GPS World

Category: Mapping

  • Notilo Plus launches iBubble intelligent autonomous underwater drone

    The Notilo Plus team with the iBubble. (Photo: Notilo Plus)
    The Notilo Plus team with the iBubble. (Photo: Notilo Plus)

    Notilo Plus has launched iBubble, a fully wireless, autonomous and intelligent underwater drone. iBubble can accompany divers for up to an hour and down to 197 feet depth, acting as their personal cameraman and enabling superior underwater imaging.

    Founded in 2016, Notilo Plus is a Marseille, France-based start-up created to develop intelligent underwater exploration technologies.

    The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was designed using Notilo Plus’ patented underwater localization technology, enabling subaquatic adventures without tethers. It comes with an advanced artificial intelligence system, offering total autonomy and self-learning capabilities.

    The localization technology is mainly based on acoustic signal transmission and image recognition (video tracking). By combining these technologies, iBubble is able to locate precisely its target underwater and thus shoot perfectly stable footage.

    iBubble is equipped with an obstacle avoidance system, which allows it to smoothly follow a diver, while obtaining images of unparalleled quality for personal or commercial use, the company said. It features real-time image recognition, a stabilization system and direct surface control, bringing outstanding performance to underwater imaging.

    The iBubble ROV is an environmentally conscious device — it does not disturb the fragile marine ecosystem thanks to its minimal noise emission levels and its obstacle-avoidance capability.

    iBubble can be used for sports and entertainment filming, diving instruction, wildlife protection, search-and-rescue operations, naval or underwater infrastructure maintenance, and subsea patrolling.

    “We are excited to introduce to the world the first fully wireless, autonomous underwater drone,” said Nicolas Gambini, CEO of Notilo Plus. “With the countless cutting-edge technologies brought by the iBubble, coupled with its ability to bring exceptional pictures and video footage, this is a remarkable and versatile device for any diving activity.”

    The device is now available for order globally. The first batches of iBubble drones will be delivered to the customers, including the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign supporters, from mid-November 2018.

  • Bentley Systems to acquire AIworx for machine learning, IoT

    Bentley Systems to acquire AIworx for machine learning, IoT

    Bentley Systems has entered an agreement to acquire Quebec City-based AIworx, provider of machine learning and internet of things (IoT) technologies and services.

    Bentley Systems is the leading global provider of software solutions to engineers, architects, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators for the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure.

    The addition of AIworx brings advancements in data collection and analysis to leverage infrastructure engineering digital twins, continuously updated with real-time contextual information, to optimize productivity, operations and maintenance, Bentley Systems said.

    Bentley Systems also announced the acquisition of ACE enterprise Slovakia, provider of innovative technology solutions to interface with enterprise resource planning (ERP), enterprise asset management (EAM), and geographical information systems. ACE enterprise has been a technology partner of Bentley Systems, and the ACE Enterprise Platform is used for the Bentley AssetWise connector that is certified for both SAP ERP and SAP HANA.

    AIworx machine learning and IoT technologies leverage digital twins’ analytics visibility for infrastructure asset performance. (Image: Bentley Systems)
    AIworx machine learning and IoT technologies leverage digital twins’ analytics visibility for infrastructure asset performance. (Image: Bentley Systems)

    “AIworx has been providing machine learning and IoT technologies and services to help organizations generate, understand, and act on data so they can make better business decisions,” said Andre Villemaire, co-founder and president of AIworx.

    “The biggest opportunities we’ve worked on have to do with improving infrastructure asset performance on an industrial scale, by way of the data from connected machines, instrumentation, sensors, and communications systems — and we’re excited to dedicate ourselves to that advancement,” Villemaire continued. “Now, by incorporating our tools into Bentley’s services for digital twins, we enable infrastructure operators to multiply the potential benefits of machine learning and IoT.”

