Screenshot of a mobile mapping service integrating USGS topographic data; hiking and biking trails south of Golden, Colo. Imagery with road and contour data overlaid via AlpineQuest.
Are you a developer, firm, or organization using mobile or web applications to enable your users? The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has publicly available geospatial services and data to help your application development and enhancement.
The USGS’ National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) will be hosting a 30-minute webinar on “Using The National Map services to enable your web and mobile mapping efforts” on June 16 at 9 a.m. MT.
Screenshot of a mobile mapping service integrating USGS topographic data; hiking and biking trails south of Golden, Colo. Trail data in KML/GPX overlaid via AlpineQuest.
This webinar will feature a brief overview of services, data and products that are publicly available, a quick overview on how AlpineQuest, a leading private firm, is leveraging this public data to benefit their users, and a Question & Answer session with a USGS developer to help you get the most out of the national geospatial services.
“This is an opportunity from NGTOC to bring developers and users together for some demonstrations and starting some dialogue,” said Brian Fox, the NGTOC Systems Development Branch Chief. “The webinar format allows us to improve awareness of USGS geospatial services and develop a better understanding of what users and developers need to make our data and services more available and usable.”
To access the webinar, you’ll need to activate Cisco WebEx and call into the conference number (toll free) 855-547-8255 and use the security code: 98212385. The webinar will display through WebEx.
Use this system diagnosis to ensure that you have the appropriate players installed for this WebEx enabled webinar.
The session will be recorded and closed caption option is available.
Click here to find out more about this and other NGOC webinar conferences.
Esri President Jack Dangermond is asking for geospatial professionals to provide illustrations for his opening presentation at the 2015 Esri User Conference in July.
“Each year, the Plenary Session provides an inspiring overview of the state of geospatial technology today, and one of the best ways to illustrate that is by sharing examples of your work,” Dangermond writes in an email. “I invite you to submit up to three images for us to consider including in the presentation.”
Dangermond said he is interested in:
Maps that helped make a decision
Maps that helped with collaboration
Maps that helped communicate
High-quality cartographic displays
3D visualizations
Built environment
Nature landscapes
Cartography (statistics)
Maps that illustrate spatial analysis, modeling, and science
Web maps
Image submissions must be received by Friday, June 12, via Esri’s online portal.
LizardTech, a provider of software solutions for managing and distributing geospatial content, has expanded its global presence with several new business partnerships and product purchases during the first half of 2015.
During the last six months, national governments, energy organizations and infrastructure owners and operators have all bought LizardTech software in countries such as Canada, Sweden, Norway, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman, Australia and the Philippines.
“We are delighted with the progress we have made in promoting LizardTech’s remarkable MrSID-based software throughout the European, African and Middle Eastern market places and beyond into Asia Pacific,” said Quarry One Eleven Founder Alistair Maclenan. “LizardTech is a great client that understands the power of marketing and in-region representation. Their support has been a huge factor in the partnership and sales successes we have seen for their image compression, preparation and distribution products.”
“We have had an exciting first half of the year which illustrates that our products are in demand all over the world,” said Jeff Young, who directs Global Business Development at LizardTech. “These sales validate the sustainability of LizardTech over the last 23 years through partnerships in multiple continents. We take pride in our customer’s loyalty and continued commitment to our MrSID image compression format.”
Hurricane Fran at peak intensity on Sept.4, 1996. (Image: NOAA)
More than 6.6 million homes on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts are at risk of hurricane storm surge inundation with a total reconstruction cost of nearly $1.5 trillion, according to a new storm surge analysis released today by CoreLogic.
The CoreLogic analysis examines risk from hurricane-driven storm surge for homes along the Atlantic and Gulf coastlines of 19 states and the District of Columbia, as well as for 84 metro areas. Homes are categorized among five risk levels, including Low, Moderate, High, Very High and Extreme.
In addition to the number of homes at risk, the analysis provides reconstruction cost values (RCVs), which indicate how much is required to rebuild the property, including labor and materials, and assuming worst-case scenario at 100-percent destruction (see Table 1).
Table 1: Residential Exposure by Storm Category for the Entire U.S.
