All Topics  
Geomatics

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Geomatics
 
 
  Topics Geomatics Topic Home

Geomatics is the discipline of gathering, storing, processing, and delivery of geographic
Geography

Geography is the study of the Earth and its lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth"....
 information, or spatially referenced information.

Overview
Geomatics is fairly new, the term was apparently coined by B. Dubuisson in 1969. It includes the tools and techniques used in land surveying, remote sensing
Remote sensing

Remote sensing is the small or large-scale acquisition of information of an object or phenomenon, by the use of either recording or real-time sensing device that is not in physical or intimate contact with the object ....
, Geographic Information Systems
Geographic Information System

A geographic information system captures, stores, analyzes, manages, and presents data that refers to or is linked to location.In the strictest sense, the term describes any Information systems that integrates, stores, edits, analyzes, shares, and displays georeference information....
 (GIS), Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, COMPASS), and related forms of earth mapping.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Geomatics'
Start a new discussion about 'Geomatics'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Geomatics is the discipline of gathering, storing, processing, and delivery of geographic
Geography

Geography is the study of the Earth and its lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth"....
 information, or spatially referenced information.

Overview


Geomatics is fairly new, the term was apparently coined by B. Dubuisson in 1969. It includes the tools and techniques used in land surveying, remote sensing
Remote sensing

Remote sensing is the small or large-scale acquisition of information of an object or phenomenon, by the use of either recording or real-time sensing device that is not in physical or intimate contact with the object ....
, Geographic Information Systems
Geographic Information System

A geographic information system captures, stores, analyzes, manages, and presents data that refers to or is linked to location.In the strictest sense, the term describes any Information systems that integrates, stores, edits, analyzes, shares, and displays georeference information....
 (GIS), Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, COMPASS), and related forms of earth mapping. Originally used in Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
, because it is similar in French and English, the term geomatics has been adopted by the International Organization for Standardization
International Organization for Standardization

The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO , is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations....
, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is an independent, representative professional body which regulates real property professionals and Surveyor in the United Kingdom and other sovereign nations....
, and many other international authorities, although some (especially in the United States) have shown a preference for the term geospatial technology
Geospatial technology

Geospatial Technology, commonly known as geomatics, refers to technology used for visualization, measurement, and analysis of features or phenomena that occur on the earth....
.

A good definition can be found on the University of Calgary
University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is a research-intensive public university in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The University is composed of 24,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students....
's web page titled :

"Geomatic Engineering is a modern discipline, which integrates acquisition, modelling, analysis, and management of spatially referenced data, i.e. data identified according to their locations. Based on the scientific framework of geodesy, it uses terrestrial, marine, airborne, and satellite-based sensors to acquire spatial and other data. It includes the process of transforming spatially referenced data from different sources into common information systems with well-defined accuracy characteristics."


Similarly the new related field hydrogeomatics covers the geomatics area associated with surveying work carried out on, above or below the surface of the sea or other areas of water. The older term of hydrographics was too specific to the preparation of marine charts and failed to include the broader concept of positioning or measurements in all marine environments.

A geospatial network is a network of collaborating resources for sharing and coordinating geographical data, and data tied to geographical references. One example of such a network is the GIS Consortium's effort to provide "ready global access to geographic information" in a framework named the Open Geospatial Network.

A number of university departments which were once titled surveying, survey engineering or topographic science have re-titled themselves as geomatics or geomatic engineering. An example of this is the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at University College London.

The rapid progress, and increased visibility, of geomatics since 1990s has been made possible by advances in computer
Computer

A computer is a machine that manipulates Data according to a list of Code .The first devices that resemble modern computers date to the mid-20th century , although the computer concept and various machines similar to computers existed earlier....
 technology
Technology

Technology is a broad concept that deals with an animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects an animal species' ability to control and adapt to its Natural environment....
, computer science
Computer science

Computer science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation, and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems....
, and software engineering
Software engineering

Software engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches....
, as well as airborne and space observation remote sensing technologies.

