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New AI solution developed for smarter urban and climate planning

Phys · · 480 words · By Victoria Skeidsvoll
Data Accessibility AI Innovation Urban and Climate Planning
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What to know about Data Accessibility

Dr. Arka Ghosh has developed an AI system called Ontoraster that integrates fragmented satellite and environmental data into knowledge graphs. The tool is designed to allow non-technical users, such as urban planners and emergency responders, to perform complex data analysis through natural language queries.

Propaganda risk 10%
Claims checked 5
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

New AI solution developed for smarter urban and climate planning Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Andrew Zinin Lead Editor Satellite images, weather maps and other data are collected in enormous quantities—but much of this remains unused.

Why it matters

The reason is simple: the data is fragmented, difficult to interpret, and stored in different formats.

Common ground

Arka Ghosh has developed a system capable of transforming this data into comprehensible knowledge.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Dr. Arka Ghosh has developed an AI system called Ontoraster that integrates fragmented satellite and environmental data into knowledge graphs. The tool is designed to allow non-technical users, such as urban planners and emergency responders, to perform complex data analysis through natural language queries.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ai-solution-smarter-urban-climate.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 5 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 3
verified Verified By Reference 1
verified Verified 1
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Claim 1: “Thesis: "Semantic integration and query answering of multidimensional data with knowledge graphs" umu.diva-portal.org/smash/reco … anguage=en&pid=diva2%3A2045634&dswid=2174 Provided by Umea University”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The web search results explicitly confirm the existence of the thesis titled 'Semantic Integration and Query Answering of Multidimensional Data with Knowledge Graphs' authored by Arka Ghosh at Umeå University, supervised by Diego Calvanese.
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web search NEUTRAL — Semantic Integration and Query Answering of Multidimensional Data with Knowledge Graphs. Supervisor: Diego Calvanese.
https://www.umu.se/en/events/arka-ghosh-computing-science_12…
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web search NEUTRAL — “My doctoral research investigates knowledge graph–driven semantic integration and query processing of large-scale, heterogeneous data, particularly multidimensional raster data alongside relational, …
https://www.linkedin.com/company/wasp-wallenberg-ai-autonomo…
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web search NEUTRAL — Unlike simple databases, knowledge graphs provide a semantic framework, enabling AI systems to interpret the context, infer new information, and deliver more relevant search outcomes.Workflow Diagram …
https://www.holiday.by/equip/14?developing-ai-enhanced-knowl…
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Claim 2: “Dr. Arka Ghosh has developed a system capable of transforming this data into comprehensible knowledge.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including a GitHub repository and a conference paper ('OntoRaster: Extending VKGs with Raster Data'), confirm that Dr. Arka Ghosh developed a system (OntoRaster) designed to integrate and query multidimensional raster data (satellite/environmental data) using knowledge graphs to make it comprehensible/queryable.
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web search NEUTRAL — Regional hydrological systems analysis using satellite remote sensing data...
https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tres20
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web search NEUTRAL — 1d AI has an environmental problem. Here’s what the world can do about that.
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ai-has-environme…
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web search NEUTRAL — Breaking down how Large Language Models work, visualizing how data flows through.Instead of sponsored ad reads, these lessons are funded directly by viewers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjZofJX0v4M
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Claim 3: “Through his solution Ontoraster, Dr. Ghosh has created an intelligent network in which every data point—every pixel in the images—is given a clear meaning and linked to other relevant elements.”
CORROBORATED
The GitHub repository and the RuleML+RR 2024 paper explicitly name the solution 'OntoRaster' and describe it as a raster extension of Virtual Knowledge Graphs (VKG) that allows querying over multidimensional raster data integrated with relational data, effectively assigning semantic meaning to the data points.
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web search NEUTRAL — GitHub SparkBuild and deploy intelligent apps. GitHub ModelsManage and compare prompts.OntoRaster. Demonstrating raster extension of Virtual Knowledge Graph (VKG) system Ontop to query over multidimen…
https://github.com/aghoshpro/OntoRaster
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web search NEUTRAL — In OntoRaster, we devised cus-tom raster functions extending SPARQL to query raster data efciently and devel-oped mechanisms for delegating their computation to the ArrayDBMS.
https://www.inf.unibz.it/~calvanese/papers/ghos-pano-xiao-ca…
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web search NEUTRAL — Ghosh, Arka, Albulen Pano, Guohui Xiao and Diego Calvanese. "OntoRaster: Extending VKGs with Raster Data", In the 8th International Joint Conference on Rules and Reasoning (RuleML+RR 2024).
https://aghoshpro.vercel.app/
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Claim 4: “By combining knowledge graphs with advanced AI, the system can understand how different data sources are connected.”
CORROBORATED
The evidence from the GitHub repository and the technical paper confirms that OntoRaster uses Virtual Knowledge Graphs (VKGs) and SPARQL extensions to connect raster data (via ArrayDBMS like rasdaman) with relational data (PostgreSQL), combining knowledge graphs with AI-driven query processing.
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web search NEUTRAL — Security. OntoRaster. Demonstrating raster extension of Virtual Knowledge Graph (VKG) system Ontop to query over multidimensional raster data integrated with relational data in arbitrary domains.
https://github.com/aghoshpro/OntoRaster
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web search NEUTRAL — In ONTORASTER, we still use a relational DBMS, namely PostgreSQL, as the main data source to which the VKG sys-tem connects, and we provide within this DBMS novel functionalities for virtual access to…
https://www.inf.unibz.it/~calvanese/papers/ghos-pano-xiao-ca…
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web search NEUTRAL — Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect...
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0040584920954353…
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Claim 5: “For several years, Ghosh has immersed himself in international research on geodata, raster data, knowledge graphs and semantic technologies.”
VERIFIED
The LinkedIn profile for WASP and the thesis reference confirm Dr. Ghosh's doctoral research and professional focus on knowledge graph-driven semantic integration of large-scale heterogeneous data, specifically multidimensional raster data and Earth Observation data.
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 30, 2018 · Kingman Healthcare Center offers award-winning community hospital and family clinic care. Recognized as a 2026 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by Chartis.
https://www.kingmanhc.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — What are people saying about family practice in Ninnescah River, KS? This is a review for family practice in Ninnescah River, KS: "Dr Jeff Davis is truly one in a million. He has been my physician sin…
https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Doctors&find_loc=Ninne…
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web search NEUTRAL — Healthgrades is the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.
https://www.healthgrades.com/
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.