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Tag: Esri

  • INTERGEO Conference in Stuttgart Looks to Future

     

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    The conference program and registration for INTERGEO 2015 are now live. Register before July 31 to benefit from the early-bird booking rate.

    The conference will be open with keynote speeches by Chris Cappelli (Esri Inc.) on “The Age of the Location Platform: How Mapping and GIS are Transforming the Work Environment” and Prof. Georg Gartner (TU Wien, Vienna University of Applied Sciences), president of the International Cartographic Association, on “The Future of the Map – the Map of the Future.” 

    “The agenda for the INTERGEO conference in Stuttgart is packed with exciting topics that are the focus of ongoing political debate on the digital world and will play a key role in shaping the way we work in future,” reads a statement by INTERGEO. “With keynote speeches and plenary talks delivered in English and simultaneous interpreting provided for one strand of the conference on the second day, it is clear that INTERGEO is also becoming increasingly significant on an international scale.” 

    The major topic of discussion at 2014’s INTERGEO remains a key part of the conference this year — INSPIRE examines geo-issues from a European perspective, providing practical examples and focusing on further development of the European directive. Other central themes include geodata as a basis for construction management and land development, a major concern for future development at regional and local level, as well as issues relating to property markets and valuation. These subjects are all crucial when it comes to discussing the “smart cities” and “smart villages” of the future, according to INTERGEO.

    Another highlight of INTERGEO in Stuttgart this year will be the panel discussion on the second day on “Geospatial Information – A Key Element for Emerging Markets.” The high-profile panel of speakers include Bengt Kjellson (UN-GGIM Europe), Ola Rollen (Hexagon), Steve Berglund (Trimble) and Chris Cappelli (Esri Inc.).

    A further key topic at the conference that is set to have a profound effect on the working world is geoinformation and mobility. DDGI and DVW will be addressing this together and discussing practical examples in two event strands.

    The contributions on big data will focus on the rapid development of data capture, processing and presentation as well as the direct integration of data into business processes. Geoinformation as an element of networked processes is a subject of major international significance, as evidenced by the conference’s high-profile speakers. “In terms of digitization, the conference will be key to paving the path to Geospatial 4.0 and the networking of digital geodata,” said Prof. Karl-Friedrich Thöne, president of the event’s host, DVW, adding, “INTERGEO is the ideal forum for creating processes that could eventually benefit the entire value-added chain.”

    As important as data may be in the digital world, it is also crucial to have the right visualization concepts in place. This will be demonstrated through presentations on the German Cartographers’ Day, which will form part of INTERGEO this year.

  • Esri Launches Climate and Human Health App Challenge

    Esri has unveiled a Human Health and Climate Change App Challenge, calling on the worldwide GIS community to create apps that help communities visualize, understand and combat the health impacts of climate change. Esri will award three winners more than $15,000 in cash prizes or the equivalent in software. The deadline to enter is August 14.

    The app challenge is part of Esri’s comprehensive effort in support of the White House Climate Data Initiative under President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. “Esri is committed to helping communities work smarter and more efficiently to become more livable and, as a result, more resilient to climate change,” said Esri president Jack Dangermond.

    Participants are encouraged to create apps using Esri’s ArcGIS platform that provide decision-making support for health professionals and empower the public to take action. Apps should help private and public organizations combine open data to gain new insights into the impacts of climate change on health.

    “Understanding the geography of climate change is critical to mitigating its health effects and creating a vibrant and sustainable future,” said Este Geraghty, Esri chief medical officer.

    The app challenge is open to everyone — including developers, start-ups, governments, academics and nongovernmental organizations. Participants are encouraged to use the growing pool of open data and Esri apps, maps, services and APIs to develop their app.

    Judges will select the top three apps to be highlighted at the Esri Health and Human Services GIS Conference in September. In addition to awarding prizes, Esri will feature the winning apps on its collaborative resource portal.

  • Esri Showcases Smart Cities Concept at eMerge Americas

    Geospatial Solutions’ and GPS World‘s Art Kalinski reports from eMerge Americas, held May 4-5 in Miami. Esri demonstrated its Smart Cities concept at the trade show.

  • USGS Tests QuakeAlert App with 60-Second Warning

    Earthquake Alert ScreenSixty seconds may not sound like much, but if given advance warning of an earthquake, people could take cover, trains could stop, and oil rigs could be shut down before the shaking hits.

    The earthquake early warning app QuakeAlert, by Early Warning Labs, aims to provide that extra time. The app, with new technology developed in partnership the United States Geological Survey (USGS), will be tested by the USGS, the California Institute of Technology and other university researchers.

    QuakeAlert is designed to alert users with a countdown to when shaking will strike their exact location, and tell the user how severe the intensity is expected in their location. The app simultaneously delivers important safety instructions to the user on how to respond if indoors, outside or in a moving vehicle. QuakeAlert will be provided to users free of charge.

    The QuakeAlert app uses USGS seismic sensor network data, an Esri GIS backend and the Microsoft Azure cloud to deliver earthquake early warnings. The app is currently in private beta testing with university researchers at CalTech and USGS scientists, and will be available to the public for free once the USGS receives full funding of its early warning program and approves the technology for the public.

