Geospatial science and technology Geospatial science and technology 2004-2024: Seven forecasts2004-2024: Seven forecasts

Keith C. ClarkeProfessor and Chair

Department of Geography

UC Santa Barbara

kclarke@geog.ucsb.edu

2004 and 2024

What is the state of geospatial computing today?

What are the issues today? What will geospatial computing be

like in 2024? What issues will be of concern then? Seven forecasts along the way

Computing in 2004

Average car hosts 50 computers (embedded computing)

PC 3GHz barrier and GB/$ approaching 1.0 HPC approaching tens of Teraflops GRID computing initiative at NSF Low cost supercomputing e.g. Beowulf clusters Mobile wireless based on 802.11x etc Internet possibly approaching a billion nodes Windows vs. Linux, but many more

Computing issues in 2004

Building the cyberinfrastructure The digital divide The “where” of computing User interfaces: The end of GUIs, WIMPs,

and the desktop Wireless internet Who owns software in the network era?

Geographic information technology in 2004 Countering industry trends GPS mature, GLONASS, Galileo, GPS II, indoor? GPS and GIS tightly coupled e.g. IVNS Mobile GIS The data fire hose Cellular phones and location technology E-911 New generation of space imaging Interoperability and standards Google search on “geographic information

system”=2.97M hits

What will the issues be in 2024?

Forecast #1: Ubiquitous GIS

Computing will be ubiquitous, distributed, mobile and on-demand

Cyberinfrastructure

aka Grid computing NSF Vision for next era of computing “ integrated suite of computational engines, mass

storage, networks, digital libraries and databases, sensors, software and services” (NSF, 2003).

Can include human users and the user interface NSF (2003) Revolutionizing Science and Engineering Through

Cyberinfrastructure: Report of the National Science Foundation Blue-Ribbon Advisory Panel on Cyberinfrastructure: Atkins report.

Cyberinfrastructure vision

•Services available on demand•Independence of source•“The computer is the network”

Geospatial elements of the GRID: 1. GPS

Source: U. Minnesota IVS Lab

GPS: Accurate, but multipath, etc

ExperimentExperiment

Yellow = dGPS much betterYellow = dGPS much betterRed = dGPS betterRed = dGPS better

Blue = Neutral or GPS betterBlue = Neutral or GPS better

Green: TreesPurple: BuildingsImage courtesy of Kevin Knight

Geospatial elements of the GRID: 1. Portability

Forecast #2: Wearable GIS

We will wear our computers, not sit in front of them

Wearable GIS

http://www.itmedia.co.jp/broadband/0309/18

UCSB Battuta project

Field Test Prototype: Field Test Prototype: YAH, Map view, text off, perspective onYAH, Map view, text off, perspective on

Field Test Prototype: Field Test Prototype: YAH, Image view, text off, perspective onYAH, Image view, text off, perspective on

Field testing: Track logs

Xybernaut Poma

Forecast #3: No more data problems

The National Map will be completeThe National Spatial Data

Infrastructure will support the economy, government and education

The USGS vision of The National Map

A database, providing “public domain core geographic data about the United States and its territories that other agencies can extend, enhance, and reference as they concentrate on maintaining other data that are unique to their needs.”

Needs:Up-to-dateReal time accessSupport public safety and welfare

The Problem: Current paper maps are on average 23 years old

USGS Vision

Ambitious, challenging and worthwhile Nationally consistent Includes pointers to multiple scales and data types,

e.g. Imagery Flexible enough to be subdivided by any pertinent

set of geographic units, e.g. Congressional districts, health districts, watersheds, etc.

Sets goal of rapid turnaround of map revisions (7 days)

Benefits (NRC Report)

“The nation has a vested interest in ensuring rapid implementation of a nationally integrated spatial database to meet national needs, including national security, environmental protection and land stewardship.”

Benefits:Natural resourcesPrevention of loss of life and propertyReduction of duplication and wasteEconomic spin-offs to geospatial business communityShared work and value enhancement to partners

NAS National Map Vision

Two inherent levels of the project: (1) Nationally consistent digital map coverage

maintained at one or more spatial scales The blanketAlready exists at coarser scale (The National Atlas)

(2) Patchwork of local data with varied scale, source, accuracy, spatial extent, ownership models, resolution, thematic content, etc. The quiltData are contributed by partners

The metaphor

One weave: uniform coverage Independent patches, differentsizes, shapes: needs coordination

The metaphor (ctd)

National Map Viewer

DOQQ plus DLG streets

DRG plus DLG streets

NLCDB plus DLG streets

Seamless data download

Other components of the NSDI (Portals, standards, services, data)

Geospatial Onestop Geography Network EROS Data Center FGDC: Standards Alexandria Digital Library State data centers e.g. Teale in CA MapQuest NAVTEQ, etc. Counties, municipalities, universities, tribes, etc.

Forecast #4: Wired universe

Data will come from everywhere and go to anywhere

High resolution imagery

Sensor networks: Webcams, connected motes and MEMS

Spatial search: Google local

Location-based services: Location knowledge and sensitivity

Courtesy: HCI Group Cornell Univ.

Forecast #5: Interfaces

GUI and WIMP will be dead, long live perceptual and multimodal computer interfaces

Gesture recognition and AR

Images/Movies courtesy of Mathias Kolsh, UCSB

Software demonstration: Battuta

Software Demonstration: AR hand tracking

Forecast #6: Methods

Spatial analysis and visualization will be accepted methodologies across many disciplines and applications

Spatialization

Computing issues in 2024

Network monitors itself, who sees? Spyware and security vs Personal privacy Who pays for services? Who are the digit police? Competing solutions and liability The limits of accuracy Tractability envelope: New methods Simulation is everywhere, for everything

Geospatial issues in 2024

Who owns your lifeline? (Huisman and Forer, 1998; students in Auckland)

Keith’s Daily Commute

Forecast #7 Geospatial privacy

Your geospatial data rights will be under threat

The threat from commerce

Minority Report “I dread the day when I am woken from a

sound sleep by a noisy, flashing advertisement projected on my retina urging me to download a new free Web-browser, one that I cannot turn off without mentally focusing on a dark grey ‘Decline’ button hovering at the far range of my peripheral vision. “(Clarke, 1999).

The threat from government

FOIA vs. “Mapping the Risks” Scott McNealy of Sun

Microsystems "You have no privacy - get over it."

Come a long way, but a long way still to go!