GEOINT 2015: Rapid Data Sharing, Teaming and Transparency

GEOINT 2015, like other major conferences, was both fascinating and frustrating. There was so much to see and learn and absolutely not enough time to take it all in. GEOINT 2015 took place June 22-25 in Washington, D.C.

Fortunately, the USGIF staff along with the USGIF Trajectory magazine staff under CEO Keith Masback’s direction made the best of this mega event through superb event planning and top-notch documentation, both in print and video. This column is just one man’s view and covers highlights that I saw and documented.

I shot video clips of technology that caught my eye, but with more than 300 exhibitors, keynote sessions, break-out and educational sessions plus special interest meetings (such as the Army Geospatial Center GeoPDF workshop), covering it all was not possible. However…

Every day of the conference, the USGIF Trajectory magazine staff published and printed a Show Daily. This slick publication was available every morning and served as a guide to the day’s events, along with providing highlights of the previous day. You can view/download each day’s issue. These five documents are probably the fastest way to get a full overview of the conference.

Below is a playlist of the videos I shot.

Key presentations that are a must-read:

• Retired General Stanley McChrystal talked about transforming the Joint Special Operations Command from a purely top-down organization to one of shared intelligence and responsibility. Thanks to this “shared consciousness,” local units were able to act quickly, responding to rapidly changing events with smart autonomy because everyone shared the same intelligence.
• National Security Agency (NSA/CSS) Director Adm. Michael Rogers said that each component of the signals intelligence (SIGINT) world has a physical location, and described how he has directed a much closer working relationship with the National Geospatial-intelligence Agency (NGA) to further intel and cyber efforts. He said that humans are very visually oriented, and although NSA’s SIGINT tools and products are very powerful, a more complete picture could be visualized if enhanced with GEOINT.

I was able to interview NGA Director Cardillo and Admiral Thad Allen, former commandant of the Coast Guard. I asked Director Cardillo about the NGA Emerald program and Adm. Allen about eLoran, one possible back up to GPS/PNT.

The pre-conference included education sessions and a fascinating group of five-minute lightning talks (pecha-kucha).  I’m going to cover these in detail sometime in the next few months.

Generally, when I attend conferences I try to visit the small booths on the periphery of the exhibit hall. I’ve found that many showcase emerging technologies or are uniquely interesting. One example at GEOINT was the “Cartographic and Geographic Information Society” booth manned by Dr. Eric Anderson and Dr. Lynn Usery. They really struck a nerve with me — in the massive exhibit hall packed with high-tech wonders was this simple booth with a simple message: promoting good cartography. In this day of computer mapping and electronic media, too many technicians produce maps and sites that are really terrible looking and hard to grasp, so I fully appreciate the importance of good cartography to communicate effectively. See my Powerpoint/mapping rant several years ago to get my perspective.

Here are my videos of other exhibitors on the floor:

• CACI — The ability to predict human activity with very high correlation using social media
• GeoWeb3D — Very rapid display of imagery and 3D models
• TerraGo — Edge, a disruptive technology for data collection
• HeadWall — UAV systems
• Pitney Bowes — A demonstration of the latest capabilities of MapInfo
• Zebra Technologies — 3D hologram prints

USGIF Trajectory also posted most of keynote speeches and many EXPO floor videos on its website, at geointTV. Two that caught my attention:

• OGSystems — fast development
• Digital Reasoning — Big Brother?

USGIF CEO Keith Masback (right) presents Bosarge with the USGIF Academic Research Award.

Tipping my hat to my adopted state of Alabama, I was pleased to see a Huntsville booth touting the 70-plus geospatial firms in the city along with a keynote from Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle highlighting GEOHuntsville’s pending 2015 GEOINT Workshop August 12.  Additionally, native son George Stanley Bosarge, University of South Alabama, was awarded the USGIF Academic Research Award for his work in assessing post-oil spill recovery and reef habitat off the coast of Alabama.

In general, attending GEOINT was like drinking from a firehose: lots of information in a very short period of time. However, I did build a list of great material for future columns, including a potentially small underground revolution growing in the GEOINT community.