Mapping out the Future: How Imagery Plays in to Government
It’s an exciting era for those in government. Vivid satellite images, airborne drones and 3D technology have unlocked another realm of possibility for public service.
It’s an exciting era for those in government. Vivid satellite images, airborne drones and 3D technology have unlocked another realm of possibility for public service.
Each year, government agencies lose billions of dollars due to fraud, waste and abuse. Government agencies tasked with fraud prevention are increasingly turning to geographic information system (GIS) platforms — utilizing maps, geo-enrichment and sophisticated data analytics — to tackle fraud, accurately identify patterns and problem areas and improve organizational efficiency.
Drones. Those unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that everyone from Modern Family’s Phil Dunphy to the Dalai Lama are taking a turn at piloting. Drones are quickly changing the information landscape with the possibility of being the most highly disruptive technology since the cell phone. They are true robots, tasked by their human masters for all typesRead… Read more »
Cisco, Qualcomm, Intel, SAP, and IBM have “Smart City” programs that promise to solve urban problems, involve citizens, conserve energy, and launch cities into a new “digital” future. Their marketing and technology expertise would have us believe that no city could run faster, better, and cheaper without more technology. Cisco has committed to create aRead… Read more »
In 2015, the American Cancer Society estimates that there will be over 1.6 million new cancer diagnoses. While individual prospects of survival have drastically improved over the past decade, there’s still much more for doctors to learn about the disease. Generalized treatments for a variety of cancers have had mild success, but scientists and doctorsRead… Read more »
I was recently reviewing some Story Maps from Esri, and began to wonder: what makes a good map? As someone who is not a trained cartographer, I struggled for a bit to understand why I responded positively to some maps, and negatively to others. Ultimately, though, it occurred to me: creating a map is veryRead… Read more »
It is clear that mapping is transforming government agencies. Now it’s time to ask the question: How are maps themselves being changed by the agencies using them? I came across this interesting take on this issue from the New York Times Bits Blog: The Business of Technology. Check out the article here. My favorite part?Read… Read more »
When the government shut down in October 2013, employees were furloughed, websites were sent offline, and delivery of important government services was interrupted. These were all difficult consequences for our nation. Yet, the one effect of the shutdown that seemed to foster the most frustration was an unexpected one: the closing of our national parks.Read… Read more »
Recently I listened to the podcast: “American Futures” and the power of maps. The interview was part of the “American Futures” project, which is a joint endeavor of Esri and The Atlantic to describe America through journalism. The idea of the American Futures project was created by the Atlantic’s Jim Fallows. The podcast also includedRead… Read more »
Typing “how-to” into Google’s search bar can give instant insights into “how to tie a tie,” “how to build a computer,” and “how to cook artichokes.” “Googling” provides easy solutions for those seemingly impossible everyday tasks However, a new partnership has taken the technology we use to tackle the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary. GoogleRead… Read more »