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A “Harlow Report” From April 17, 2023
As GIS Tech Continues to Grow, Here Are Some Things to Look For
Believe it or not, GIS technology is over 60 years old. The technology has had a long and steady history of growth—until now. As our advances in the tech industry rapidly expand, so will the pace of GIS growth.
The foundations were laid by the work of Roger Tomlinson, acknowledged as the “father of GIS.” He is credited with enabling the first computerized–GIS through his work on the Canada Geographic Information System in 1963. Commercialized by companies such as Synercom, Intergraph, IBM, Etak, Google, Mapquest, AppleMaps, and, of course, Esri, GIS began its slow incursion to our everyday lives.
Today, GIS technology widely accepted as a necessary technology in the government and private sectors alike. Pushed by new technologies, often merging with GIS, expect to see a faster pace of growth.
Some of the top trends in GIS technology are:
Big Data & Machine Learning:
One of the biggest trends in GIS right now is big data. With the advent of cloud computing, companies are able to store massive amounts of data in the cloud. These large datasets allow them to analyze patterns and make predictions based on the data. The other major trend in GIS right now involves machine learning, which is a branch of artificial intelligence that enables computers to learn from data and improve their performance.
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality:
VR and AR are relatively new in the geospatial industry but their use will help grow the sector immensely. VR is a technology that creates a simulated environment that users can interact with using special devices such as headsets and controllers. AR is a technology that overlays digital information onto the real world using devices such as smartphones and glasses. VR and AR can be used to create immersive experiences for GIS users, such as exploring 3D models of landscapes, buildings, infrastructure and more. They can also be used to enhance situational awareness, training, education and entertainment.
On the other hand, AR has had a relatively slow adaptation to date. Furthermore, the near religious elation over AI has overshadowed the tech world's interest in AR. It may be a while before your end user, let alone the CEO, snaps on a pair of smart glasses or head mounted displays.
3D Printing:
3D printing is a technology that creates physical objects from digital models by depositing layers of material on top of each other. 3D printing can be used to create tangible maps and models of geospatial data, such as terrain, buildings, landmarks and more.
Blockchain Technology:
Blockchain creates a distributed ledger of transactions that is secure, transparent and immutable. Blockchain can be used to store and share geospatial data in a decentralized way, without relying on intermediaries or central authorities. Blockchain can also be used to verify the provenance and quality of geospatial data, as well as to enable smart contracts and transactions based on geospatial conditions.
These are some of the latest trends in GIS technology that are shaping the future of this field. Keep in mind that not all these ideas will not be adapted at the same speed, if adapted at all. My experience in the tech world is that out of nowhere, a new, distruptive technology will appear, changing how we do things. In the lifetime of GIS I've witness these changes.
Today, we do we can do much of the GIS work on our smart phones and print a map wirelessly in a minute or so. Remember, before Thomlinson's work, and Jack Dangermond's GIS evangelism, we relied on paper maps that once unfolded were a challenge to refold!
While I've outlined four promising trends in GIS, who knows what the next shiny tech object wil be?
Now back to 2024
Landsat Explorer: Traversing Time and Geography with Remote Sensing
Picture a world where the hidden becomes visible and our planet’s unseen layers are revealed in a new light. This is the world that scientists began to explore in the mid-20th century, transcending human vision to uncover Earth’s secret patterns and phenomena. From physicists to agricultural scientists, these pioneers ventured into the realm of new wavelengths, opening a window to a previously invisible world
Multispectral imaging, a key tool for the Landsat program, marked a leap in how we observe our planet. It captures data in wavelengths that are beyond the narrow band of light that humans can see, revealing aspects and details of the earth’s surface that are not observable in true-color photographs. This can provide unique perspectives for different features such as vegetation, soil, and water.
“With multispectral data, we can see the glow of photosynthetic activity of vegetation in the Amazon rainforest, examine crop health in southeast Asia agricultural areas, explore wildfire scars in Africa, and measure the retreat of Arctic glaciers,” said Kate Fickas, Esri’s director of imagery and remote sensing solutions.
Read full story at Esri…
AI in Google Maps: 6 Features You Can’t Miss Out
New development of AI in Google Maps: 6 Features You Can't Miss Out. Read on to learn how you can integerates this into your daily life.
Google Maps leads the charge with its integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), bringing users a suite of features that redefine our interaction with maps. From immersive 3D visuals to real-time information, these six AI-powered enhancements are set to elevate your mapping experience.
- Immersive View: Your Pre-Travel Crystal Ball
- Lens in Maps: The World Through a Digital Lens
- Advanced Navigation: Beyond Basic Directions
- Aerial View API: A Bird’s-Eye Perspective
- Photo-First Results: A Visual Journey
- AI-Powered Spontaneity: Embrace the Unexpected
Read full story at AllAboutAI…
Maxar Intelligence Awarded Phase 4 of U.S. Army’s One World Terrain Contract
Integrated space infrastructure and Earth intelligence capabilities that make global change visible, information actionable and space accessible.
Maxar Intelligence, a provider of secure, precise, geospatial intelligence, was awarded Phase 4 of the U.S. Army’s One World Terrain (OWT) prototype Other Transaction Agreement contract.
The OWT program delivers 3D global terrain capability and associated information services that support a fully accessible virtual representation of the physical Earth through the Army network. OWT is a key component of the Army’s Synthetic Training Environment (STE), which provides a realistic, common and automatically generated global geospatial dataset for simulation based collective training, mission rehearsal and mission execution at the point of need.
Read full story at Maxar…
NOAA’s New Geodetic Datum
Replacing NAD 83 and NAVD 88 have been in the works for a long time; now the change is getting near
The surveying and geospatial communities in the United States have been using geodetic datums that were designed and implemented at a time when the Global Positioning System (GPS) was in its infancy. Yes, we are referring to NAD 83 and NAVD 88, the horizontal and vertical geodetic datums that have been in use for decades. Well, changes are coming to the nation’s positioning infrastructure and all our geospatial data.
The National Geodetic Survey (NGS), which sits within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is responsible for defining, maintaining, and providing access to this positioning infrastructure, called the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). Since 2007, NGS has been working to overhaul the NSRS as part of a herculean modernization program. Horizontal positions are currently defined by the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). This will be replaced by four tectonic plate-fixed terrestrial reference frames, which will provide latitude, longitude, and ellipsoid height information referenced to specific epochs in time.
Read full story at xyHt…
What is Geomarketing? And How to Get Started
If you’re not using geomarketing you’re missing out on a major opportunity. This conversion-boosting strategy is used by businesses across the globe to reach the right audience and skyrocket sales. But what exactly is it? And how do you get started? This quick Q&A guide will tell you more.
Geomarketing means incorporating geographical data into your marketing to deliver promotional messages relevant to your target audience’s location. A mix of ‘geographic’ and ‘marketing’, geomarketing is a game-changer for businesses who want to power their marketing strategy with location insights.
For example, suppose you’re planning to open a new store. A geomarketing analysis can can help you answer key questions like where your target audience is most concentrated, and where you have a strong (or lacking) market presence
Read full story at PlotProjects…
