolrak. Conceptual Vagueness in Human and LLM Representations: Evidence from Migration Distance Categorization (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 21:1-21:9, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{wang_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.21,
  author =	{Wang, Songlin and Janowicz, Krzysztof and Benitez Cortes, Ailin and Borderon, Marion and Huang, Yingjing and Karimi, Mina and Liu, Zilong and S\"{u}{\ss}, Annika and Sakdapolrak, Patrick},
  title =	{{Conceptual Vagueness in Human and LLM Representations: Evidence from Migration Distance Categorization}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{21:1--21:9},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.21},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275652},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.21},
  annote =	{Keywords: qualitative categories, conceptual vagueness, human migration, large language models, agreement}
}
Document
Short Paper
Habitual Use of Navigation Systems Impairs Spatial Learning Depending on Navigation Strategy (Short Paper)

Authors: Qi Ying, Christopher Hilton, and Sara I. Fabrikant


Abstract
Previous research is inconsistent on how the habitual use of navigation systems affects spatial learning of pedestrian navigators. The present study investigates whether individual differences in navigation strategy choices moderate this. Participants (N = 45) completed questionnaires assessing their navigation strategies and their reliance on pedestrian navigation systems. Spatial learning was evaluated through a real-world navigation experiment conducted in an initially unfamiliar urban environment. Participants repeatedly navigated two routes across three separate days either assisted by a mobile map or by following an experimenter. Different types of spatial knowledge were assessed using five tasks. Linear mixed-effects (LME) models were employed to analyze the relationships between measures. We found that greater habitual use of navigation systems was associated with worse route knowledge acquisition, but only for participants who relied on a map-based navigation strategy. Greater habitual use of navigation systems was also linked to worse survey knowledge acquisition, but only for mobile map-assisted navigators. This new empirical evidence contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how habitual use of navigation systems may impair spatial learning of pedestrian navigators, highlighting the moderating role of individual navigation strategies and navigation conditions.

Cite as

Qi Ying, Christopher Hilton, and Sara I. Fabrikant. Habitual Use of Navigation Systems Impairs Spatial Learning Depending on Navigation Strategy (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 22:1-22:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{ying_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.22,
  author =	{Ying, Qi and Hilton, Christopher and Fabrikant, Sara I.},
  title =	{{Habitual Use of Navigation Systems Impairs Spatial Learning Depending on Navigation Strategy}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{22:1--22:8},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.22},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275666},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.22},
  annote =	{Keywords: digital navigation aids, mobile maps, wayfinding, navigation strategy, spatial knowledge}
}
Document
Short Paper
Capturing Environmental Scale Spatial Cognition in Applied Settings: A Field Based Pilot with Firefighters (Short Paper)

Authors: Chelsie McWhorter, Kathy Baylis, and Mary Hegarty


Abstract
Understanding how spatial knowledge is organized and used across real-world tasks remains an important challenge in spatial cognition research. This paper presents a pilot test of SPaRKS, a framework developed to capture cognitive map accuracy, route decision making, verbalized navigation strategies, GPS use, and navigational value across a dynamic set of cartographic tasks and questionnaires. Using firefighters as an applied pilot group (n=24), we examine whether the tool can capture both route attribute tradeoffs and broader variation in spatial knowledge across individuals and groups. Results indicate that route choice was shaped primarily by distance and steep grades, suggesting that participants did not rely on shortest-path logic alone, but instead weighed practical roadway characteristics when making routing decisions. The pilot also identified meaningful variation across multiple spatial measures, indicating that SPaRKS can move beyond isolated task performance to support the development of integrated spatial profiles. Taken together, this preliminary study illustrates that SPaRKS is a viable framework for examining environmental scale spatial knowledge in applied settings. More broadly, the paper demonstrates the value of a multimodal approach for studying how spatial knowledge is organized and used across route decisions, cognitive map tasks, and self-reported navigation tendencies.

