Geneq Inc. announced it will be introducing two major product lines on Wednesday, June 10th at the 2013 Esri International User Conference in San Diego, CA.
According to the announcement, Geneq invites interested parties to attend the announcement at a lunch event on Wednesday, July 10th, 12:00p-12:50p, in Room 30C at the San Diego Convention Center. Lunch boxes and drinks will be provided and priority will be given to those who RSVP via email to Marcel Belanger [email protected].
The SXPad product line will be expanded with products that will set a new price/performance standard for sub-meter and centimeter accurate GNSS handheld devices.
The SXBlue product line will be expanded to include an interface to the Apple Ipad, for both sub-meter and centimeter accuracy.
Geneq reports that both announcements promise to introduce ground-breaking products that will set new standards for GNSS mapping and surveying receivers.
Laser Technology, Inc. (LTI) announced it will be unveiling two new TruPulse models July 9, 2013, at the Esri User Conference in San Diego, CA.
Currently in pre-production, LTI reports the new lasers will expand LTI’s TruPulse laser series that are already being used by tens of thousands of professionals worldwide. Listening to key market feedback, LTI has responded by addressing the need for both a lower cost professional measurement laser rangefinder and one that produces a higher level of accuracy.
Be among the first to see the newest additions to the TruPulse laser rangefinder family by visiting LTI’s Esri UC booth number 2517. Another new product to be showcased will be an LTI exclusive FotoMapr L100 GPS unit that integrates with the TruPulse and stores remote offset data. This is low-cost alternative to other GPS handheld devices.
LTI will also be demonstrating other mobile mapping solutions that delivers efficiency to field work, such as LaserGIS for ArcPad, ArcGIS for Mobile, a new LaserSoft Measure app for the iPhone and MapSmart that is packaged with a new lower-cost BAP data collector.
Esri UC attendees can learn how to map with smartphones, tablets and lasers by attending a lunch and learn session Wednesday, July 10 from 12:00– 1:00 p.m., in Room 28C. LTI will be co-hosting the session with GeoSpatial Experts, the leader in photo mapping software.
The presentation will walk through the entire process of capturing geo-tagged photos, remotely positioning your target and measuring additional height data using GeoJot+ and a TruPulse laser.
The field data can then be synced to the cloud and GeoJot+ Core can process everything in the office to create ArcGIS and Google Earth compatible files.
Professionals in forestry, natural resource management, public works, utilities, mining, telecommunication or any other discipline that collects and reports GIS data, will walk away from the Esri UC with knowledge about the most advanced laser measurement and mapping tools available.
ABI Research announced that more than 39 million tablets shipped worldwide during the first calendar quarter of 2013, representing the second largest volume of shipments to date; only bested by the previous quarter ending calendar year 2012. The spending power of the largest three world regions and availability of new, higher cost Windows devices from PC OEMs are continuing to drive market awareness and growth.
Tablets remain a lucrative market for the three largest world regions for consumer electronics and computer adoption: North America, Western Europe, and Asia-Pacific’s Japan and South Korea. “Three regions of the world are expected to yield 97% of tablet revenues in 2013,” says senior practice director Jeff Orr. “North America is forecasted to claim nearly half of the estimated $72 billion expected to be spent this year on tablet devices. Western Europe and Asia-Pacific will also have their hands in the honey pot for a combined 50% of world tablet revenues, respectively.”
Contributing to the revenue growth is the broader availability of Windows-based tablets. ABI Research estimates only 1.5 million Microsoft Surface tablets shipped during 1Q’2013. “The average selling prices for Windows 8 and Windows RT are higher than other platforms, which is keeping price erosion minimized,” adds Orr. Several tablet partners have joined Microsoft in launching Windows tablets, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, and Vizio. Businesses, many of which have loyal Windows PC followings, are a prime growth audience for tablets.
These “Media Tablets and eReaders” Market Data findings are part of ABI Research’s Media Tablets, Ultrabooks & eReaders Research Service which includes Research Reports, Market Data, Insights, and Competitive Assessments on technologies and vendor ecosystems shaping the tablet computing industry.
