FME Addresses INSPIRE's Critical Challenges: Semantic Translation and Data Sharing

The Munich University of Technology (TUM) and the University of Zurich (ETH) are working with con terra, Safe Software’s partner in Germany, who is involved with the INSPIRE specification process for metadata and network services. The Universities are using Safe Software’s spatial ETL solution FME in their research to find a generic way for the Cadastral Agencies of Germany and Switzerland to harmonize their spatial data, while taking into account the specifications of the INSPIRE initiative.

"We are facing this data harmonization challenge with the help of FME’s sophisticated data schema transformation capabilities and are using FME Server as our web feature service (WFS) for distributing transformed spatial data," says Dr.-Ing. Andreas Donaubauer, Project Manager for the Model Driven WFS project at TUM.

FME enables organizations to not only translate spatial data between systems but also to transform the data into the community-accepted data model. FME’s semantic translation technology supports over 200 formats, including SOSI, EDIGEO and NEN 3610 and OGC specifications chosen by the INSPIRE directive, as well as European coordinate systems.

Once spatial data matches the specified model, organizations can stream out data views which are separate from the physical layout of the data using FME Server’s web services including data download, data streaming and the OGC WFS. This allows organizations to maintain their internal systems while contributing spatial data to the INSPIRE initiative.

"We are pleased to see the many ways that FME is solving the needs of organizations working on INSPIRE and other SDI initiatives," says Don Murray, President of Safe Software. "We are committed to providing solutions which enable organizations to achieve their SDI objectives, and growing our technology to meet the evolving needs of the industry."

Work is currently underway for FME 2009 to continue providing support for European customers involved in the INSPIRE initiative, including a more integrated view of metadata and continued support for updated coordinate systems.

Murray will demonstrate semantic translation and data sharing in action at the European Commission INSPIRE Conference 2008. His presentation on "Apply the power of Server-based Spatial ETL to Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) Initiatives" will be given on June 25, 2008 at 16:00 hrs. For more information, please attend the presentation, visit the Safe Software booth or visit www.safe.com.