Section 16 Integration 0f Information Technology.docx

1、Section 16 Integration 0f Information TechnologySection 16 Integration 0f Information Technologyinto the Surveying Course at Penn State UniversityABSTRACT: Information acquisition, processing, management, and dissemination methods are undergoing evolutionary changes. In surveying, the need for adapt

2、ation has compelled employers to seek employees with the requisite exposure to information technology. This requirement imposes new demands on surveying graduates, especially from the undergraduate programs. The surveying graduate is expected not only to possess the ability to apply the latest infor

3、mation technology, but to understand the implications of the data processing methods as well as the quality and usefulness of the results. It is the responsibility of educators and researchers to keep pace with technological advances and to empower students to transfer the technology to the industry

4、. This paper highlights some of the efforts within the Penn State Surveying Program to expose undergraduate students to information technology as applied to the surveying profession.BackgroundRecent developments in the electronic industry and innovations in the microchip technology are aiding the de

5、velopment of new equipment and methods for survey data capture, storage, processing, and map compilation. Traditional land surveying techniques are undergoing evolutionary changes with the development of technologically improved surveying equipment. Whereas the surveying principle itself has not bee

6、n altered by technological advances, surveying techniques have been changing rapidly. Todays technological advances are not only influencing the hardware and the techniques for capturing survey data, they are presenting innovative ways for communicating and presenting information. The ultimate goal

7、for many surveying and mapping organizations is to remain competitive by providing quality products in a timely manner. This goal can be realized with appropriate equipment and the fight personnel. With increased performance, the computer has become an invaluable resource for data analysis, pattern

8、identification, and for modeling trends within spatially referenced data. Associated with these innovations is a paradigm shift from communication to information. Traditional surveying and mapping is based on the communication paradigm. The map, as the final product, has traditionally been designed

9、to communicate spatially related information to the user. As a single-purpose communication medium, map making data were captured and processed to portray only the information that needed to be communicated on a hardcopy medium. Presented with the final product, the map user was thus denied the oppo

10、rtunity to regroup the data into forms more useful for other circumstances or needs.Todays information paradigm has evolved from two main objectives: The need for information by businesses owners to stay ahead of the competition; and The desire of resource managers and policy makers to make informed

11、 decisions. By maintaining the raw data in an electronic format, users have the opportunity to utilize the analytical capabilities of both the computer and software to process the data and obtain additional information. In a multipurpose information system, the client often requires access to the da

12、ta so as to perform further analysis and derive more information. The computer technology allows the User to regroup, reclassify, and display the data based on other user needs and objectives.Because the type of data that clients require from surveyors has changed substantially over the past decade,

13、 the content of the Surveying Program at Penn State has been revised to conform to technological innovations. This paper looks at the changing face of surveying and identifies ways in which undergraduate students in the Penn State Surveying Program are being prepared for the professions new opportun

14、ities and responsibilities. Below are some of the factors that triggered the review and modifications of the program in recent years.Technological Trends in Surveying The technological advances that are transforming the traditional surveying activities include the Global Positioning System (GPS) rec

15、eiver and the computer. Both are impacting surveying operations by creating new opportunities for surveying companies. Because factors such as the quality of the receiver, and the observation technique and processing method used directly influence the accuracy of the determined position, the GPS rec

16、eiver is capable of both high- and low-accuracy position fixes. Driven by the high accuracy requirements of surveying and geodesy, the advantages of relative positioning in GPS are still being explored.The GPS receiver is currently one of the preferred equipment for surveying activities involving la

17、rge areas. The technology is used in: Control surveys for mapping extensive areas; Kinematic GPS for the mapping of existing features such as road center lines in heavily used roads and urban centers; Mapping of existing features for geographic information systems; Hydrographic surveys; and Airborne

18、 GPS to provide photo controls for photogrammetric mapping. Although airborne GPS does not completely eliminate the need for ground control points, the technique allows photogrammetrists to perform aerial triangulation even in areas where there is extreme difficulty in establishing ground controls.

19、Time and cost savings with both ground and airborne GPS for photogrammetric mapping, make the GPS receiver a valuable equipment for progressive surveying companies to add to their inventory. In addition to the use of technology such as GPS to facilitate surveying activities, computer-dependent techn

20、ologies are also expanding the career opportunities of surveyors. Some of these opportunities involve GIS, Land Information Systems (LIS), softcopy photogrammetry, and image processing and analysis. Surveyors and mappers have traditionally provided spatial information to some specified precision. In

21、 todays global world, the more information one has as a resource, the easier it is to make informed decisions. Both GIS and LIS have become the preferred tools for analyzing spatially referenced data. These valuable analytical and decision support tools are used in a wide range of public and private

22、 enterprises to explain events, predict outcomes, and develop strategies for managing resources. Survey data are the foundation of successful GIS or LIS applications. Not only are surveyors required to provide data for the development of GIS and LIS, but the number of activities that they can perfor

23、m and of services that they can provide has increased as a result of these new information tools. The push for surveyors to get into GIS and LIS also comes from state and local government agencies many of whom have begun to request that survey results are presented in a format that can be easily exp

24、orted into CIS or LIS. As a result of these new opportunities and responsibilities, many progressive, surveying companies have gone into GIS/LIS implementation and management. These companies face the need to either provide additional training in the new technologies for their staff or seek graduate

25、s who have already been trained in the emerging technologies. Another area where GIS and LIS are making an impact is in photogrammetric mapping. In the past two decades, photogrammetric equipment has progressed from manually controlled mechanical stereoplotters, to fully computerized digital or soft

26、copy photogrammetric workstations. Softcopy photogrammetry provides images in a digital form, within the computer, thus facilitating extraction of multiple data sets as required by the client. Softcopy photogrammetric workstations also facilitate the use of rectified images as backdrops for GIS or L

27、IS. Needless to say, the softcopy workstation is faster than the traditional analytical stereoplotter. The modern equipment enables automation of the photogrammetric measurement and feature interpretation processes in the digital environment. Efficient production of orthophotos, mosaics, and hardcop

28、y outputs is perhaps the most obvious initial benefit of the softcopy photogrammetry evolution. Softcopy photogrammetry has proved to be a fast, cost-effective tool for providing accurate data to support multiple application in agriculture, environmental resource management, and economic planning. A

29、part from enabling aerial triangulation, orthophotos, derivation of digital elevation models (DEM), softcopy photogrammetry also enables easy interaction with GIS databases. Digital images, especially color photographs from softcopy photogrammetric systems, are rapidly gaining popularity as backdrop

30、s for GIS and LIS displays and GIS/LIS related presentations. This is because people, in general, relate better to photography than any other descriptive information or maps. Whereas the use of color photographs has not produced any discernible improvement in mapping precision, it greatly facilitate

31、s the interpretation of photographic features. Resource managers, in particular, require multispectral imagery processed through softcopy methods for their information systems. The traditional photogrammetric map compiler used to be a technician who possessed considerable artistic flair, excellent v

32、isual perception, and remarkable manual dexterity. These qualities have been superseded by the need to be more scientifically oriented. The photogrammetrist of today needs to have sufficient knowledge about spatial accuracy of digital data, about remote sensors, image processing and analysis, and ab

33、out GIS in order to correctly apply these emerging technologies. It is clear from the foregoing that working as a GIS analyst, photogrammetrist, or image analyst requires additional knowledge beyond what is offered in traditional surveying education. Today, the graduate surveyor is expected to demonstrate proficiency in the use of