Common people, often, get confused with the terms Geographic(al) Information System, GIScience, Geomatics, Geoinformatics, Geoinformation Technology and Geospatial Technology. To understand the differences or similarities among them we need to fine-tune our understanding about these frequently used and interchangeable terms.
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer-based information system used to digitally represent and analyze the geospatial data or geographic data. The GIS has been called an ‘enabling technology’, because it offers interrelation with the wide variety of disciplines which must deal with geospatial data. Each related field provides some of the techniques which make up a GIS. Many of these related fields emphasize data collection; GIS brings them together by emphasizing integration, modelling, and analysis. GIS has many alternative names used over the years with respect to the range of applications and emphasis; e.g., land information system, AM/FM–automated mapping and facilities management, environmental information system, resources information system, planning information system, spatial data-handling system, soil information system, and so on.
However, GIS may be considered as a type of software in a computer system that allows us to handle information about the location of features or phenomena on the earth’s surface, which has all the functionalities of a conventional DBMS plus much of the functionality of a computer mapping system. But software or an information system cannot be used in a vacuum. We need proper knowledge to develop it, to use it, and to make decisions from it. From this point of view, GIS is not just an advanced type of information systems, but a combination of science and technology, which has several interrelated distinct disciplines. Some of the interrelated important disciplines are geography, cartography, remote sensing, photogrammetry, surveying, geodesy, global navigation satellite system (GNSS), statistics, operations research, computer science, mathematics, and civil engineering.
As the integrating field, GIS often claims to be a science–Geospatial Information Science or Geographic Information Science. In the strictest sense, GIS is a computer system capable of integrating, storing, editing, analyzing, sharing, and displaying geographically referenced information. In a more generic sense, GIS is a tool that allows users to create interactive queries (user defined searches), analyze the geospatial information, and edit geospatial data. Geographical Information Science (often written as GIScience) is the science underlying the applications and systems. It is closely related to GIS but is not application-specific like GIS. For instance, analysis techniques, visualisation techniques, and algorithms/scientific logics for geographical data analysis are all part of GIScience.
GIScience is very much related with the term Geoinformatics that is a shorter name for Geographic Information Technology. Geographic information (also called geoinformation) is created by manipulating geographic (or geospatial) data in a computer system. Geoinformatics is a science and technology, which develops and uses information science infrastructure to address the problems of Geosciences (another name for Earth sciences) and related branches of engineering. Prakash (2006) defined Geoinformatics as “the collection, integration, management, analysis, and presentation of geospatial data, models and knowledge that support disciplinary, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and education”. The four main tasks of Geoinformatics are: (1) collection and processing of geodata (geodata is the contraction of geographic data), (2) development and management of databases of geodata, (3) analysis and modelling of geodata, and (4) development and integration of logic and computer tools and software for the first three tasks. Geoinformatics uses GeoComputation (see note below) and it is the development and use of remote sensing, GIS, and GNSS.
According to Virrantaus and Haggrén (2000) geoinformatics is a combination of remote sensing and GIS (they used the term Geoinformation Technique (GIT) instead of GIS technology). For example spatial analysis is a field in which image processing and GIS software tools are mixed and used together. It is very good experience to realize how same functionality can be achieved by using either image processing software tool or traditional GIS analysis tool within the embrace of Geoinformatics.
Geoinformatics is not only for the people from surveying or geography but recently more and more people from other disciplines like Computer Science, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Geology etc. want to study Geoinformatics as their minor or even as their major subject (Virrantaus and Haggrén 2000). For that reason it has been most important to develop the contents of Geoinformatics curriculum towards more scientific subject and less being related with traditional surveying and mapping. People who wish to apply RS and GIS in their own problems among landscape design, geology or software development do not want to get profound knowledge on field measurements or printing technology. Geoinformatics as a mathematically and computationally oriented subject concentrates on data modeling and management, analysis and visualization processes and algorithms, GeoComputation, spatial statistics and operations research applications, development of GIS, image interpretation and satellite mapping technology (Virrantaus and Haggrén 2000).
