Reprinted from

© Earth Imaging Journal

November/December 2006
PRODUCT
REVIEW

IDRISI Andes Edition Enhances

Modules, Adds Land Change Modeler
By Jason T. Herrmann, Environmental
Dynamics Program, Center for Advanced
Spatial Technologies (www.cast.uark.edu),
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark.
classifier to support an automatic training can generate results for fuzzy membership
mode. Two new neural network classifiers images.
include the Self-Organizing Map (SOM), devel- The most celebrated new element in
oped by Teuvo Kohonen in the early 1980s, Andes is the Land Change Modeler (LCM) for

W
and Fuzzy ArtMap. Both SOM and Fuzzy Ecological Sustainability, which was devel-
ith a straightforward graphical ArtMap support supervised and unsuper- oped for Conservation International’s Andes
environment—the Macro vised routines. Other new machine learning Center for Biodiversity Conservation—thus
Modeler—to develop analytical modules offered in Andes include a fully the source of the version’s name. The LCM
and modeling routines, along
with a selection of almost 250 geographic
information system (GIS) analysis and
image processing functions, IDRISI software
has served as the happy medium between
involved code writing and “black box” GIS
analysis for years. Users have enjoyed the
ability to customize their analysis procedures
without programming expertise.
However, Clark Labs departs from tradi-
tion in its newest incarnation, IDRISI Andes
(Version 15), by adding a vertical application
that is dedicated to specific goals. The new
release also offers revised versions of some
old modules, new graphics options and
enhanced data access. Although it’s primarily
known as a raster image processing package,
IDRISI Andes also offers vector GIS functions
capable of being manipulated using SQL on a
linked database.

New Features
Data access and organization have been
improved for Andes with the addition of a
new Explorer bar that integrates the IDRISI
Explorer, the metadata viewer and project
file path selector of older versions. These all
appear in a tabbed window at the left of the
screen, thereby cutting down on the amount
of browsing necessary when naming new files.
File selection differs a little from the Windows
Explorer-style setup from earlier versions,
but this feature comes in handy for quickly
referencing existing file names and layered
metadata. When not in use, the window can
be minimized to make room for images.
IDRISI continues to build on its unparal-
leled selection of image classification modules. include an expanded RUNOFF module that
One broad improvement for the Andes release
is that its image processing modules now
accept any data type, expanding their utility.
Neural networks and machine learning have
been a large part of recent IDRISI product
development, as evident in the revision of the
Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) neural network
The most celebrated feature of IDRISI Andes is the Land Change Modeler for Ecological Sustainability, an integrated
vertical application designed to analyze and predict land cover change and its impacts on habitat and biodiversity.
automated Classification Tree Analysis (CTA)
module and a K-means unsupervised classifier.
Image processing and analysis mod-
ules also have been revised and expanded
for the Andes release. For example, a new
Multinomial Logistic Regression module has
been added that supports a multi-categorial
dependent variable. Additionally, the Principal
Components Analysis (PCA) module now
supports an automated inverse PCA for noise
reduction, and the TREND module has been
expanded to calculate polynomial surfaces up
to a ninth order. Analytical improvements
can incorporate rainfall duration and initial
absorption variables, a SEDIMENTATION
module that builds on the program’s Revised
Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) module
to calculate net soil movement within a given
area, and a more versatile CROSSTAB module
allows the cross-tabulation of a third layer and
application is designed to address the loss of
habitat and biodiversity through land cover
change. LCM is an integrated modeling envi-
ronment for the analysis and predictive mod-
eling of land conversion and includes tools
for analyzing land cover change, modeling the
potential for future change, predicting future
change, assessing the effects of land cover
change on biodiversity and integrating plan-
ning regimes into predictions.
After using the tutorial, experienced GIS
users should find the LCM easy to use and
informative. Although experienced users may
be able to deduce exactly what each compo-
nent of the LCM is doing, less-experienced
users may not find the answers they are look-
ing for in the Andes Help menu or manual.
For background on the processes in LCM,
users will find the most in the tutorial (with
references), not in the Help menu as for other
modules in earlier versions of IDRISI.
 IDRISI 15
The Andes Edition
Company:
Company: Clark Labs,
Clark Labs, Clark
Clark University,
University,
950 Main
950 Main St.,
St., Worcester,
Worcester, MA
MA
01610-1477
01610-1477
Phone:
Phone: 508-793-7526
508-793-7526
Fax:
Fax: 508-793-8842
508-793-8842
Web:
Web: www.clarklabs.org
www.clarklabs.org
Requirements: Microsoft
Requirements: Microsoft Windows
Windows XP/2000/
XP/2000/
NT platforms,
NT platforms, 512MB
512MB RAM;
RAM;
Pentium 4
Pentium 4 class
class processor
processor and
and
1GB hard-disk space recom-
1GB hard-disk space recom-
mended.
mended.
Price:
Price: Single user
Single user license—$1,250,
license—$1,250,
floating option—$500, general
floating option—$500, general
upgrade—$425. Contact
upgrade—$425. Contact Clark
Clark
Labs for
Labs for academic
academic and
and student
student
pricing.
pricing.
The
The new
new Photo
Photo Layer
Layer feature
feature enables
enables .jpg
.jpg images
images to
to be
be linked
linked to
to embedded
embedded text
text layers
layers with
with aa title
title and
and photo
photo azimuth
azimuth information.
information.

