GPS World

Tag: GIS

  • Hexagon Acquires GTA Geoinformatik for 3D City Modelling

    Hexagon AB has acquired the business of GTA Geoinformatik GmbH, a pioneer in georeferenced virtual 3D city models and building reconstructions.

    Founded in 1995, GTA Geoinformatik is the developer of tridicon software, which enables the automatic generation of high-quality, colored 3D point clouds. The company also specialises in uniting point cloud data with aerial images including oblique and LiDAR images to create intelligent, navigable 3D city models, or smart cities.

    “The idea of creating a smart city has been an important part of Hexagon’s geospatial vision to merge maps with information and real-time updates,” said Hexagon President and CEO Ola Rollén. “Solutions such as those GTA Geoinformatik delivers are becoming increasingly important, as they build the foundation for industry-specific applications in areas of city development such as security, traffic, infrastructure management, energy and emergency response.”

    GTA Geoinformatik, based in Berlin and Neubrandenburg, Germany, is now fully consolidated. The acquisition will not have any visible impact on Hexagon’s earnings in the short-term, according to the company.

  • Human Geography at GEOINT

    Could the Connecticut Shootings Speed Human Geography Tools?

    By Art Kalinski, GISP

    During the past few days there has been a stream of talking heads offering advice after the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.  Some want schools to have airport like screening equipment with full time police officers, others want more aggressive psychological counseling, while others want to ban some or all guns.  Just last August, Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik was sentenced to 21 years after his 2011 killing of 8 with a car bomb and 69 students in a summer camp with semi-automatic weapons.  That, in a country with some of the strictest gun laws in the world.  So what’s the answer?  I’m not sure but I lean toward more conceal and carry permits.  The cause and effect may only be statistical, but the numbers seem to show less crime where conceal carry permits are common.  Most bullies and killers fear someone fighting back so they almost always pick soft targets.

    There is another possible, longer term path that has the potential to be very beneficial and possibly very sinister, Human Geography.  In the early days of GIS I was thrilled to be able to print a simple zip code map with points plotted within the zip code to measure and display demographic data.  In the mid nineties, when I was the GIS manager of the Atlanta Regional Commission, my GIS team was able to help the Atlanta Fire Department catch a serial arsonist by mapping the arson locations and comparing that distribution to home addresses of know past arsonists.  Although not a perfect match, the plots did help identify and ultimately convict the arsonist.

    We are now well beyond points, lines, and polygons GIS.  Today I use my cell phone for navigation, voice directions as well as a street-level imagery of my destination along with photos, video and hundreds of other web based applications.  The same progress has occurred in the intelligence community as maps, imagery, live video, and “other” sources of information have been merged using “Geospatial Multi-INT fusion” to build pattern of life analysis with the potential to anticipate harmful actions.

    One of those “other” sources of data is social media and human geography which had its genesis with Web 2.0.  The term Web 2.0 was coined in 1999 to describe web sites that use technology beyond the static pages of earlier web sites.  It was not a new version of the World Wide Web but referred to the way web sites evolved to allow users to interact and collaborate with each other such as social networking sites, blogs, etc.  Although the US and Europe lead the world in use of social media, Second and Third World countries also have a strong user base of social media.  Most Third World countries never went through the long technology slog we went through laying miles of phone land lines as the technology evolved.  Many of them went direct to cell-phone technology, bypassing the expense and effort of land lines.  As a result, social media plays a surprisingly strong role in countries that still have limited mass media access.

    It’s no surprise that there was an increase in the number of human geography presentations and exhibitors at GEOINT.

    Geoint 2012 panel 

    There was even a pre-conference day devoted exclusively to Human Geography.  The following is a limited snapshot of exhibitors I saw that focused on human geography and social media.  Most of the big players such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE, SAIC and others have been doing significant work in these areas but the below are small companies that focus exclusively on human geography.

    Aptima (www.aptima.com/products/lava ) produced LaVATM , a statistical tool for extracting concepts and patterns using natural language processing.  They use online news, social media and blogs to follow the spread of ideas.

