Karlsruhe/Essen, 02 May 2013 INTERGEO round table in Karlsruhe:  Experts identify industry trends / geoinformation services provide decision-making basis for all major challenges facing society

From urban development and demographic change to the energy revolution – no relevant social challenge was ignored at the third INTERGEO round table on geospatial innovation in Karlsruhe. Experts from the worlds of science and business attending the event agreed that it is only possible to tackle the complex challenges facing society with precise, well-prepared geoinformation and geoservices.

The round table identified four industry trends that will also be the focal points of the 19th INTERGEO:

• New services based on geodata for specialists and end users alike
• Open data and new applications based on this information
• 3D models and their significance for both urban planning and the energy revolution
• How geodata creates smart cities

For some time now, specialists have not been the only ones to use geoinformation as a matter of course. As Eva Klien from the Geoinformation Management Department of the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD stressed, apps have opened up the market. End users now also take mobile data completely for granted. “That’s why it’s now more important than ever to offer data to each user group in the appropriate format,” said Trimble’s Director Software Business Ralph Humberg.  “We therefore see it as essential that a general GIS platform be available that can be used for various scenarios no matter whether by experts, developers or end users,” added Esri Deutschland’s Head of Corporate Communications Gert Buziek.

The Open Geospatial Consortium’s Director for European Services Athina Trakas explained that the integration of data from a wide range of areas was of great interest to society, generating completely new information of social relevance. The experts see excellent opportunities in the open data initiatives that exist throughout Europe.

Intelligent processing of this public data could produce valuable new findings. The benefits of this information also increase the willingness to pay for services obtained from such data, but it is less important whether or not the public data is made available free of charge.

All round table participants agreed that clear graphical presentation will remain essential in the future, too – for both end user apps and geospatial services aimed at experts.

DVW’s Chief Representative Hagen Graeff concluded the round table by stating: “The meeting has shown that geospatial services have never been more in demand. The discussion was simply a taste of the numerous innovations that await at the 19th INTERGEO in Essen.”

About INTERGEO

INTERGEO is the world’s leading trade fair for geodesy, geoinformation and land management. A total of 16,000 visitors from 80 countries came to the latest communication platform to find out about the innovations in the industry from 525 companies from 32 countries.

DVW e.v. – German Society for Geodesy, Geoinformation and Land Management hosts INTERGEO. The 19th INTERGEO will take place from 8 to 10 October 2013 in Essen.

Pictures and further information are available online at www.intergeo.de.

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