Esri has announced increased subscription value for ArcGIS Online that it says enables users to do more with the web mapping platform. Because of the popularity of ArcGIS Online, Esri is now able to reduce the cost of several services and make others available as part of the subscription. This means that organizations can create more interactive maps and apps and share them using fewer credits, or for no cost, Esri said.
“Organizations everywhere are succeeding with ArcGIS Online,” says Jack Dangermond, president, Esri. “Its popularity has resulted in economies of scale that translate into reduced costs. We’re passing those savings on to our users. By increasing the value of ArcGIS Online credits, it’s easier than ever for businesses, governments, and individuals to create, publish, and share maps in the cloud.”
Organizations with ArcGIS Online will have:
• Unlimited bandwidth usage (outbound data transfer) is now included with the ArcGIS Online subscription.
• Uploading tile packages from ArcGIS for Desktop is now also included with the subscription.
• Geocoding costs have been reduced by 50 percent.
• Routing and geoenrichment costs have been reduced nearly 65 percent.
• Infographics costs have been reduced by more than 80 percent per view.
Esri will continually introduce new services to the ArcGIS Online subscription. For instance, Esri Updated Demographics and other data will be available with the July release of ArcGIS Online.
Organizations can start taking advantage of the new subscription value with the July release of ArcGIS Online. At that time, Esri will provide more details about the service credit reduction.
View an interactive map of U.S. wildfire locations, perimeters, fire potential areas, global burn areas, wind conditions, and precipitation via streaming data from NIFC, GeoMAC, NHSS, MODIS, METAR/TAF, and the USDA Forest Service, Fire Modeling Institute. Click the About menu for more information.
See the real-time effects of the fires via social media posts. To change the search terms, go to the Social menu, click the settings icon, and update the keyword. Click here to visit the interactive website:
Market Research firm Research and Markets forecasts the GIS market in Europe to reach US$3.3 billion by 2016. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increasing demand from the government sector. The GIS market in Europe has also been witnessing the development of integrated GIS systems. However, the need for high initial investment could pose a challenge to the growth of this market.
According to the announcement, the report, the GIS Market in Europe 2012-2016, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the GIS market in Europe landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.
Commenting on the report, an analyst from the Enterprise Computing team said: “GIS market vendors are providing customized GIS solutions to meet specific industry requirements/applications as several end-users prefer customized GIS solutions to retain their competitiveness in the market. Customized GIS solutions are cost effective and this acts as a driving factor for its increased adoption over regular GIS solutions. The emergence of customized GIS solution also eliminates the need for high initial investment, and thus has increases its adoption. Therefore, the increasing focus on providing application-specific GIS solutions acts as a major trend in the GIS market in Europe.”
According to the report, one of the major drivers in the market is the increasing demand of GIS technology from Government sectors. Many government and military organizations are increasing investments in GIS technology to effectively increase national infrastructure and security.
Further, the report states that one of the major challenges faced in the market is the need for high initial investment. GIS technology requires high capital investment which affects the growth of this market in industries such as Retail, Telecom, Real Estate, and Transportation and Logistics as complexities involved in acquiring real-time data increases the overall cost of GIS solutions.
The report also includes a discussion of the other vendors operating in this market. The other vendors in the market are Bentley Systems Inc., Autodesk Inc., GE Energy, GeoEye Inc., Ubisense Group plc, and Digital Globe Inc.
The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors.
Bing Maps announces a number of updates to Bing Maps, including the largest shipment of Bird’s Eye imagery yet, nearly 270 terabytes of data, along with expanded venue maps and a new “Report a problem” feature.
Bing Maps Bird’s Eye View
According to the announcement, Bird’s Eye Imagery is captured at a 45-degree angle, giving depth and three-dimensionality to ortho photography.