    Berico Technologies (www.bericotechnologies.com) demonstrated CLAVIN (Cartographic Location And Vicinity INdexer) which is an open source software package that derives location names from unstructured text and compares them against a gazetteer.  CLAVIN doesn’t just “look up” location names – it uses intelligent logic paths to identify exactly locations based on the context of the text. CLAVIN also uses fuzzy logic to work its way through misspellings or language translations.  There is a USGIF video taken at GEOINT that explains the process (http://geointv.com/archive/geoint-2012-tech-talks-berico-clavin)

    Courage Services, Inc.  (www.courageservices.com)  does research and analysis related to human geography, Socio-cultural dynamics, social media, risk assessment and mitigation.  Their geospatial services include human geography mapping services, imagery and video analysis, mobile and web based applications.  They have focused heavily on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and development.  Specifically supply chain logistics, situational awareness, critical infrastructure mapping and emergency response support.

    DataCards (www.datacards.org)  indexes data sources that relate to irregular warfare, assessment, or can be used for socio-cultural modeling.  These cards provide a summary description and evaluation of the content, quality, intended purposes, and potentially appropriate uses of each source

    Ergo (www.ergo.net ) delivers ground truth and actionable intelligence from frontline sources.  Unlike other human geography firms they rely on hands-on experience and feet-on-the-ground rather than electronic media.  They have a network of vetted and trusted team members who are locals. They know the political and business environment, understand the customs, and speak the language.  They specialize in “hard cases” – opaque geographies, obscure topics, and sensitive issues that other firms struggle to address with open source media.  They’ve been in business for 7 years and have completed over 400 projects in 90 countries.

    The HumanGeo Group, LLC (www.thehumangeo.com) developed geospatial applications to synthesize, manage, and exploit large data sets, leading-edge non-traditional cyber security and specialized rapid search capabilities. The HumanGeo Group also brings together experienced special operations and intelligence agency veterans to address security and intelligence needs.  HumanGeo also provides business intelligence, geospatial visualization and innovative enterprise search applications that can help reduce risk.

    Recorded Future (www.recordedfuture.com) is in the business of mining “Big Data” to try to have advance knowledge or improved understanding of what might happen in the near future.  They continuously harvests and perform real time analysis of news from more than 40,000 sources on the web, ranging from big media and government web sites to individual blogs and selected twitter streams.  This analysis ties together countless pieces of information that highlight future events.  They can’t predict the future but they can highlight future events based on analysis of millions of events tied to more than 2 billion facts in their database.  This may sound somewhat Orwellian but does point to where things could be headed.

    Fulcrum (www.spatialnetworks.com) is a cloud-based data collection system for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.  Users can create location-based data collection apps and deploy them to mobile devices within minutes.  It facilitates collaboration so a data collection team can work on the same project collecting data in the field quickly, accurately and with great flexibility.

    fulcrum

    GeoXray (www.terragotech.com) is a web-based software application that allows users to search the internet and social media sites for content relating to a geographic area and filter the results by topic, time and source.  TerraGo, creators of the ubiquitous GeoPDF, demonstrated interoperation by allowing a user to access GeoXray directly from a GeoPDF.  TerraGo’s Michael Bufkin indicated that the next step in this interoperability will be to cache the GeoXray discovered content within the GeoPDF when it is created, thus enabling access to the content directly from the TerraGo Toolbar. Users would then be able to discover GeoXray content even if not connected to the internet while using the same tools that they use for map display and collaboration.

    GeoCOP (www.hmstech.com) is a web-based voice, video, and data overlay service which connects people, applications, and knowledge.  “GEOCOP” stands for “Geospatial Common Operating Picture” and is a Sensitive but Unclassified web-based voice, video, and data overlay technology that instantly connects people, Geospatial Applications, and knowledge.  It was designed by former special agents and law enforcement experts, to provide law enforcement and intelligence agencies with an improved situational awareness tool.  I had a chance to test GeoCOP during a recent exercise where we combined real time earthquake data from USGS with tweets from the affected area verifying the extent of the damage.  I was very impressed with its functionality, broad access to extensive data sets, user friendliness and speed.  GEOCOP users can gather data from multiple online sources, then overlay the results alongside geospatial applications, web video players, live messaging, and other programs.

    geocop

    If your GIS life focuses on points, lines and polygons please look over the cubical wall. There is a silent revolution occurring in the geospatial community that may dwarf traditional GIS.  This has been the most rapidly expanding part of GEOINT as more and more users do a deep dive into all aspects of human geography.  Some of the growing capabilities are quite startling, almost “Big Brother” / “Minority Report” like science fiction.  If I’m still around, it will be interesting to attend GEOINT 2030.  Perhaps we’ll have tools that can use “Big Data” and analysis to anticipate and block damaging events.

