Serge Lupas (CEO Cyclomedia): The Future of Reality is Digital and Geospatial

We see a drive towards 3D visualization of digitized geospatial information enhanced by AI analytics. We are witnessing the first high-resolution meshes of entire cities, the emergence of the industrial metaverse, as well as the exponential multiplication of sensor data. Access to true-to-life 3D geospatial data is crucial for modelling accurate digital twins of industrial networks or processes and is one of the trends that will emerge over the next few years.

There will be an increase in availability of geospatial data across ecosystems and platforms, from individual assets to fullyfledged digital twins encompassing a multitude of assets in an object-oriented environment. Across all industries the exponential multiplication of sensor data (e.g., IOT) makes available a trove of useful information – and for optimum use of this information, it’s crucial to know where the info is coming from and locate the source on a map.

Fusing these billions of data points onto a “geospatial canvas” is another emerging trend that will drive the need for true-toreality 3D geospatial data. In addition to this, algorithms driven by AI and ML will increasingly help make sense of the geospatial data available, extracting ever richer meaning out of a multitude of inputs.

Geospatial technology and data already play a very significant role for public and private organizations who manage large quantities of assets outdoors. Municipalities, road/highway departments, utilities and telcos all need to inventory those assets to understand their condition, manage them, expand the network, etc. This is where we come in; assets that need to be inventoried must be mapped, located, analysed and assessed.

Our imagery and LiDAR point clouds enable this using AI algorithms to detect and analyse these assets. Based on our imagery and value-added asset information our customers derive a number of benefits: generating revenue (e.g., claiming rent for a surface of sidewalk used by a restaurant as a terrace); saving costs (e.g., improving maintenance planning and optimize the use of budgets and resources); mitigating risks and liabilities (e.g., improving traffic security); and improving their carbon footprint (e.g., reducing emissions by cutting down on driving to inspect assets). In truth, all sectors benefit from the abundance of geospatial information, directly or indirectly: a better understanding through geospatial data of our planet or our immediate environment helps us all, businesses as well as consumers, on a daily basis. 

We see an accelerating demand for geospatial and digital solutions that companies like Cyclomedia provide, driven by global challenges, for example, climate change and economic slowdown. Geospatial allows customers to significantly reduce the cost of their workflows. Assessing situations remotely instead of driving there reduces carbon emissions. 

We are constantly working to make high-quality geospatial data easily available. Our latest solution, Street Hive, allows users to capture images and LiDAR data themselves and generate data insights via Cyclomedia’s platform. The collected data and AI-powered insights are ready for use within 24 hours and help overcome budget overruns, project delays, or unsafe environments.

The future of reality is indeed digital and geospatial – in the sense that the layers of geolocated information extracted from a digitized reality enhance our perception and understanding of the world around us — and the true-to-life 3D visualization of reality allows us to perceive it in new and valuable ways.