NASA 1996 SBIR Phase I

PROJECT TITLE : GeoBrowse: An Integrated Environment for Satellite Image Retrieval and Mining

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)

There is a rapid growth in the amount of remotely sensed image data. To quote the 1996 NASA SBIR solicitation, ``All NASA projects will face the daunting prospect of having to deal with databases of unprecedented size and complexity.'' A key scientific need is the ability organize, search, analyze and mine information from large databases of images derived from a variety of sensors. We propose to design and develop GeoBrowse, an integrated software system for image retrieval, browsing and mining that addresses these needs. GeoBrowse will integrate software tools for data retrieval, data management and data access with software tools for data mining. GeoBrowse will provide the user with the ability to determine and test the limitations of remote sensing parameters and models by providing alternative views of uncertainties arising from extrinsic factors. A key innovation will be the support for ``content based'' queries on large databases of remotely sensed images.The software architecture of GeoBrowse will address obstacles facing analysts of remotely sensed data, such as scalability to massive datasets, open system design, and interoperability with other applications.

The software environment will be useful to both remote sensing analysts and end users in a variety of user communities. The environment has several advantages over existing image mining environments as a result of its customizable analysis toolkit, content based retrieval capabilities, database support and scalability to large datasets. The underlying technology is readily portable to other application areas including medical imaging, commercial data mining and multi-media applications.

M. Y. Jaisimha, MathSoft, Inc., Data Analysis Product Division
1700 Westlake Ave. N, Suite 500
Seatlle, WA 98109

MathSoft, Inc., Data Analysis Product Division
1700 Westlake Ave. N, Suite 500
Seatlle, WA 98109