Uncertainty in Geospatial Information Representation,
Analysis, and Decision Support
Funded by the National
Imagery and Mapping Agency under the NURI University Research Initiative.
Supported by the National Science Foundation as part
of the “Advancing Geographic Information Science” award to NCGIA.
Research Goals
The goal of the research is to improve the mechanisms
by which users of the defense geospatial information infrastructure are
made aware of the presence of uncertainty in data, and its implications
for decision-making. Six areas are being addressed in a coordinated approach-
elements of uncertainty, measures, models, portrayal, propagation, and
higher dimensions. The research is being conducted by five teams, with
frequent opportunity for cross-fertilization between them. Underlying our
approach to this research are the following broadly defined objectives:
1. to extend the current level of
understanding of these six elements through basic research;
2. to apply the results of research
under the conditions typical of defense GII- real data sets of large volumes,
real environments for visualization,
real forms of analysis;
3. to deal with special needs of defense
GII- e.g., operational conditions, rapid decisions, particular data types,
existing GII standards;
4. to improve access to the results
of research by implementing them in practical tools, primarily through
collaborative
efforts with software vendors, data
custodians, and other geographic information scientists and technologists;
5. to address the needs of users as
well as creators of data, by including concern for their cognitive abilities
and
levels of understanding of geospatial
concepts.
Investigated Topics and PIs
Elements
of uncertainty
Measures
of uncertainty
Models
for uncertainty
Portrayal
of uncertainty
Propagation
of uncertainty
under
construction !