Storm Surge Risk Level (Storm Category)
Total Homes Potentially Affected
Total Estimated RCV(U.S. dollars)
Extreme (Affected by a Category 1-5 storm)
1,651,978
$393,494,752,074
Very High (Category 2-5)
1,438,526
$324,225,419,007
High (Category 3-5)
1,654,925
$371,135,087,394
Moderate (Category 4-5)
1,178,196
$267,395,972,220
Low (Category 5)
685,391
$132,090,242,053
Total
6,609,016
$1,488,341,472,748
At the regional level, the Atlantic Coast has more than 3.8 million homes at risk of storm surge in 2015 with an RCV of $939 billion, and the Gulf Coast has just under 2.8 million homes at risk and nearly $549 billion in potential exposure to total destruction damage (Table 2).
Table 2: Residential Exposure by Coastal Region
Region
Atlantic Coast Homes
Atlantic Coast RCV (U.S. Dollars)
Gulf Coast Homes
Gulf Coast RCV (U.S. Dollars)
Extreme
1,018,371
$264,963,399,509
633,607
$128,531,352,565
Very High
911,091
$223,821,396,433
527,435
$100,404,022,574
High
860,657
$212,741,476,684
794,268
$158,393,610,710
Moderate
686,061
$172,277,118,076
492,135
$95,118,854,144
Low
332,984
$65,334,507,800
352,407
$66,755,734,253
Total
3,809,164
$939,137,898,502
2,799,852
$549,203,574,246
“The number of hurricanes each year is less important than the location of where the next hurricane will come ashore,” said Tom Jeffery, senior hazard risk scientist for CoreLogic. “It only takes one hurricane that pushes storm surge into a major metropolitan area for the damage to tally in the billions of dollars. With new home construction, and any amount of sea-level rise, the number of homes at risk of storm surge damage will continue to increase.”
Table 3 shows that six states account for more than three-quarters of all at-risk homes nationally. Florida has the highest total number of properties at various risk levels (2,509,812), followed by Louisiana (760,272), New York (464,534), New Jersey (446,148), Texas (441,304) and Virginia (420,052). Even though Louisiana has the second most homes at risk of storm surge, only one-quarter of these homes are in the extreme or very high storm surge category due, in large part, to the upgrade and expansion of levees in Louisiana.
Table 3: State Table (Ranked by Number of Homes at Risk)
Rank
State
Extreme
Very High
High
Moderate
Low*
Total
1
Florida
793,204
461,632
524,923
352,102
377,951
2,509,812
2
Louisiana
97,760
104,059
337,495
138,762
82,196
760,272
3
New York
127,325
114,876
131,039
91,294
N/A
464,534
4
New Jersey
116,581
178,668
73,303
77,596
N/A
446,148
5
Texas
45,800
70,894
112,189
116,168
96,253
441,304
6
Virginia
94,260
115,770
98,463
84,015
27,544
420,052
7
South Carolina
107,443
57,327
65,885
46,799
30,961
308,415
8
North Carolina
73,463
51,927
48,595
40,155
37,347
251,487
9
Massachusetts
31,420
65,279
74,413
49,325
N/A
220,437
10
Maryland
47,990
39,966
27,591
28,975
N/A
144,522
11
Georgia
41,970
52,281
28,852
19,190
8,465
150,758
12
Pennsylvania
1,467
45,776
37,983
32,426
N/A
117,652
13
Mississippi
14,809
20,643
29,387
27,507
10,588
102,934
14
Connecticut
25,292
23,656
22,230
26,529
N/A
97,707
15
Alabama
7,403
12,707
10,182
13,749
14,086
58,127
16
Delaware
11,523
10,854
13,528
13,811
N/A
49,716
17
Rhode Island
6,595
5,988
6,720
7,187
N/A
26,490
18
Maine
5,159
2,753
7,368
7,211
N/A
22,491
19
New Hampshire
2,514
3,470
4,234
2,272
N/A
12,490
20
District of Columbia
N/A**
N/A**
545
3,123
N/A
3,668
Total
1,651,978
1,438,526
1,654,925
1,178,196
685,391
6,609,016
* The “Low” risk category is based on Category 5 hurricanes, which are not likely along the northeastern Atlantic coast. States in that area have N/A designated for the Low category due to the extremely low probability of a Category 5 storm affecting that area.
