Service Oriented Smart Sustainable City Architecture

In present world development of a country is measured in terms of the communication technology infrastructure of that Country. Information communication technology(ICT) is not  limited to internet usage and mere interconnection of  connecting devices now .but has advanced deep into the major transaction  of our day-to-day operations almost in every aspect of  livelihood be it a health care, personnel, economic transaction, Industry, monitoring ,environment protection or automation process. This has given rise to apt number of concepts and disciplines in the field of ICT. The concept of smart city is one of the outcome of our endeavour to use ICT to its full. Smart cities, which will lead to smart nations and ultimately smart world is the discipline which needs due attention from the researchers, engineering and policy makers. Architecture of the Smart city forms the basis of this concept, which is yet to get the final standard. In this paper an Architecture is proposed which is generic and almost covers most of issues to achieve the goal of smart cities. Keywords: Smart sustainable city, Internet of Things (IOT), Security, Information Communication Technology (ICT

Collaborative geographic visualization

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente, perfil Gestão e Sistemas AmbientaisThe present document is a revision of essential references to take into account when developing ubiquitous Geographical Information Systems (GIS) with collaborative visualization purposes. Its chapters focus, respectively, on general principles of GIS, its multimedia components and ubiquitous practices; geo-referenced information visualization and its graphical components of virtual and augmented reality; collaborative environments, its technological requirements, architectural specificities, and models for collective information management; and some final considerations about the future and challenges of collaborative visualization of GIS in ubiquitous environment

A Tutorial on Geographic Information Systems: A Ten-year Update

This tutorial provides a foundation on geographic information systems (GIS) as they relate to and are part of the IS body of knowledge. The tutorial serves as a ten-year update on an earlier CAIS tutorial (Pick, 2004). During the decade, GIS has expanded with wider and deeper range of applications in government and industry, widespread consumer use, and an emerging importance in business schools and for IS. In this paper, we provide background information on the key ideas and concepts of GIS, spatial analysis, and latest trends and on the status and opportunities for incorporating GIS, spatial analysis, and locational decision making into IS research and in teaching in business and IS curricula

Big Data Computing for Geospatial Applications

The convergence of big data and geospatial computing has brought forth challenges and opportunities to Geographic Information Science with regard to geospatial data management, processing, analysis, modeling, and visualization. This book highlights recent advancements in integrating new computing approaches, spatial methods, and data management strategies to tackle geospatial big data challenges and meanwhile demonstrates opportunities for using big data for geospatial applications. Crucial to the advancements highlighted in this book is the integration of computational thinking and spatial thinking and the transformation of abstract ideas and models to concrete data structures and algorithms

Designing a human-centred, mobile interface to support real-time flood forecasting and warning system

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonThere is a demand for human-centred technology which improves the management of flood events. This thesis describes the development, design and evaluation of a mobile GIS-based hydrological model. The application provides hydrological forecasts and issues flood warnings. The thesis reports on the usability and practicality of the application. The application, a mobile-based hydrological modelling system, permits the integrated handling of real-time rainfall data from a wireless monitoring network. A spatially distributed GIS-based model integrates this incoming data, approximating real-time, to generate data on catchment hydrology and runoff. The data can be accessed from any android-based mobile computer or mobile phone. It may be further analysed online using several GIS and numerical functions. A human-centred approach to design was taken. Design guidelines for a user-centric application were developed and deployed in the first prototype. There was intensive consultation with potential users. Particular attention was paid to the ease of use of the mobile interface. Users’ needs and attitudes were relevant in the achievement of a highly functional but intuitive interface. The first prototype underwent intensive testing with users. After the initial testing of the first prototype an interactive approach was taken to development. This generated a high-fidelity prototype which was matched to the taxonomy from a user’s mental model. Users were interrogated under controlled laboratory conditions as they performed predefined tasks which were selected to generate data across all aspects of the system and to identify weaknesses. Subsequent to this work there was a major prototype re-design. User test data, identified issues and an improved mental taxonomy closer were used to further refine the application. Of particular note was new functionality which aligned with user expectations and enhanced the applications credibility. The final evaluation of the system was undertaken with diverse subjects. Overall, the subjects considered the system efficient and effective. Users said the system was easy to learn and integrate into their work. Task completion rates were satisfactory. The final interviews with users confirmed that the application was ready to proceed to the implementation phase

An Agent-Based Variogram Modeller: Investigating Intelligent, Distributed-Component Geographical Information Systems

