Geo-Databases and Digital Mapping

Terms of Reference

• Development, access and management of spatio-temporal databases
• Spatial data infrastructures
• Image-based geo-spatial databases
• Data libraries, data clearinghouses, data warehouses, distributed archives and access to remote data sources, including metadata and digital data standards
• Web based access, retrieval and dissemination of spatial data, including web-based location-based services
• Integration of spatial information systems and image analysis for database-driven change detection, data capture and updating
• Dynamic spatial information systems, spatial data revision and versioning
• Interfacing 3D models with facility management systems
• Database generation for digital topographic and thematic mapping (including Ortho-images and digital terrain models)
• Digital landscape modelling and visualization, and large scale urban models
• Global environmental databases and mapping
• Extraterrestrial mapping and spatial information systems
• Analysis of systems and their components for automated and semi-automated digital mapping and geo-information systems
• Analysis of industry needs and design of systems for production and update of Geo-information

WORKING GROUPS of ISPRS COMMISSION IV

• WG IV/1 - Spatial Data Infrastructure
• WG IV/2 - Image-based Geospatial Information Management
• WG IV/3 - Automated Geo-spatial Data Acquisition and Mapping
• WG IV/4 - Landscape Modelling and Visualisation
• WG IV/5 - Web-based Geo-information Services and Applications
• WG IV/6 - Location Based Services
• WG IV/7 - Extraterrestrial Mapping
• WG IV/8 - Spatial Data Integration for Emergency Services
• WG IV/9 - Mapping from High Resolution Data

INTERCOMMISSION WGs of ISPRS COMMISSION IV

• ICWG IV/VII - Derivation of Global Data, Environmental Change and Sustainability Indicators

WG IV/1 - Spatial Data Infrastructure

WG IV/1  Terms of Reference

• Development and management of multi-scale national, regional and global databases
• Data harmonisation and synergy approaches of multi-scale vector data and imagery
• Integration of spatial data with socio-economic and environmental data for various geographic information services
• Standards for content, access, evolution and update of data framework
• Development of comprehensive metadata, quality evaluation procedures and their standardization
• Cooperation and Liaison with GSDI, WGISS, ICA, OGC and ISO.

WG IV/2 - Image-based Geospatial Information Management

WG IV/2  Terms of Reference

• Characteristics of Image- and Video-Based Spatial and Temporal Databases
• Content-Based Indexing, Querying, Data Mining, and Information Retrieval in Image- and Video-Based Geospatial Databases
• Spatio-Temporal Imagery Database Management and Organization
• Managing Uncertainty and Redundancy in Large Collections of Imagery
• Geospatial Information Management in Sensor Networks
• Automated Semantic Annotation of Imagery, and Image-Derived Multimedia Metadata
• Imagery-Enriched Virtual Reality Models as GeoSpatial Databases
• Collaboration with TC II and the relevant Special Interest Groups (e.g. SIGMOD, SIGIR, SIGKDD) of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

WG IV/3 - Automated Geo-spatial Data Acquisition and Mapping

WG IV/3  Terms of Reference

• Evaluation and development of semi-automated and automated algorithms for update, change detection and quality control
• Facilitation of the integration of these algorithms into digital photogrammetric and GIS workstations
• Adaptation of update processes to increasingly complex data models
• Development of advanced techniques for implementing "near-real-time" mapping
• Collaboration with ISPRS TC II and WG IV.1, IV.2, IV-8 with Euro SDR (formerly OEEPE) and ICA Commission on Updating and Versioning.

WG IV/4 - Landscape Modelling and Visualisation

WG IV/4  Terms of Reference

• Assessment of remote sensing data for generating and visualizing landscape and models
• Integration of multi-source and multi-scale data in local and regional landscape modelling and visualization applications
• Application of dynamic models for integrating multi-temporal landscape data sets
• Application and assessment of advanced visualization, virtual reality and multimedia methods for 2-D, 3-D and 4-D mapping tasks in stand-alone or web-based environment.

