Integrating GIS Capabilities into Polypheny (Master Thesis, Finished)
Author
Description
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have transformed the way we perceive and interact with our physical world. These systems enable the capture, storage, analysis, and visualization of geographical data, lending invaluable insights into diverse sectors. Whether it's urban planning, environmental conservation, natural resource management, transportation logistics, or public health, GIS technologies play a central role. The sheer breadth of GIS applications underscores its profound impact on decision-making, planning, and research. Recognizing the importance of GIS in modern data-driven endeavors, the objective of this project is to augment the Polypheny platform by seamlessly integrating GIS functionalities.
The objective of this project is to extend the capabilities of the Polypheny platform by integrating GIS functionalities. By introducing GIS-specific data types and functions into Polypheny, the aim is to offer a unique solution supporting diverse GIS applications.
Given the diverse formats of spatial data and the heterogeneous nature of GIS applications, Polypheny's capabilities in handling, processing and querying heterogeneous data using multiple query languages and data models, provide a distinctive advantage. Integrating GIS functionalities in Polypheny therefore promises an advanced, adaptable, and comprehensive solution for GIS database management.
The main objects of this project are:
- Incorporation of geo-spatial data types such as Point, Polygon, LineString, and multi-part versions of these (like MultiPoints, MultiPolygons, MultiLinestring).
- Addition of essential GIS functions, for example, ST_Distance, ST_Within, and ST_Intersection.
- Add support for GIS queries to one or multiple query languages.
- Depending on the evolution of the project, there is potential to add support an optimized data store tailored for GIS data and possibly develop a GIS-centric query interface with intuitive mechanisms for spatial data querying.
As optional extensions, based on progress, the project might also explore:
- Integrating visualization tools, enabling users to visually interpret spatial data.
- Diving into approaches to improve query performance, e.g., using spatial indexes.
Rigorous validation and benchmarking are integral to affirm the credibility and robustness of any system and research prototype alike. Therefore, researching and implementing a suitable benchmark suite tailored for GIS systems is an integral part of this project. Furthermore, the candidate should meticulously design a comprehensive set of test cases to validate the correctness of the integrated GIS features across a diverse array of scenarios. Once validation is ensured, the benchmarks should be employed to evaluate the performance, efficiency, and resilience of the GIS-enhanced Polypheny system.
Start / End Dates
2023/11/01 - 2024/04/30