    Early Warning Labs (EWL) is an Earthquake Early Warning technology developer and integrator in Santa Monica, Calif., and an official research and development partner with the USGS. Early Warning Labs is collaborating with university partners including Caltech, Berkeley and the University of Washington, as well as Esri.

  • Esri Offers U.S. Flooding Map Following Texas Floods

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    More than 11 inches of rain fell in areas of Texas and other nearby states on May 25-26, inundating homes and highways and bringing the southeast Texas city of Houston to a standstill.

    Esri’s U.S. Flooding Public Information Map provides continuously updated information from the National Weather Service showing:

    • Observed flooding locations
    • Current and forecasted precipitation
    • Flood warning areas

    Specific information provided includes flooding height and severity, and features can be identified with the stream gauge and weather watch layers.

     

  • Mapping the Nation’s First Mothers for Mother’s Day

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    Forty-four women gave birth to the most influential men in U.S. history — presidents. This Mother’s Day, Esri highlights these “First Mothers” in an interactive story map.

    Navigating the Story Map uncovers interesting facts, such as:

    ·        At 18 years old, Stanley Ann Obama became the youngest First Mother.

    ·        The seven presidents born in Ohio were Republican.

    ·        Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams were born .2 miles apart.

    View the story map here.

     

     

  • Esri CityEngine 2015 Provides Advanced 3D City Design

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    Modern layer management and enhanced real-time shadows based on daytime and location are available in the latest release of CityEngine.

    The release of Esri CityEngine 2015 allows GIS professionals, architects, planners, and urban designers to create 3D city models faster and share them easily via ArcGIS Online. These new features open the use of 3D models for every day, real-world simulation, emergency response, urban planning, and entertainment scenarios.

    “CityEngine 2015 is faster, sports higher-quality visuals, and introduces an innovative and unique 3D design experience. The latter is possible with Procedural Handles, a novel user interface for the intuitive editing of 3D models. We worked very hard on this and are excited to release it,” said Pascal Mueller, director of the Esri R&D Center, Zurich AG.

    Companies like Esri partner SmarterBetterCities use CityEngine to help clients view and investigate building development proposals in a true 3D environment.

    “CityEngine provides decision makers with the opportunity to do more advanced planning than when they are using a typical CAD or spreadsheet system,” said Antje Kunze, CEO, SmarterBetterCities. “We are now able to help our clients better visualize rules and regulations and perform analytics that no one has been able to address in the past.”

    Advancements from user requests—including a modern editor for managing layers, real-time shadows based on daytime and location, faster data export, and improved publishing workflows—have been implemented. More information can be found in the release notes.

    “With CityEngine 2015, we made a huge step forward in user experience and speed, resulting in less coding and more designing,” said Dominik Tarolli, director of international business development for 3D geodesign at Esri.

    CityEngine 2015 is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. A free 30-day trial with full export capabilities can be downloaded at esri.com/cityengine.

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    Credit: Esri website.

  • Esri Hosts Info Map for Nepal Earthquake

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    A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck 77 kilometers (48 miles) northwest of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu at 0611 GMT on April 25, toppling office blocks and towers and killing thousands of people. More than two dozen people were also reported killed in neighboring India, China and Bangladesh.

    As of April 27, the Government of Nepal reported 3,351 deaths and 6,833 injured people, according to ReliefWeb. These numbers are expected to increase further as search and rescue teams reach remote areas. Most of the deaths are recorded in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Lalitpur. Eight million people in 39 districts have been affected, of which over 2 million people live in the 11 severely affected districts.

    The Esri disaster page is featuring news stories, video feeds, and other information about the earthquake in Nepal, on an Earthquake Public Information Map. Users can explore the locations and intensities of the various quakes that struck Nepal, along with a shakemap from the USGS. This map also includes geotagged social media from Twitter and YouTube with local content related to the quakes.

    Another Esri map, Mapping the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, provides a closer look at Nepal’s history of seismic activity, and shows how people are impacted by earthquakes. This story map also includes information about relief operations and key points of interest in the region, as well as a 3D web scene of the area affected by the avalanche on Mt. Everest.

    OpenStreetMap is also working to help with relief efforts. “Our goal is to contribute to humanitarian relief by rapidly providing a detailed and accurate map (i.e., road network, villages, buildings, etc.) to support the humanitarian organizations. These services help locate people at risk efficiently, and facilitate the delivery of goods and services to remote areas.”

    The USGS provides an earthquake map here.

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  • Esri Book Explores Spatial Thinking, Research Using GIS

    GIS Research Methods provides a solid introduction to research methods using GIS.
    GIS Research Methods provides a solid introduction to research methods using GIS.

    Scientific data that’s spatially analyzed produces highly useful information for academics, scientists and other researchers, helping them answer questions and make well-informed decisions, according to a new book published by Esri.

    The book GIS Research Methods: Incorporating Spatial Perspectives shows how spatial analysis using geographic information system (GIS) technology enhances research in the social and physical sciences.