    “Machine learning and IoT technologies have created the opportunity for profound improvements in productivity and efficiency of infrastructure,” said Francois Valois, vice president of portfolio development for Bentley Systems. “Our new colleagues from AIworx have already been delivering on this potential, and now, leveraging the analytics visibility, which Bentley’s digital twin cloud services uniquely provide, these advancements from going digital will accelerate exponentially.”

    Alexander Cimbalak, founder of ACE enterprise, said, “We have enjoyed our partnership with Bentley to provide enterprise connectors and are very excited to be part of Bentley and also now to enable Bentley’s digital twin cloud services to uniquely synchronize with infrastructure assets’ enterprise IT, OT, and ET data sources.”

    Alan Kiraly, senior vice president, asset performance for Bentley Systems, said, “ACE enterprise has consistently overcome IT interoperability challenges for us at Bentley. Now, as colleagues, this talented team will enable us to continue to expand the scope and breadth of information that can be accessed through AssetWise and digitally aligned within infrastructure digital twins.”

  • CHC Navigation introduces Alpha3D mobile mapper

    CHC Navigation introduces Alpha3D mobile mapper

    Photo: CHC Navigation
    Photo: CHC Navigation

    CHC Navigation has launched the Alpha3D Mobile Mapping solution, which provides a unique combination of sensor technologies and the company’s core GNSS expertise.

    The Alpha3D is a high-performance, vehicle-independent mobile mapping solution that can capture mass data in continuously changing world environments, enabling geospatial professionals to get work done quickly and more accurately to increase their return on investment.

    The Alpha3D can be mounted on a variety of platforms, including different type of vehicles, trains, railway trolleys and boats. It rapidly and efficiently collects high density, accurate point clouds and powerful image data. It also adds extra information from additional sensors, such as a high-resolution camera, thermal camera, echo sounder or extra profiler.

    The Alpha3D combines high-performance hardware — including a long range, ultra-high speed, precise laser scanner, high-resolution HDR panoramic camera in combination with an advanced GNSS receiver and high-precision inertial measurement unit (IMU) — in one instrument in a light weight, compact yet rugged design, according to George Zhao, CEO of CHC Navigation.

    “All theses features keep Alpha3D as one of most innovative system in market today,” Zhao said.

    “With Alpha3D, users can collect more data faster and reduce time in the field more than 40% compared to traditional surveying instruments,” said Andrei Gobb, product manager of Mobile Mapping Solutions. “By combination of point clouds and high-resolution images, as well as information from additional sensors, there is no need to return to site for remeasurement.”

     

  • Trimble announces new geospatial products at Dimensions conference

    Trimble announces new geospatial products at Dimensions conference

    Trimble introduced several new geospatial products at its annual Trimble Dimensions user conference, which took place Nov. 5-7 in Las Vegas.

    The Trimble R4sLE GNSS receiver. (Photo: Trimble)
    The TrimbleR4sLE GNSS receiver. (Photo: Trimble)

    Forensics GNSS Solution. The Trimble Forensics GNSS solution combines the Trimble T10 tablet or TDC100 handheld with the Trimble Forensics Capture software and the Trimble R4sLE GNSS receiver.

    The solution enhances forensics fieldwork by improving efficiency and broadening the range of data collection technologies available using the same, proven software. Trimble Forensics Capture software supports GNSS-based workflows and works with the Trimble R4sLE receiver, or any Trimble R-series receivers. Options for data collection now include GNSS, 3D scanners, total stations and unmanned aerial systems.

    Trimble Forensics Capture software. (Image: Trimble)
    Trimble Forensics Capture software. (Image: Trimble)

    Key features:

    • Forensics Capture field software, designed with the help of law enforcement, uses industry terminology and Wizard-based workflows, making it easy to learn and easy to use.
    • Built-in ground scaling and local coordinate system for every scene so there is no need for site calibrations.
    • Integrated surveying workflows for GNSS, Trimble SX10 or total stations.
    • Storage for all collected data within the same Capture file, including GNSS, total stations or the SX10.
    • An IP-67 rated Trimble R4sLE receiver, which is protected from dust and capable of withstanding water immersion up to a 1 meter for 30 minutes.