    Kalinski photo

     

    Art Kalinski, GISP

    A career Naval Officer, Art established the Navy’s first GIS.  Completing a post graduate degree in GIS at the University of North Carolina, he joined the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) as the GIS Manager from 1993 to 2007.  He pioneered the use of oblique imagery for public safety and Homeland Security.  Art retired early from ARC to join Pictometry International to direct military projects using oblique imagery which led to him joining Soft Power Solutions, LLC.  He also writes a monthly column for GeoSpatial Solutions aimed at federal GIS users.

     

  • Leica, Sigma Seven Partner for GIS Market in UK, Ireland

    Leica Geosystems Ltd. has signed a formal agreement with Sigma Seven Ltd. to provide improved value data collection and workforce management solutions to the GIS asset collection and management market. The strategic partnership combines GeoField software from Sigma Seven with the Leica Zeno CS25 GNSS tablet computer, allowing high-accuracy satellite position data to be collected with richly attributed data in one system, the companies said.

    “Many organizations are demanding the need for better, more reliable information to improve the on-going management and maintenance of their assets,” said Nathan Ward, market segment manager. “This partnership with Sigma Seven with their industry renowned geospatial and work management software will provide a fantastic integrated solution to enable field and office staff to work more efficiently and enhance the quality and effectiveness of their corporate data. A combination of proven capabilities, experience and a long and highly regarded heritage in the geospatial sector, will mean that this partnership will further enhance the solutions in Leica Geosystems’ Asset Collection and Management market.”

    Andrew Coleman, Sigma Seven Director adds, “Leica Geosystems is one of the premier manufacturers in the asset collection and GIS industry and they continue to innovate in spatial and measurement technology. By working together I believe we have a unique field mobile proposition, backed up by a shared quality and customer service ethos, that will accelerate the delivery of cost, performance, service and accuracy benefits to our customers.”

    Since 2000, Sigma Seven has helped some of the largest utility companies in the UK and developed a range of systems for utilities, government, environmental and engineering customers. GeoField is a powerful mobile data and work management system that enables field workers to access enterprise data at the point of action, Sigma Seven said. An intuitive map-based interface is supported by comprehensive imaging, red-lining, structured workflow, data capture and field reporting facilities.

    The Leica Zeno GIS series has been designed and optimized to capture accurate GNSS positions and richly attributed data quickly, even in the most demanding of environments, the company said.

    Andrew Coleman, Sigma Seven Director, and Nathan Ward, Market Segment Manager for Leica Geosystems.

  • Leica Geosystems Begins E-Commerce Sales

    Leica Geosystems Inc. announced the launch of the e-commerce site for Leica Geosystems Solutions Centers. The grand opening of the Leica Geosystems Solutions Center is marked by an unprecedented online-only promotion.

    Logo: Leica Geosystems

    Providing 24/7 personalized access to the products essential to the surveying, engineering, and construction industries, the site is a resource for more than purchases. It also enables customers to compare thousands of products based on features, shipping options and availability, and to create wish lists.
    The Leica Geosystems Solutions Centers e-commerce site offers a range of supplies, accessories and rentals, from paint and flagging, safety supplies, total stations and GPS systems for surveying, construction lasers and building layout systems. Relevant products and pricing are presented based on each customer’s unique profile, and subscription and quick-order capabilities make it easy to reorder frequently needed products.
    “We are committed to continually delivering value to our customers, and it is exciting to respond to customer needs by bringing this e-commerce site to the market,” said Mike Strom, General Manager, Solutions Centers for Leica Geosystems. “Our customers are busy, and they often need to place orders outside of standard business hours. Our new e-commerce website provides customers a more convenient way to buy from us, and we will be offering online-only promotions on a regular basis – similar to the tremendous grand opening deals – so it’s easier than ever for customers to begin reaping the benefits of Leica Geosystems solutions.”
    The Leica Geosystems Solutions Center is factory-owned and operated, which guarantees that customers will receive the quality products and service expected from Leica Geosystems. Additionally, because support is critical at every step of the way, even during the purchase process, the site features multiple avenues to online support: customers get real answers, from real factory-trained experts.

  • Leica Geosystems Begins E-Commerce Sales

    Leica Geosystems Inc. announced the launch of the e-commerce site for Leica Geosystems Solutions Centers. The grand opening of the Leica Geosystems Solutions Center is marked by an unprecedented online-only promotion.