Cite as

Chelsie McWhorter, Kathy Baylis, and Mary Hegarty. Capturing Environmental Scale Spatial Cognition in Applied Settings: A Field Based Pilot with Firefighters (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 23:1-23:7, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{mcwhorter_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.23,
  author =	{McWhorter, Chelsie and Baylis, Kathy and Hegarty, Mary},
  title =	{{Capturing Environmental Scale Spatial Cognition in Applied Settings: A Field Based Pilot with Firefighters}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{23:1--23:7},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.23},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275675},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.23},
  annote =	{Keywords: Cognitive maps, navigation, route decision making, operational data collection, tool creation}
}
Document
Short Paper
Context-Sensitive Spatial Deixis Through the Lens of Mental Models (Short Paper)

Authors: Adwitiya Mandal, Zoe Falomir, and Kai-Florian Richter


Abstract
The use of spatial deixis, such as here and there, depends not only on physical distance, but also on how speakers mentally organize the relevant space. This paper examines how contextual factors may influence and shape the use of spatial deixis in an object-selection task. The analysis is based on verbal data from a previous human-robot interaction study, in which 12 participants referred to objects in a shared cupboard environment. Using Norman’s distinction of socio-cognitive systems, we interpret the observed deixis behavior as evidence for potential spatial mental models underlying participants' spatial deixis use. We find that speakers' deixis use reflects a combination of absolute, relative, mixed, temporal, and response-biased models rather than a single fixed strategy. Our findings support the view that spatial deixis is context-sensitive, shaped by the mental organization of the space and is variable across individuals, with implications for interpreting spatial deixis in human-robot interaction.

Cite as

Adwitiya Mandal, Zoe Falomir, and Kai-Florian Richter. Context-Sensitive Spatial Deixis Through the Lens of Mental Models (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 24:1-24:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{mandal_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.24,
  author =	{Mandal, Adwitiya and Falomir, Zoe and Richter, Kai-Florian},
  title =	{{Context-Sensitive Spatial Deixis Through the Lens of Mental Models}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{24:1--24:8},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.24},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275689},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.24},
  annote =	{Keywords: Spatial deixis, here and there, mental models, human-robot interaction, object selection, spatial cognition}
}
Document
Short Paper
Document Geocoding for Inferring Spatial Familiarity Within Reddit Text (Short Paper)

Authors: Paddy Smith, Myles Gould, and Ed Manley


Abstract
In this paper, we reframe social media user geolocation as a task of inferring a user’s spatial familiarity. We propose an LLM-based approach that identifies places a user is most familiar, including the strength of familiarity. We evaluate this approach using two Reddit evaluation corpora constructed from subreddit user-flair tags: Reddit-London, where users are associated with London boroughs, and Reddit-USA, where users are associated with US states. We compare these datasets with GeoText benchmark dataset. The results show that LLMs can recover place-associated labels from social media text, achieving the strongest performance on Reddit-USA state prediction and moderate performance on fine-grained London borough prediction. We further show that inferred familiar places exhibit clear spatial dependency. Using polygon-based metrics, familiar places inferred from Reddit-London users have a mean distance to labeled boundary of 3.48 km, while Reddit-USA shows stronger alignment with state labels compared to GeoText, with higher inside-label share, and lower spatial dispersion. These findings suggest spatial familiarity provides a useful alternative framing for social media user geolocation, and that Reddit flair-based labels are more closely aligned with expressed spatial familiarity than home location labels in GeoText benchmark dataset.