Geoinformatics is a subset of Geomatics (also called Geomatics Engineering). In addition to topics within the confines of Geoinformatics, Geomatics emphasizes traditional surveying and mapping. The term ‘Geomatics’ relates both to science and technology, and integrates the following more specific disciplines and technologies: geodesy, traditional surveying, GNSS and their augmentations, cartography, remote sensing, photogrammetry, and GIS. An alternative view is that geomatics is the measurement and survey component of the broader field of GISscience. Geomatics is the discipline of gathering, storing, processing, and delivering of geoinformation or spatially referenced information.
The term Geomatics is fairly young, apparently being coined by B. Dubuisson in 1969. Originally used in Canada, because it is similar in French and English, the term geomatics has been adopted by the International Organization for Standardization, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and many other international authorities, although some (especially in the United States) have shown a preference for the term ‘Geospatial Technology’.
Geomatics (or Geospatial Technology) is all about geospatial data. Although, precise definition of geomatics is still in flux; a good definition can be given from the University of Calgary’s web page: “Geomatics 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”. Konecny (2002) said “Geomatics, composed of the disciplines of geopositioning, mapping and the management of spatially oriented data by means of computers, has recently evolved as a new discipline from the integration of surveys and mapping (geodetic engineering) curricula, merged with the subjects of remote sensing and GIS”. Geopositioning refers to identifying the real-world geographic position by means of GNSS or any other surveying technique.
A number of University Departments which were once titled Surveying, Survey Engineering or Topographic Science, have re-titled themselves as Geomatics or Geomatics Engineering. According to Konecny (2002), geomatics has originated from surveying, mapping, and geodesy. Earlier, in higher education, the specialization was possible in one field such as geodesy or photogrammetry, but a comprehensive orientation toward surveying and mapping was lacking. Since about 1960 a technological revolution has taken place in surveying and mapping technology: angular surveys have been augmented by electronic distance measurement, and more recently by GNSS. Digital computers were able to statistically analyze huge measurement sets. Photogrammetry has become an analytical discipline, competing in accuracy with ground surveys. Earth observation by satellites has made remote sensing an indispensable tool. Cartography relying on tedious graphic work has made way to computer graphics. GIS has permitted to organize spatially oriented data in databases for the management of global, regional and local problems. The need for sustainable development has recently made obvious, that spatially referenced data constitute a needed infrastructure (spatial data infrastructure), to which all governments subscribe. Surveying and mapping curricula have traditionally provided the vision for the provision, updating, management and dissemination of spatially referenced data. However, there was a need to upgrade the curriculum orientation to modern tools and to society’s requirements. This is the reason why many programs have changed their name to ‘Geomatics’.
NOTE
GeoComputation is an emergent paradigm (class of elements with similarities) for multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary research that enables the exploration of previously insolvable, extraordinarily intricate problems in geographic context. Some people see GeoComputation as an incremental development rather than something entirely new. Several doubt that GeoComputation will make any real contribution to the sciences. Others view GeoComputation as a follow-on revolution to GIS. Openshaw (2000) argues GeoComputation is not just using computational techniques to solve spatial problems, but rather a completely new way of doing science in a geographical context.
References
Konecny, G. (2002). Recent global changes in geomatics education. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol. XXXIV, Part 6, pp. 9-14.
Openshaw, S. (2000). GeoComputation. In: S. Openshaw and R.J. Abrahart (eds.), GeoComputation, Taylor & Francis, New York, pp. 1-31.
Prakash, A. (2006). Introducing Geoinformatics for Earth System Science Education. Journal of Geoscience Education. URL: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_q … _n17190422
University of Calgary’s web page: http://www.geomatics.ucalgary.ca/about/whatis
Virrantaus, K. and Haggrén, H. (2000). Curriculum of Geoinformatics — Integration of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Technology. International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vol. XXXIII, Part B6, pp. 288-294.
Source: http://basudebbhatta.blogspot.com/2010/02/geographical-information-system.html
