By Maryann Lawlor As satellite data volume swells and virtual environments appear on more desktops, knowledgeable commanders are making split-second decisions by relying on their experience. Soon they will have the support of smart systems replete with subject matter expert material that describes choices and their consequences. Geospatial information system and visualization users continue to search for better ways to understand and apply the image data they see to the situation in the field. One company that specializes in the tools that allow people to wander virtually around a three-dimensional scene is making this next leap.
Viewers have to use the mouse to click on several sections of a road, for example.
Right now, we're working toward more automation. This is the state of the art that we're trying to push. As a result, the firm developed its own inference engine, one that can process the voluminous quantity of GIS and other information that is available to and demanded by imagery customers. The growing number of operating satellites increases the amount of available images, and their enhanced resolution results in larger amounts of data per image. It is precisely the velocity at which imagery information is pouring in that creates the need for interpretation speed.