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Paddy Smith, Myles Gould, and Ed Manley. Document Geocoding for Inferring Spatial Familiarity Within Reddit Text (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 25:1-25:10, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{smith_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.25,
  author =	{Smith, Paddy and Gould, Myles and Manley, Ed},
  title =	{{Document Geocoding for Inferring Spatial Familiarity Within Reddit Text}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{25:1--25:10},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.25},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275698},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.25},
  annote =	{Keywords: spatial familiarity, document geocoding, geoparsing, LLMs}
}
Document
Short Paper
Learning a Map Under Positive Emotions: How Self-Reported Arousal and Individual Differences Relate to Route and Survey Knowledge (Short Paper)

Authors: Veronica Muffato, Laura Miola, Francesca Pazzaglia, and Chiara Meneghetti


Abstract
Digital map learning is a common everyday activity requiring the encoding of landmarks and their spatial relations, and may be related to individual differences. The present study investigated how individual positive emotional states differing in arousal (high vs. low) relate to route and survey knowledge after spatial learning from maps. A total of 156 participants (ongoing data collection) completed an online within-subject procedure including emotionally induced scenarios, map study, and recall tasks assessing route (landmark order) and survey (landmark location task) knowledge. Results showed no direct effect of arousal condition on performance; however, individual increases in arousal predicted lower route knowledge accuracy, while survey knowledge was unaffected. Importantly, trait positive affect positively predicted both route and survey performance. Age negatively predicted both, gender differences emerged only for survey knowledge, whereas spatial anxiety impaired route knowledge. These findings suggest a selective role of arousal in route processing and highlight the importance of considering individual differences in spatial learning from maps.

Cite as

Veronica Muffato, Laura Miola, Francesca Pazzaglia, and Chiara Meneghetti. Learning a Map Under Positive Emotions: How Self-Reported Arousal and Individual Differences Relate to Route and Survey Knowledge (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 26:1-26:6, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{muffato_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.26,
  author =	{Muffato, Veronica and Miola, Laura and Pazzaglia, Francesca and Meneghetti, Chiara},
  title =	{{Learning a Map Under Positive Emotions: How Self-Reported Arousal and Individual Differences Relate to Route and Survey Knowledge}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{26:1--26:6},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.26},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275701},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.26},
  annote =	{Keywords: map, emotions, arousal, route knowledge, survey knowledge, spatial cognition}
}
Document
Short Paper
Representing Retail Wayfinding: A Requirement-Driven Study Design for Non-Visual Supermarket Navigation (Short Paper)

Authors: Xiang Zhou and Sabine Timpf


Abstract
First-visit supermarket shopping is a demanding case of non-visual indoor wayfinding. Blind and low-vision shoppers must make sense of functional zones, work through repetitive aisles, and confirm shelf areas while also dealing with queues and checkout. We use retail wayfinding to describe how movement, in-store search, and shelf-level confirmation are coupled. Retailer-held 2D layouts and product placement data can support verbal guidance, but many dynamic, sensory, and social conditions remain outside these data. We outline a requirement-driven mixed-methods study with 52 blind and low-vision participants: 30 in Study A, 30 in Study B, with eight participants taking part in both. Audio-recorded dialogue, verbal route descriptions, observer-coded event traces, and post-task interviews will be used to examine how shoppers request spatial information, confirm progress, and manage uncertainty from store-level orientation to shelf-level confirmation. The expected output is an initial coding matrix showing what needs to be represented, at what scale, and when confirmation or assistance becomes necessary in non-visual retail wayfinding.

Cite as

Xiang Zhou and Sabine Timpf. Representing Retail Wayfinding: A Requirement-Driven Study Design for Non-Visual Supermarket Navigation (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 27:1-27:7, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{zhou_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.27,
  author =	{Zhou, Xiang and Timpf, Sabine},
  title =	{{Representing Retail Wayfinding: A Requirement-Driven Study Design for Non-Visual Supermarket Navigation}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{27:1--27:7},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.27},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275718},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.27},
  annote =	{Keywords: retail wayfinding, blind and low-vision shoppers, indoor wayfinding, verbal route descriptions, requirements modelling}
}
Document
Short Paper
Using Social Cues for Wayfinding: An Eye-Tracking Study of Attention Allocation and Evidence Accumulation in a Virtual Reality T-Intersection (Short Paper)

