As a technology company, Azavea is competing in an ever-changing market.  One way Azavea stays current with emerging technologies is by sanctioning research projects in variegated technologies, headed by full-time staff members.  Research projects range from Open Source projects to pro bono GIS services for the community.  One of these research projects involves the Yahoo! Widget Engine, which builds upon Azavea’s existing Web Services expertise.

Widgets are cross-platform applications that run inside of a runtime engine.  These widgets, while compact, are built upon an internet-ready engine that provides connectivity to URL resources and Web Services with minimal programming.

In addition, widgets have strong support for innovative interface designs, challenging the “window” interface modality that is ubiquitous across all desktop applications.

Development of widgets as new faces for existing Web Services pushes geographic data to lightweight and easily distributable clients, in addition to providing Web Services for application level support.  Azavea is continuously exploring ways to disseminate geographic knowledge; exploring and challenging the way existing knowledge is transacted enhances the company’s repertoire of geographic solutions.