Geo-Information Science (GIScience) is the field of study that addresses substantive questions concerning the handling, analysis and visualisation of spatial data. Geo- Information Systems (GIS), including software, data acquisition and organisational arrangements, are the key technologies underpinning GIScience. A GIS is normally tailored to the service it is supposed to perform. However, there is often the need to do a function that might not be supported by the GIS tool being used. The normal solution in these circumstances is to go out and look for another tool that can do the service, and often an expert to use that tool. This is expensive, time consuming and certainly stressful to the geographical data analyses. On the other hand, GIS is often used in conjunction with other technologies to form a geocomputational environment. One of the complex tools in geocomputation is geostatistics. One of its functions is to provide the means to determine the extent of spatial dependencies within geographical data and processes. Spatial datasets are often large and complex. Currently Agent system are being integrated into GIS to offer flexibility and allow better data analysis. The theis will look into the current application of Agents in within the GIS community, determine if they are used to representing data, process or act a service. The thesis looks into proving the applicability of an agent-oriented paradigm as a service based GIS, having the possibility of providing greater interoperability and reducing resource requirements (human and tools). In particular, analysis was undertaken to determine the need to introduce enhanced features to agents, in order to maximise their effectiveness in GIS. This was achieved by addressing the software agent complexity in design and implementation for the GIS environment and by suggesting possible solutions to encountered problems. The software agent characteristics and features (which include the dynamic binding of plans to software agents in order to tackle the levels of complexity and range of contexts) were examined, as well as discussing current GIScience and the applications of agent technology to GIS, agents as entities, objects and processes. These concepts and their functionalities to GIS are then analysed and discussed. The extent of agent functionality, analysis of the gaps and the use these technologies to express a distributed service providing an agent-based GIS framework is then presented. Thus, a general agent-based framework for GIS and a novel agent-based architecture for a specific part of GIS, the variogram, to examine the applicability of the agent- oriented paradigm to GIS, was devised. An examination of the current mechanisms for constructing variograms, underlying processes and functions was undertaken, then these processes were embedded into a novel agent architecture for GIS. Once the successful software agent implementation had been achieved, the corresponding tool was tested and validated - internally for code errors and externally to determine its functional requirements and whether it enhances the GIS process of dealing with data. Thereafter, its compared with other known service based GIS agents and its advantages and disadvantages analysed

Development of a conceptual framework for the analysis and the classification of "Public Participation GIS"