Authors: Yu Qiao, Carlo Campagnoli, and Ed Manley


Abstract
In synchronous weak social wayfinding, route decisions are shaped in real time by others’ behaviour, yet the sampling and integration of social information during decision-making remain poorly understood. We investigated whether attention to pedestrians in a virtual-reality T-intersection reflects evidence accumulation preceding route commitment. Participants navigated scenes containing avatar crowds in which crowd size, proportion of credible others, directional majority, walking speed, and movement style were manipulated in an incomplete within-subjects orthogonal design. Continuous eye tracking measured attention to social cues, the destination landmark, and the surrounding scene. Results showed that gaze was directed predominantly toward social cues, whereas direct inspection of the landmark was rare. Among the manipulated factors, movement style and walking speed produced the clearest, though small, effects on fixation–saccade dynamics. Crucially, social gaze rose sharply early in the trial and then declined gradually before route commitment, suggesting that participants initially sampled social evidence and progressively reduced inspection as the decision unfolded. These findings indicate that social navigation involves accumulating and integrating others’ behaviour over time rather than simply following them.

Cite as

Yu Qiao, Carlo Campagnoli, and Ed Manley. Using Social Cues for Wayfinding: An Eye-Tracking Study of Attention Allocation and Evidence Accumulation in a Virtual Reality T-Intersection (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 28:1-28:9, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{qiao_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.28,
  author =	{Qiao, Yu and Campagnoli, Carlo and Manley, Ed},
  title =	{{Using Social Cues for Wayfinding: An Eye-Tracking Study of Attention Allocation and Evidence Accumulation in a Virtual Reality T-Intersection}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{28:1--28:9},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.28},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275723},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.28},
  annote =	{Keywords: Social navigation, wayfinding, eye tracking, virtual reality, evidence accumulation, attention}
}
Document
Short Paper
Feeling the Heat? Heat Stress Impairs Landmark but Not Route Knowledge in a VR Navigation Task (Short Paper)

Authors: Alessandro J. Pierro, Sara I. Fabrikant, and Armand Kapaj


Abstract
With global temperatures rising due to climate change, heat stress is becoming an increasingly prevalent condition affecting everyday navigation. Acute heat stress is known to impair complex human cognitive functioning, including memory, attention, and executive functioning. Yet, the influence of heat stress on spatial learning during navigation remains unexplored. Therefore, we conducted a VR navigation study to assess the influence of heat stress on landmark and route knowledge acquisition. Forty-six healthy adults followed a predefined route through a VR urban environment featuring intersections with and without visually salient landmarks, under either heat stress (36-38°C) or a control condition (24.5°C). We found that heat stress significantly impaired overall landmark knowledge, especially at intersections without salient landmarks, where performance failed to exceed chance level. Route knowledge, however, remained unaffected by heat stress regardless of landmark presence. These findings provide novel empirical evidence that acute heat stress selectively impairs spatial learning, highlighting the need for further research into how rising temperatures may affect human spatial cognition during navigation.

Cite as

Alessandro J. Pierro, Sara I. Fabrikant, and Armand Kapaj. Feeling the Heat? Heat Stress Impairs Landmark but Not Route Knowledge in a VR Navigation Task (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 29:1-29:9, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{pierro_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.29,
  author =	{Pierro, Alessandro J. and Fabrikant, Sara I. and Kapaj, Armand},
  title =	{{Feeling the Heat? Heat Stress Impairs Landmark but Not Route Knowledge in a VR Navigation Task}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{29:1--29:9},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.29},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275736},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.29},
  annote =	{Keywords: Heat stress, landmarks, spatial learning, VR navigation}
}
Document
Short Paper
From Feature Attribution to Spatial Information Structure: Interpreting Urban Pedestrian Flows with Explainable AI (Short Paper)