    The new solution is expected to available in December 2018.

    Trimble Business Center v5.0. (Image: Trimble)
    Trimble Business Center v5.0. (Image: Trimble)

    New version of Business Center. Version 5.0 of Trimble Business Center merges two products, Trimble Business Center and Business Center – HCE, to provide both surveying and civil construction customers with a complete office software solution. Combining both products into one platform provides a larger set of tools and data interoperability between survey and construction workflows.

    New capabilities:

    • Support for mobile mapping and terrestrial scanning data from systems such as the Trimble MX9 mobile mapping system and the Trimble TX series terrestrial scanners.
    • Ability to combine high-quality flight data from Delair unmanned aerial systems (UAS) with other sensor data for the rapid creation of vivid orthomosaics and highly accurate surface models. Survey and construction professionals can now integrate these multi-sensor data types within the single software environment.
    • Intelligent new tools for the creation of computer-aided design (CAD) and geographic information system (GIS) deliverables, corridor inspection reports and tunnel as-built analysis from complex 3D point clouds.
    • The addition of automated feature extraction, powered by Trimble eCognition software, to dramatically reduce the time to extract features, such as trees, poles and signs, from point cloud data.
    • New multi-slice capabilities, combined with cutting plane workflows, which allow users to quickly extract cross sections from point clouds at intervals along a linear geometry, further streamlining corridor redesign and maintenance reporting.
    •  Trimble Macro Language (TML), which allows survey and construction professionals to customize data computations and add new CAD and GIS workflows to fit specific local requirements.

    New Versions of eCognition Software. Trimble’s eCognition is a software platform for advanced geospatial image analysis for environmental, agriculture, forestry and infrastructure applications.The software extracts accurate geo-information from remote sensing data; eCognition’s intelligent information extraction capabilities accelerate mapping, change detection and object recognition by delivering standardized and reproducible image analysis results.

    Updates:

    • eCognition Suite 9.4 — An improved data management and visualization user interface,  algorithms for common feature extraction operations and enhanced 3D data visualization to streamline the development workflow for automatic extraction of valuable information from images and point cloud data. The new capabilities increase the productivity of remote sensing specialists, GIS experts, cartographers, photogrammetrists and geospatial professionals.
    • eCognition Oil Palm Application 1.3 — A specific solution that provides oil palm plantation managers with valuable information from UAS data that enables them to efficiently manage the plantation. Version 1.3 introduces extended functionality to identify gaps within the plantation to maximize productivity and to enable more sustainable management.
  • SimActive’s Correlator3D used to assess Hurricane Michael damage

    SimActive’s Correlator3D used to assess Hurricane Michael damage

    Aerial imagery of the devastation from Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Florida. (Image: SimActive)
    Correlator3D was used to process large format imagery collected by Midwest over Mexico Beach, Florida. (Image: SimActive)

    SimActive Inc., developer of photogrammetry software Correlator3D, has partnered with Midwest Aerial to perform damage assessments of Hurricane Michael.

    Correlator3D was used to process large format imagery collected by Midwest over Mexico Beach, Florida. The joint effort resulted in highly precise geospatial data, including a digital surface model (DSM), an orthomosaic and a 3D model, the company said.

    “This is a terrible disaster for the people affected and we hope they can benefit from geospatial technologies available,” said Philippe Simard, president of SimActive.

    The gallery below shows samples of the imagery collected.

    SimActive’s Correlator3D is a patented end-to-end photogrammetry solution for the generation of high-quality geospatial data from satellite and aerial imagery, including UAVs. Correlator3D performs aerial triangulation and produces dense DSM, digital terrain models, point clouds, orthomosaics, 3D models and vectorized 3D features.

    Powered by GPU technology and multi-core CPUs, Correlator3D ensures high processing speed to support rapid production of large datasets, the company added.

