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Data Fusion in Geospatial Applications

Data fusion involves combining data from multiple sources to produce inferences that are more accurate than using single sources alone. It is often used in applications like sensor fusion and geospatial analysis to integrate diverse datasets into a unified dataset. The JDL model defines five levels of data fusion processes from low-level sensor data processing to high-level situation and impact assessment.

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42 views5 pages

Data Fusion in Geospatial Applications

Data fusion involves combining data from multiple sources to produce inferences that are more accurate than using single sources alone. It is often used in applications like sensor fusion and geospatial analysis to integrate diverse datasets into a unified dataset. The JDL model defines five levels of data fusion processes from low-level sensor data processing to high-level situation and impact assessment.

Uploaded by

vishinaredla
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Data fusion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Data fusion, is generally defined as the use of techniques that combine data
from multiple sources and gather that information in order to achieve inferences,
which will be more efficient and potentially more accurate than if they were
achieved by means of a single source.
Fusion processes are often categorized as low, intermediate or high, depending
on the processing stage at which fusion takes place.[1] Low level fusion, (Data
fusion) combines several sources of raw data to produce new raw data. The
expectation is that fused data is more informative and synthetic than the original
inputs.
For example, sensor fusion is also known as (multi-sensor) Data fusion and is a
subset of information fusion.
Contents
[hide]

1 Data Fusion in Geospatial Applications

2 Data fusion vs. Data integration

3 Data Fusion and the JDL Model

4 See also
4.1 Application areas

5 References

6 General references

7 Books

8 External links

[edit]Data

Fusion in Geospatial Applications

In the geospatial (GIS) domain, data fusion is often synonymous with data
integration. In these applications, there is often a need to combine diverse data
sets into a unified (fused) data set which includes all of the data points and time
steps from the input data sets. The fused data set is different from a simple
combined superset in that the points in the fused data set contain attributes and
metadata which might not have been included for these points in the original data
set.
A simplified example of this process is shown below where data set "" is fused
with data set to form the fused data set . Data points in set "" have spatial
coordinates X and Y and attributes A1 and A2. Data points in set have spatial
coordinates X and Y and attributes B1 and B2. The fused data set contains all
points and attributes
Input Data Set
Point

A1

A2

10

10

10

30

30

10

30

30

Input Data Set


Point

B1

B2

20

20

20

40

40

20

40

40

Fused Data Set


Point

A1

A2

B1

B2

10

10

10

30

30

10

30

30

20

20

20

40

40

20

40

40

In this simple case all attributes are uniform across the entire analysis domain, so
attributes may be simply assigned. In more realistic applications, attributes are
rarely uniform and some type of interpolation is usually required to properly
assign attributes to the data points in the fused set.

In a much more complicated application, marine animal researchers use data


fusion to combine animal tracking data with bathymetric, meteorological, sea
surface temperature (SST) and animal habitat data to examine and understand
habitat utilization and animal behavior in reaction to external forces such as
weather or water temperature. Each of these data sets exhibit a different spatial
grid and sampling rate so a simple combination would likely create erroneous
assumptions and taint the results of the analysis. But through the use of data
fusion, all data and attributes are brought together into a single view in which a
more complete picture of the environment is created. This enables scientists to
identify key locations and times and form new insights into the interactions
between the environment and animal behaviors.
In the figure at right, rock lobsters are studied off the coast of Tasmania. Dr. Hugh
Pederson of the University of Tasmania used data fusion software to
fuse southern rock lobster tracking data (color-coded for in yellow and black for
day and night, respectively) with bathymetry and habitat data to create a unique
4D picture of rock lobster behavior.
[edit]Data

fusion vs. Data integration

In applications outside of the geospatial domain, differences in the usage of the


terms Data integration and Data fusion apply. In areas such as business
intelligence, for example, data integration is used to describe the combining of
data, whereas data fusion is integration followed by reduction or replacement.

Data integration might be viewed as set combination wherein the larger set is
retained, whereas fusion is a set reduction technique with improved confidence.
[edit]Data

Fusion and the JDL Model

In the mid-1980s, the Joint Directors of Laboratories formed the Data Fusion
Subpanel (which later became known as the Data Fusion Group). The JDL/DFG
introduced a model of data fusion that divided the various processes into 5
levels:
Level 0: Source Preprocessing/subobject refinement
Level 1: Object refinement
Level 2: Situation refinement
Level 3: Impact Assessment
Level 4: Process Refinement
Although the JDL Model is still in use today, it is often criticized for its implication
that the levels necessarily happen in order from 0-4 and also for its lack of
adequate representation of the potential for a human-in-the-loop. Despite these
shortcomings, the JDL model is useful for visualizing the data fusion process and
also for facilitating discussion and common understanding (Hall et al. 2007).

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