Authors: Atakilti Kiros, Achituv Cohen, Yuri Ribakov, and Israel Klein


Abstract
Machine-learning models can predict pedestrian flows with high accuracy, but they provide limited insight into how urban environments organize movement. This paper introduces an interpretive framework that links explainable artificial intelligence with Spatial Information Theory by conceptualizing feature attribution as evidence of spatial information structure - the relative salience of temporal, morphological, accessibility, and environmental dimensions in shaping pedestrian movement. Using pedestrian sensor data from Zurich and Berlin, we train comparable CatBoost models and analyze SHAP-based feature contributions. We examine whether different urban contexts encode movement in systematically distinct ways. The results reveal clear contrasts: Berlin is dominated by temporal dynamics and situational conditions, whereas Zurich shows stronger influence from urban morphology and accessibility. We interpret these differences as model-based evidence that cities organize movement-related information differently and demonstrate that a compact SHAP-based comparative design provides a practical methodological bridge between GeoAI and the study of spatial representation.

Cite as

Atakilti Kiros, Achituv Cohen, Yuri Ribakov, and Israel Klein. From Feature Attribution to Spatial Information Structure: Interpreting Urban Pedestrian Flows with Explainable AI (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 30:1-30:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{kiros_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.30,
  author =	{Kiros, Atakilti and Cohen, Achituv and Ribakov, Yuri and Klein, Israel},
  title =	{{From Feature Attribution to Spatial Information Structure: Interpreting Urban Pedestrian Flows with Explainable AI}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{30:1--30:8},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.30},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275744},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.30},
  annote =	{Keywords: GeoAI, explainable artificial intelligence, SHAP, pedestrian mobility, spatial information theory, urban analytics, feature attribution, spatial data science}
}
Document
Short Paper
Spatiotemporal Adaptive Learning for Flow-Based Graph Neural Networks (Short Paper)

Authors: Fengjiao Li, Meiliu Wu, and Ana Basiri


Abstract
Spatial systems can often be represented in more than one relational way. For the same urban system, geographic adjacency, road connectivity, and mobility interaction provide different relational representations of how places are connected. However, most graph-based models either assume a single graph or combine multiple graphs without distinguishing their relative importance. This paper treats multi-graph spatiotemporal modelling as a problem of spatial perspective selection. We introduce adaptive spatial weights (α) to learn the relative importance of predefined relational graphs, and temporal weights (β) in the loss function to distribute emphasis across forecasting horizons. Using COVID-19 dynamics in Glasgow and Edinburgh as a case study, we find that learned spatial weighting patterns differ across cities. Glasgow shows a more balanced configuration, whereas Edinburgh places stronger emphasis on road connectivity. Compared with single-graph and equal-weight baselines, the adaptive model achieves comparable performance with improved stability while making graph weighting explicit. These results suggest that multi-graph weighting is a context-dependent process of selecting among alternative relational representations.

Cite as

Fengjiao Li, Meiliu Wu, and Ana Basiri. Spatiotemporal Adaptive Learning for Flow-Based Graph Neural Networks (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 31:1-31:9, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{li_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.31,
  author =	{Li, Fengjiao and Wu, Meiliu and Basiri, Ana},
  title =	{{Spatiotemporal Adaptive Learning for Flow-Based Graph Neural Networks}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{31:1--31:9},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.31},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275759},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.31},
  annote =	{Keywords: spatiotemporal adaptive learning, graph neural networks, multi-graph representation, GeoAI, flow-based networks}
}
Document
Short Paper
The Same Street, Different Safety Judgments: Evaluative Framing Effects in Daytime and Nighttime Street View Imagery (Short Paper)

Authors: Tong Qin, Nico Van de Weghe, Wim Fias, and Haosheng Huang


Abstract
Street View Imagery (SVI) is widely used to study perceived street safety, yet most studies treat safety as a general impression of urban scenes and rely mainly on daytime imagery. It remains unclear whether safety judgments differ across evaluative framings, defined here as the safety question asked of participants, and whether this difference varies between daytime and nighttime scenes. We analyzed 7,320 safety ratings from 61 participants for 120 SVIs, including 60 daytime and 60 nighttime images. Participants judged scenes under two evaluative framings: crime-related safety and traffic-related safety. Using cumulative link mixed models with random intercepts for participants and stimuli, we found that the stimulus set received higher safety ratings in the crime-related framing than in the traffic-related framing. This evaluative-framing effect was stronger for daytime than for nighttime scenes. These findings indicate that perceived street safety in SVI is not a fixed property of image content, but also depends on the safety question asked during judgment.

