Bloosee
Encyclopedia
BlooSee is a social network
and an ocean web mapping
site where sailors, divers, surfers and other sea lovers geotag and share information and knowledge about the oceans. BlooSee is built in Python
and uses the Google Maps
API.
BlooSee is owned by BlooSee, Inc. a Silicon Valley
Startup company
originally founded in 2009 by internet entrepreneurs Pedro Valdeolmillos (originator of the idea) and Marc Puig in Barcelona
, Spain
.
of the world. These bits of information are called infopoints and are represented by color coded icons
. Users can create and edit infopoints like in a wiki. A menu on the left hand side of the screen presents a taxonomy
of infopoints and allows to show, hide and create different types of infopoints. Each infopoint has a unique URL and accepts hyperlink
s and photos.
Nautical Charts
A Nautical Chart
layer allows to overlay NOAA (United States
), New Zealand
/Pacific Ocean
and Brazil
nautical charts, while a slider offers control of their transparency over the map.
Wind Conditions and Forecasts
A Wind
map overlay provides worldwide wind conditions and forecasts. Wind speed and directions are shown as arrows and color areas layered over BlooSee’s map. A slider control allows the user to adjust the transparency of the wind layer, while a time slider control provides wind predictions for the next 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours.
Other Features
Other features of the Explore Section include a distance calculator, a "go to address" search box, a box for entering geographical coordinates, a route feature, and the possibility to obtaint URL's and embed codes for each map view.
with user profiles, status updates, user groups, discussion forums, etc. and where users can "friend" and message others, as well as "like" infopoints and mark these as "I have been there". Users have the possibility to sync their activity on BlooSee with their Facebook
and Twitter
profiles.
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
and an ocean web mapping
Web mapping
Web mapping is the process of designing, implementing, generating and delivering maps on the World Wide Web and its product. While web mapping primarily deals with technological issues, web cartography additionally studies theoretic aspects: the use of web maps, the evaluation and optimization of...
site where sailors, divers, surfers and other sea lovers geotag and share information and knowledge about the oceans. BlooSee is built in Python
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
and uses the Google Maps
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
API.
BlooSee is owned by BlooSee, Inc. a Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
Startup company
Startup company
A startup company or startup is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets...
originally founded in 2009 by internet entrepreneurs Pedro Valdeolmillos (originator of the idea) and Marc Puig in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The Explore Section
The Explore Section of BlooSee offers bits of geolocated information contributed by users layered over satellite imagerySatellite imagery
Satellite imagery consists of photographs of Earth or other planets made by means of artificial satellites.- History :The first images from space were taken on sub-orbital flights. The U.S-launched V-2 flight on October 24, 1946 took one image every 1.5 seconds...
of the world. These bits of information are called infopoints and are represented by color coded icons
Icon (computing)
A computer icon is a pictogram displayed on a computer screen and used to navigate a computer system or mobile device. The icon itself is a small picture or symbol serving as a quick, intuitive representation of a software tool, function or a data file accessible on the system. It functions as an...
. Users can create and edit infopoints like in a wiki. A menu on the left hand side of the screen presents a taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of infopoints and allows to show, hide and create different types of infopoints. Each infopoint has a unique URL and accepts hyperlink
Hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
s and photos.
Nautical Charts
A Nautical Chart
Nautical chart
A nautical chart is a graphic representation of a maritime area and adjacent coastal regions. Depending on the scale of the chart, it may show depths of water and heights of land , natural features of the seabed, details of the coastline, navigational hazards, locations of natural and man-made aids...
layer allows to overlay NOAA (United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
/Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
nautical charts, while a slider offers control of their transparency over the map.
Wind Conditions and Forecasts
A Wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
map overlay provides worldwide wind conditions and forecasts. Wind speed and directions are shown as arrows and color areas layered over BlooSee’s map. A slider control allows the user to adjust the transparency of the wind layer, while a time slider control provides wind predictions for the next 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours.
Other Features
Other features of the Explore Section include a distance calculator, a "go to address" search box, a box for entering geographical coordinates, a route feature, and the possibility to obtaint URL's and embed codes for each map view.
The Social Section
BlooSee is a full featured social networkSocial network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
with user profiles, status updates, user groups, discussion forums, etc. and where users can "friend" and message others, as well as "like" infopoints and mark these as "I have been there". Users have the possibility to sync their activity on BlooSee with their Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
profiles.
Mobile App
BlooSee is also available as a free IPhone app. An Android version is in the works.See also
- Google Ocean
- Google Maps API
- Map MashupMashup (web application hybrid)In Web development, a mashup is a Web page or application that uses and combines data, presentation or functionality from two or more sources to create new services...