    Logo: Leica Geosystems

    Providing 24/7 personalized access to the products essential to the surveying, engineering, and construction industries, the site is a resource for more than purchases. It also enables customers to compare thousands of products based on features, shipping options and availability, and to create wish lists.
    The Leica Geosystems Solutions Centers e-commerce site offers a range of supplies, accessories and rentals, from paint and flagging, safety supplies, total stations and GPS systems for surveying, construction lasers and building layout systems. Relevant products and pricing are presented based on each customer’s unique profile, and subscription and quick-order capabilities make it easy to reorder frequently needed products.
    “We are committed to continually delivering value to our customers, and it is exciting to respond to customer needs by bringing this e-commerce site to the market,” said Mike Strom, General Manager, Solutions Centers for Leica Geosystems. “Our customers are busy, and they often need to place orders outside of standard business hours. Our new e-commerce website provides customers a more convenient way to buy from us, and we will be offering online-only promotions on a regular basis – similar to the tremendous grand opening deals – so it’s easier than ever for customers to begin reaping the benefits of Leica Geosystems solutions.”
    The Leica Geosystems Solutions Center is factory-owned and operated, which guarantees that customers will receive the quality products and service expected from Leica Geosystems. Additionally, because support is critical at every step of the way, even during the purchase process, the site features multiple avenues to online support: customers get real answers, from real factory-trained experts.

  • Nokia To Acquire earthmine 3-D Imaging Company

    earthmine, Inc., announced today that it is has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Nokia. earthmine, based in Berkeley, California, is a privately owned company that develops a powerful end-to-end 3D street level imaging solution — from collection hardware to processing workflows, cloud hosting and client software.

    The earthmine team is expected to join the Nokia location and commerce business, and Berkeley will become a key site for the development of 3D reality capture technology. “We are very excited to be joining Nokia, a company with a huge presence and vision in mapping,” said John Ristevski, co-CEO of earthmine Inc. “We could not hope for a better place to fulfill and accelerate our mission of indexing the world in 3D.”

    The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2012. The terms of the transaction are confidential.

    earthmine, Inc., provides 3D street-level imagery, delivering an end-to-end solution including 3D mobile mapping systems, automated data-processing pipelines, cloud-based hosting services and server software, desktop software, client-side developer tools, and direct integration with GIS software. earthmine technology is being used in local search, mobile, mapping, GIS, safety, and security markets in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, France, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Saudi Arabia, as well as other countries around the world.

  • Logistics, GIS and Disaster Response, Post-Sandy

    An exercise in planning for months proves timely in light of Hurricane Sandy

    By Art Kalinski

    I was going to write about the increasing presence of social media at GEOINT 2012, but I’ll cover that next month since Hurricane Sandy made an exercise I attended last week more significant in its timeliness.

    The Disaster Response Integrative Logistics Exercise was a joint effort of the Institute for Defense & Business and Lockheed Martin. Heading up the effort was retired U.S. Ambassador David Litt of the IDB and Corey Cook of Lockheed Martin. The almost week-long event was held at the Lockheed Martin Lighthouse located in Suffolk, Virginia, near Norfolk. The 65,000-square-foot high-technology facility is designed for experimentation and prototyping using analysis, modeling and simulation. It’s a reconfigurable command and control operations laboratory that permits participants to test and analyze concepts in a gaming environment.

    The stated purpose of the disaster response exercise was: “Given the nature, frequency, location and severity of disasters, inter-organizational collaboration – to include the private sector – is becoming increasingly critical to the efficiency and effectiveness of logistics in disaster responses.”  The exercise involved more than a 100 participants from the private sector, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and military services. Lou Kratz, Vice president and managing director, Logistics and Sustainment, Corporate Engineering & Technology for Lockheed Martin, stated that “Today’s crisis response efforts generally struggle with effective logistics collaboration among the multiple public and private stakeholders engaged. With our 21st-century logistics capabilities and global resources available from the public sector and private organizations, together we can develop solutions that will help our communities and businesses recover more quickly and effectively after a crisis.”