    Midwest Aerial Photography focuses on acquiring high-quality aerial imagery and companion data in support of photogrammetric mapping projects across the United States and Canada. Midwest partners and clients include federal, state and local government agencies, as well as photogrammetric firms and architectural and engineering companies.

  • Nearmap introduces roof pitch and area tools for solar and roofing

    Nearmap introduces roof pitch and area tools for solar and roofing

    Nearmap high-resolution aerial image showcasing new toolset in MapBrowser, captured Sept. 15, 2018. (Image: Nearmap)
    Nearmap high-resolution aerial image showcasing new toolset in MapBrowser, captured Sept. 15, 2018. (Image: Nearmap)

    Nearmap has introduced a complete measurement toolset in MapBrowser for the solar, roofing and other rooftop industries.

    The new tools allow users to measure roof-pitch, height, width and area, enabling roofers and solar installers to confidently measure rooftops and structures from high-resolution oblique aerial images, the company said.

    The new MapBrowser helps customers significantly reduce onsite visits during the quoting and planning stages of projects and complements their remote roof/site inspection workflows, giving many small businesses the power of expensive systems that only large companies use.

    “Gone are the days of climbing on roofs to take measurements,” said Tony Agresta, executive vice president of product at Nearmap. “Delivered to the cloud within days of capture, our aerial imagery allows roofers, solar companies and other small businesses to carry out assessments from the comfort of their office. Once the domain of large companies, the new features provide businesses of all shapes and sizes with the tools they need to save time, plan and estimate more accurately at a fraction of the price.”

    Using Nearmap’s new tools, roofers and solar companies will be able to:

    • Prospect more efficiently by viewing and expanding opportunities through aerial maps instead of other, more traditional ways.
    • Process leads more quickly by qualifying prospects prior to visiting a potential job.
      Reduce costs associated with the qualification and proposal stages.
    • Create better proposals using up-to-date, high-resolution photos, giving companies a better chance at winning a client’s business.
    • Close more sales with the most accurate and competitive quotes.
      Increase revenue without adding systems or headcount.

    Businesses in construction, home building, painting, insurance and other industries can also benefit from these new tools to accurately measure areas on properties in three dimensions. Nearmap’s aerial imagery can help users to show context for work being done, and the imagery can be annotated with notes, drawings and measurements that provide details of the plan.

    Nearmap Oblique imagery can be accessed through a standard web browser using Nearmap’s intuitive MapBrowser application. In addition, Nearmap Oblique photos are published at sub-7.5cm ground sampling distance (GSD) — better than satellite imagery — which allows users to see great detail, Nearmap said.

  • U.S. Army invests in virtual reality training

    U.S. Army invests in virtual reality training

    The U.S. Army considers virtual reality training as an important path ahead to prepare warfighters.

    The U.S. Army awarded Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) a major extension to demonstrate technologies for a cloud-enabled, virtual world training capability.

    BISim is a global developer of advanced military training and simulation software.

    The contract award helps meet the requirements of the Army’s Synthetic Training Environment (STE) initiative. STE aims to converge virtual, constructive and gaming training environments into a single unified architecture.

    The ambitious STE project will enable simulation systems Army-wide to leverage a persistent virtual world for any imaginable training need, including support for multi-domain operations incorporating cyber and space.

    Central to STE is a cloud-enabled One World Terrain (OWT) that will let warfighters conduct virtual training and complex simulations anywhere on a virtual representation of the Earth. OWT will leverage cloud technologies to deliver to the point of need, ensuring a common and high-fidelity whole-Earth terrain representation for a multitude of different simulation systems.

    The Synthetic Training Environment will assess Soldiers in enhancing decision-making skills through an immersive environment. (Photo: U.S. Army)
    The Synthetic Training Environment will assess Soldiers in enhancing decision-making skills through an immersive environment. (Photo: U.S. Army)

    “The U.S. Army’s vision for STE marks a monumental change in how they acquire, develop and deliver new simulation and virtual training technologies to soldiers,” said Pete Morrison, BISim’s co-CEO and chief product officer. “We’re honored to be selected to assist the Army in developing innovative solutions that will shape the future of how virtual training is used to enhance operational readiness.”