To date, Bing reports it has published a total of 1,452,958 square kilometers, or half a petabyte of data, of Bird’s Eye scenes from around the world. Look for yellow in the below world map to see Bing’s new Bird’s Eye coverage from this release:
Visual Intelligence unveiled its new geoimaging solution, iOne Infrastructure Metric Mapping System (iOne IMS), which it calls a major technological milestone for infrastructure metric mapping and surveying. iOne IMS allows aerial imaging companies to capture more imagery and data at a fraction of the up-front investment and operating cost of competing products, allowing them to do much more for less, the company said.
Oblique Imagery of Transmission Tower Insulators from iOne IMS Sensor. Courtesy: Visual Intelligence
According to the announcement, when installed on aircraft, the iOne IMS collects ortho, stereo, forward and backward oblique, multispectral 4-band and point cloud product generation—all in a single pass. Visual Intelligence is launching the iOne IMS today at RIEGL LIDAR 2013 during the International Airborne, Mobile, Terrestrial and Industrial User Conference in Vienna, Austria. Visual Intelligence President and CEO Dr. Armando Guevara is a featured speaker at the event where he will present “The Making of the iOne IMS + Riegl: From Design to Delivery.”
“Sensor solutions for infrastructure metric mapping and surveying have traditionally been expensive, single-purpose devices that are not scalable, not flexible, hard to work with, and difficult to service and maintain,” said Guevara. “But iOne IMS represents a new generation of standards-based, multi-purpose sensor solutions that delivers the performance, quality and precision that mapping and surveying professional need to grow their businesses.”
The company reports that iOne IMS is based on Visual Intelligence’s award-winning iOne Sensor Tool Kit Architecture (STKA), which is a next-generation software/hardware foundation for high-performing, multi-purpose 2D-3D geo-imaging sensors for aerial, terrestrial and mobile applications. iOne IMS is highly scalable both in terms of collection and functionality. Customers can easily expand from a medium-format iOne system to a large-format system. Customers can also buy only the functionality they need in the short term and then add more functionality as needed later on. Traditional solutions force customers to buy more functionality than they need, which increases capital equipment purchase and maintenance cost.
iOne IMS can be mounted on airplanes, helicopters and UAVs to support a wide range of projects:
• Cadastral inventory
• Roads and rails surveys
• Construction surveys and monitoring
• Oil and gas pipeline corridor mapping
• Coastal surveys and environmental monitoring
• River and body of water surveys and water quality control
• Vegetation inventory and classification
• Forest and agricultural monitoring
• Disaster rapid response
• And many others
Finally, the company reported that the iOne IMS will be optimized for UAV, UAS and Mobile applications. Miniaturized versions will be usable in interior mapping, Building Information Management (BIM) and other mobile close range photogrammetry (3D) applications that leverage cell phone technology.
Intermap Technologies announces the launch of its Orion Platform, a Software-Driven Spatial Data Platform. The Orion Platform is designed to allow governmental entities to manage a country’s entire spatial data infrastructure program from one unified control point. Around the world, governments are increasingly using geospatial data to manage infrastructure, weather related risks, agriculture, excavation, national security, and much more.
During 2013, Intermap has announced initial phase contracts involving Orion Platform installations in two countries, totaling approximately $16 million . The Intermap Orion Platform becomes officially available today.
According to the announcement, Intermap’s Orion Platform addresses the geospatial data management cost and complexity challenge by enabling customers to choose the products and services that are right for them based on their scope, budget, and timeline. Intermap manages and delivers a multitude of fused geospatial datasets and their associated analytics in a simplified standard format.
Two years in the making, Intermap’s Orion Platform is unique in several ways:
Immediate delivery of 3D business Intelligence (3DBI) applications using NEXTMap World 30 data anywhere in the world
Converts and presents all types of geospatial data in a common format for a consistent and easy management
Provides a common programming interface so that software applications have a standard approach to access and manipulate the geospatial data to quickly derive answers
“Intermap’s Orion Platform is now the fastest “on-ramp” to the geospatial superhighway for governments around the world,” said Todd Oseth, Intermap president and CEO. “Orion has been two years in the making and represents the sum of Intermap’s strategic plans driven by the convergence of our proprietary data fusion techniques, web-based applications, and rising government mandates for on-demand analytics.”
