■ Where Is the Shade From Your Current Position
When walking down a main street in the middle of summer, the sidewalk on the left is often shaded by buildings, while the right side is exposed to the scorching sun. However, there was no app to tell you this.
Even without entering a destination, the moment you open the Shade Compass app, it calculates the shadows of buildings and street trees at the current time and plots on a map which side is shaded based on your walking direction. It is a shade map designed for pedestrians who must walk outdoors in the scorching heat.
■ What It Does
· Real-time Shade Map
It calculates the sun's altitude and azimuth at this very moment to plot the shadows cast by buildings and street trees on the map. By moving the time slider, you can preview where the shade will shift at 3 PM and 5 PM.
· Left/Right Determination Based on Direction of Movement
This is not a map where North is at the top, but rather based on the direction you are walking. It provides information in a format that allows for immediate action, such as "The sidewalk on the left is shaded." When the difference between left and right is minimal or the sun is low and shade is present on all sides, it does not force a definitive statement but simply confirms it is shaded.
** · Shaded Route Finding
Enter your starting point and destination to be guided to a walking route weighted by shade. You can compare it side-by-side with the shortest route, allowing you to judge for yourself how much less hot it is to walk a few minutes longer. It also displays the shade percentage for each section.
· Walking Mode
While walking along the route, the screen rotates in the direction of travel and displays the remaining distance. The screen does not turn off, making it convenient to hold while walking. Turn-by-turn voice guidance has not been included—it is excessive for a walker.
· Favorites and Recent Destinations
Star your frequently visited spots to view shaded routes with a single tap.
■ Use It When
· Commuting 600m to the subway station — Deciding which sidewalk to stick to
· Strolling a child — The child's perceived temperature is higher due to ground radiant heat
· Walking a dog — Finding a shaded alley on an evening when the asphalt is still hot
· Running or walking course — Choosing the side with more shade, even for the same distance
· Summer outing — Taking a detour to avoid direct sunlight and UV rays
· Commuting to school on a heatwave warning — When you are worried about heat-related illnesses
■ Data
Shadows are calculated by combining spatial data from 9.6 million buildings nationwide (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport GIS Building Information) and 1 million street trees (Korea Forest Service) with the NOAA solar position algorithm. The background map uses the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's V-World, and the source is indicated in the app [Settings > Data Source]. It supports most urban areas nationwide.
■ Things to Know
· Use it immediately without signing up. All features are free.
· Location permissions are used solely to calculate shadows at the current location.
· Shadow calculations are estimates based on building and tree data. Please note that this may differ from actual shadows and should be used for reference only.
· At night, there are no shadows to calculate, so a preview for the following morning is provided.
· Banner advertisements are available. The server is operated using ad revenue.
Inquiries: siwooeo@gmail.com
Head to the shade during heatwaves. Real-time display on a map showing which areas are shaded from your current location, including building and tree shadows.