F UTURE T RENDS IN GIS

Compared to 10 Years Ago  acquiring data for a new GIS is no longer a major problem.  GPS has become a major sources of new GIS data, and comes increasingly from integrated GPS/GIS systems.  digital map images such as scanned maps and air photos are often used as a background image for cross-layer registration and update.

Major Influences on GIS  advanced GIS work has been influenced significantly by the workstation.  GIS has quickly incorporated distributed systems and databases.  microcomputer has allowed GIS to be applied to new fields and has improved GIS education.  mobility of portable GIS and GPS systems has revolutionized GIS use.

Fast Geo-Processing  faster computer hardware means faster geo- processing  advantages of higher speed:  larger data sets may be processed (larger area with higher levels of spatial resolution)  more complex models can be established  more complex analysis for decision-making  better methods of display and visualization

Parallel Processing  perform tasks on several difference processors simultaneously within same computer  impact:  analysis which require repeating same steps  raster data in which each pixel is independent are likely to be easier  image processing such as classification can benefit  visualization can be greatly improved

Trends in GIS Software  far behind hardware development  trend towards “open system architecture”  integration of video and audio information into GIS  applications that may benefit:  Real estate management and marketing  Environmental quality assessment  Computer aided education  Simulation in geographical processes  inclusion of artificial intelligence (fuzzy logic, expert systems, neural networks)

Trends in GIS Applications  GIS technology becoming more affordable, more reliable, more widely used and better known  3-D capabilities of GIS widely used in geology, hydrology, geomorphology and mining, landscape ecology studies  may develop in areas of image processing (X-rays and medical imaging)  studies of global issues (tropical deforestation, acid rain, endangered species)  real-time applications (urban management, emergency services and transport control)

Future Issues  new users  privacy  data ownership  copyright and publishing (bits not atoms)  global data inequalities  The Bit Police?  GI Science & Technology

What’s Next  future of GIS is in your hands  as a GIS analyst you have the capability to use or misuse the power that GIS brings to the world's problems

Final Exam  2 hours on December 6 pm  10 multiple choice (10 marks)  Definitions (5 of marks)  SQL, census, fuzzy tolerance, etc.  Short Answers (35 marks)  Define data quality in terms of the four elements  Ways in which overlay is used  Differences between probability and non- probability sampling…