Intermap’s Orion Platform has five integrated layers:
Geospatial Services: Auditing and custom data collection
Foundation Data: Seamless, off-the-shelf, high-resolution elevation data
Data Fusion: Robust integration of multiple datasets into one homogeneous data specification
3DBI: Web-based applications for both GIS and non-GIS professionals
Platform Delivery Services: Array of SaaS-based and LAN-based delivery methods
Oseth continued, “For instance, some customers need immediate access to terrain data for their area of interest, and for that we offer NEXTMap World 30. Other customers require a custom data collection of their country’s water drainage basins including rivers, lakes, and coastlines for weather related risk management and for that we offer our custom geospatial services. And still other customers require the integration of multiple elevation datasets with high-resolution imagery and weather data, and for that we offer a combination of geospatial auditing, data fusion, web-based applications, and cloud-based or LAN-based hosting. The Orion Platform does it all quickly and at the industry’s best price points.”
Earlier this week, I stepped outside of the box I’ve resided in for many years when I wrote a GPS World article about a specific product. It was unusual because for the more than seven years I’ve been writing for GPS World, I’ve never written specifically about a certain product. No, I’m not caving into advertiser (or potential advertiser) pressure or influence. I don’t play that game. I’ve chosen to write about specific products or services when I feel they represent significant industry changes.
Now, for Geospatial Solutions this week, I’m in the same predicament. So, for the second time in a week, I’m stepping outside of my box.
Since its incorporation, Trimble Navigation’s name has been synonymous with GPS devices. Its mission, at least to me, was to build GPS receivers and software solutions to sell its GPS receivers. Historically, the company has made it difficult for other companies to utilize their technology. I recall back in the 1990s when I was in charge of GPS mapping hardware/software for one of Trimble’s competitors. Trimble submeter GPS base stations blanketed the U.S. (and many parts of the world) and the company kept the data in the proprietary SSF format so that none of its competitors could use its base-station data. Trimble’s GPS/GIS ecosystem was closed to their competitors and their market share for GPS mapping devices (such as GeoExplorer or GeoXT/XH) dominated the GPS/GIS mapping industry. Trimble’s distribution channel thrived, which further contributed to its market dominance.
For a long time, the device-centric marketing strategy worked well for Trimble employees and shareholders. However, every party must come to an end, and this case is no exception.
In Trimble’s latest financial release (April 30, 2013), the company reported that GIS revenues declined in its third quarter and that “Non-GAAP operating margin was down primarily due to product mix in GIS sales.”
The days of high-end GNSS receivers dominating the GIS data-collection market are coming to an end. Yes, there will be some innovative new features like inertial positioning, MEMS and other positioning technologies that will allow manufacturers to command a higher price, but the cost of mainstream, high-precision GNSS devices is declining and will continue to decline. Furthermore, tablets and mobile phones muddy the waters as they are increasingly more powerful devices that can run powerful data-collection software.
What is Trimble doing about this?
This week, the company introduced the Trimble TerraFlex software ecosystem.
I saw a sneak preview of the concept a couple of months ago. When I saw it, I knew it was a paradigm shift from the classic Trimble device-centric ecosystem to a device-agnostic, workflow-centric ecosystem.
Translated: You can use any mobile device and/or GPS receiver of your choosing within Trimble’s TerraFlex ecosystem.
Perhaps the coolest feature of the software is that you can run it on an Apple (iOS 5 or later), Android (4.x or later), or Windows Mobile (6.5 or later) device. In these days of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) to work, that’s a powerful feature. Support for Windows Phone devices is missing, but that’s understandable because of the lack of traction for those devices to this point.
