Page 161 - Digital Analysis of Remotely Sensed Imagery

128 Cha pte r F o u r

intranets quickly, an advantage unmatched by other image analysis
systems.
However, ER Mapper has a limited range of image manipulation
functions. For instance, such simple image enhancement capabilities
as spatial filtering are absent. Besides, there are also few GIS func-
tions for performing postclassification filtering. Apart from the stan-
dard image classification methods, ER Mapper supports none of the
innovative image classifiers based on machine learning. Thus, it is
impossible to undertake neural network image classification, image
classification based on decision trees, or at the subpixel level, or clas-
sify images using spatial information. There is no provision for
undertaking change detection and exploring the nature of changes.
No special modules are available for processing hyperspectral resolu-
tion remote sensing data and for analyzing radar imagery.

4.5 PCI
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, PCI is a leading software devel-
oper specializing in remote sensing, digital photogrammetry, and
cartography. It markets a range of software products, the flagship of
which is Geomatica, a comprehensive, image-centric computer sys-
tem. This package of an extensive suite of geospatial tools offers the
most complete geospatial solution via its many built-in capabilities.
This system brings together remote sensing, GIS, cartography, and
photogrammetry into an integrated environment. PCI Geomatica is
able to perform image analysis, in addition to digital photogram-
metry and spatial analysis. The most significant recent release is
version 10 in which all functions are organized into seven toolbars:
Focus, OrthoEngine, Modeler, Easy, Fly!, GeoRaster, and Metadata
Mapper. In this release PCI appears to have endeavored to adequately
meet the need of geospatial enterprise (Page, 2006). Geomatic is posi-
tioning as one of the industry leaders in undertaking truly inte-
grated geospatial analysis. The most recent release of version 10.1.2
includes significant updates to support images from new sensors,
such as the Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar
(PALSAR) data products, WorldView-1 images, EROS-B data, and
data acquired from the China-Brazil Earth Resources satellite.

4.5.1 Image Input and Display
Of the numerous PCI modules, the freely available Geomatica Free-
View is designed for image viewing. This fully georeferenced data
viewer is able to read and assimilate raster and vector data saved in
more than 100 formats. A wide variety of airborne and satellite data, as
well as non-remote sensing data (e.g., DEM and digital line graphic
data), is recognizable by PCI. This powerful viewer also features image
enhancement and viewing capability of attribute tables (Fig. 4.5).