    Authors Sheila Lakshmi Steinberg and Steven J. Steinberg explain how to incorporate spatial thinking and GIS into research design and analysis. The book introduces readers to the value of thinking spatially, GIS basics, research design and ethics, data sampling and collection, volunteered geographic information, spatial analysis with Esri ArcGIS technology, and more. The authors are scientific researchers who have used GIS in their academic work.

    “A unique aspect of this book is that we focus specifically on how to integrate GIS into both qualitative and quantitative research,” the Steinberg’s wrote in the book’s foreword. “Our objective in writing this book is to provide a foundation for GIS research methods and, more specifically, to integrate spatial thinking and spatial analysis into a research tool with clear methodological techniques.”

    The book, which was written for social and physical science professionals and academics, provides an introduction to research methods using GIS. For example, readers will learn how to develop useful, spatial information-based interviews and surveys for collecting data in the field; select the right tools for spatial analysis; visualize spatial information; and communicate the results of analyses, Esri said.

    The book also outlines what to consider — for example, geographic boundaries, the data, and a diverse group of stakeholders—when creating strong place-based policies. “Policy makers who consider space and place will be more likely to generate policy that is effective in the long run because it has a better opportunity to consider the concerns, needs, and perspectives that tie to data, people, and place,” said the Steinberg’s.

    Sheila Lakshmi Steinberg is a professor of social sciences at Brandman University, based in Irvine, Calif. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara; her master of science degree from the University of California, Berkeley; and her doctorate from Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include environmental sociology, culture and GIS.

    Steven J. Steinberg is a principal scientist at the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, a public environmental research agency based in Costa Mesa. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Kent State University, his Master of Science degree from the University of Michigan and his doctorate from the University of Minnesota.

    GIS Research Methods: Incorporating Spatial Perspectives is available in print (ISBN: 9781589483781, 440 pages, US$79.99) or as an e-book (ISBN: 9781589484047, 440 pages, US$79.99). The book is also available at online retailers worldwide, at esri.com/esripress, or by calling 1-800-447-9778. Outside the United States, visit esri.com/esripressorders for complete ordering options, or visit esri.com/distributors to contact your local Esri distributor.

  • Esri Offers Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities

    Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities provides more than 40 out-of-the-box checks that users can run individually, group into batch jobs (as .rbj files), or run as a scheduled service.
    Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities provides more than 40 out-of-the-box checks that users can run individually, group into batch jobs (as .rbj files), or run as a scheduled service.

    Esri has released a Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities. It provides the preconfigured ArcGIS Data Reviewer for Desktop to be used to validate, maintain and improve the integrity of electric distribution data.

    Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities provides a set of tools to simplify many aspects of automated and visual data quality control. The solution provides more than 40 out-of-the-box checks that users can run individually, group into batch jobs (as .rbj files), or run as a scheduled service.

    “As utilities continue to collect more information about their electric network, it’s imperative that this information be validated to ensure accuracy and completeness of the overall content,” Esri solutions team lead Patrick Dolan said. “The release of Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities allows utilities to automate the way they validate and measure the overall health of their electric distribution network, providing them with greater insurance that the electric network is accurate and complete.”

    Download the Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities solution for free, including a demonstration and sample electric dataset.

    Learn more about Esri solutions for utilities at esri.com/electric.

  • First Lady Launches Let’s Move! Interactive Map

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    To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Let’s Move!, First Lady Michelle Obama and The Partnership for a Healthier America have launched the Let’s Move! interactive map to encourage healthier lifestyles for children. Available to the public online, the map showcases the impact of these programs across the nation and makes it easier to get involved in local efforts.

    Built on Esri’s ArcGIS Online platform, the map allows users to search for their location by city or ZIP code to see what schools, localities or organizations near them are participating in a Let’s Move! program. Users can also view a full-screen app to explore each program individually.

    View the interactive map here.

     

  • CycloMedia Launches Street Smart Application for ArcGIS

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    CycloMedia Technology and Esri have expanded their business relationship to deliver high-definition, street-view imagery via ArcGIS Marketplace.

    In efforts to leverage each other’s expertise in government, transportation and utilities markets, CycloMedia developed the Street Smart web application. Customers who have purchased CycloMedia’s HDstreet level imagery can utilize an ArcGIS-compatible application for viewing and analysis. Users can now visualize and edit their data from a street-view perspective with the goal of enhancing their GIS database while reducing costly field-based collection practices, CycloMedia said.

    CycloMedia began capturing its 100-megapixel HD-Cycloramas for customers in January 2015. With Street Smart, users can overlay their own GIS data layers, precisely capture location, record dimension measurements and edit attributes all from within a street-view perspective. Links to “information-tagged” images can be shared among ArcGIS Online subscribers within the enterprise and pictures shared with the wider community.

    “CycloMedia’s Street Smart app allows customers to visualize and share information about the built environment from a new perspective,” said Joe Astroth, CEO of CycloMedia USA. “Street-level imagery adds a new dimension to a GIS database by enabling the overlay and measurement of geographic features directly inside our HD Cycloramas.”

    Through Esri’sArcGIS Marketplace, geospatial professionals can learn about CycloMedia’s products and services, request new data collection and add comments and feedback to help improve the user experience.