GeoPAD is a two-year Compusult R&D project that's valued at over $3M. The primary objective is to develop an enhanced and extensively standards-based, but flexible Portfolio Manager software tool for creating, modifying, and managing geospatial  portfolios to support analysis and decision making in critical situations, such as defense and homeland security, public security/safety, and , geohazard  response scenarios. It will be  designed and implemented as an addition to Web Enterprise Suite (WES), Compusult's highly successful  flagship product line.

The enhanced Portfolio Manager will allow both technical and non-technical users to locate, query, retrieve, mark-up, and combine a variety of location-based information into logically organized portfolio groups and individual portfolios that can easily, and often automatically, be expanded and  updated as scenarios develop. It will also enable integration and presentation of static and dynamic information updates, including Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and GeoRSS Web feeds, imagery, any data file types, hyperlinks to relevant websites, links to internal and external geospatial and other services, smart agents that automatically acquire and update data sources, etc.

The GeoPAD Portfolio Manager will present all information as a single, integrated Common Operating Picture (COP), and, optionally, in multiple windows for simultaneous display of various Situational Awareness (SA) views. Within this environment users will be able to:
• selectively combine data sources to enhance critical decision making and analysis processes;

• create multiple portfolio groups and portfolios within those groups, for example  to collect all information for a single day of a scenario, sub-events within a major  event, or collections of information for public versus internal consumption;

• export and view all geospatial aspects of their portfolios via third-party, “mass  market” map clients, such as Google Earth, Google Maps, and Bing Maps; and,

• issue and receive alerts and notifications, via Web browsers and other commonly-used mass market tools, including e-mail clients, Short Message Service (SMS), Twitter, etc.

GeoPAD will also result in the creation of new and novel set of location-based service applications (or “apps”) for state-of-the-art mobile devices running the Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems. These apps will allow users ranging from defense agencies, first responders, and average consumers who will contribute to and consume geo-referenced SA and other information via the GeoPAD environment (i.e., a WES XI server).

There are needs for these technologies in defense, public safety, and other organizations that require improved situational awareness solutions. Situational Awareness concepts can potentially support a wide range of applications beyond the primarily military and advanced public  safety solutions currently supported.

Primary applications for national government solutions continue to revolve around mission planning and operations, logistics, maintenance and repair/asset management and border control/ protection. Key solutions are becoming increasingly complex – not only in terms of the types of applications supported, but also with regard to the breadth of users, especially across multiple agencies. Situational awareness is proving to be a key requirement for next generation solutions across both military and federal non-military customers.

The results of this project will provide a means of improving situational awareness by addressing issues such as latency, supporting rapid task reorganization, and improving interoperability.