Collaborative decision-making in an immersive environment built on online spatial data integrating environmental process models

Abstract

Land management issues are of public concern and so is the development of policies that deal with such issues. Public access to spatial data is increasing and also the processing power of modern desktop systems. There is an increasing need for tools that can help find consensus and aid good decision-making on land management issues. We are creating a tool that combines the fields of geographic information systems, virtual reality, environmental process models, and decision making. Our tool is a server-client based system that integrates collaborative decision making, access to online spatial data, and a real-time renderer (SIEVE) based on GarageGames' Torque Game Engine. Users, which can com..