GEOProcessing 2014 : The Sixth International Conference on Advanced Geographic Information Systems, Applications, and Services Geographical Information Systems Participating into the Pervasive Computing Nuhcan Akçit Emrah Tomur Department of Geodetic and Geographic Information Department of Information Systems Technologies Middle East Technical University Middle East Technical University Ankara, Turkey Ankara, Turkey [email protected] [email protected] Mahmut Onur Karslıoğlu Department of Civil Engineering, Geomatics Engineering Division, Department of Geodetic and Geographic Information Technologies Middle East Technical University Ankara,Turkey [email protected] Abstract—The popular term “pervasive computing” describes science are remote sensing, surveying, photogrammetry, and the concept of computers being everywhere. The Geographic analyzing spatial data. Information System (GIS) technology began with completely The focus of this paper is GISs, which are becoming part centralized systems after the influence of the Internet; the GIS of the ubiquitous computer domain. In this paper, we then changed into decentralized systems. In the last few years, provide a brief information about the GIS and its the GISs have been included in many areas of pervasive computing, such as the Internet of Things and sensor development from the 1990s to 2010. We mainly focus on networks. Changing and developing states of the GIS such as after 90’s because distributed and Internet GIS [2] started to Internet, mobile, web GIS, ubiquitous GIS, the Internet of be formed in this period, and our ubiquitous domain is more Things and sensor network are the different elements of the interested in development after 90’s. We also discuss future evolution. From the beginning of the evolution until today, trends in this area. The GISs are huge; therefore, we focus pervasive computing is described in this study. In addition to on the development and evolution of the ubiquitous and GIS as a part of pervasive computing technology, the activity pervasive computing domains. Thus, elements of the of Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), which works on development of the GISs are beyond the scope of this paper. geospatial and location standards in these technologies, is also The GIS is not familiar to the public. We first provide discussed. This paper investigates the evolution of GISs from centralized systems to a distributed system, summarizes the general information about the GIS and application areas. steps and use areas of the GISs to participation in pervasive Then, we discuss the evolution of the GIS from the 1990s to computing, and compares different GISs concepts in today [2]. In the last few years, the GISs have become a application areas. In addition, future trends and expectations larger part of the ubiquitous domain [7]. This study is a brief of the GISs are included. summary based on books, articles, and other sources. We mainly investigate information about the GIS, development Keywords-GIS; pervasive computing; WEB GIS; mobile stages, and evolution steps until today. GIS; Internet of Things This paper is structured as follows: We discuss GISs in I. INTRODUCTION Section 2. The effects of the Internet on GISs are analyzed The Geographic Information System (GIS), a system in Section 3. Data Centralized-distributed GISs are designed to store, capture, analyze, manipulate, and manage considered in the Section 4. Decentralized distributed GISs all types of geographic data, is an interdisciplinary area that are considered in Section 5 (location-based services, web combines cartography, analysis, statistics, and computer GIS, mobile GIS, the open geospatial consortium, technology [1]. ubiquitous GIS sensor network, and the Internet of Things). In recent years, ubiquitous and pervasive computing domains have increased considerably. They are a part of the II. THE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS daily life because of the technological evolution and new Generally, GISs are systems that “integrate hardware, applications. In this paper, the goal is to provide information software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and about geographic information science, a system that has displaying the different forms of geographically referenced developed considerably and is involved in our lives more information” [3]. All types of geographically references data than ever. The fundamental areas of geographic information can be organized by The Geographic Information Systems. Today, the major components of GISs are people, hardware, Copyright (c) IARIA, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-61208-326-1 129 GEOProcessing 2014 : The Sixth International Conference on Advanced Geographic Information Systems, Applications, and Services software, data procedures, and the network [3]. A GIS allows provides analytical results for a much wider audience than us to understand all types of reports, data, and visualize, the traditional GIS. People start to search online and use interpret, and find relationships between them. A GIS helps free search and query analysis for spatial objects without people