Our industry has a more important role to play than ever in this period of turbulence and societal challenges such as climate change, misinformation and fake news. That was one of the conclusions from the Intergeo 2024 press conference on the second day of the leading trade show and conference for the geospatial industry. Read on for our summary of the key takeaways.
In line with tradition, the press conference is held on the Wednesday, marking the halfway point of the three-day Intergeo event. It takes the form of a moderated panel discussion between leading experts from the sector. The participants at this year’s press conference are: Rudolf Staiger (DVW), Thomas Kijftenbelt (Esri Germany), Ralf Mosler (Autodesk), Boris Skopljak (Trimble), Thomas Harring (Hexagon) and Olaf Freier (Hinte).
Digital transformation hub
Rudolf Staiger reflects on how Intergeo has changed since the beginning of this century. “In the past, we saw geoinformation professionals and ‘old-fashioned’ surveyors,” he says (with a wink). “Now, we see the geospatial community gathering, with fortunately a lot of young people.” Thomas Kijftenbeld, who leads Esri Germany, adds: “Intergeo is moving away from purely GIS-related audience towards a much broader public that are not necessarily geospatial professionals but people who use aspects of our industry for their work.”
Ralf Mosler, leader BIM transformation at Autodesk, points out that he loves the mindset of the people. He feels like he is surrounded at Intergeo by “a crowd of people who understand the value of geodata. Intergeo is a digital transformation hub.” In Mosler’s view, Intergeo – and the geospatial industry in the broader sense – is in the midst of an ecosystem that enables the world to overcome challenges. Thomas Harring, president of Hexagon’s Geosystems division, shares a similar view, commenting: “For me, Intergeo is like coming home.” This year, he is particularly impressed at seeing “a lot of new software developments” being showcased on the exhibition floor, including a number of novelties from Hexagon itself.
Olaf Freier, who assumed the role of chief strategy officer (CSO) in the management team of Hinte Expo & Conference earlier this year, has returned to the company after previously playing a pivotal role in the development of Intergeo until 2015. The graduate engineer, who brings a wealth of experience to his new position, notes that his first Intergeo was in 1998. The primary topic back then was undoubtedly GPS. This was overtaken by ‘integrating geoinformation’ in the early years of the 21st century. “Now, we are an industry that has everything in it to create a better future,” he states, alluding also to the positive vibe and dynamic. He regards ‘breaking down silos’ as an important challenge to tackle. “We try to bring everything needed for this together at Intergeo, via the conference, stages and exhibition,” he adds.
According to Boris Skolpjak, vice president, surveying & mapping strategy and product marketing at Trimble, the event is definitely on the right track. In fact, he says that he is often asked when Trimble will organize a European version of Trimble Dimensions. And he invariably answers: “Why should we? Isn’t there already Intergeo?”
Geospatial data as a problem solver
Staiger emphasizes the growing relevance of geodata in today’s society: “In a period of turbulence, societal challenges such as climate changes, misinformation and fake news, our industry has a more important role to play than ever.” Harring agrees with this statement, responding: “Where would we be without geodata? It’s everywhere and it’s the solution to make the world a better place.”
Staiger then zooms in on the actuality by referring to the severe floods currently affecting large parts of central Europe: “Climate change leads to a higher temperature of the Mediterranean. We as a sector can do nothing about that, but indirectly we can play a role. Our mission is to convince people outside our bubble to use geospatial data for decision-making.”
Of course, the discussion panel during this year’s edition of the annual Intergeo press conference cannot ignore artificial intelligence (AI). It has emerged as a pivotal theme at this year’s event, underscoring its transformative impact on the geospatial industry. So how is the integration of AI into data analysis likely to enhance mapping accuracy and streamline decision-making in applications such as urban planning? According to Esri’s Thomas Kijftenbelt, there are two types of AI: GeoAI and AI-assistance. “We are just at the beginning of AI. The next step is probably that AI-assistance is being implemented in geospatial solutions,” he comments.
Harring believes we have to make more people aware of how geospatial data can improve the lives of many. As a concrete example, he mentions how 3D data can pave the way to barrier-free cities. One case that illustrates this is the Barfüsserplatz in the heart of the Swiss city of Basel. It is part of the DigitalCities4Us initiative, a joint effort involving the Canton of Basel City, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), and Hexagon. This project aims to develop high-resolution digital city models that facilitate structural planning and promote the creation of accessible, barrier-free urban environments.
Another topic that takes centre stage at the press conference is the outdated infrastructure which is still present in many countries. And the combination of outdated infrastructure and climate change is a particularly risky mix. So how can we harness geospatial data to make infrastructure smarter and more resilient? “IoT, digital twins… the geospatial sector can play a phenomenal role here,” Skopljak says. He stresses that we already have the right tools, but it requires alignment with many parties including governmental organizations and local authorities. Mosler adds: “Putting sensors on all of our bridges would be a very good and doable step to monitor our infrastructure and act when needed.” Staiger mentions that the technology and knowledge are already available. “But the decision-makers – the politicians – need to use it. They need to take what we have on offer seriously,” he remarks.
Looking ahead to Intergeo 2025
Looking ahead to Intergeo 2025, Freier states: “I see Intergeo as a Champions League event, thanks to the efforts of the geospatial community!”. The analogy with one of the world’s most prestigious football tournaments indicates that the bar is set high, and that no self-respecting company in the sector should be absent. “This is what we want to take to Frankfurt 2025: a melting pot of geospatial expertise,” he continues. He concludes by urging politicians to visit Intergeo 2025, saying “Everybody is invited to design the future!”.
