SBIR Phase I: Temporal Extensions to a Commercial Geographic Information System

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate the feasibility of developing temporal extensions to a commercial Geographic Information System (GIS). In many fields, temporal information is a key part of the domain models. For instance, a demographer studying population changes, an environmental biologist investigating migration patterns, or a public official looking for patterns of criminal activity all need a system that can work with data that have both spatial and temporal dimensions. Temporal extensions would leverage the strength of an existing GIS system and market demand for spatio-temporal support is growing, but response by GIS vendors has been minimal. The research will lead to the development of a marketable product in the form of extension software to be sold to current and future customers of existing GIS systems. The range of application includes natural resource management, meteorology, agriculture, health, archeology, crime detection and prevention, urban development, and other applications in government, military, and corporate environments.