A
A benefit
benefit of of the
the LCM
LCM is is that
that it it provides
provides the
the histograms
histograms generally
generally disappoint
disappoint as
as graph-
graph- reference
reference that
that enhances
enhances file
file organization
organization on on
ways to
ways to assess
assess data
data through
through stagesstages of of pro-
pro- ics when
ics when copied
copied and
and pasted
pasted to
to the
the clipboard.
clipboard. the fly.
the fly. The
The image
image histogram
histogram allows
allows users
users
cessing.
cessing. For For example,
example, LCM LCM allows
allows usersusers to to to quickly
to quickly assess
assess their
their data
data by
by modifying
modifying
examine
examine the the data
data through
through bar bar graphs,
graphs, as as in
in the
the Overall
Overall Assessment
Assessment the
the display
display parameters
parameters without
without starting
starting the
the
change analysis
change analysis module,
module, and and report
report results
results inin IDRISI Andes’
IDRISI Andes’ competitive
competitive pricing,
pricing, versa-
versa- HISTO module from scratch.
HISTO module from scratch. However, as However, as
.txt format.
.txt format. Unfortunately,
Unfortunately, these these slick
slick graphs
graphs tility and
tility and accessibility
accessibility keep
keep itit among
among thethe top
top with earlier
with earlier versions,
versions, publishing
publishing histograms
histograms
aren’t
aren’t available
available forfor export
export other
other thanthan screen
screen choices for
choices for image
image processing.
processing. Users
Users get
get an
an or images
or images is is probably
probably better
better left
left to
to other
other soft-
soft-
capture,
capture, hindering their use in reports without
hindering their use in reports without improved product
improved product with
with expanded
expanded capability
capability ware packages.
ware packages.
exporting the
exporting the data
data and
and duplicating
duplicating the the graph
graph and aa respectable
and respectable amount
amount of of technical
technical sup-
sup- Clark Labs
Clark Labs hashas strengthened
strengthened IDRISI’s
IDRISI’s
elsewhere.
elsewhere. port with
port with the
the Help
help menu,
menu,userusermanual,
manual,and and status as
status as aa solid
solid option
option for
for image
image analysis
analysis
IDRISI’s potential
IDRISI’s potential for for quantitative
quantitative analysis analysis tutorial. Experienced
tutorial. Experienced IDRISI
IDRISI users
users should
should by refining
by refining some
some modules
modules from
from previous
previous
never has been matched by its
never has been matched by its graphic output graphic output find Andes
find Andes toto be
be familiar
familiar and
and perhaps
perhaps more
more versions and
versions and adding
adding the
the LCM
LCM for for Ecological
Ecological
capabilities, forcing
capabilities, forcing somesome users
users to to export
export their
their comfortable than
comfortable than previous
previous versions.
versions. The
The new
new Sustainability. Although LCM
Sustainability. Although LCM is a packageis a package
images and
images and data
data toto other
other software
software systems
systems for for explorer bar
Explorer and the
bar and the interactive
interactivehistogram
histogramedi-edi- designed for
designed for particular
particular analysis
analysis goals,
goals, the
the
graphic display.
graphic display. Some
Some attempt
attempt was was mademade to to tor are
tor are changes
changes that
thatarearemost
mostlikely
likelytotoaffect
affect independent nature
independent nature ofof many
many of of the
the processes
processes
change this
change this with
with thethe addition
addition of of some
some new new the workflow
the workflow of of regular
regularusers.
users.The
TheExplorer
explorer it offers
it offers stays
stays true
true to
to the
the utilitarian,
utilitarian, adaptable
adaptable
graphic display
graphic display options,
options, including
including new new north
north bar is
bar is an
an improvement,
improvement,providing
providingaaheads-up
heads-up nature of the IDRISI
nature of the IDRISI line. line.
arrow designs,
arrow designs, thethe option
option to to import
import aa user’suser’s
own north
own north arrow,
arrow, andand the
the ability
ability to to include
include and and
activate outside images as insets
activate outside images as insets for a primary for a primary
image using
image using thethe new
new Photo
Photo Layer
Layer function.
function.
Clark Labs
Clark Labs also
also touched
touched up up thethe histogram
histogram
function for
function for Andes.
Andes. Now Now users
users can can manipulate
manipulate
the range and class widths
the range and class widths of graphs in of graphs in the
the
open HISTO
open HISTO function
function window
window after after initial
initial
graph creation.
graph creation. Thankfully,
Thankfully, the the folks
folks at at Clark
Clark
Labs have
Labs have done
done away
away withwith thethe unruly
unruly histo-histo-
gram gridlines,
gram gridlines, which
which couldn’t
couldn’t be be manipulated
manipulated
by the
by the user
user in
in earlier
earlier versions.
versions. Raster
Raster group group
files can
files can bebe used
used in in the
the revised
revised HISTO
HISTO module,module,
allowing users
allowing users toto generate
generate multiple
multiple graphs graphs
simultaneously. However,
simultaneously. However, the the multiple
multiple col- col-
ors option
ors option in in the
the view
view settings
settings menu,
menu, which which
allows users
allows users toto apply
apply aa color
color palette
palette to to the
the data
data
in aa histogram,
in histogram, is is confusing
confusing in in that
that it it doesn’t
doesn’t
stretch color
stretch color values
values to to match
match the the range
range of of the
the
data represented
data represented in in the
the graph,
graph, creating
creating aa “rain-
“rain-
bow” effect
bow” effect through
through the the data.
data. And
And as as before,
before, Andes
Andes includes
includes three
three neural
neural network
network classifiers,
classifiers, including
including the
the enhanced
enhanced Multi-Layer
Multi-Layer Perceptron
Perceptron shown
shown here.
here.

For more information about IDRISI or to order, contact:

Clark Labs Tel: +1.508.793.7526

Clark University Fax: +1.508.793.8842
950 Main Street Email: idrisi@clarku.edu
Worcester, MA 01610 USA Web: www.clarklabs.org