    And collaborate we did! The list of participants was quite extensive and quite diverse. To give you a sense of the attendees, here is a partial list of organizations represented:

    • commercial companies included DHL, Maersk, Florida Power and Light, Fluor, Home Depot, Walmart
    • federal government agencies included FEMA, DHS, GSA, HHS, USAID, State Department
    • military organizations included NAVSUP, NORTHCOM, USACE, USAF, USMC, USN, SOUTHCOM, National Defense University, USCG, NORTHCOM
    • NGOs included United Nations agencies, the Red Cross, Operation Blessing, Catholic Relief Services and many more.

    Conference attendance was significantly impacted by Hurricane Sandy, which also highlighted its timeliness.  FEMA, USAID, USACE, and the Red Cross, who were confirmed attendees and were instrumental in the development of the DRIL exercise, were deployed to Hurricane Sandy just hours before the start of the event. Fortunately, attendance to the DRIL by multiple organizations and substitute personnel was still robust, allowing for a highly successful exercise.

    Some of the exercise objectives included defining and understanding different agency logistics capabilities, leadership structures, institutional and regulatory obstacles, differences in cultures, missions and operating procedures while developing metrics to evaluate performance in disaster response efforts. To accomplish the objectives, all the participants were organized into four integrated teams that were then separated at times into functional teams and then reassembled with representatives speaking for each team to the entire group of attendees.

    Since this was the first exercise of its type, it was a learning experience for all involved and focused on the basics of personnel interactions and group consensus.  Each participant had access to his or her own computer, common computer resources and pre-developed exercise parameters. There were many artificial assumptions presented to the teams, and the team members made even more assumptions and guesses as they worked through the individual scenarios. Most of the exercise consisted of reviewing the effects of Category 5 hurricanes hitting the Dominican Republic, South Florida and Virginia, so there was a domestic as well as international impact. We participated in our groups, listening to individual team members with specialized knowledge and experience, then prioritized the delivery of needed resources and services. As the exercises ramped up, there were many animated discussions in which basics such as water, food, shelter, medical, electric power and transportation infrastructure were prioritized and justification documented.

    I made several observations to myself as the exercises progressed. First, there are definite cultural differences between federal, military, NGO and commercial agencies. Not bad differences, just different. Second, individual personalities can steer the group dynamics and outcomes. And third, situational awareness is critical to effective disaster response. Geospatial technology was not part of this first exercise, but would clearly have been valuable to provide a common operational picture. That level of complexity would not have been practical for this initial exercise, but it does lead me to the “Solutions” room next to the main exercise area.

    In a space adjacent to the main exercise room was a “Solutions” room that showcased potentially helpful technologies. The room was open to exercise participants toward the tail end of the week. It consisted of a diverse assortment of commercial and government solutions that addressed some of the issues  the teams struggled with during the week. Examples include a new computer-based system developed by the Navy Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) that is similar to the commercial Kayak flight search system. The Transportation Exploitation Tool (TET) was explained to me by Greg Butler, division director, NAVSUP GLS Transportation, who initiated the effort. He explained that all too often resources are wasted flying parts or personnel on dedicated aircraft that are duplicate trips of other aircraft or ships with available space traveling to the same location. The new geospatial network scheduling system optimizes transportation resources across all branches of service and already saved the Navy $23M on a $750k investment.

    Lockheed Martin displayed several technologies, including communications and data management technologies. One of the most interesting was its Hybrid Aircraft that was initially developed for military use. However, its ability to transport equipment and supplies efficiently to undeveloped sites while providing a persistent platform for communications and to collect and download imagery makes it a valuable asset for emergency response activities.  To learn more, view the following video.

    A representative from NATO explained the NATO Civil-Military Fusion Center, including a map library and custom services. Several exhibitors demonstrated the use of social media, which can be a very valuable and timely source of information to build situational awareness during emergencies. A company I work with, Soft Power Solutions, integrates GIS resources such as Google, USGS, ortho and oblique imagery married to geographically placed social media to build situational awareness that is quite robust. It was especially dramatic that during demonstrations, a 7.2 earthquake was reported off the coast of Guatemala.  One could easily see the growing number of tweets that almost immediately confirmed the earthquake and level of damage. Here is a ShakeMap generated by USGS within minutes of the earthquake showing the level of impact on the Guatemalan coast (shown in yellow).