    BISim has been developing its next generation of simulation technologies since 2014. The new technology suite includes a cutting-edge, military-specific whole-earth game engine, deterministic AI, an efficient geospatial terrain server and component-based development technology.

    BISim technology underpins funded research and development for One World Terrain. Additionally, BISim recently demonstrated Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Trainer (RCVT) prototypes for STE. The latest OTA extension is a significant ramp up in the breadth and ambition of the technology being demonstrated.

    BISim’s STE offering includes four core technologies uniquely suited to meeting future military simulation requirements (including U.S. Army requirements).

    VBS Blue. A high-performance, whole-planet data ingestion and rendering engine with a very high level of procedural detail, designed to ingest any conceivable terrain data format as well as source data directly. VBS Blue will support networked (cloud) terrain paging and geo-specific insets as well as the latest graphics technologies. It provides photorealistic detail, and includes a massive vegetation library representing every region on Earth. The technology is highly applicable across all types of image generation and is optimized for many AR/VR applications.

    STEWS. A geospatial data server that provides efficient networked access to the various data sources required for rendering applications. STEWS provides a curated database of terrain data layers that can be streamed into any STE-connected client application at run time (including non-BISim applications). Any application connected to STEWS can stream high fidelity terrain data in a performant manner. Both new and legacy terrain formats are supported through new STEWS plug-ins.

    VBS Control. High fidelity, doctrinal and deterministic entity-level artificial intelligence that is uniquely suited to operation on whole-earth terrain. VBS Control runtime offers highly efficient real-time path planning that allows AI to move seamlessly through open, urban and interior spaces. The VBS Control Editor allows powerful new AI behaviors to be developed at both the individual entity level and at higher levels of command for land, sea and air assets.

    Gears. A software development framework that defines a standard way for components to communicate through formal interfaces. Gears uses a component-based architecture to promote rapid development by building applications from self-contained systems and having them communicate via formally defined interfaces. This allows functionality to be reused and avoids the complexity of tightly coupled systems. See www.gears.studio for more information.

    The Army also selected BISim for a five-year contract to support their Games for Training Program and BISim’s technology is being rolled out on CCTT (the U.S. Army’s largest ground simulator training program).

  • NCTech to unveil iSTAR Pulsar developments at Intergeo 2018

    NCTech, a developer of reality imaging systems, will showcase its iSTAR Pulsar mobile 360-degree data capture system at Intergeo in Frankfurt, Germany.

    Companies at Intergeo, including GeoSLAM and Orbit Geospatial Technologies, will also unveil innovative developments that incorporate iSTAR Pulsar.

    iSTAR Pulsar is NCTech’s professional edge-to-cloud big data system, optimized for capture on the move. iSTAR Pulsar is designed to capture 360-degree data while mounted on a vehicle, drone or on foot.

    At Intergeo, NCTech will be showing a demonstration of a future feature in its cloud-based processing software VR.WORLD that uses artificial intelligence and image recognition to analyze the images captured by iSTAR Pulsar. This means that objects like cars, trucks, traffic lights, road signs, pedestrians and cyclists can be automatically identified in images, the company said.

    Handheld 3D mobile mapping company GeoSLAM also will introduce new developments at Intergeo, including an innovation that integrates with iSTAR Pulsar.

    “We immediately saw the potential for collaboration when NCTech introduced the iSTAR Pulsar,” said Mark Reid, head of strategic business development, GeoSLAM. “And now we’re excited to show the attendees at Intergeo what we’ve been working on.”

    Orbit GT has updated its mobile mapping software to enable iSTAR Pulsar data to be integrated into its smart 3D mapping solutions.

