Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD
Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD

Geodata: Solutions for efficient handling of large data volumes

Geodata is digital information about the location of objects on Earth’s surface. It includes coordinates, elevation information, satellite imagery, 3D city models and sensor data such as air quality measurements. Where is geodata used? Just about everywhere. In today’s connected world, it is indispensable.

From smart agriculture to energy to healthcare, geodata enables informed decision-making. In forestry, it can be used to simulate the effects of natural disasters. Businesses use it to optimize their logistics or conduct location analyses. Streamlined processes can save businesses time and money, while government agencies benefit from more accurate models and the scientific community gains access to richer data sets.

The biggest challenge in working with geodata is the sheer volume of it. Huge data pools can quickly amass from a variety of sources, but the data is not always compatible. And exchanging the data is often complicated for both suppliers and prospective users. It’s not easy to know what information is available where and under what conditions.

Our approach to geodata processing

This is where the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD comes in: Researchers are working on a variety of projects to find meaningful uses for geodata. For example, they are developing a model for a data space and a data trust with InGeoX. The platform is designed to allow information to be exchanged in a transparent and structured way. This provides a cross-sector avenue of exchange that can benefit public administrations and commercial enterprises that provide geodata, as well as stakeholders in a wide range of sectors.

In many cases, the challenge is to make large-scale geodata usable. This is because visualizing point clouds, 3D city models and satellite imagery in a web browser typically requires time-consuming and computationally intensive pre-processing.

Fraunhofer IGD is using a cloud-based workflow management system to help companies work more efficiently with big data. Scaling allows many users to access the information at the same time. This reduces the cost of building and maintaining a dedicated infrastructure.

By continuously advancing its technologies, Fraunhofer IGD is working to unlock the full potential of data. AI-based evaluation methods and machine learning are also increasingly coming into focus. This will allow geodata to be part of the solution to the global challenges of our time.