Virtual GIS or virtual geographic environment is a combination of virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial neural networks integrated into a GIS system. This allows the spatial relationships of geography to be more easily visualized. Examples of virtual GIS environments include virtualgis.io, which can display various geospatial file types and high resolution terrain models. ArcGIS 360 is a mobile or web app that allows users to immerse themselves in 3D city models. Virtual GIS allows integration of dynamic parameters like pollution sources to visualize and understand relationships between air quality and factors like climate change in real-time through interactive virtual environments.

1. Virtual GIS Environment
MT/RS/10005/17
Mukund.Srinivas

2. What is a Virtual GIS Environment?
Virtual GIS or virtual geographic environment is a concoction of many
technological concepts like, virtual reality, augmented reality, and in
recent years Artificial Neural Networks, integrated on a GIS system.
The central theme of geography that is based on spatial proximity has
become easier to visualize and propagate.

3. How Does an ideal VGE look like?
Photo from Google Images , Photo Of WestWorld , A TV Series.

4. A few Virtual GIS Environments
• virtualgis.io is one such online virtual GIS tool that is fairly reliable.
• It can Display KML, KMZ, GeoJSON, TopoJSON, Shapefile.
• It can Display High Resolution DTM.
• AuGeo is an android app , that is making its rounds in the gis
community , it is free for everyone who has an ArcGIS licence , it is
created by esri

5. How Virtualgis.io looks like?
Sourced from www.virtualgis.io

6. A few more virtual GIS Environments
• ArcGIS 360 VR is a mobile or web based
app that allows users to quickly immerse
themselves into 3D city models by
teleporting to static viewpoints and
comparing different urban design scenarios.
• The app is meant for the public and
stakeholders with no GIS or 3D expertise
that need to experience a 3D web scene in
an immersive way. The app functions like a
“street view” app where you can just look
around from a static viewpoint and teleport
to another panorama—basically, going to
another point in space without actually
having to physically move.
Esri.com/blog/ArcGIS360

7. Solving Real Problems Using Virtual GIS.
• In the following slide , we would be
discussing an air-quality problem ,
and how it is solved using Virtual
GIS Environment.
• Using virtual GIS , we can integrate
dynamic parameters like chimney
smoke , and construction processes
into account , and visualize them in
real-time .
• experience the visualized ‘real
world’, revisit the past, and explore
the future as avatars through
interactive channels.
• Understand the relations between air
quality and related factors (e.g.,
climatic change and the distribution
of pollution sources) more deeply;
• Contribute their feedback and virtual
spatial activities (e.g., reducing their
driving) in the digital environment,
which may transform virtual
situations for further experiments
and prediction.

8. Solving the Air Quality problem

9. How Did we get here ?
Here is a very good diagram that describes the evolution of tools used
for understanding the earthly phenomenon:
VGE an new Generation of geographic
analysis tool-Hui Lin et al

10. What is next for GIS platforms?
Along with the application of real-time data from the
Internet of Things (IoT), the latest trends in GIS will
open the next frontier for industries prepared to tackle
competitors with the power of multi-dimensional
geospatial data insights.

11. References
• https://blogs.esri.com/esri/arcgis/2017/07/06/augeo-an-augmented-reality-
mobile-app-for-your-gis-data-2/
• https://esriaustralia.com.au/esri-australia-blog/latest-trends-in-gis-
technologybr-3d-vr-and-ar-blg-71
• https://www.spar3d.com/blogs/all-over-the-map/ar-vr-gis-finally-found/
• http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=1525240
• http://www.geo.uzh.ch/~arzu/publications/voinov_etal_2017_IJDE.pdf
• https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1508/1508.02024.pdf
• http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001282521300127X?via
%3Dihub

12. Thank you