TerraFlex supports iOS (5 or later), Android (4.x or later), and Windows Mobile (6.5 or later)
Of course, it’s still an ecosystem, so although the mobile apps are free, you must subscribe to Trimble’s cloud service ($250/year per user), much like using the free ArcGIS for Android/iOS/WindowsMobile apps requires an Esri cloud subscription. However, at $21/month it’s very affordable and flexible. Use any GPS/GNSS receiver you like and use the mobile device you are comfortable with.
With the desktop software, you can build the data-collection form for the mobile device, complete with attributing.
TerraFlex Form Editor for designing mobile device data-collection forms
In speaking with the Trimble marketing folks about the ecosystem, their intent is not only to reach the traditional people involved in GIS data collection, but also those who aren’t, such as a city public works crew, a utility worker, a construction worker or others who are already comfortable with the mobile device they carry. Will it work? Perhaps, but it will take someone at the enterprise level to assume the lead in designing the forms. Either way, it’s probably got the best potential to reach the non-GIS market that I’ve seen so far.
However, building a better mousetrap doesn’t always work. In 1960, Jerome McCarthy published Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach, which discussed the four Ps of marketing: product, price, promotion, place (distribution). With geospatial technologies, especially geospatial hardware, place (distribution) has played an important role. In fact, dealer support can make or break a new product or deny a company access to the market. In thinking about Trimble, its mapping and GIS division (in its various forms) has built a strong dealer network over the past 20+ years, and salespeople in its distribution channel have been selling device-centric products since the beginning. This is going to be a serious issue in promoting Trimble’s TerraFlex software. Trimble dealer salespeople are accustomed to selling hardware, not services. Furthermore, Trimble dealers are accustomed to receiving 20 percent margin on GPS receivers that sell for thousands of dollars, and sales of those devices has been pretty easy due to Trimble’s market dominance. That won’t be the case with TerraFlex. It’s a new concept that will require the salesperson to sell the concept, not a device that one can hold in one’s hand. How seriously will salespeople promote a service that sells for $250/year per device? How can one convince and transform a dealer salesforce from being device-centric to workflow-centric? That task may be more difficult to accomplish than the effort it took to design and write the TerraFlex software.
Summary: A look at the challenge of dealing with horizontal datums in your GIS. We are moving into a new era in dealing with datum transformations. Geodata 2.0 is coming, and it can create big headaches when attempting to combine disparate geospatial databases. Sensors such as GPS receivers, remote sensing imagery, and 3D scanning provide much more accurate data, setting up a collision with outdated and mismatched legacy horizontal datums.
Speakers:
Kevin Kelly, Geodesist, ESRI, Inc.
Kevin Kelly is a Geodesist with ESRI in Redlands, California where he researches and implements geodetic algorithms and applications for the ArcGIS software. His experience spans over 35 years in hydrography, geodesy, surveying and most recently, geographic information systems. He has held the posts of Manager of Geodetic Services for the Province of Ontario, Chief Geodesist for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Military Survey Department and Senior Project Surveyor for The Keith Companies (now Stantec, Inc.). Mr. Kelly received a Master of Applied Science in Geodesy at the University of Toronto, Canada and holds an Honors Diploma in Hydrographic Surveying Technology from Humber College in Toronto. He is also a licensed Geodetic Surveyor in the Province of Ontario, Canada.
Craig Greenwald, Technical Director, GeoMobile Innovations
Craig Greenwald is the Technical Director and a principal at GeoMobile Innovations Inc. He has worked in the GPS and Mobile GIS industry for over 13 years, including seven years for GIS software leader, ESRI and is well known for his work on the ESRI ArcPad team. Craig leads the GeoMobile software development and consulting team specializing in Mobile GIS and field data collection applications and technology providing Mobile GIS software, consulting, and training services to GeoMobile Innovations? clients. Craig has real world experience designing, implementing, and consulting on all sizes of projects, ranging from local campground trash mapping to the U.S. national census, and has been a key developer in GeoMobile?s commercial applications such as LaserGIS for ArcPad and Geo-Photo Inventory Tool for Garmin GPS solutions.