The field of geomatics may include:

  • geodesy
    Geodesy

    Geodesy , also called geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space....
  • surveying
    Surveying

    Surveying or land surveying is the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional space position of points and the distances and angles between them....
  • mapping
    Mapping

    Mapping may refer to:*The making of maps, as in cartography, surveying, and photogrammetry;In biology and neuroscience:*Gene mapping, the assignment of DNA fragments to chromosomes...
  • positioning
    Positioning

    Positioning may refer to:* Positioning , creating an identity in the minds of a target market* Critical literacy#Positioning, reader context...
  • geomatics engineering
    Geomatics engineering

    Geomatics engineering is a rapidly developing discipline that focuses on spatial information . The location is the primary factor used to integrate a very wide range of data for viewing and analysis....
  • navigation
    Navigation

    Navigation is the process of reading, and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks....
  • cartography
    Cartography

    File:Mediterranean chart fourteenth century2.jpgCartography is the study and practice of making Geography Map. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that we can model reality in ways that communicate spatial information effectively....
  • remote sensing
    Remote sensing

    Remote sensing is the small or large-scale acquisition of information of an object or phenomenon, by the use of either recording or real-time sensing device that is not in physical or intimate contact with the object ....
  • photogrammetry
    Photogrammetry

    Photogrammetry is the first remote sensing technology ever developed, in which geometric properties about objects are determined from photographic images....
  • geographic information system
    Geographic Information System

    A geographic information system captures, stores, analyzes, manages, and presents data that refers to or is linked to location.In the strictest sense, the term describes any Information systems that integrates, stores, edits, analyzes, shares, and displays georeference information....
    s
  • Global Positioning System
    Global Positioning System

    The Global Positioning System is a global navigation satellite system developed by the United States Department of Defense and managed by the United States Air Force 50th Space Wing....
  • geospatial
    Geospatial

    Geospatial is a term widely used to describe the combination of spatial software and analytical methods with terrestrial or geographic datasets....
  • hydrography
    Hydrography

    Hydrography focuses on the measurement of physical characteristics of waters and marginal land. In the generalized usage, "hydrography" pertains to measurement and description of any waters....


Applications


Applications areas include:

  • the environment
    Environment (biophysical)

    The biophysical environment is the symbiosis between the physics environment and the biological life forms within the environment, and include all variables that comprise the Earth's biosphere....
  • land
    Landscape

    Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including physical elements such as landforms, living elements of flora and fauna, abstract elements such as lighting and weather conditions, and human elements, for instance human activity or the built environment....
     management and reform
  • urban planning
    Urban planning

    Urban, city, and town planning is the integration of the disciplines of land use planning and transport planning, to explore a very wide range of aspects of the built and social environments of urbanized municipalities and communities....
  • subdivision
    Subdivision (land)

    Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known as a subdivision; if it is used for housing it is typically known as a housing subdivision or housing development, although some developers tend to call these areas community....
     planning
  • infrastructure
    Infrastructure

    Infrastructure can be defined as the basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise , or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function....
     management
  • natural resource
    Natural resource

    Renewable resources Renewable resources are sometimes living resources,, which can restock themselves if used sustainably and not over- harvested....
     monitoring and development;
  • coast
    Coast

    The coast is defined as that part of the land adjoining or near the ocean or its saltwater arms. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the process of tides....
    al zone management and mapping
  • archaeological excavation
    Excavation

    The term archaeological excavation has a double meaning.# Excavation is the best known and most commonly used within the science of archaeology....
     and survey
    Archaeological field survey

    Archaeological field survey is the methodological process by which archaeologists collect information about the location, distribution and organisation of past human cultures across a large area ....
     for GIS applications
  • disaster informatics
    Disaster informatics

    Disaster Informatics is the study of the use of information and technology in the preparation, mitigation, response and recovery phases of disasters and other emergencies....
     for disaster risk reduction and response
  • Air Navigation Services


See also

  • Archaeological field survey
    Archaeological field survey

    Archaeological field survey is the methodological process by which archaeologists collect information about the location, distribution and organisation of past human cultures across a large area ....
  • East View Cartographic
    East View Cartographic

    East View Cartographic is a leading American provider of geomatics, and of cartography and Geographic information systems services, much of it outsourced to offshore companies....


External links



International organizations



Professional/licensing bodies