    One of the exercise objectives was to develop metrics that would evaluate performance in disaster response efforts. There were many metrics developed that one would expect – roads open, electricity restored, utilities restored, etc. However, the one informal metric that was developed through personal experience of Florida emergency responders was the “Waffle House” metric. Waffle House is a ubiquitous restaurant chain with locations throughout the southeast. The Florida responders observed that driving from one county’s Waffle House to another open Waffle House was a good indicator that the location was in OK shape.  Since a Waffle House needs minimal staffing and utilities compared to larger restaurants, it was a good indicator as to how bad conditions were in the location. Perhaps someone will develop a “Waffle House Open” type GIS layer as a metric to “okayness.”  Sounds like a good thesis for a GIS graduate student.

    Everyone who participated was enthusiastic about conducting another similar exercise. Planning is already underway to make that happen. I, for one, feel that this kind of exercise can have a significant positive impact on future disasters because it builds face-to-face relationships that are so valuable during actual events. I’m going to do what I can to help with a geospatial aspect in future exercises.

  • CoreLogic: Top 25 Zip Codes in NYC at Risk of Property Damage from Hurricane Sandy

     

    Note to Readers: The CoreLogic storm-surge analysis provided below was developed based on the projected path of Hurricane Sandy as of 12:30 p.m. ET Monday, October 29.

    CoreLogic has released data showing the top 25 zip codes in New York City-Northern New Jersey-Long Island that are at risk of exposure to residential property damage from hurricane-driven storm-surge flooding when Hurricane Sandy hits the Atlantic coast later today. Massapequa, located on the South Shore of Long Island, holds the top spot with more than $4.6 billion in total structure value at risk.

    In a report issued Saturday, CoreLogic also provided an estimate of the total number of residential properties at risk among the coastal Mid-Atlantic states, assuming Sandy hits the coast as a Category 1 hurricane. Within that seven-state region, nearly 284,000 total residential properties valued at almost $88 billion stand at risk:

    According to CoreLogic, the number of residential properties in eight major metro areas and their respective potential exposure to damage are as follows:

    CoreLogic reports that hurricane-driven storm-surge flooding can cause significant property damage when high winds and low pressure causes water to amass inside the storm, releasing a powerful rush over land when the hurricane moves on shore. The CoreLogic analysis measures damage from storm surge and does not include potential damage from wind and rain associated with hurricanes.

    To view a map showing hurricane-driven storm-surge risk through Google Earth, visit here. To download the map as a KML file, visit here. Static maps depicting storm surge in the Northeast are available upon request.

    For more information on CoreLogic storm-surge methodology, data and analysis, download a copy of the more in-depth 2012 CoreLogic Storm Surge report at http://cl.internal.cvic.com/corelogic/url.php?cin=2d2e1y1w2c2c.

  • InterGeo Starts Today

    The enormous importance of geoinformation for the energy revolution, cloud computing, open data and enterprise applications based on Microsoft Bing Maps — these are just some of the many fascinating issues that will take center stage at INTERGEO in Hanover, Germany, October 9-11. Host DVW e.V. — the German Society for Geodesy, Geoinformation and Land Management — is pooling issues relevant to its specialist areas at the trade fair and conference and is set to welcome some 16,000 visitors, including 1,200 conference delegates. The international meeting takes place in a different German city each year, with about 520 international companies,  40 percent of which are based outside Germany.

    GPS World’s Editor-in-Chief Alan Cameron, International Account Executive Chris Litton, and Contributing Editor for Survey/GIS Eric Gakstatter are in attendance.

    On the first day of the fair, Cornelia Rogall-Grothe, state secretary at the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, is launching the first national INSPIRE Conference with a speech on “INSPIRE: the driving force behind the national geodata infrastructure.”

    This year, for the first time, INTERGEO will incorporate the conference of the Council of European Geodetic Surveyors (CLGE), which will take place Thursday. The third conference of its type brings together surveyors from 36 member countries in Hanover.

    The Navigation Conference is also being held as part of INTERGEO for the second time. Once again, the event will seek to utilize synergies between navigation, IT and geoinformation.

    The conference is focusing on the latest topics and many technical solutions for capturing up-to-date geoinformation. Cutting-edge sensor technology will be presented along with the latest systems solutions.

  • Trimble Adds Two Handhelds to GIS Data Collection Portfolio

    Trimble introduced today the Trimble Geo 5 and Juno 5 handheld GNSS devices, further extending Trimble’s portfolio for data collection, maintenance and inspection applications. The Geo 5 and Juno 5 series are both optimized for GIS field workflows, including Trimble’s TerraSync field software available on all Trimble GIS platforms.

