GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION-SYSTEMS AND REMOTE-SENSING FUTURE COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

When considering the research needs related to the integration of remote sensing information into a geographic information system (GIS), one of the factors that must be considered is the state-of-the-art in computer technology. Operations that once took hours or days on mainframes can now be performed in real time or near real time on microcomputers and workstations. In addition, many operations that were once considered impossible because of computing limits can now be revisited and, perhaps, implemented. This paper attempts to describe the essential functionality required for remote sensing and GIS integration, evaluate the state of the art in computing technology, articulate current impediments to remote sensing and GIS integration, and define research issues that should be attacked to further this integration.