Michael L. Dennis, RLS, PE, Geodesist, NOAA
Michael L. Dennis, RLS, PE, is a geodesist at NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) where his duties include analysis of geometric (“horizontal”) and vertical datums; evaluation of data processing and survey network adjustment procedures; development and promotion of standards and guidelines; integration of NGS products and services with GIS; and public outreach. Mr. Dennis is also a registered professional engineer and surveyor with private sector experience, including ownership of a consulting and surveying firm. Mr. Dennis is an officer of the American Association for Geodetic Surveying (AAGS), an American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) Fellow, and a member of the Arizona Professional Land Surveyors Association and the Geomatics Division of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Moderator:
Eric Gakstatter, Editor of Geospatial Solutions Monthly and Survey Scene
Eric Gakstatter has been involved in the GPS/GNSS industry for more than 20 years. For 10 years, he held several product management positions in the GPS/GNSS industry, managing the development of several medium- and high-precision GNSS products along with associated data-collection and post-processing software.
Trimble has introduced TerraFlex, a new software and services platform to manage data collection activities for everyday geospatial projects. Trimble TerraFlex helps managers maintain control of the flow of geo-enabled field data, the company said.
According to the announcement, two essential components comprise the TerraFlex platform — cloud services and a mobile app. With an online data repository and streamlined toolset for creating custom form templates, TerraFlex Cloud services provide managers and team leaders with a centralized system to configure and manage the data collection process. In the field, the TerraFlex Mobile app provides a common interface for users of a range of common mobile and smart devices. The result is more flexibility in the field and streamlined integration of data into the office environment.
Trimble reports that regardless of the type of mobile device preferred — iOS, Android or Windows Mobile — the TerraFlex interface provides a consistent experience. For dedicated data collection activities, a user can choose a professional field device such as a Trimble Juno GPS handheld. For ad-hoc fieldwork, the user can also use a standard smartphone to access the same flexible form templates. Managers responsible for integrating field data can now be confident that all users, regardless of field hardware platform are following trusted field workflows.
With the evolution of smartphones, more field workers now have access to basic positioning technologies and can contribute to the geospatial initiative. Trimble TerraFlex provides an intuitive interface for capturing data in the field, standardizing workflows and streamlining integration of data with the office.
“With Trimble TerraFlex, organizations can deploy a common workflow to collect or inspect their assets,” said Daniel Wallace, general manager of Trimble’s GIS Data Collection Division. “Designed for simplicity in a mobile environment, Trimble TerraFlex can enable a new generation of field workers to contribute to geospatial initiatives.”
Regardless of whether mobile workers are using Trimble devices or smartphones, virtually everyone can be both a producer and consumer of geospatial data. With minimal or no training required for field crews, managers and project leaders can get diverse teams working together fast. All field data is captured via the cloud for integration into a GIS, database or mapping application.
Trimble TerraFlex is available online now. The Mobile apps are available in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play store. TerraFlex is also available through Trimble’s authorized GIS and Survey distribution channels. To learn more about Trimble TerraFlex and register for a free 30-day trial of the system, visit www.trimble-terraflex.com.
Google announces the Google Maps Engine API, allowing developers to bring the power of Maps Engine into their own applications. With a single map, an organization can locate underground pipelines, decide on the best place to build their next store, or inform customers about cell phone coverage areas.
According to the announcement, Maps Engine lets organizations use Google’s fast and reliable cloud infrastructure to layer their data on top of a Google Map and share their custom-made Google Maps with employees, customers or the public-at-large. At the push of a button an organization can share their maps internally or publish them on the web, making it easy to access their data from anywhere.
The API provides direct access to Maps Engine for reading and editing spatial data hosted in the cloud. With the API, organizations can develop on any platform – web, Android, iOS and server-to-server – and build applications like store locators, crowdsourced maps or crisis-response maps. For example, FedEx.com uses the API to query its more than 50,000 retail locations and IRIS creates applications for utilities to track underground pipelines.