    Since 1994, the Trimble GeoExplorer line of GNSS handhelds has been used for professional GIS data-collection applications. While the GeoExplorer 6000 series is the most capable Trimble handheld for GIS data collection, not all customers require the larger screen and innovative Floodlight technology of the 6000 series. The Geo 5 provides the essential functions for all day, submeter productivity in a smaller package, Trimble said.

    The Trimble Juno product line is used worldwide for maintenance, inspections and asset management applications. With the addition of the Juno 5 series, Trimble is providing a rugged handheld that delivers the capabilities and convenience of a smartphone, Trimble said. The Juno 5’s slim, ergonomic design is thinner and lighter than other rugged computing products in its class today and provides a more advanced feature set than the Juno 3 series.

    “Whether users are engaged in initial data-collection tasks or inspection of assets, it is critical they have a complete solution they trust,” said Daniel Wallace, general manager of Trimble’s GIS Data Collection Division. “Now with two platforms in both the Geo and Juno families, customers can confidently choose a handheld that best fits their needs. Trimble TerraSync software is the unifying workflow that brings these choices together, so customers can always trust the quality of their data throughout the complete lifecycle of a field management project.”

    Complete with wireless communications options, integrated cameras and bright, sunlight-readable screens, both devices are built for work in the field and rugged enough to withstand shock, vibration, water and dust.

  • $3.7 Billion Reasons Why GIS Technology is The Future

    Editor’s note: Although GIS adoption is certainly on the rise, it hasn’t reached critical mass for widespread adoption so I think 2012 is too early to be seen as the Year of GIS. When it does, it will be fueled by widespread location apps in smartphones and adoption of mainstream office apps like Maps for Office.

    When technology historians look back on 2012, they might look at this as the GIS year says Dr. Stephen McElroy, GIS program chair at American Sentinel University.

    “2012 is the year of GIS,” says Dr. Stephen McElroy, GIS program chair at American Sentinel University. “The desire to know where everything is located fuels the current trend in location-based services. As GIS is more accessible and consumable on the Web through a variety of mobile devices, the average person is becoming increasingly impacted by the power of GIS. Soon it will become a pervasive technology that is consumed by a wider audience than ever before.”

    The proof is in a new report from Pike Research. Findings indicate that spending on GIS services, software and tools will increase steadily over the next five years, reaching $3.7 billion in 2017.

    This industry momentum toward GIS is what led to K-12 schools in North Carolina to sign a statewide license for unlimited classroom use of Esri’s ArcGIS software.

    According to Dr. McElroy, K-12 educators are increasingly aware that geospatial competencies must now be included among the core proficiencies of reading, writing and arithmetic. He points out that some schools are undertaking initiatives to incorporate geospatial competencies across the curriculum by adding geospatial exercises and experiences into the standard curriculum. The concept of GIS across the curriculum is a trend that is just now beginning to blossom and illustrates the long-term presence of geospatial thinking at the national, state and local levels.

    To demonstrate just how important GIS is to the U.S. government, Esri, the world’s leading provider of GIS software recently released a new book, ‘Mapping the Nation: Government and Technology Making a Difference.’ It includes more than 100 full-color maps produced by 40 government agencies, showing how GIS technology can be used to evaluate and respond to social, economic and environmental concerns at local, regional, national and global levels.

    “Geography is a common denominator in everything the federal government supports,” says Christopher Thomas, director, government markets – federal, state, local at Esri. “The maps in this book attest to the limitless power of geography and GIS technology. They show how government agencies rely on GIS analysis to facilitate initiatives, improve transparency and deliver strong business models.”

    Add this momentum to the fact that new products are released nearly every week, including CHC’s new LT30 series GPS/GIS handheld collector. The LT30 GPS/GIS is a multi-functional solution that includes built-in GPRS phone and data transmission, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and a versatile RS232 interface to connect to legacy devices.

    Smart Grids Lead the Charge

    Leading the charge for this GIS enthusiasm is the smart grid.

    According to the Pike report, spatial data underlies everything an electric utility does. An intelligent power grid requires deep situational awareness of power generation, transmission, distribution and customer assets in order to optimize performance and to meet reliability commitments.

    Land-based and street-level data, ownership/real estate, vegetation, network topology, GPS location data, census data, and many other forms of geospatial information are critical to the successful performance of the smart grid.

    GIS is a foundational technology linking every activity of an electric utility – including design and construction, asset management, workforce management, outage management, and increasingly, real-time grid operations.

