Stuttgart / Karlsruhe, 15 April 2015 Geospatial 4.0 was the key word at the preview event for INTERGEO 2015 in Stuttgart. The members of the strong panel discussed trends and innovations in the geoinformation industry. They all agreed that the intelligent networking of sensors, data and services is defining the technological and strategic developments in the industry. The aim is for the added value chain to develop closely focussed on the customer. New collaborations with industry organisations are ensuring INTERGEO is clearly moving in the direction to applications and target groups, and there is even more focus on career issues in 2015.
The members of the panel discussion on INTERGEO 2015 in Stuttgart provided a little taste of the innovations and trends in the industry. Prof. Hansjrg Kutterer, Vice President of the host DVW (the German Association of Surveying German Society for Geodesy, Geoinformation and Land Management e.V.), opened the discussion with an overview of a balanced and application-oriented conference programme. Current developments such as Smart Cities, capturing the environment in 3D, digital construction and mobility all the way to developments in autonomous driving are the focus of presentations at INTERGEO 2015. All of these issues are dependent on the networking of data and services so as to generate new processes in the spirit of Geospatial 4.0. Kutterer added that INTERGEO is the central platform for the DVW in highlighting policy issues. As an example, he pointed to the national geoinformation strategy, which will be developed further at INTERGEO.
Apps are the future of maps
Prof. Manfred Weisensee from the German Society for Cartography e.V., which is host for the 63th Cartographers Day at INTERGEO, leaves no room for doubt that INTERGEO will again see huge leaps forward in the visualisation of spatial information. Analogue maps are being replaced by cutting-edge methods of conveying information. The key elements Weisensee raised were the creation of Maps in Apps and the growing integration of augmented reality in cartography. The map of the future would not be available on paper, but in digital 3D or 4D on mobile devices, navigation systems or apps, Weisensee said.
Networking things optimises processes
For the exhibitors, Prof. Gerd Buziek (ESRI Deutschland Group GmbH), Alexander Georg (LEICA Geosystems GmbH) and Jrg Amend (Trimble GmbH), representatives of the INTERGEO Advisory Board, outlined the strategic development of the industry. All three of these market leaders see the trend as being towards networking systems to optimise processes. Equally important are the internationality of the event and the focus on vertical markets. In this situation, INTERGEO acts as the leading dialogue platform for knowledge and technology transfer.
Geoinformation is no longer an end in itself, but rather a day-to-day means of completing tasks in a more sustainable and targeted way, says Buziek, adding