Build the Future with 10,000 Tuvaluan by NPO Tuvalu Overview is an archiving project of portraits of people in Tuvalu. We made visualization of this archive on the Digital Globe, and constructed the communication system that users can transmit the message to people in Tuvalu.

Viewing with Digital Globe


In these contents, the Digital Globe is used as not only a satellite image viewer but also an interactive art form of portraits archive and geographical information of Tuvalu. The interface that dividedinto four altitudes hierarchies was designed by using kml (KeyholeMarkup Language) functions:

1. FRAMES - (80000m or higher) A screen overlay that contains an explanation of this project with frame-like lines is displayed. This screen overlay was designed for multi display resolution, from XGA to 1680*1050.
2. STARS - (80000m) FRAMES fades out, and 9 star-shaped ground overlaysare displayed above whole area of Tuvalu. It refers to the national flag of Tuvalu (Tuvalu is made of 9 islands).
3. SHAPE OF ISLANDS - (13000m) STARS fades out, and 9 ground overlays that express shapes of the islands fade in.
4. PICTURES OF PEOPLE - (all altitudes) Placemarks of people pictures are displayed in the sky on the islands. Users can see the detailed information of the person in the balloon: name, age, occupation, and message. And also, the screen overlay that contains explanation of the islands appears at the left top of the display: name, population, and feature.

By this hierarchical interface design, users can understand the operation method and the message instinctively, without reading the explanation.

And also, these contents also support a function for transmitting message for Tuvaluans.


This function can be used only by the interface of the Digital Globe. Users can write a text message and send it into the balloon. When users send a message, A blue line is drawn from users' position toward Tuvalu.