answer questions and solve problems by looking for purchasing expensive GIS software. In the processing field, data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared. the Internet enhances the reusability and accessibility of the GIS technology is used by any kind of work which can be analysis tools and dynamic download and upload, which integrated easily with GIS. Spatial analysis is mainly used in also helps interactive work on data, which is discussed later many areas; thus, with the help of the GIS, analyzing data in this current study. and finding results in different domains is easy, a key Accessing data over the Internet was the first step for the element of the GIS. Internet GIS [2]. Accessing data online allows people who General benefits of using the Geographic Information Systems include saving money, increasing efficiency, aiding have stand-alone GIS on their local machines to transfer in making better decisions, improving communication, data over the Internet. This method is suitable for accessing keeping records better and deleting the managing data data quickly and easily but harder for the analyzing data geographically or the relations [4]. Different types of data independent from the location, which is the next important management and different types of software deal with step. Online GIS processing continues to improve to different types of data. However, these details are beyond the increase the analytical abilities of the Internet. scope of this paper. In many open source and commercial programs, the usage is based on the work someone wants to IV. DATA CENTRALIZED- DISTRIBUTED GIS do exactly, which means the selection changes with the The GIS influenced the advancement of information context of the work. Only basically say that the data types technology. The development of the GIS resembles include different raster, vector and hybrid format[3]. The computer development, which evolved from a mainframe data sources include images, digitized or scanned maps, GPS GIS to a desktop GIS [2] and then distributed GIS, which data, and data transferred from other places with the required includes Internet GIS and mobile GIS. program. Distributed GIS has subtypes which are Local Area What is unclear about the GISs are whether; systems are Network (LAN) based GIS, Internet based GIS and mobile inter-disciplinary or a separate discipline. According to based GIS. In this paper we are interested with the some, the GISs are inter-disciplinary; others believe since the system has been developed, it is a separate discipline. Since distributed GIS refers to GIS programs working on the this issue does not affect the capability or development of the internet (Internet GIS) or wireless network environments GIS, this issue is not important in this paper. This paper (mobile GIS)[2].Distributed GIS is mainly based on focuses on GIS capabilities and how the GISs have affected improving the Internet and wireless technologies based on daily life since being developed in the 1990s. the rapid expansion of low-cost bandwidth [2] over the Now looking at some little information on how GIS is Internet, and web-enabled desktop and mobile devices. developed at first. The GIS was first developed in Canada in The distributed GISs differentiate the client-server LAN- the mid-1960s to identify land resources, where they were, based traditional method [2], which does not require the and how they were used. In the late 1970s, Harvard installation of a GIS program on the user’s desktop. This University's Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial method relies on the access to analytical tools and data Analysis developed a general purpose GIS [1][5]. In the anywhere through Internet access or wireless coverage. The early 1980s, the price of computing hardware decreased, client is any device that can be connected to the Internet or which helped sustain the software industry and led to the may be connected to a wireless capable device to access the development of cost-effective applications. This is making data or tool. There are two concepts in distributed GIS: the more powerful and efficient standalone systems which Internet GIS [2] (can be wired or wireless also) and mobile have been introduced in the 1980’s. During the 1990s, map GIS (wireless). This is important because depending on analysis and modeling start to increase this software whether communications are wired or wireless, the programs. After the 1990s, the Internet grew rapidly, which applications may change. Although these issues are very led to new concepts: distributed GIS and Internet GIS [2]. important for developing a GIS, the interoperability of the data is very important. III. EFFECT OF THE INTERNET ON THE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS V. DECENTRALIZED DISTRIBUTED GIS The Internet grew rapidly in the 1990s, and has become In distributed GISs, many names are used: online GIS, part of society. Ubiquitous access to the Internet makes it distributed geographic information (DGI), web-based GIS, more powerful for people to process, exchange, and access or web GIS [2][6]. Internet GIS and web GIS sound as if information.