    “We’re very pleased to announce that Orbit GT solutions now support data from NCTech’s iSTAR Pulsar,” said Peter Bonne, CEO, Orbit GT. “We’ll be showcasing the great 360-degree imagery captured by iSTAR Pulsar at our booth.”

    “We launched iSTAR Pulsar earlier this year, so it’s great to see that key industry players like GeoSLAM and Orbit GT are already leveraging its capabilities in their own developments,” said Andrew Baddeley, technical sales director, NCTech. “Combined with the exciting new AI developments from our labs, we look forward to showing everyone at Intergeo how we are helping to virtualize the world.”

  • U.S. Army recognizes GeoDecisions for modernizing convoy mapping module

    Automated Movement and Identification Solutions (AMIS), a division of the U.S. Department of the Army, has bestowed a Certificate of Appreciation to GeoDecisions, Gannett Fleming’s geospatial technology division.

    The certificate recognizes GeoDecisions for its outstanding technical expertise and dedication in the modernization of the Transportation Coordinators’ – Automated Information for Movements System II (TC-AIMS II) Convoy Planning Highway Regulation (CPHR-M) module.

    TC-AIMS II CPHR-M is an advanced software solution used to plan the Army’s convoy movement around the globe. GeoDecisions integrated the Transportation Geospatial Information System (TGIS) map and routing tool through the TGIS application programming interface to embed the map within the TC-AIMS system.

    The TGIS integration with TC-AIMS provides enhanced, real-time mapping functions, faster processing speeds, and a more user-friendly experience.

    The recognition also honors the GeoDecisions team for its technical knowledge, attention to detail, and ability to recognize, understand and address issues quickly to allow CPHR-M to stay on schedule.

    The team’s efforts resulted in more than a dozen changes to the baseline to provide better performance and additional capabilities that were not identified at the start of the project.

    “It’s almost unheard of to receive an award like this from a government program, so we feel especially humbled by this honor,” said Brendan Wesdock, MCP, GISP, president of GeoDecisions. “We’ve built an exceptional team of geospatial professionals who continuously push the boundaries of geospatial technology to deliver the most effective and valuable solutions to our clients.”

    AMIS is the primary source of providing automated movement and identification solutions across the DOD and around the globe. AMIS is the essential supplier for Transportation Coordinators’ – Automated Information for Movements System II (TC-AIMS II) with approximately 5,000 active users.

    The GeoDecisions team (from left): Jay Ross, senior software test specialist; Jeff Carter, TGIS lead system administrator with sub-consultant Aegis Strategies, LLC; Steve Kraabel, senior client manager; Debra Houser, director of Application Development; Bret Huber, lead and software developer; (not pictured) Andrew Miller, developer. (Photo: GeoDecisions)
    The GeoDecisions team (from left): Jay Ross, senior software test specialist; Jeff Carter, TGIS lead system administrator with sub-consultant Aegis Strategies, LLC; Steve Kraabel, senior client manager; Debra Houser, director of Application Development; Bret Huber, lead and software developer; (not pictured) Andrew Miller, developer. (Photo: GeoDecisions)

     

  • How we might navigate on Mars

    How we might navigate on Mars

    Images: NASA
    Images: NASA

    Researchers from NASA’s Frontier Development Lab (FDL) and Intel are proposing a way to navigate on a new planet using artificial intelligence (AI).

    The researchers presented their planetary navigation research during an Intel event on Aug. 16.

    The immense challenge of building GPS-similar constellations around every planet or moon could be avoided by using imagery, according to researchers Andrew Chung, Philippe Ludivig, Ross Potter and Benjamin Wu.
    The team developed a system for simulating the Moon’s surface so that AI could be used for navigation on the surface.

    How It Works. The researchers created a highly detailed digital model of a virtual moon using 2.4 million images of its surface. The images represent ones that might be taken by a rover.

    The AI learned what this moon looks like by being fed the millions of images, and then used its neural network to create a model of the virtual moon.