Dans le contexte actuel de démocratisation des technologies et des méthodes géomatiques, les expériences du type « Public Participation GIS » - PPGIS se multiplient. Le concept de PPGIS est, par essence-même, interdisciplinaire et multiforme. Il s’apparente, d’une certaine façon, à un déclinaison spécifique des SIG, vus comme des systèmes d’information (données, matériels, logiciels, méthodes et composantes humaines), incluant la dimension de la participation publique. De fait, les PPGIS ne se limitent pas aux simples outils logiciels. L’objectif principal d’un PPGIS consiste à accentuer/supporter l'implication des citoyens dans les processus de prise de décisions territoriaux, et à améliorer l'accès aux outils, aux données ainsi qu’à l'information (Steinmann et. al. 2004). Les applications des PPGIS revêtent des formes très variées, selon le contexte économique, l’organisation sociale et politique, la culture, mais également en fonction des problématiques traitées et des méthodologies développées (Joliveau 2006). Les exemples mettent en évidence qu’en pratique, la dimension ‘participation publique’ des PPGIS renvoie à des réalités différentes. La construction du domaine des PPGISciences (Sieber 2004) est basée sur la convergence de concepts sociaux, culturels, éthiques et environnementaux avec les technologies de l’information et à la géomatique. Ce développement engendre des questions épistémologiques complexes, dans la mesure ou chaque discipline impliquée pose évidemment un regard différencié sur les PPGIS. Par conséquent, le concept même de PPGIS est ambigu. Il n'existe pas de consensus sur ses éléments caractéristiques. Ce constat pose problème, tant sur le plan scientifique que sur le plan pratique, dans la mesure où il rend difficile, non seulement la formalisation de méthodes de développement adaptées aux PPGIS ; mais aussi le développement de critères d'évaluation de succès et d'échec (Craig et al. 1999). La communauté scientifique des PPGIS considère d’ailleurs que pour comprendre la réalité sur laquelle les chercheurs doivent appuyer leurs travaux, la formalisation consensuelle d’une définition claire et précise du concept de PPGIS s’impose. Les spécialistes affirment que l’une des priorités actuelles est la conception d’un cadre théorique basé en particulier sur une typologie des PPGIS (Tulloch 2003, Steinmann et al. 2004). Malgré les quelques recherches déjà réalisées, seules quelques typologies partielles ont été développées, et le concept demeure flou. L’objectif principal de cette recherche consiste à concevoir une typologie plus globale à partir d’une analyse en profondeur des concepts sous-jacents. Sur le plan plus pratique, cette recherche vise à concevoir et à développer un observatoire web des expériences PPGIS (ce dernier étant à la fois une composante de l’objectif et un moyen de l’atteindre). La méthodologie est basée sur la construction d’un cadre théorique (analyse de la littérature et des typologies existantes) et une analyse empirique (étude d’une série d’expériences de PPGIS). La méthodologie est complétée par une enquête sur les forums web spécialisés, de manière à solliciter la communauté du domaine et à valider nos résultats. Cette recherche a ainsi permis de construire une typologie des PPGIS, plus globale, complémentaire de celles déjà existantes. Se faisant notre travail permet d’améliorer la compréhension de ce domaine en émergence et apporte des éléments formels permettant de mieux le caractériser.In the current context of democratization of technologies and methods of geomatics, “Public Participation GIS” practices - PPGIS multiply. The concept of PPGIS is, by its nature, interdisciplinary and multiform. It is connected, in a certain manner, to a specific variation of the GIS, understood as information systems (data, hardware, software, methods and human factor), including the dimension of public participation. Essentially, PPGIS are not limited to simple software tools. The principal objective of a PPGIS consists of accentuating/supporting the implication of the citizens in the territorial decision making processes, and to improve the access to tools, data, and information (Steinmann et al. 2004). Applications for PPGIS take a variety of forms depending on the economic context, the social and political organization, the culture, but also regarding to the treated problems and developed methodologies (Joliveau 2006). Examples underline that, in practice, dimension of “public participation” in PPGIS echoes different realities. The creation of the field (Sieber 2004) is based on the convergence of social concepts as well as cultural, ethical and environmental concepts associated with information technologies (IT) and Geomatics. This development generates complex epistemological questions, in a measure where each implied discipline obviously poses a different view on PPGIS. Consequently, the concept of PPGIS is ambiguous. There is no consensus on its characteristic elements. This circumstance causes some problems, both on the scientific and practical levels. It makes difficult, not having the standardization of methods of development adapted to the PPGIS; but also the development of evaluation criterions of success and failure (Craig and al 1999). Besides, the scientific community associated with PPGIS considers that in order to understand reality that the researchers must rely on their works, the agreed formalization of a clear and precise definition of the concept of PPGIS is inevitable. Specialists affirm that one of the current priorities is to design a theoretical framework particularly based on a typology of PPGIS (Tulloch 2003, Steinmann et al. 2004). In spite of some research work already carried out, only a few limited typologies were developed, and the concept remains unclear. The principal objective of this research consists of conceiving a more global typology starting from an in-depth analysis of the subjacent concepts. From a practical level, this research aims at designing and developing a web-based observatory of PPGIS experiments (this one is a component of our objective and at the same time a means of reaching it). Our methodology is based on the construction of a theoretical framework (literature review and an analysis of existing typologies) and an empirical analysis (study of a series of PPGIS experiments). Methodology is effectuated by an investigation into the specialized Web forums, so as to solicit the community of the field and to validate our results. This research thus made it possible to build a typology of the PPGIS, as a hole, complementary to those already existing. Doing this work improves understanding of this field in its infancy and elicits formal elements for better characterization of PPGIS

The organisation and practices of mapping rural statistics: a case study of Wales

Working at the Wales Rural Observatory (2004 - 2014) provided first-hand experience of mapping rural statistics for policymaking. It was evident that representing social and economic data in population-sparse areas was not as straightforward as the technology permitted. Mapping could reveal rural issues but also caused others to be hidden or misrepresented. This was an issue worthy of further investigation. How was this understood by others attempting to represent social and economic statistics? Were mistakes made, could they be rectified, and what were the consequences? Literature linked to the topic was fragmented; split between the technical, theoretical and practical. This research has attempted a synthesis, helping develop concepts to guide this research and a lens for understanding mapping practices within organisations. A case study of Wales was used to investigate mapping practices used for policymaking and planning, applying qualitative methods to study quantitative practices. Studying mapping required more than technical knowledge and more than just critique, it required the study of mapping in context, and more so the detail of these processes in action. As such this research focussed on the experiences of those closest to these processes in an attempt to sensitise future studies to often overlooked interactions. Multiple barriers existed in Wales and included a lack of technical awareness, capacity, and appropriate training. To overcome these barriers the literature suggests that mapping practices become collaborative activities. However this should not be just in the formation or presentation stages but throughout the mapping process. As a collective all resources can be pooled and used many times, with common rules defined through a process of debate and learning, with all forms of knowing admissible. The technology is certainly in place to enable this to happen. The challenge going forward is raising awareness and creating frameworks that enable this to happen