Remote Sensing Technology
The term "remote sensing," was first used in the 1950s by Ms. Evelyn Pruitt of the U.S. Office of Naval Research, and is now commonly used to describe the science of identifying, observing, and measuring an object without coming into direct contact with it.
This process involves the detection and measurement of radiation of different wavelengths reflected or emitted from distant objects or materials, by which they may be identified and categorized by class/type, substance, and spatial distribution.
Additionally, it involves how this information is displayed once it has been relayed, including how the data is translated into digital imagery, presented in 2D and 3D, and color-coded & mapped. Hardware technology that must also be developed to retrieve that information, such as robotics.