When Can We Issue Semantic Spatial Queries Using Web Search Engines - It’s really a money issue

I spoke at some length with Michael Jones, Chief Technologist of Google Earth and asked him about the possibility of issuing a true spatial query using a Google search tool. I asked him when we will be able to make a query like, "Show me the availability of all of the class "A" office space within a distance of five miles of 4th and Main in San Jose where there is a daytime population of more than 50,000 people."

His answer was that such a query is possible today provided the data is available. He explained that certain content providers need to expose this information first. It could be via a simple XML statement. If the content provider can understand how to monetize certain geospatial data elements of the content they own, then Google’s new payment system might provide a mechanism for access.

The query that I gave as an example, may need to access content from a variety of data or software providers: demographic, real estate, base map, and a geofencing algorithm, for example. Put it all together and the answer to such a query could use Google Maps to display the result. But, understand that each of those content providers needs to charge for their web service in such a manner that can be handled by a common payment approach. Google is working on their payment system to handle "micro" payments and as such aggregate the bill for the user such that the user may only have one bill; not several depending on all of the web services that may have been accessed in the process.

Again, the costing and subsequent billing needs to be clearly illustrated for the user, but the query itself is not impossible today. Therefore, it may not be a technical problem. The semantic query is possible but it will take some additional vision on the part of companies like NAVTEQ, ESRI, Experian, Acxiom, LoopNet, Staubach, and a host of other content providers providers to understand their revenue potential by unlocking some of their data and making it more accessible to a broader market.