This document discusses how geospatial technology is changing the way people use the web. It outlines how everything has a geographic location and how geospatial data can be mapped. It explores how location data from smartphones and other devices is enabling new location-based and crowd-sourced applications. The presentation argues that in the future, geographic context will be increasingly important online as location data becomes ubiquitous through mobile devices and sensors. Open data policies and open source geospatial software will also help geospatial information become more widely used.

1. Geo Spatial Technology
and how it is changing the
way we use the web
Presented by Graham Morgan
MD Spatial Consultants Ltd
Chairman AGI Northern Group, UK

3. 3Expert independent advice

4. Geospatial Primer
• Everything is geospatial
• Everything is related by virtue of location
• Geospatial data can be drawn on a map
4
FIPS Line Title Area Name 1970
29001 Population (number of persons) 3/Adair, Missouri [29001] 22413
29003 Population (number of persons) 3/Andrew, Missouri [29003] 12008
29005 Population (number of persons) 3/Atchison, Missouri [29005] 9311
29007 Population (number of persons) 3/Audrain, Missouri [29007] 25486
29009 Population (number of persons) 3/Barry, Missouri [29009] 19715
29011 Population (number of persons) 3/Barton, Missouri [29011] 10503
29013 Population (number of persons) 3/Bates, Missouri [29013] 15431
29015 Population (number of persons) 3/Benton, Missouri [29015] 9814
29017 Population (number of persons) 3/Bollinger, Missouri [29017] 8915
29019 Population (number of persons) 3/Boone, Missouri [29019] 81073
29021 Population (number of persons) 3/Buchanan, Missouri [29021] 86997
29023 Population (number of persons) 3/Butler, Missouri [29023] 33798
29025 Population (number of persons) 3/Caldwell, Missouri [29025] 8380
29027 Population (number of persons) 3/Callaway, Missouri [29027] 26008
29029 Population (number of persons) 3/Camden, Missouri [29029] 13430
29031 Population (number of persons) 3/Cape Girardeau, Missouri [29031] 49511
29033 Population (number of persons) 3/Carroll, Missouri [29033] 12570
29035 Population (number of persons) 3/Carter, Missouri [29035] 3902
29037 Population (number of persons) 3/Cass, Missouri [29037] 39853
29039 Population (number of persons) 3/Cedar, Missouri [29039] 9458
29041 Population (number of persons) 3/Chariton, Missouri [29041] 11005
29043 Population (number of persons) 3/Christian, Missouri [29043] 15357
29045 Population (number of persons) 3/Clark, Missouri [29045] 8247
29047 Population (number of persons) 3/Clay, Missouri [29047] 124301
29049 Population (number of persons) 3/Clinton, Missouri [29049] 12548
29051 Population (number of persons) 3/Cole, Missouri [29051] 46274

5. Who? What? Why? When? …
• Where are we going on holiday?
• Where are we going to stay?
• What are we going to do?
• Where is the nearest taxi rank?
• Where are the best beaches?
• Where are my friends?
5
Where?
Spatial Relationships
• Distance from...
• Contained within...
• Connected to…
• Adjacent to…

6. Where is GIS?
6

7. Shift Happens!
Karl Fisch, Arapahoe High School, CO
Scott Macleod, Jeff Brenman

8. What is different now?
• Pace of change (demise of the record & film industries)
• Speed of Communication (e.g. Twitter)
• Rate of data creation
• Medium of Communication (TV / newspapers -> web)
• Chips with everything (e.g. intelligent fridge)
• Globalisation (China has more internet users than the US)
• Cultural Change - Wired Generation
• Social networking

9. Key Themes
• Geography as an information context
• Consumer web mapping
• Smart phones with GPS
• Location based applications
• Crowd sourcing
• Open data policy
• Open source software
9

10. Geography as Context
10

11. Geographic Addresses
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• Coordinates
• Latitude / Longitude
• British National Grid
• Datum
• Elipsoid
• Universal Transverse Mercator projection
• Polygons
• Topology

12. Browser Geolocation
12

13. Smart Phones
13

14. Tagging
14

15. Other Location Apps
• SoS
• Train Times UK
• Navigate
• Facebook
• Pharmacy
• Postbox
• London Bus
• ASBOrometer
• Twitter
• Super Tube
• Places
• London Cycle
• Map my Run
• Urban Spoon
• Yelp
• Moximity
15

16. Crowd Sourcing
16

17. Open Data
17

18. 18

19. Open Source Geospatial Software
GRASS
OpenLayers
“In 5 years time, Open Source Geospatial won't be a
niche or a specialism, it will be a standard way that
things are done.” Jo Cook
FDO
MapGuide

20. What Next?
• Enable geography as a context
– Use postcodes
• Support Mobile Applications
– Provide WiFi and 3G+ networks
• Support Big Society
– Release datasets under Open Government License
20

21. Geospatial Information is Pervasive
In 2015 position will be “always available”
through Smartphones, RFID tags and other sensors.
The value to each application will be variable,
but it will always be there.

22. Thank You
Graham Morgan
Spatial Consultants Ltd
gmorgan@spatialconsultants.com
www.spatialconsultants.com
AGI Foresight Study:
www.agi.org.uk/foresight