    According to the team’s presentation, this was enough to effectively enable navigation on the virtual moon’s surface.

    With the model in place, a person merely needs to take a photo of their surroundings on the surface. Based on the photo, the AI determines the person’s location and shows how to navigate to a destination. The AI would even understand the distortions of known features from the point of view of the camera.

    The team wants to try to do the same thing with a real celestial body: Mars. They think they have enough satellite images to make it work.

    If they’re right, the first Martian visitors could navigate the Red Planet by photo.

  • NavVis IndoorViewer converts static scans into 360-degree imagery

    NavVis IndoorViewer converts static scans into 360-degree imagery

    NavVis, a provider of indoor spatial intelligence technology, can now automatically convert E57 point cloud files into interactive, realistic 360-degree walkthroughs, following the latest software upgrade to IndoorViewer.

    Visitors to Intergeo 2018 can demo the new NavVis IndoorViewer release as well as the NavVis M6 indoor mobile mapping system by visiting NavVis in Hall 12.1 at booth 12.1D.086.

    Image: NavVis
    Image: NavVis

    NavVis IndoorViewer is a web-based application that displays realistic digital twins using 360-degree panoramic images, point clouds and maps generated by 3D scanning devices. Users can move around digital twins of scanned spaces as if they are on site and use the interactive functionality to add, search for and route to geotagged information and take accurate measurements.

    The intuitive user interface and functionality has made NavVis IndoorViewer a valuable deliverable for laser scanning professionals who want to extend the use of point clouds beyond BIM models and building plans to a wider range of building stakeholders who would also benefit from 3D scan data.

    This is particularly relevant for stakeholders working on complex projects or properties, such as manufacturing facilities and construction sites, where IndoorViewer enables remote access to the site and is used as a platform for collaboration and exchanging information, the company said.

    “IndoorViewer was originally developed to display the data captured by our indoor mobile mapping system in a way that is accessible to every user,” said Felix Reinshagen, NavVis CEO. “In recent years, we have seen that making scan data available to every building stakeholder is fulfilling an unmet need. Many of our partners using a NavVis indoor mobile mapping system for conventional scanning projects are offering IndoorViewer as an additional deliverable to increase the number of stakeholders who can make use of this data.”

    “To meet the growing demand for extending the use of valuable 3D scan data, we developed a feature that automatically renders 360-degree immersive images from structured E57 point cloud files. The latest software release brings the full functionality of IndoorViewer to E57 point cloud files and therefore marks an important step towards our goal of making scan data meaningful for every building stakeholder.”

    NavVis IndoorViewer currently supports third party point cloud files in most standard formats. However, a key component of the immersive experience that NavVis IndoorViewer provides is the 360-degree panoramic images.

    The new IndoorViewer feature bridges this gap for structured E57 files by automatically rendering 360-degree immersive imagery from E57 point cloud files. This means data collected by terrestrial laser scanners can now also be used to create realistic, immersive 360-degree walkthroughs that can be published and shared online without the need to download or install software.

    The E57 panorama extractor is available as part of a free software upgrade to IndoorViewer subscribers.

  • Caliper supplies US traffic count data for Mapitude

    Image: Caliper
    Image: Caliper

    Caliper has released a free average annual daily traffic (AADT) map layer for Maptitude 2018 users.

    The latest version includes fields with total AADT traffic count, semi-trailer truck count, single-unit truck and bus count, number of through lanes and road classification.

    AADT is the total volume of vehicle traffic on a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. It is a useful and simple measurement of how busy a road is, and is useful for:

    • selecting a new site or facility location, evaluating a site, or designing a territory
    • determining funding for highway maintenance and improvement
    • forecasting road maintenance needs and expenditure
    • identifying the best location for your business based on traffic patterns
    • analyzing how traffic may impact store construction
    • analyzing the environmental hazards of sound and pollution related to road transport

    The downloaded layer can be added to any Maptitude 2018 map.