The Depiction platform was created with the intention of allowing domain experts to integrate simulation models into custom elements to enable access of state-of-the-art simulations to the everyday user. The models in our initial retail version – such as flooding, runoff, plume distribution, evacuation routing, and signal propagation – demonstrate the power of simulations in visualizing ‘what if’ scenarios in the geographic domain.

The integration of an industry-standard simulation models, we believe, will enhance the usefulness of our modest tool. To that end, we have been eyeing programs such as ALOHA. An industry standard for modeling dispersion of hazardous chemicals, the ALOHA program was developed jointly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Available freely, this program has over 50,000 users in government and industry, and the accompanying CAMEO suite of software has had over 250,000 downloads since 2001.

A growing number of Depiction users have been requesting integration of ALOHA plume outputs with Depiction. We listened and now are working toward that… More >