AN INTERACTIVE SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND DISPLAY SYSTEM

This paper presents a philosophical discussion of analysis needs when data bases with spatial components are available. A tool, the Interactive Spatial Analysis and Display System (ISADS), has been constructed to aid these needs, and example applications are presented herein to illustrate the use of this tool. ISADS is a computer system designed to aid the experimental, interactive analysis of spatial data. "Experimental, interactive analysis" involves data base browsing, heuristics, and hypothesis formulation and testing conducted in a real time mode using a graphic display terminal. The use of graphic displays as a powerful device for discovering spatial relationships has been fully exploited in ISADS. ISADS is a general-purpose system that can be used with a variety of data base types. At the most primitive level, it is suitable for analysis of data which lacks spatial identification. Its utility becomes evident if the data base is geocoded, permitting the creation of spatial displays and the exploration of spatial relationships. Finally, if a cartographic data base is available, then a variety of types of map overlays is possible, further enhancing the spatial analysis capability. User communication with ISADS is by means of an easily learned, English-language type command structure. The system takes advantage of a commercially available data base management system (DBMS) to simplify the creation, updating, and maintenance of the data base. The DBMS supports a general purpose programming language interface which permits development of new applications within ISADS. /Author/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by the Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Washington, Seattle

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, P.O. Box 352700
  Seattle, WA  United States  98195-2700
• Authors:
  • Clark, J W
• Publication Date: 1977-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 17 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer graphics; Databases; Information display systems; Information processing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Interactive graphics
• Old TRIS Terms: Displays; Spacial structure
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00178796
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-WA-11-0005-77-3
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 14 1978 12:00AM