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field GIS and the fast growing experience with vari 
ous DGPS telecommunications services (e.g., SAPOS 
- satellite positioning service of the German Ordnance 
Survey) the idea suggests itself, to use the already ex 
isting wireless data communication units not only for 
accessing differential correction data, but also for a bi 
directional online GIS-database access [Pundt & Brink- 
kotter-Runde, 1999](Fig. 1). These reflections were trig 
gered by the desirable or sometimes urgent need for ad 
ditional information or decision support when you are 
out in the field. From the other point of view some time 
critical office decisions may depend on data and results 
just gathered during field survey (e.g., disaster relief 
applications are decisively depending on direct infor 
mation input). Online conferencing with your colleague 
or getting advice form an expert leads to a new quality 
of field data acquisition. 
New wearable computers allow a very close associa 
tion and interaction with the user. The software behind 
those systems is enabled by different sensors to see and 
even hear what the user perceives. Together with the 
textual input the user is typing, this information can be 
analysed by intelligent agents to predict the resources, 
the user will need in addition to or for his ongoing 
work. Many kinds of such intelligent information re 
trieval systems are being applied for easier information 
access since the rapid Internet development spawned 
lots of Web-based information databases. These agents, 
autonomously working or user controlled, query differ 
ent catalogue services during the search for suitable in 
formation. 
2.3 Conclusions 
All these new techniques will change the way we are 
are handling data acquisition in future. Since this de 
velopment is taking place rapidly, it is an urgent need 
to acquire more knowledge about human-computer in 
teraction, observing field workers perception of the ge 
ographic space and how the new techniques influence 
their working habits [Egenhofer & Kuhn, 1998] At the 
end of this just initiated process, mobile GIS have the 
potential to become a new ubiquitous means for better 
understanding and solving geospatial and non-geospatial 
problems. The analysis of usability aspects, the adjust 
ment of existing field GIS software to the new condi 
tions and the prototypical evaluation of wearable equip 
ment like the Xybernaut will be subject of forthcoming 
research at the IFGI. 
3 Mobile data acquisition &: wireless 
communication for maintenance 
processes 
The Centre for Computing Technologies (TZI) at the 
University of Bremen conducts a project called WIN- 
SPECT. The aim of this project is to develop a modern 
infrastructure aided by information technology, which 
supports and optimises maintenance activities for large 
technical plants with regards to economic and efficiency 
issues. 
3.1 Problem area 
The maintenance of production plants is a vital pre 
condition for efficient industrial production. At the same 
time, it creates a substantial expense for the plant. 
The task of maintenance, is to ensure the availabil 
ity of machines, which are involved in the production 
process ( directly and indirectly). The German Indus 
try Norm (DIN, No. 31051) [DIN 31051, 1985] outlines 
three points for the term ’maintenance’: 
1. Service, carried out to keep the debit state in order. 
2. Inspection, carried out to determine the actual state 
of the machines. 
3. Repair, carried out to restore the debit state. 
Increasing automation and mechanisation of pro 
duction plants have lead to highly complex environ 
ments. Most industry companies provide top quality 
service, inspection and repair in order to keep their ef 
fective production. Carrying out these tasks requires 
the staff to be highly qualified. Meyer [1992] defines 
the following demands for the maintenance process: 
— Explicit technical knowledge of the production pro 
cess. 
— High performance and high standards of work. 
— Large effort with regards to devices and machines. 
Figure 2. Circuit of maintenance, (changed after Zutt &; 
Hubich, 1988) 
Meyer outlines that the importance of maintenance 
are sure to increase in the future. The responsibility