Proposal

Narrative

The Geosciences’ Geosvisualization Lab was created five years ago to provide state-of-the-art 3-dimensional (3D) computer analysis and visualization technology to students and faculty for educational activities. Geovisualization provides the tools and techniques that support geospatial data analysis through the use of interactive visualization.  This technology is essential for geoscientists, as well as many related disciplines such as biology, environmental sciences, urban planning, etc., to understand complex human and environmental systems.  In addition, 3D visualization has become an exciting new experience in consumer television and movies, which educators can capitalize on to get students excited about learning and research at FAU.  In 3D, the data “comes alive” on the screen and students become much more interested in understanding, manipulating and interpreting the information than they do with “normal” 2D screen display.   Most importantly, students seeking jobs in today’s very competitive market need to have unique training and experience, such as 3D visualization, to set them apart from others and make them highly marketable.

The current Geovisualization computers are now five years old and no longer powerful enough to meet the demands of our highly technological curriculum. Current data sets are much larger and complex and our department recently acquired an autonomous flying drone that captures aerial imagery.  We are planning on integrating the drone data into several courses and the current computers do not meet the minimum hardware specifications for CPU speed, hard drive type (SSD drives are required) and video GPUs.  This tech fee will fund replacing all of the current computers to meet current and future needs. However, we will be able to retain the current monitors and stereo 3D vision shutter glasses as they are still capable of meeting our curriculum needs.  We only need to replace a few monitors that have failed due to age and use.

The Geovisulaization lab is integrated with, and supplements, a number of existing Geosciences department resources.  In particular, software applications that are capable of providing 3D visualization tools – for example: 

1.    ArcGIS 3D Analyst is an extension to our ArcGIS Desktop that allows students to effectively visualize and analyze surface data. Using ArcGIS 3D Analyst, students can view a surface from multiple viewpoints, query a surface, determine what is visible from a chosen location on a surface, create a realistic perspective image that drapes raster and vector data over a surface, and record or perform three-dimensional navigation.  Students can create three-dimensional views directly using GIS data; Analyze three-dimensional data using cut/fill, line-of-sight, and terrain modeling; Students can perform spatial analysis in three dimensions, Visualize modeling or analysis results in three dimensions, Use three-dimensional models and symbols for realism, and export visualizations into 3Dvideos. 

2.    Leica Photogrammetry Suite (or LPS) is part of our Leica Erdas Imagine software application that supports photogrammetric techniques used in extracting information from imagery. LPS is used by numerous national and regional mapping agencies, commercial mapping firms and in academic research.  LPS can process raw imagery to create geospatial data products such as digital terrain models, 3D features, and digital orthophotos.  Additionally, LPS supports 3D feature extraction, radiometric adjustment, and a number of additional digital image processing capabilities.

The Geovisualization lab is utilized in the following courses:

GIS 4138C  Geovisualization and GIS.  Advanced map design with an emphasis on the visualization of spatial data in a virtual environment. Lab projects include animated maps, fly-through animations, and 3D visualizations.

GIS 4037 Digital Image Analysis.   Satellite imagery is draped on digital elevation models and flight paths are designed to fly through 3D scenes utilizing Erdas Imagine.  Vector roads and hydrology and annotations are developed, and scripted movies are created of fly-throughs.

GIS 4102 Photogrammetry.   Aerial photography is scanned, rectified and 3D models are developed using Leica LPS and Erdas Imagine.

GIS 6039 Advanced Remote Sensing.  Reconstructing Past Environments using historical satellite imagery and aerial photographs, along with paleoenvironmental data, students reconstruct predevelopment terrains, land-covers, and environments, and create animations of changes through time.

GISC 4048/5100 Applications in GIS. The class helps students acquire intermediate to advanced GIS knowledge and skills.  Geovisualization techniques are an important part of this that is currently not well supported due to lack of hardware and software resources.  

GLY 6934 Hydrogeology Methods.  This is a hands on class designed to provide students with experience collecting and analyzing data.  These data include land surface elevations, water level elevations, and well logs.  Students construct contour maps, cross-sections, and fence diagrams using these data. 

GLY 4822 Hydrogeology, (approximately 25 students/semester).  Students would create cross-sections using the Rockworks geovisualization software.  A concurrent graduate section would involve students completing projects involving creating and analyzing contour maps and cross-sections.

Facilities

NA

Hardware Requirements

Software Requirements

NA

Personnel Costs

To be included in existing personnel assignments

Other Costs

NA

Timeline

Order and install as soon as funds are available.

Sustainability

Our existing systems lasted five years so we would not see any additional costs for this lab for another five years.  Future monitor failures can be funded through existing department funds.

Resource Matching

We are utilizing current equipment that is still serviceable, which includes monitors and 3D stereo glasses.  The department also funds significant costs (multiple thousands of dollars annually) for software licensing that it used in the geovisualization lab, including site licenses for ArcGIS, Erdas Imagine, ENVI, eCognition, Trimble Positions, Rockworks and others.

Implementing Organization

Geosciences