    “The smart grid has energized electric utilities to think creatively about how to improve the delivery of electrical power and the business and workflow processes that enable it,” says Pike Research vice president Bob Gohn. “As the deployment of intelligent field equipment, particularly advanced metering infrastructure, has surged, the applications leveraging this infrastructure are increasingly dependent on GIS-based data for critical real-time performance.”

    Public and private utility providers will need a comprehensive GIS that they can utilize to make key decisions about system-critical issues such as customer database management, streamlined meter reading and blending of renewable (solar, wind, hydro and geothermal) and non-renewable energy resources from coal and nuclear facilities.

    “These industries are looking for people who understand GIS technology, making it an excellent time to make yourself more marketable and consider an online bachelor’s or master’s degree in GIS technology,” says Dr. McElroy.

    The market for GIS professionals at all skill levels has never been better.

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the job outlook (2010-2020) for geographers is growing by 35 percent (much faster than average). For Cartographers and photogrammetrists, the outlook is 22 percent growth (faster than average). For surveying and mapping technicians, the outlook is 16 percent and all of these occupations are expected to grow by 14 percent.

  • URISA Announces 2012 GIS Hall of Fame Inductees

    URISA (Urban and Regional Information Systems Association) announced their 2012 GIS Hall of Fame inductees. URISA established the GIS Hall of Fame in 2005 to recognize and honor the most esteemed leaders of the geospatial community. To be considered for the GIS Hall of Fame, an individual’s or an organization’s record of contribution to the advancement of the industry demonstrates creative thinking and actions, vision and innovation, inspiring leadership, perseverance, and community mindedness. Hall of Fame inductees are individuals or organizations whose contributions and accomplishments have moved the geospatial industry and user community in a better, stronger direction.

    This year, the GIS Hall of Fame Nomination Committee, composed of URISA Past Presidents, proposed five federal agencies that have made substantial contributions to the GIS community and profession. The URISA Board of Directors unanimously approved each nominee.  URISA is pleased to announce the 2012 GIS Hall of Fame inductees:

    • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    • Natural Resources Canada
    • Statistics Canada
    • United States Census Bureau
    • United States Geological Survey

    Representatives from each agency will be in attendance at URISA’s 50th Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon, where each will be inducted into the URISA GIS Hall of Fame during the Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, October 3, 2012.

    “The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is thrilled to be receiving this award from URISA and is immensely proud of the many USGS employees who have pioneered the application of GIS in the programs we carry out on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the citizens of our Nation”. — Mark DeMulder, Director, USGS National Geospatial Program

    “NASA is honored by this recognition from a leader in the use of geospatial data and tools across sectors.  This honor is truly a tribute to the many people who design and operate the Earth-observing satellite missions, process and deliver the data, and analyze the measurements to benefit all humankind.” — Michael H. Freilich, Director of the NASA Earth Science Division

    “Statistics Canada is honored to be recognized by the URISA GIS Hall of Fame for its leadership role in advancing GIS technology for the production and dissemination of statistical data in Canada. The Agency is most proud of its staff who have partnered with organizations in Canada and internationally to develop and adopt innovative GIS solutions to meet increasing and evolving user needs.” — Rosemary Bender, Assistant Chief Statistician, Informatics and Methodology, Statistics Canada

    “The U.S. Census Bureau is honored to be inducted into the URISA GIS Hall of Fame, which recognizes the achievements of Census Bureau staff for its technological innovations for making GIS data available to the nation.” —  Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Acting Director, Census Bureau

    “Natural Resources Canada is proud to be recognized for its scientific and technological accomplishments in geomatics. This honour is a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of our staff and partners who have advanced geomatics innovation in Canada and beyond.” —  The Honourable Joe Oliver, P.C., M.P., Minister, Natural Resources Canada

    The 2012 inductees will join the following esteemed members of URISA’s GIS Hall of Fame, each of which is profiled online:

    • 2005 Inductees: Edgar Horwood, Ian McHarg, Roger Tomlinson, Jack Dangermond, Nancy Tosta, and the Harvard Lab
    • 2006 Inductee: Gary Hunter
    • 2007 Inductees: Don Cooke and Michael Goodchild
    • 2009 Inductees: Will Craig and Carl Reed
    • 2010 Inductee: C. Dana Tomlin
    • 2011 Inductees: William Huxhold and Barry Wellar