Cite as

Tong Qin, Nico Van de Weghe, Wim Fias, and Haosheng Huang. The Same Street, Different Safety Judgments: Evaluative Framing Effects in Daytime and Nighttime Street View Imagery (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 32:1-32:7, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{qin_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.32,
  author =	{Qin, Tong and Van de Weghe, Nico and Fias, Wim and Huang, Haosheng},
  title =	{{The Same Street, Different Safety Judgments: Evaluative Framing Effects in Daytime and Nighttime Street View Imagery}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{32:1--32:7},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.32},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275763},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.32},
  annote =	{Keywords: street view imagery, spatial cognition, safety perception, evaluative framing, geographic information science}
}
Document
Short Paper
Decision-Making Under Uncertainty in Tsunami Evacuation: Individual Differences in Information Consultation and Risk Perception (Short Paper)

Authors: Shota Iwama, Sihwan Lee, Hong Hu, and Takanori Nanahara


Abstract
In tsunami evacuation, the two fundamental strategies are horizontal evacuation (moving away from the coastline toward a safer inland location) and vertical evacuation (moving to the upper floors of a building). However, few studies have investigated how individuals make decisions when both strategies are simultaneously available. This study examines how individual differences in lead-time information consultation and in degree of risk aversion affect strategy selection when evacuation begins from inside a high-rise building. A virtual reality (VR) experiment was conducted in an urban environment with 88 participants. Participants evacuated from a seven-story building under three location conditions: Near the Sea, Intermediate, and Near the Mountain. The results revealed that in the absence of lead-time information consultation, participants predominantly opted for vertical evacuation, relying primarily on the perceived safety afforded by the building’s elevation. In contrast, when participants consulted the lead-time information, they tended to select horizontal evacuation. In addition, participants with a higher degree of risk aversion were more likely to select vertical evacuation, but only in the Intermediate condition, where the environmental cues were most ambiguous. These results suggest that individual differences (i.e., information consultation and risk perception) play an important role in evacuees’ decision-making. Overall, the findings indicate that providing personalized information suited to evacuees’ situations can reduce the influence of individual differences and support safer evacuation decisions.

Cite as

Shota Iwama, Sihwan Lee, Hong Hu, and Takanori Nanahara. Decision-Making Under Uncertainty in Tsunami Evacuation: Individual Differences in Information Consultation and Risk Perception (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 33:1-33:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{iwama_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.33,
  author =	{Iwama, Shota and Lee, Sihwan and Hu, Hong and Nanahara, Takanori},
  title =	{{Decision-Making Under Uncertainty in Tsunami Evacuation: Individual Differences in Information Consultation and Risk Perception}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{33:1--33:8},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.33},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275770},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.33},
  annote =	{Keywords: Tsunami, Evacuation Strategy, Information Consultation, Risk Perception, Decision-Making, Virtual Reality}
}
Document
Short Paper
Simulating Path Integration with Continuous Attractor Neural Networks (Short Paper)

Authors: Yulin Wu and Ed Manley


Abstract
This paper explores how grid cell-inspired neural dynamics can simulate path integration during human navigation. We combine smartphone GPS traces, trajectory interpolation, and a two-dimensional continuous attractor neural network (2D CANN) to model path integration in York and Leeds, United Kingdom. The model reproduces grid cell-like firing and estimates trajectories that closely match mapped movement. We further introduce a logarithmic psychophysical transformation of velocity to examine how perceived speed may distort cognitive spatial structure, especially under mixed transportation modes. The results suggest that velocity-driven path integration can computationally account for asymmetric distance estimation and cognitive collage-like distortions in urban environments.

