The Spatial Decision Support System Lab (SDSSL) is established at the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Quetta, and the Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University (SBKWU), Quetta with BUITEMS as the primary lab. The SDSS lab focuses on three different domains including Geo-Health, Geo-Forensics, and on Minerals Inventory. In the Geo-Health domain, the lab focuses on research techniques for tracking and process mining using a novel approach to SDSS. Specifically, the approach is focused on improving the outreach of health services in general and coverage of immunization in particular that largely rely upon efficient record management and accurate predictions. Under the Geo-Forensics domain, our focus is to improve the digital forensics processes with the help of spatial data mapping. The increasing number of cybercrimes and digital frauds are becoming a threat to society that can be dealt with using advanced technology. In this regard GIS mapping of an incident could prove to be an essential tool. The Minerals inventory focuses on GIS mapping of minerals of Balochistan. With the use of remote sensing techniques for the mineral exploration, evaluation, and formal quantification of naturally occurring materials of Balochistan, we are focused to improve the management of mineral inventories.

Domain 1 – Geo-forensic and Geo-Health

1. Design process to acquire seed data from partners/collaborators.

2. Perform data acquisition. This involves data fusion, filtering & pre-processing, data extraction, store and cleansing.

3. Perform spatial big data processing. This step may involve processing big data with aim at extraction of relevant features. Furthermore, data may require performing partitioning.

4. Next step involves evaluating several machine learning algorithms to get an effective learned model.

5. The rules learned in learned model shall be represented in ontologies.

6. SDSS for geo-forensic and geo-health shall be designed and developed based on these ontologies

Domain 2 – Mineral Inventory Baluchistan

The quantification of minerals (existing and new) is a systematic approach to accelerate the economic development of the country. Further, the human resource development associated with the development of Balochistan mineral inventory is a key factor in establishing geoscience-based technological advancement in the province. The mineral inventory will help provincial and Federal government to better understand the economic geology of the minerals in Balochistan and thereof to attract foreign investment. The use of remote sensing and GIS as a tool for mineral inventory will help to accelerate mineral exploration, evaluation, and production program. The project will revolutionize the natural resource development in the province.