Automatic measure of landscape diversity from Google earth imagery using open GIS MapWindow integrating with Mapobject using VB

Abstract

Google Earth show imagery in real time which is processed by digital globe and stored in Google Database Server integrating the MapWindow application which is a free, extensible, geographic information system (GIS) that can be used to distribute data to others and to develop and distribute custom spatial data analysis. A customised automated tool is developed to calculate landscape diversity of greenery, building, roads, grounds and so on. A tool constitute of Algorithms based on Open Source Map Window GIS API, Google API, Mapobject API. An algorithm to draw a point, line and polygon on JPEG Imagery file and store it as shape file. The purpose of developing such tool is to help user who are unknown to GIS to plot the greenery, ground, building and so on by drawing a polygon as it could be done in paint brush. Area, Perimeter, Fractal Dimensions of different Landscape could be calculated automatically without any interference or knowledge from user.