Intergeo 2008

The recent annual trade show in Bremen – Intergeo2008 – highlighted the rapid growth in demand for geographic data, and in particular the need for more flexible solutions in the future.

Amongst the new technology on show were a large range of vertical and oblique survey cameras, web-based data services, and a growing number of ground based image acquisition systems.

However, a common theme of all of these was the need to set them in a real geographic context, and in particular to have good up to data mapping to support them – such as the People’s Map.

Many were interested in the People’s Map concept, and were impressed by the way it strikes the right balance between open access, flexible licensing and a sound commercial framework (to maintain consistency, accuracy and continuity in the data). They also agreed this was the best way to meet the needs of a changing market.

It was encouraging to see so many new pioneering technologies on show, and to realize that the People’s Map is not just a geographic information source in its own right, but will also become a platform on which the developers of tomorrow can build new and innovative solutions in an environment free from concerns over copyright infringement and uncertainty regarding data maintenance.