Location Awareness
Location offers significant benefit to the efficient operation of mobile GIS. The ability to integrate reliable location definition and use into the field device and the application that operates on the device provides benefit in three main areas:
- Personalisation
- Spatial Analysis
- Data management
As wireless technology becomes more robust and prevalent, communication of data as part of the data management process will also benefit from the reliable definition of location.
Location uniquely identifies – or personalises – both the device and the operator of the device. Knowing where the device is can be used to determine the application that should be visible as well as the data that is required for the task at hand. Location will automate many of the operations associated with both analysis of the region in space the operator is concerned with, as well as managing access to data that is needed to make the analysis meaningful. Eventually, in a wireless world, the ability for the device to know and communicate its location reliably will allow for efficient, automated data transfer as and when needed – without adversely affecting bandwidths.
Currently, location definition for handheld field devices relies on two main technologies: global positioning systems (GPS) and cell tower based systems. Handheld devices, such as mobile telephones and Pocket PC’s, will increasingly make use of these technologies individually and in combination. Location aware devices will become very prevalent in the not too distant future, especially with the need to provide reliable location for emergency purposes from mobile devices.
GPS technology currently offers that best available accuracy at an increasingly cost-effective rate. While cell tower based systems have the ability to operate within buildings. As with most computer-based technologies, the marketplace is experiencing a broad range of equipment choice at increasingly lower prices related to the functionality the technology offers.
Business case for enterprise extension
The technology exists now – and is improving rapidly – and the industry is experiencing a renewed cooperation amongst the various providers of the main components within the mobile GIS system. But there is still question about the need for mobile GIS from a business sense. Is mobile GIS being thrust upon us simply because the technology is available or is there a sound business case for encouraging the expansion of the enterprise GIS into a mobile environment?
Mobile GIS:
Expands the enterprise to the entire workforce
Knowledge-enables all decision makers all the time
Ensures data is current and relevant
The expansion of the enterprise allows the entire workforce of an organisation to access data and analytical tools from anywhere at anytime. Decisions are made by those who need to make them when and where they need to. Not all decision makers are confined to an office environment.
The ability to connect to the enterprise anywhere at anytime provides the mobile decision makers with the resources that make them just as knowledge-enabled as their colleagues in the office. Knowledge-enabling the entire workforce speeds up the dissemination and distribution of information, allowing the mobile workforce to remain independent and flexible, which results in less down time and faster results. Solutions are reached with more efficiency, but just as reliably.
Especially with the increase in wireless technology use, but also with simple Internet connectivity today, data about the real world is much more current and accurate. With wireless technology, the representation of real world data will become instantaneous within systems. Having current, reliable data ensures all people within an organisation – both field and office workers – have access to up-to-date and relevant data.
Mobile GIS removes the need for intermediary paper-based recording. It is not unknown within organisations for modifications made on paper maps to never make it into a digital format, which means many changes to the real world are never reflected correctly within the enterprise.
With mobile GIS, data is always in a digital format, making it easy and efficient to transfer from the field to the office without introducing interpretive errors. Checks and balances are still required, of course, but many of these can be automated so those carrying out the checks can focus on the real errors without the drudgery of filtering through large quantities of repetitive data.
Data that is current and reliable results in less delays and faster solutions that are less prone to error.
Conclusions
Mobile GIS is a natural expansion of the enterprise. It is part of the system and, in fact, dependent on the system for its success. While wireless technology will increase the usefulness of mobile GIS in the future, it is not an essential component for the successful operation of mobile GIS now.
The field device is an integral component of the mobile GIS. It must be robust and based on industry standards. When considering the right device to use, it is important to remember the value of the data as well as the replacement cost of the device. If the device malfunctions, ensure the newly defined data – which is arguably the most valuable component of the system – can be retrieved.
Location is central to the operation of mobile GIS. Reliable location definition ensures the efficient management and use of data both on the field application and between the field device and the office-based system.
Mobile GIS GIS-enables the workforce with the tools and data they need – when and where they need it.