Developing a synthesis process for producing schematic maps from cognitive maps.

Everything humans know of reality is conditioned by the perception of geographical features in such a way that their responses to a situation are not made based on the actual physical environment, but on the cognitive map they have of it. Cognitive maps are internal abstractions of a set of geographical features that have been learned for solving different tasks such as navigation, planning and management. In contrast, schematic maps have been designed by map makers for intentionally emphasizing certain aspects of geographical features in detriment of others by using topographically and geometrically inaccurate generalizations. However, schematic maps play a more important role in providing a unique tool for modeling the representation of cognitive knowledge, assuming that there is a correspondence between the internal abstractions (cognitive maps) and external abstractions (schematic maps). In this paper, we propose an unique approach to synthesise the knowledge represented in cognitive maps for producing ?cognitive-aware? schematic maps that are needed to support the needs of people in motion in urban areas. The overall synthesis process is intentionally centered on user perception. A case study is used to illustrate the process for producing ?cognitive-aware? schematic maps for tourists in Madrid, Spain