A transformative wave is sweeping through geographic science and technologies, reshaping the US economy and government, while stretching its influence globally. A recent report by the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC), titled Emerging Technologies and the Geospatial Landscape, highlights significant new technologies poised to impact federal agencies and the wider geospatial community over the next ten years, centred around five pivotal trends in GIS and geospatial activities.
These five technology trends identified by the NGAC are essential in propelling advancements in geospatial technologies:
1. The Real-Time Revolution: Spatiotemporal data generation has surged, powering new avenues for research and commercial applications. This shift transforms geographic data collection and interaction, creating opportunities for innovative mapping, modelling, and usage in our scientific and societal engagements.
2. Miniaturization of Technologies: Compact and affordable devices are catalysing the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT). These smaller sensors not only enhance data collection capabilities but can also be fine-tuned to capture specific data types, revolutionizing how we understand our environment.
3. Proliferation of New Mobile Geospatial Sensor Platforms: The advancement in technology has birthed small satellites and drones capable of tailored missions. Their rapid deployment empowers a wider range of entities to gather crucial data seamlessly for purposes as varied as disaster response and environmental monitoring.
4. Expanding Wireless and Web Networks: Enhanced wireless and web networks are crucially addressing the burgeoning need for effective data transmission and geospatial data distribution, enabling global sharing and application of spatiotemporal data in real-time applications.
5. Advances in Computing Capacity for Geospatial Research, Apps: High-performance computing and cloud GIS platforms are equipping governments and entities with efficient access to vast repositories of geospatial data, tools, and services, streamlining geospatial research and application development.
As per the NGAC, these technological advancements impact five core areas within GIS and geospatial activities:
– Data Collection and Generation: Enhancements enable better spatiotemporal data collection and processing, introducing new data formats and addressing implications regarding privacy and data standards.
– Data Analytics: Innovations in methods for analysing both big and small data now include autonomous machine learning systems, broadening our analytical capabilities.
– Infrastructure: Emerging frameworks are essential for supporting the evolving data collection, processing, storage, and sharing systems, alongside safeguards for these infrastructures.
– Access: Improved access through technological diffusion reshapes interactions with new tools and data while emphasising the importance of protecting sensitive information.
– Workforce: The changing technological environment highlights the necessity for spatial analysts to possess modern skills, advocating for a broader and more diverse workforce in the geospatial arena.
The detailed revelations regarding GIS and geospatial technology trends are expounded in the NGAC report, crucial for federal entities and the broader GIS community alike. Engaging dialogue around these technologies could significantly influence our GIS and geospatial futures, paving the way for innovative landscapes ahead.
The NGAC’s report identifies five technology trends pivotal to the evolution of geospatial development: the rise of real-time data utilisation, the miniaturization of tech, new mobile sensor platforms, expanding wireless networks, and greater computing capacities. These trends are set to reshape data collection, analytics, infrastructure, and the workforce within GIS and broader geospatial operations.
In conclusion, five pivotal technology trends defined by the NGAC are set to redefine the geospatial sector by enhancing real-time data usage, miniaturizing devices, proliferating mobile sensor platforms, expanding networks, and advancing computing capacities. These developments will profoundly influence data collection, analytics, infrastructure, access, and workforce dynamics, steering the future of GIS towards greater efficiency and inclusivity.
Original Source: www.esri.com
