Transcript Programming Tools for Visualization of GIS Data

Programming Tools for
Visualization of GIS Data
Garret Suen
Wednesday, March 5, 2003
CPSC601.82 –Advanced Algorithms in GIS and Scientific Applications
Outline
 Introduction – Visualization in GIS
– Application Areas
 Specific Problems in Application Areas
 Survey of Programs and Programming Tools
 Future of Visualization in GIS
 Conclusion and Summary
Introduction
 Visualization in GIS deals with displaying
information regarding geographical data
 Challenges include accuracy, integrity, and
visibility
 Commercial and Specialty software and
programming tools exist that focus on
visualizing geographical information in
specific areas of GIS
General Challenges in GIS
Visualization
 Moving from photos/data to digital images
 Displaying such information in a way that
makes sense
 Manipulating data easily
 Creating databases of GIS information that
are useful
 Level of detail (coarse vs. fine-grain)
Application Areas
 The area of GIS focuses on specific areas
that require specialized visualization
needs.
 The areas we will focus on today include:
1. Geological Information (Oil, Gas, Mining)
2. Climate Information (Weather Prediction)
3. Residential Information (Maps)
Geological Information
 This area specializes in visualization
geological information.
 This includes minerals, precious metals, oil
and gas deposits.
Courtesy of: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/gsc/calgary/labs/geologic1_e.html
Challenges in Geo Visualization
 Geological Visualization attempts to
abstract information regarding the earth’s
strata from surface information
 Problems in Visualization deal with:
– Volume representation (e.g. mountains)
– Layer representation (boundaries)
– Accuracy (from picture to digital images)
Geological Visualization
Programs
 Many companies make use of their own in-
house software.
 However, there are many commercial
software packages that are used as well.
 The most common package is the ArcView
group of programs
ArcView and Geology
Programming Tools
 ArcView is an interactive product that
allows for customization.
 It provides a host of built-in tools for
geological information visualization.
 It allows for the creation of application
specific scripts and macros
 It also allows for the creation and linking of
spatial databases to information
visualization.
Climate Information
 Used extensively by weather forecasters,
these systems attempt to model climate
patterns.
 This includes air current, precipitation,
temperature, and dew point information.
Courtesy of: http://www.ocs.orst.edu/prism/prism_new.html
Challenges in Climate
Visualization
 Dynamic updates from databases
 Representation of many aspects of climate
over the same area
 Extrapolation of weather conditions over
time
 Tracking weather changes over time
Climate Visualization Programs
 For the most part, climate visualization deal
with static maps that attempt to convey
climate information.
 Numerous companies exist that provide
climate and weather maps for regions and
areas.
 We will consider one such commercial
product popular with weather forecasters:
Digital Atmosphere 2000.
Digital Atmosphere 2000
Digital Atmosphere 2000
Features
 This program allows you to import almost
any map in a format accepted by the World
Meteorological Organization
 It allows you to create scripts and run
simulations over time of weather patterns
 Allows hook-up to digital satellite photos so
you can see the weather as it is happening.
 Provides ways to view all types of climate
information.
DA2000 – Digital Satellite
Photos
Residential Information
 This focuses on visualizing man-made
structures such as roads.
 Used in a variety of areas such as urban
development, residential planning, and GPS
Navigation.
Courtesy of: http://ca.maps.yahoo.com/
Challenges in Residential
Visualization
 Focus (coarse vs. fine grain)
 Information Representation
 Intelligent Navigation (GPS)
 Intelligent Search (Databases)
 Simulation (e.g. Traffic Planning)
Residential Visualization
Programs
 Most commercial applications in this area
simply provide maps for residential
development.
 One of the leading companies that deals
with residential information is Autodesk.
 The Autodesk Map software package is run
on an AutoCAD base.
 The main advantage of AutoDesk Map is its
ability to incorporate satellite photos and
directly manipulate them.
AutoDesk Map 2002
AutoDesk Map 2002 Features
 Easy creation of spatial databases.
 Direct manipulation of maps, aerial, and satellite
photos.
 Automatic coordinate geometry information
extracted from maps.
 Ability to add spatial information (polygons) and
convert polygons/polylines into polyobjects for
export into spatial databases.
 Basic Algorithms: shortest-path, network tracing,
and polygon overlay.
Future of GIS Visualization
 The future of GIS Visualization will
ultimately be based on new paradigms of
visualization.
 Current traditional models work on bringing
the 3D to the 2D.
 Future visualization will work on allowing
information to be visualized on the 3D level
(CAVE!).
Working Towards the Future
Terrain model – a CAVE Perspective @ the
University of Illinois – Urbana, Champagne
Summary
 GIS Visualization is specific to the
application area that is being applied to.
 Each area faces different challenges in
understanding their own types of
information.
 We have looked at the problems involved in
3 different GIS Areas: Geological, Climate,
and Residential.
Summary (cont.)
 Various commercial software solutions are
available for the GIS practitioner.
 Each software solution provides a wide array of
functions and tools for manipulating and
displaying information.
 As our understanding of GIS information
increases, software will move towards providing
the tools necessary.
 Programming tools are generally in the form of
scripting tools that allow for specific manipulation
of data.
References
ArcView:
– http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/features/index.html
AutoDesk Map 2002:
– http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/section/0,,2260583-123112,00.html
Digital Atmosphere 2000:
– http://www.weathergraphics.com/da/
CAVE:
– http://www.gis.uiuc.edu/research/hpgis/cave.htm
Questions? Comments?