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In 1804, the global population was 1 billion. Today we are at 7 billion. In the next 13 years, we will be adding another billion people to our planet. What will this mean for our planet in terms of utilization of natural resources? What about our growing energy needs, as well as new stresses to our core infrastructures?

Yes, the future will be rife with considerable challenges. And all too often we focus on a short-term future…meaning our next work deadlines, our next vacations and other upcoming milestones for our children (to name a few).

Fortunately, one company clearly has its eye on the future and this organization is Hexagon AB. During the opening keynote address at Hexagon 2011, Ola Rollen, President and CEO of Hexagon, highlighted how our world will be rapidly changing and how Hexagon will be meeting these new demands.

By providing access to the right information in real-time, we will be able to better respond to natural disasters and manage the upcoming change that will be upon us before you know it. In addition, the combination of Intergraph, ERDAS, Leica Geosystems and Hexagon Metrology technologies will provide the complete solution for managing any global situation that requires real-time intelligence for fast and effective decision-making.

Here are some other ways our future will be changing (from today’s opening keynote):

- The middle class is expanding and more people will be traveling, meaning we need more airplanes and fuel.
- The growing aging population will create a demand for more medical devices and innovation.
- We are migrating to urban environments, which will create stress on our cities’ infrastructures.
- We will continue seeing a rise in natural disasters.

In the words of the great Neil Young, “the world is turning, I hope it don’t turn away.” Yes, the world is turning at an accelerated pace, which can be overwhelming. Though fortunately, there are innovators out there who clearly have their eye on the future and are making solutions that will not only manage change, but enhance our quality of life.

Tags: ERDAS, geospatial intelligence, Hexagon 2011, Hexagon AG, Intergraph, Leica, Ola Rollen and Hexagon, USGIF