INTEGRATED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (IGIS):
STATUS AND RESEARCH ISSUES
Manfred Ehlers
David R. Steiner
ISPA, University of Osnabrück-Vechta
Vechta, Germany
Nickolas Faust
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Technical Research Institute
Atlanta, GA, USA
Commission II, Working Group 2
KEY WORDS: Geoinformatics systems, Integrated Geographic Information Systems (IGIS), Technology Advances
ABSTRACT
This paper presents status and trends for recent developments of integrated geographic information systems. Progress in
computer hardware and software are the basis for a structural change in the systems aspect. Boundaries between systems
for image analysis, geographic information processing, softcopy photogrammetry, and digital cartography are ceasing to
exist. We will present challenges and possibilities for Geoinformatics Systems.
KURZFASSUNG
Dieser Beitrag zeigt den gegenwärtigen Zustand sowie zukünftige Trends für die jüngeren Entwicklungen im Bereich
integrierter geographischer Infortmationssysteme auf. Fortschritte im Hardware- und Software-Bereich sind die Basis für
einen strukturellen Wandel: Grenzen zwischen Systemen für Bildverarbeitung, für geographische
Informationsverarbeitung, für digitale Photogrammetrie sowie für digitale Kartographie beginnen zu verwischen. Wir
werden Herausforderungen an und Möglichkeiten von Geoinformatics Systems darstellen.
1.0 WORKING GROUP ACTIVITIES
The activities of the ISPRS Working Group II/2
'Hardware and Software Aspects of Geographic
Information Systems' were primarily directed toward the
identification of significant trends for future
developments and the integration with other systems for
spatial data handling. Specific topics of interest included:
* Design and operational aspects of the integration of
GIS with image analysis systems;
* Technologies for three-dimensional GIS;
* Studies of man-machine interactions: display
techniques, interactive techniques, and audio
interaction;
* Studies of benchmark design for integrated GIS;
* Studies of GIS characterized by workstation,
mainframe, and microsystems in a heterogeneous
environment;
» Studies of parallel processors, array processors,
supercomputers, and optical hybrid systems for
improving GIS;
* Hardware and software for input/output aspects of
GIS.
Within this context, WG II/2 held three business
meetings and organized an international workshop on
"Requirements for Integrated Geographic Information
Systems' which was held in conjunction with the 'Second
Thematic Conference on Remote Sensing for Marine and
Coastal Environments'. Fifty-eight participants from
thirteen different countries attended the workshop which
was held at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel on February
2 and 3, 1994.
Twelve oral presentations were given on a variety of
topics related to the issues and challenges faced by
researchers using integrated GIS for work in Belgium,
Egypt, England, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, and
the United States. These topics included functional
requirements for implementing and using GIS; the
integration and use of various tools and techniques such
as virtual reality, neural networks, and numerical
modelling; metadata management; the use of temporal
components; commentaries on the status and challenges
of implementing GIS in several foreign countries; and
case studies in wetland and aquaculture applications.
Vendors from six different software corporations also
attended to participate in a panel discussion, which was à
highlight of the workshop. An interactive poster session
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