Cite as

Yulin Wu and Ed Manley. Simulating Path Integration with Continuous Attractor Neural Networks (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 34:1-34:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{wu_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.34,
  author =	{Wu, Yulin and Manley, Ed},
  title =	{{Simulating Path Integration with Continuous Attractor Neural Networks}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{34:1--34:8},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.34},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275784},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.34},
  annote =	{Keywords: cognitive map, grid cell, continuous attractor neural network, path integration, spatial cognition, urban mobility}
}
Document
Short Paper
Towards a Validation Taxonomy for Agent-Based Models of Pedestrian Movement in Cities (Short Paper)

Authors: Marcin Wozniak and Gabriele Filomena


Abstract
Agent-Based Models (ABMs) are increasingly used to simulate and analyse pedestrian movement in cities and to support urban planning and policy decisions. However, their credibility depends critically on rigorous empirical validation, for which no standardised framework currently exists. This paper addresses this challenge by providing a structured synthesis of existing validation strategies, tailored to ABMs of pedestrian movement in cities, focusing on the comparison of simulated and reference behaviours. First, it reviews and systematises operational validation approaches spanning three model output levels: micro, meso, and macro. Then, it develops a validation taxonomy that links specific model outputs - individual behavioural trajectories, segment-level flows, and aggregate system indicators - to data sources, potential validation methods, and appropriate behavioural claims. Finally, it demonstrates the implementation of these approaches using illustrative examples. Here, it is argued that not only do different model outputs require distinct data sources and methodological strategies, but the generalisations a validation exercise can support are bounded by what is validated and how. The paper advances a practical validation taxonomy that, whilst setting standards in the discipline, can be flexibly adapted to diverse modelling contexts. In doing so, it supports the development of more robust, transparent, and policy-relevant agent-based models of pedestrian movement in cities.

Cite as

Marcin Wozniak and Gabriele Filomena. Towards a Validation Taxonomy for Agent-Based Models of Pedestrian Movement in Cities (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 35:1-35:10, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{wozniak_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.35,
  author =	{Wozniak, Marcin and Filomena, Gabriele},
  title =	{{Towards a Validation Taxonomy for Agent-Based Models of Pedestrian Movement in Cities}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{35:1--35:10},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.35},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275792},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.35},
  annote =	{Keywords: agent-based modelling, pedestrian movement, route choice behaviour, validation, cities}
}
Document
Short Paper
From Sequential Decisions to Concurrent Processes: Advancing Human Navigation Models for Simulation (Short Paper)

Authors: Sabine Timpf and Franziska Klügl


Abstract
Computational models of human navigation have largely followed sequential decision paradigms, treating planning, perception, and movement as discrete models. In contrast, evidence from spatial cognition and neuroscience indicates that navigation arises from multiple interacting processes operating concurrently. Building on a previously proposed architecture, this paper advances a modelling framework that explicitly represents such concurrency and process interaction, and examines its implications for agent-based simulations of spatial decision-making in human navigation.

Cite as

Sabine Timpf and Franziska Klügl. From Sequential Decisions to Concurrent Processes: Advancing Human Navigation Models for Simulation (Short Paper). In 17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 393, pp. 36:1-36:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{timpf_et_al:LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.36,
  author =	{Timpf, Sabine and Kl\"{u}gl, Franziska},
  title =	{{From Sequential Decisions to Concurrent Processes: Advancing Human Navigation Models for Simulation}},
  booktitle =	{17th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2026)},
  pages =	{36:1--36:8},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-438-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{393},
  editor =	{Timpf, Sabine and Filomena, Gabriele and Kapaj, Armand and Zhu, Rui and Giudice, Nicholas A. and Manley, Ed},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.36},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-275805},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.COSIT.2026.36},
  annote =	{Keywords: agent-based simulation, modelling human navigation, computational process modelling}
}

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