Integrated Mobile GIS

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AAG 2003, New Orleans
Integrated Mobile GIS and Wireless Internet Map
Servers for Environmental Monitoring and
Management
By Ming-Hsiang Tsou E-mail mtsou_at_mail.sdsu.edu P
hone 619-5940205 Fax [phone]
The Department of Geography, San Diego State
University
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Mobile GIS

• Mobile GIS refers to the access and use of GIS
  data and functions through mobile and/or wireless
  devices.
• (Notebooks, PDA, tablet PC, Pocket PC, etc.)
• WHY mobile GIS
• Field works data collection and validation
  process, coupled with GPS and wireless
  communications.
• Real-time update / change
• GPS integration.

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Environmental Monitoring and Natural Habitat
Managements

• TASKS
• The adoption of remotely sensed images
• The analysis of habitat changes (land cover)
• Monitoring multiple plant and animal species
  across regions.
• PROBLEMS
• Field survey and data acquisition are difficult,
  time-consuming
• Traditional RS and GIS software are very
  expensive, difficult to use.
• Regional program managers and park rangers seldom
  have the necessary resources or training to
  access RS/GIS data
• There is a strong need to develop an easy-to-use,
  inexpensive set of field survey tools

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Internet Map Servers and Wireless Communication

• WHY Internet Map Server (IMS)?
• The storage problems in mobile devices (too
  small)
• Multiple users access
• Data Update for multiple users at the same time.
• Internet Map Server ? Intranet Map Server
• Local access ONLY via Wireless LAN.
• (Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi5 broad bandwidths)

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Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) IP
address-based (130.191.118.30)

• No Internet Connection.
• Different from cellular phone communication
  (CDMA, GPRS)
• Fast Transmission Speed, Good for GIS
  applications (large size of data/images)
• Wi-Fi (802.11b, 11Mbps, 2.4 Ghz),
• Wi-Fi5 (802.11a, 54Mbps, 5GHz). (next ?
  802.11g)

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Integrated System Framework (Internet Map
Servers, GPS, Wi-Fi, Pocket PC, Vehicle)
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Autonomous Unit Independent, Portable, Reliable
Mobile unit mounted on a vehicle.
Mobile unit with Portable Battery
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User Scenario Environmental Monitoring and
Management Mission Trail Regional Park (short
movie)
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System Implementation

• Hardware
• Notebooks (Web Server ArcIMS)
• Pocket PC (Clients Wi-Fi compact flash card)
• GPS (with serial cables to Pocket PC)
• Wireless Access Point (Hub) Twisted Ethernet
  Cable (directly from Server to Hub)
• Software
• Server-side IIS 5.0 ArcIMS 4.0
• Client-side ArcPad 6.0, Pocket IExplorer, FTP
• Network Setting
• IP Address ? NO Domain Name System (DNS)

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Evaluate Land Cover Change by ADAR Images via
Internet Map Server (MTRP BMX site)
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User Scenario Testing (Jan 15, 2003) Use GPS and
remote sensing data to identify a new location of
invasive plants (pampas grass)
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Real-time Report Submission and Data Upload
(from Pocket PC to Server)
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Current Limitations and Problems

• Wireless Technology is changing fast.
• The short range of current commercial WAP devices
  (300 1000 feet)
• Limited Software Customization Capability (only
  user interface customization, no system function
  level, such as direct data upload)
• Pocket Internet Explorer (No Java applets
  capability)
• No Vector-based IMS for Pocket PC

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Research Agenda

• Explore other potential GIS applications (virtual
  tour guide, homeland security, emergency rescue,
  etc.)
• Enhance Information Security Wireless
  Communication. (for sensitive data) PDA
  Fingerprint ID.
• Data Transmission Efficiency (compression
  techniques)
• User Interface Design (Different from Desktop PC)
• Smart Display for different devices (Software
  Agents)

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Possible Applications Police Department Emergenc
y Rescue Border Patrol Agency Homeland Security
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High Performance Wireless Research and Education
Network (HPWREN) UCSD-SDSU http//hpwren.ucsd.edu
/
Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve
SDSU Campus (Communications Building )
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Intelligent Mobile ServicesSoftware Agents for
Mobile GIS

• Software Agent help users to access requested
  data / images from ArcIMS Server (100 GIS
  layers).
• Software Agents convert the original display
  setting for Desktop (1024x768) to Pocket PC
  resolution (300x240).
• Automated Data Conversion / Integration.

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Research Project and Web Site Http//map.sdsu.edu/
mobilegis
Thank You Q A