ArcGIS Mobile GIS

Mobile computing is creating fundamental changes by adding the ability to take GIS with you into the field and interact directly with the world around you. ArcGIS mobile GIS is composed of a number of technologies:

• GIS
• Mobile hardware in the form of lightweight devices and ruggedized field PCs
• Global positioning systems (GPSs)
• Wireless communications for Internet GIS access

Traditionally, the process of field data collection and editing has been time consuming and error prone. Geographic data has traveled into the field in the form of paper maps. Field edits were performed using sketches and notes on paper maps and clipboards. Once back in the office, these field edits were deciphered and manually entered into the GIS database. The result has been that GIS data has often not been as up-to-date or accurate as it should have been. Consequently, GIS analysis and decisions have been delayed.

Recent developments in mobile technologies have enabled GIS information to be taken into the field as digital maps on compact, powerful mobile computers, providing field access to enterprise geographic information. This enables organizations to add real-time (and near real-time) information to their enterprise database and applications, speeding up analysis, display, and decision making by using up-to-date, more accurate spatial data.

Many field-based tasks utilize geographic information that has benefited from the increased efficiency and accuracy of ArcGIS mobile GIS including:

• Asset inventory, which usually requires field data collection or mapping
• Asset maintenance, which usually requires updates to attribute information and geometry of GIS features
• Inspections, typically involving field assets or legal code compliance
• Incident reporting, for example, spatially recording accidents or events
• GIS analysis and decision making

These field-based tasks are common to many GIS applications such as:

• Utility inspections and maintenance
• Mapping of natural resources
• Mineral exploration
• Recording of accidents
• Inspection of compliance to local government codes
• Mapping of wildfires
• Many more

• ArcPad focuses on field tasks that require relatively simple geographic tools. These tasks are typically performed on handheld computers (running Microsoft Windows CE or Pocket PC). ArcPad supports numerous devices.
• ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Engine focus on field tasks that require more sophisticated geographic tools. These tasks are typically performed on high-end Tablet PCs.
• Sketches and notes created in ArcEditor on the Tablet PC are geographically referenced and can be saved as map graphics or as annotation in the geodatabase.

Field GIS also relies heavily on application customization to simplify mobile work tasks as well as wireless access to real-time data feeds from central GIS Web servers such as sites deployed with ArcGIS Server.
 

All ArcGIS Desktop systems - ArcReader, ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo - and custom applications built with ArcGIS Engine can run on high-end mobile systems such as laptops and Tablet PCs.

ArcGIS users can utilize their software on a Tablet PC platform in four ways

• Tablet PC as a Notebook Computer - the Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition is a superset of the existing Windows XP operating system. Since ArcGIS is fully supported on Windows XP, it works on a Tablet PC.
• Tablet PC Pen-Based Technology - the Tablet PC lets you drive the Windows XP operating system and all Windows-based applications using a digital pen instead of a mouse. In ArcGIS, the digital pen can be used to push buttons on toolbars and draw on the map.
• Windows XP Speech Recognition - the speech recognition functionality is embedded within the Tablet PC input panel and can be used with ArcGIS for dictation functions.

• Tablet PC Digital Ink Technology - ESRI has extended the ArcGIS mapping application, ArcMap, with a new toolbar that integrates digital ink technology with ArcGIS. Using the Tablet Toolbar, users can use the ink tool to create notes or sketch diagrams and tie them to a geographic location. Ink can also be used to pdf features on a map and to sketch shapes that can then be used to perform GIS editing tasks. Tablet tools make use of additional ink technology such as gestures and text recognition.