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THE FUTURE OF GIS

THE FUTURE OF GIS. Geographical Information System. GREAT COURSE WOKGROUP OF GIS. 1. INTRODUCTION. GIS originated in the mid 1960s many see GIS as a phenomenon of the late 1980s expansion in the late 1980s how long can growth continue?. 2. THE REMOTE SENSING ANALOGY.

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THE FUTURE OF GIS

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  1. THE FUTURE OF GIS Geographical Information System GREAT COURSE WOKGROUP OF GIS

  2. 1. INTRODUCTION • GIS originated in the mid 1960s • many see GIS as a phenomenon • of the late 1980s • expansion in the late 1980s • how long can growth continue?

  3. 2. THE REMOTE SENSING ANALOGY • Remote sensing as precursor to GIS • major efforts began in late 1960s • remote sensing well funded • growth of remote sensing in 1960s and 1970s vastly outpaced growth in GIS • GIS often seen as add-on to remote sensing systems • three major lessons can be learned from remote sensing analogy

  4. 2. THE REMOTE SENSING ANALOGY • Need for formal theory • danger that GIS will suffer in the same way as remote sensing from lack of formal theory underpinning use • much work in remote sensing has been purely empirical, limited to specific times and places • much work is on a project basis • strong theoretical framework would be basis for greater generality • difficult to generalize results from one satellite/sensor to another • effects of scale are poorly understood • analysis of remote sensing data has not benefited from clear understanding of spatial effects • the level of theoretical development in these areas is much higher in 1980s

  5. 2. THE REMOTE SENSING ANALOGY • Excessive expectations • early promise of remote sensing was high • in practice, numerous problems degrade accuracy of classification • continuing need for basic research • post-war Western society has been fascinated with technological solutions to problems • difficulty of defining adequate cost/benefit measures • at the same time, technological change can be opposed by unconvincibles, confirmed nay-sayers, Luddites

  6. 2. THE REMOTE SENSING ANALOGY • Potential for new paradigms • many have expected remote sensing to produce fundamental changes in the ways people think about geographical information • however, even today the magnitudes of its future effects on affected natural sciences is not clear • situation in GIS has similarities

  7. 2. THE REMOTE SENSING ANALOGY • Technical advances • both GIS and remote sensing have benefited from developments in workstation power and availability of data • many vendors now offer the capability of integrating both technologies in the same workstation • much research and development in remote sensing occurred in government laboratories - NASA, etc. - funded by government • GIS context is very different

  8. 3. PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE • Automated geography • almost all forms of use of geographical data can now be automated • we can use digital spatial data for specific purposes or to develop general theories • geographical information becomes much more powerful in a digital environment • some have even envisioned "the death of cartography" - the "paperless map library" - along similar lines to the "paperless office"

  9. 3. PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE • Automated geography • geographical information is used infrequently compared to text or numerical information • but the potential of automated geography may lead to much greater levels of use - people might use geographical data more frequently if they had better access to it, and if it was easier to use

  10. 3. PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE • Spatial information science • GIS and its allied fields, e.g. remote sensing, add up to the makings of a science of spatial information • spatial information is sufficiently distinct, theory and problems are sufficiently basic and difficult to justify unique identity, status of minor discipline or subdiscipline

  11. 3. PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE • Spatial processes • space provides a framework within which to organize objects • frame is useful for accessing records, e.g. by street address • frame is useful for accounting, e.g. totals by county • frame is basis for relating objects, e.g. by proximity, adjacency, connectedness

  12. 3. PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE • Spatial processes • what role does space have as a source of explanation and understanding? • spatial coincidence or proximity may suggest explanation, e.g. coincidence of cancer cluster and asbestos mining operation • spatial proximity may be basis for prediction, e.g. more customers will go to closer store • spatial accounting is used as basis for much analysis, e.g. county-to-county variations in employment, health statistics • many processes operate in spatial frames, e.g. atmospheric, ocean dynamics • measures of space are variables in many processes, e.g. measures of territory in ecology, measures of market area in retailing

  13. 3. PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE • Spatial processes • measures of space are variables in many processes, e.g. measures of territory in ecology, measures of market area in retailing

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