About BlackShore
BlackShore — mapping what matters:
BlackShore delivers accurate, up-to-date and low-cost map products based on the crowd-sourced interpretation of satellite data and aerial imagery. We map what matters most in the world. Topics range from forest monitoring to disaster relief and food security. Our tailor-made maps typically cover a large area thoroughly, yet they are very affordable and can be created in a matter of just a few days. This is achieved through a mapping concept unique in the market: we use game-based crowdsourcing to create our maps.
In the Cerberus client which is cloud based, we use hexagons as units of analysis.
The concept of game-based crowdsourcing:
Even with today’s advanced artificial intelligence, the best interpretation of visual imagery is still being performed by humans. Putting a team of specialists on an interpretation quest for thousands of square kilometres is a very expensive and time-consuming task, though. This is where crowdsourcing comes in.
With our award-winning Cerberus(tm) gaming platform, we utilise the eyes of hundreds to thousands of people throughout the world as sensors. Game players are briefed through e-learning first, which not only improves quality, but also raises awareness and builds knowledge for the topic at hand. After the training our crowd starts playing and gathering information. The more people mark the same object or visual change in an image, the more likely it is that this object or change is true. With so many people visually interpreting our imagery, we can use statistical methods to extract the right information with large confidence. This ensures our maps are thorough and accurate, though still very affordable.
Through Cerberus people are encouraged to actively participate in solving the world’s pressing problems. This is why so many players return to our crowdsourcing projects time after time. Through their eyes we can create information products that map what really matters.
Key advantages of BlackShore’s map products:
• Our mapping method is specifically designed for large and remote areas
• Low-cost information products compared to traditional techniques
• Thorough, accurate and reliable results
• Almost real-time information through fast and easy delivery of maps
• Customisable: get exactly the information you want
