The National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) are convening a two-day conference/workshop to carry out a systematic and comprehensive review of the capabilities and benefits of object orientation in navigable databases for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), March 15-16, 1996 in Santa Barbara, CA.

Navigable databases are defined here as databases capable of supporting such ITS applications as in-vehicle map display, synthesis of navigation directions, and direction of vehicles to a given street address.

The goals of the conference include:

---evaluating the range of products currently available

---assessing the total experience to date of Object Oriented (OO) databases

---comparing OO and more conventional approaches with specific emphasis on distributed storage, processing, and maintenance

The conference will provide a setting for identifying the associated issues and potential solutions regarding OO database design and implementation for transportation applications.

Workshop attendees will consist of:

1) Ten experts in the fields of OO theory, navigable databases, and OO GIS

2) Caltrans personnel

3) NCGIA researchers

4) Other invited participants from industry and academia with knowledge and interest in

the areas mentioned in (1) with a total of 40-60 individuals attending

Each of the ten experts will provide a two-page position paper reflecting views on the theory and implementation of object orientation for navigable databases. These position papers, along with a synthesis of the meeting discussions, will be published as a monograph following the conference. A listing of the position paper authors follows:

• Francois Bancilhon, O2 Technology
• Kurt Buehler, Open GIS Consortium
• Max Egenhofer, University of Maine, Orono
• David Fletcher, University of New Mexico
• Andrew Frank, Technical University of Vienna
• Michael Franklin, University of Maryland, College Park
• John Herring, Oracle Corporation
• Shashi Shekhar, University of Minnesota
• Alan Vonderohe, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Michael Worboys, Keele University, UK

The following is an excerpt of the research proposal from which the conference is generated. It is provided here as background information:

Object orientation is a relatively new paradigm that is considered by many to be the basis for the next generation of software, both programs and databases. Although some Object Oriented Database systems exist (e.g. Versant), this field is in its infancy. This technology can have a significant impact on the GIS industry. Further such developments, especially OO databases, can have a significant impact on the long term approach for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and a navigable map database for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Through a joint research effort between Caltrans and the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA), it is proposed to carry out a systematic and comprehensive review of the capabilities and benefits of object orientation in navigable databases for ITS. To do this, the NCGIA will convene an expert meeting in the form of a two-day workshop. A core group of experts in object oriented databases, map databases, object orientation, and transportation applications will be invited from universities, industry and research groups across the nation. Invitations will also be issued to selected Caltrans and ITS personnel. A total of 40 and 60 participants is anticipated. The workshop will include position papers from the experts to be published as a monograph, along with a synthesis of the discussion and findings. Included in this monograph will be the synthesis of the impacts and potential future for Oodb for Caltrans. It is proposed to develop a system-distributed prototype which will involve an application at the Caltrans CAPTS lab in Sacramento, NCGIA and the UCSB-Caltrans Center for Interoperability. A report of this will be developed as well.

NCGIA/Caltrans Conference Program

Object Orientation in Navigable Databases

Friday, March 15, 1996

Radisson Hotel, La Cantina Room

7:45-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-9:15 Brief Introduction of All Participants
9:15-10:00 Keynote Address

• David Fletcher, Alliance for Transportation Research, "Navigating in a Digital Object Habitat"
  

• Andrew Frank, Technical University of Vienna, "Object Oriented Modeling for Geographic Information Systems in Transportation"
  

• Ramez Gerges, Caltrans
• Professor Richard Church, UCSB

Presentations:

• Francois Bancilhon, O2 Technology
• Kurt Buehler, Open GIS Consortium
• Max Egenhofer, University of Maine, Orono
• Michael Franklin, University of Maryland, College Park
• John Herring, Oracle Corporation
• Shashi Shekhar, University of Minnesota
• Alan Vonderohe, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Michael Worboys, Keele University, UK

• Professor Michael Goodchild, Facilitator

Saturday, March 16, 1996

Radisson Hotel, El Cabrillo Room

7:45-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-8:45 Plenary to Organize Breakout Sessions
8:45-10:00 Breakout Sessions (3 Groups/Rooms: El Cabrillo, Gazebo, El Monte)
10:00-10:30 Break, El Cabrillo
10:30-12:00 Breakout Sessions Continued (3 Groups)
12:00-1:00 Poolside Lunch
1:00-3:00 Reports from the Breakout Sessions with Reactions from the Panel
3:00-3:30 Break
3:30-4:30 Closing Remarks--David Fletcher, Andrew Frank

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