SpatialFX Brochure: Developing Java Geospatial Applications

SpatialFX is a complete geospatial development and deployment platform, created specifically with developers and IT professionals in mind. Whether you are a seasoned GIS professional or an IT professional with limited GIS experience, SpatialFX will provide you with a rapid development and deployment platform to get your application up and running quickly. With SpatialFX you can fuse geospatial resources such as maps and map data with other dynamic enterprise information sources to create truly dynamic geospatial applications.

Write Once, Run Anywhere

Because SpatialFX is 100% Java you can build applications with the confidence that that they will run on any system that supports Java. Our toolkit supports development on the full range of client platforms, from thick client desktop applications to thin-client web applications designed for low-bandwidth connections--and anything in between. And with our patented Spatial Server technology, you'll be able to run all of your geospatial applications off a single instance of SpatialFX. This means you can concentrate on the application, not on deployment issues.

Applications

Applications deployed with SpatialFX can use maps as gateways into multiple information sources, or even to provide real-time views of dynamic information such as vehicle locations, network traffic, troop deployments, or the status of geographically dispersed projects. A “map” can be can be a geographic map, an overhead image, a floor plan or logical diagram in a supported format.

Architecture

At the core of SpatialFX is a set of services for querying and visualizing geospatial information. Additional specialized services for functions such as routing, geocoding and spatiotemporal rule processing extend the platform and allow customers to address a broad range of application requirements across industries. An extensible set of Data Access Services allows customers to access and process a wide range of geospatial, business and mission data through a variety of methods. On the output side, Presentation Services support variable weight clients from a single instance with our patented simultaneous heterogeneous clients technology. 

SpatialFX Services

SpatialFX provides a set of services that are provided with standard platform. Additional services such as routing, geocoding and other features can be added to accommodate your needs.

Standard SpatialFX Services

SpatialFX Server

SpatialFX can be deployed as a spatial application server, or as Enterprise Java Beans in an application server of your choice. The SpatialFX Server is a highly scalable spatial application server that enables thousands of users to access SpatialFX solutions in virtually any client-server, Internet, intranet, extranet and wireless environment.

Visualization 

With SpatialFX, maps are just a starting point. SpatialFX’s visualization interface allows users to view and interact with dynamic geospatial and non-geographic images with a full range of navigation tools. A single map may comprise layers of dynamic information from multiple sources. Map objects can move and dynamically change symbols or colors to reflect up-to-the-minute conditions.

Spatial Query

Spatial query is a unique form of search that allows users to filter objects based on geographic attributes, such as within 10 miles of a location, within a region, or on a particular road. Spatial queries can be combined with queries on business or operational data to provide a powerful business analysis, or an integrated spatial and operational view.

Extended Data Support

In addition to our own highly optimized storage format for geospatial data, SpatialFX supports a wide range of  data formats and data management systems to meet our customers needs.

Formats supported principally for the benefit of our National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and US DoD customers:

SpatialFX also supports data formats from premium street-level data providers such as NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas; US Census Bureau/Tiger data; and imagery services such as Digital Globe/GlobeXplorer.

Web Mapping Tools

SpatialFX Web Mapping Tools is an AJAX-based web client development toolkit that allows developers to build highly interactive applications in a web browser. Based on Web 2.0 principles, Web Mapping Tools provides open interfaces for custom operations, data access and rendering. Some unique capabilities include:

• "Drag to pan" map panning.
• Ability to fuse large amounts of data and large numbers of dynamic objects into the map view.
• Ability to display multiple map views simultaneously in a single HTML page. Map views can be connected, as with "overview" maps that track panning actions in a different map, or kept independent to provide alternate views in the same window.

Optional SpatialFX Services and Data Products

SpatialRules

SpatialRules is a unique service-oriented middleware component that allows you to create real-time rules for monitoring and processing spatial and temporal conditions 24 hours a day. With SpatialRules, you can integrate spatial and temporal reasoning into your operations and decision making and take advantage of dynamic location data such as GPS vehicle tracking data, sensor networks and AIS ship tracking data.  SpatialRules can be deployed as part of a SpatialFX application or as a separate service integrated with other systems such as 3rd party GIS products and other systems. SpatialRules Brochure

Routing

Enterprises and governments can recognize the full value of automated vehicle routing as an integral part their business processes and mission planning. The optional SpatialFX Routing modules can provide driving directions seamlessly integrated into your business or mission.

Geocoding

Geocoding provides the capability to parse a common street address and determine a latitude/longitude coordinate. This service can deployed as part of a SpatialFX application to process street addresses on-the-fly and return latitude/longitude coordinates which can then be used for a variety of application functions. For example, a dispatcher might want to enter a customer's receiving facility address and have the map display a detailed aerial image of that location with street data overlaid. An online real estate application might pull multiple addresses from a database, send them to the Geocoding service, and request a map displaying all of the locations.

Reverse Geocoding 

The latitude/longitude system is a spherical reference system used to provide an absolute, unambiguous reference point on the earth. The problem with latitude/longitude values is they do not reflect the way in which humans communicate location. The ObjectFX Reverse Geocoder is able to convert latitude/longitude values into a street address, intersection or other reference point. For example, if a vehicle broke down and was equipped to send its latitude/longitude position via GPS device, that lat/long could be passed to the Reverse Geocoder service to provide a dispatcher with the street address or intersection closest to the disabled vehicle. 

Military Symbology

The optional SpatialFX Military Symbology Rendering System is widely recognized as the most complete, scalable and flexible implementation of MIL-STD-2525B. This system is currently in use in multiple fielded programs for geospatial visualization, multi-source intelligence fusion, situation awareness, and command and control. ObjectFX symbology products can be delivered as components of the SpatialFX platform or as standalone services for use in 3rd party visualization systems. Military Symbology Brochure

3D Visualization

The optional SpatialFX 3D module allows you to incorporate indoor, outdoor or logical 3D views into your SpatialFX applications. 3D views can provide a richer and more informative context, with capabilities such as drive-throughs and fly-throughs. SpatialFX 3D Brochure

With the 3D option, you can:

• Generate a 3D scene from a 2D map
• Use the SpatialFX Terrain Service to add terrain data View 2D point and line objects in a 3D scene
• Overlay point and polyline symbology over a 3D backdrop
• Display Shapefile information in a 3D scene 

Vector Data Products

As a certified reseller of NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas products, ObjectFX offers premium vector map data products from these market-leading vendors ready for use with SpatialFX. We pre-process these premium data sets for use with SpatialFX visualization, geocoding, reverse geocoding, and wide area and local routing services. Features include:

• Cross-platform format
• Optimized spatial indexing for high performance
• Attractive symbology
• Points of interest

ObjectFX offers databases of street data for many locations worldwide, as well as North American street-level data for display, geocoding, reverse geocoding, and wide-area and local routing in the USA and Canada. Inquire about specific locations and uses.  

Earth Imagery Products  

1 foot per pixel resolution imagery

• 24 X 7 access to world’s largest commercial archive of aerial and satellite imagery
• Access to historical imagery
• Continuous updates
• Low cost
• Ease of use
• No storage or distribution costs
• Ability to track usage and connect to projects, departments, etc.