Alberta professor develops cutting-edge 3D mapping system

The challenge: Traditional mapping systems distort our curved world

Because the Earth is curved, processing geospatial data on flat maps introduces distortions in scale, shape, and distance. Traditional geographic information systems like Google Maps struggle to integrate data from different sources – especially across varying resolutions and formats – limiting their effectiveness for next-generation applications. Finding systems that can process geospatial data consistently and without distortion remains a critical need for industries from agriculture to climate resilience. Many researchers, like Mitacs Innovation Award winner Professor Faramarz Samavati, are committed to developing technologies that accurately represent our three-dimensional world.

The solution: Operating on curved surfaces instead of flat maps

Samavati is redefining what it means to lead in geospatial innovation. As a Computer Science Professor at the University of Calgary, he brought more than two decades of research expertise to a fundamental problem in digital mapping. Rather than accepting the limitations of flat maps, he asked whether systems could operate on curved surfaces to achieve faster, more consistent, and distortion-free data processing. That question led to the development of the Discrete Global Grid System (DGGS), a first-of-its-kind 3D digital earth system. Today, Samavati stands out as lead scientist for BigGeo, a Calgary-based startup commercializing the technology through the Spatial Cloud, a privacy-secure, agentic intelligent cloud computing system for location-based data.

“We started with a very small project to prototype the use of DGGS for efficiently performing searches across geospatial data, but once our research team demonstrated its ability to tackle complex challenges – and the potential of our DGGS framework –the initiative quickly scaled to a much larger Mitacs project,” said Dr. Samavati, who serves as BigGeo lead scientist. “This led to more than $1 million in Mitacs funding and support over 4.5 years to help bring this technology out of the lab into the real world.”

The outcome: Bold innovation tackles geospatial data processing

The breakthrough came when the team created a system that divides the earth into highly uniform, multi-resolution cells on a globe, creating a digital quilt that is scalable, consistent, and distortion-free. “Rather than working on simple flat maps, our model operates on curved surfaces, which is more mathematically challenging but ultimately more efficient and capable of consistent, distortion-free data processing,” Samavati explained.

The technology is now being assessed in real-world, high-speed geospatial searches across fields including agriculture, climate resilience, wildfire simulation and prediction, and drone path planning. Unlike traditional systems, the DGGS supports deeper and more consistent analysis of localized regions, drawing on diverse data sources from satellites, smartphones, drones, and other sensors – even in challenging environments like Canada’s Arctic.

The system enables users to understand what’s happening beyond the earth’s surface, from underground to atmosphere – including soil moisture, reservoir volumes, road networks, wildfire risk indicators, atmospheric wind fields, and high-resolution satellite imagery.

Professor Faramarz Samavati’s groundbreaking work earned him a Mitacs Innovation Award in Outstanding Research Leadership. He is one of only 11 Mitacs award winners nationally, chosen from thousands of researchers who participate in Mitacs programs each year. The award was presented at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on November 17, 2025.

His journey illustrates that by deploying skilled talent and building the capacity to innovate, Mitacs can impact the economy, workforce and society.

Talent in action: Strengthening innovation capacity

Mitacs continues to strengthen innovation capacity in Alberta and across the country while driving global competitiveness. Mitacs supports researchers to deliver hands-on, industry-responsive solutions that strengthen local economies and accelerate innovation development.

Professor Faramarz Samavati’s journey highlights the transformative impact of sustained academic-industry collaboration. His work involved dozens of Mitacs interns over multiple projects, demonstrating how long-term research leadership develops the next generation of skilled talent while solving complex challenges.

“Whether you’re a consumer searching for a house online, a developer of applications like Uber to plan and track a driver’s route, or a business in the oil and gas sector scoping out a pipeline, you rely on geospatial queries — and our platform does it faster and more consistently,” said Dr. Samavati, who hopes to see the technology become as universal as Google Maps in the future.

For industries and consumers relying on geospatial data, Mitacs’ investment in sustained research leadership brings hope for faster, more secure, and more accurate digital mapping that serves Canada’s needs.

About Mitacs  

For over 25 years, Mitacs has helped grow the economy and develop the workforce of tomorrow, connecting industry with academia and global partners to solve real-world challenges. We support business-academic research collaboration through internships, co-funded with businesses, for undergraduate to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.   

As a national innovation connector, Mitacs takes a talent-first approach to strengthen innovation capacity and drive global competitiveness. We serve as an essential research-commercialization bridge, accelerating market entry and growth for new products and services.   

This is a critical time for Canada to think big and take bold action. Mitacs is ready to help build a strong and resilient Canadian economy, powered by ideas, talent and innovation.   

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon. 

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