Using 3D interfaces to facilitate the spatial knowledge retrieval: a geo-referenced knowledge repository system

Retrieving knowledge from a knowledge repository includes both the process of finding information of interest and the process of converting incoming information to a person's own knowledge. This paper explores the application of 3D interfaces in supporting the retrieval of spatial knowledge by presenting the development and the evaluation of a geo-referenced knowledge repository system. As computer screen is crowded with high volume of information available, 3D interface becomes a promising candidate to better use the screen space. A 3D interface is also more similar to the 3D terrain surface it represents than its 2D counterpart. However, almost all previous empirical studies did not find any supportive evidence for the application of 3D interface. Realizing that those studies required users to observe the 3D object from a given perspective by providing one static interface, we developed 3D interfaces with interactive animation, which allows users to control how a visual object should be displayed. The empirical study demonstrated that this is a promising approach to facilitate the spatial knowledge retrieval.