WG IV/5 - Web-based Geo-information Services and Applications

WG IV/5  Terms of Reference

• Web-based geo-spatial data processing, services and applications
• Web-based geo-spatial technology integration
• Adaptation of GRID computing technology for Web services
• Development of adaptive visualizations of spatial information
• Applications of web-based 3D GIS and collaborative geographic visualization
• Application modelling and development of web geo-spatial data processing and services
• Cooperation with related commissions and/or working groups, ICA (Internet and Mapping Commission), WGISS, etc.

WG IV/6 - Location Based Services

WG IV/6  Terms of Reference

• Concepts and data models for LBS, including data structures, formats, compression techniques, 3D LBS and streaming issues
• Processes for real time integration, generalization, updating and visualization of spatial information supporting mobile applications
• LBS system architectures, interoperability, communication technologies and networks
• Advances in mobile positioning, location management, tracking, billing, logistics and emergency services
• Development of personalized mobile services and intelligent agents
• Service content, acquisition and update of non-spatial and spatial content, content management and integration of user content , location enabling and location aware services, info mobility services
• Presentation and user-interaction issues of LBS, usability, mobile interface design, cartographic and multimedia aspects
• Value added services, new applications fields and legal aspects of LBS
• Cooperation with related working groups of ICA; IAG, and others (tbd)

WG IV/7 - Extraterrestrial Mapping

WG IV/7  Terms of Reference

• R&D for advanced techniques in data acquisition, processing, and analysis pertaining to the mapping of celestial bodies
• Definition or evaluation of reference systems, coordinate systems, map sheet definitions, etc. and their standardization
• Development of spatial information systems to support extraterrestrial exploration and science
• Web based delivery of extraterrestrial map products and GIS data
• Cooperation with related working groups viz. IAU, NASA, ESA, ISRO, JAXA and other space organisations and liaisons with the ICA Commission on Planetary Cartography

WG IV/8 - Spatial Data Integration for Emergency Services

WG IV/8  Terms of Reference

• Integration of 3D GIS and intelligent image analysis systems for emergency management in urban environments
• Application of low-cost and real-time digital imaging and mobile mapping technologies for emergency response
• Application of 3D data structures, algorithms, and standards for emergency data management and exchange
• Geo-ontology and semantics for emergency response
• Innovative knowledge-based systems for browsing and analysis in distributed environments
• 3D visualization of scenes and situations (including indoor) on different mobile front-ends
• Analysis of emergency management needs for production and updating of spatial information.

WG IV/9 - Mapping from High Resolution Data

WG IV/9  Terms of Reference

• To investigate the update of topographic vector datasets; digital terrain models; ortho-images and thematic (land-cover) datasets from high-resolution imagery
• To investigate how synergy may be achieved between the various high resolution and other sensors, for topographic and thematic mapping
• To determine methodologies for the integration of mapping data with high resolution images, to aid in the extraction of terrain information
• In collaboration with ISPRS Working Groups I/4 (airborne digital photogrammetric sensor systems), I/5 and III/4 and to evaluate the information content and accuracy of the new high-resolution sensors
• To contribute to work on standardising the description of raster and vector contents of digital maps.

ICWG IV/VII - Derivation of Global Data, Environmental Change and Sustainability Indicators

ICWG IV/VII  Terms of Reference

• Develop methodologies for generation and quality evaluation of global databases for global studies
• Develop algorithms for monitoring aspects of global change such as land use, land cover, land changes
• Evolve strategies for assimilating remotely sensed data into global models
• Stocktaking and compilation of existing and planned Global DB and identification of significant gaps and overlaps
• Development of environmental infrastructures for access and use as one of use case of Global DB
• Standardization, harmonization and integration of Global DB on national, regional and global levels and their promotion
• Development User Access the innovative user access interface for browsing an analysis through increase interoperability on distributed network, e.g. open global standard, 3D Geo-browser and Grid computing
• Develop algorithms, models and sustainability indicators for predicting changes in different eco-systems
• Methodologies for global monitoring, modeling and prediction
• Enhance international cooperation by identifying and generating common environmental sustainability indicators amenable to remote sensing with organizations such as ISCGM, WGISS, ICA, Digital Earth, IGBP