** Washington, D.C. has no Atlantic coastal properties, but can be affected by larger hurricanes that push storm surge into the Potomac River. Category 1 and 2 storms will likely not generate sufficient storm surge to affect properties in Washington, D.C.
“The levee system in and around New Orleans is one of the most extensive in the world,” said Jeffery. “After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, upgrades were planned for the network of levees and pumping stations to reduce the potential devastation from future storms. Upgrades were completed in 2013, and CoreLogic analysis shows a significant number of homes are now protected from all but the higher category hurricanes as a result.”
At the local level, five Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) rank the highest in both number of homes at risk and total RCV. They include New York-Newark, NY-NJ-PA; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL; Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC; and New Orleans-Metairie, LA (Table 5).
Table 5: Storm Surge Risk for Top 5 Metro Areas
Rank
Metropolitan Area
Total Properties Potentially Affected By All Categories of Hurricane
Total RCV (U.S. Dollars)
1
New York, NY
685,152
$244,312,501,442
2
Miami, FL
564,913
$105,134,042,455
3
Tampa, FL
447,990
$78,191,384,320
4
Virginia Beach, VA-NC
395,341
$86,393,517,790
5
New Orleans, LA
380,120
$84,242,355,537
Additional findings in the CoreLogic storm surge analysis:
The five states with the highest RCV for homes at risk include: Florida ($491,119,183,016), New York ($177,398,620,779), Louisiana ($162,096,659,527) New Jersey ($126,829,146,685) and Virginia ($91,049,049,641).
The five states (including the District of Columbia) with the lowest RCV for homes at risk include: District of Columbia ($351,443,177), New Hampshire ($3,215,714,570) Maine ($5,807,400,656), Rhode Island ($7,476,741,658) and Alabama ($9,954,390,796).
The five states (including the District of Columbia) with the lowest total number of properties at risk include: the District of Columbia (3,668), New Hampshire (12,409), Maine (22,491), Rhode Island (26,490) and Delaware (49,716).
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC has the highest percentage of homes (87 percent) at risk of storm surge, but not designated in a FEMA flood zone. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Jacksonville, Fla. also top the list at 85 percent and 77 percent, respectively.
The CoreLogic storm surge analysis also complements Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood zone information to provide a snapshot of potential damage exposure at the property level, as many properties located outside designated FEMA flood zones are still at risk for storm surge damage. Standard FEMA flood zones are designed to identify areas at risk for both freshwater flooding, as well as storm surge, based on the likelihood of either a 100-year or 500-year flood event. They do not differentiate risk based on storm severity, and as a result, do not accurately define the total extent of potential risk along coastal areas.
Homeowners who live outside the FEMA flood zones frequently do not carry flood insurance, given that there is no mandate to do so, and therefore may not be aware of the potential risk storm surge poses to their properties.
To illustrate varying degrees of flood risk exposure, the analysis compares homes that are not located within FEMA 100-year floodplains against the number of homes located in surge inundation zones, as well as those located in both surge and FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA). This data can be found in the full report.
Table 4: Reconstruction Value of Properties at Risk by State (U.S. Dollars)
Rank
State
Extreme
Very High
High
Moderate
Low
Total
1
Florida
$166,127,920,621
$87,593,956,407
$100,948,271,678
$66,046,901,592
$70,402,132,718
$491,119,183,016
2
New York
$50,677,202,371
$43,738,512,048
$47,941,521,073
$35,041,385,287
N/A
$177,398,620,779
3
Louisiana
$19,219,426,239
$20,723,521,330
$73,585,253,144
$30,455,626,839
$18,112,831,975
$162,096,659,527
4
New Jersey
$32,539,401,471
$49,279,239,412
$21,290,996,129
$23,719,509,673
N/A
$126,829,146,685
5
Virginia
$21,749,493,964
$24,472,282,097
$20,790,731,449
$17,769,718,808
$6,266,823,323
$91,049,049,641
6
Texas
$7,378,747,508
$10,949,102,801
$19,458,405,318
$21,932,930,066
$18,483,135,047
$78,202,320,740
7
South Carolina
$27,968,086,462
$12,767,874,946
$13,882,875,874
$9,539,308,384
$6,213,580,227
$70,371,725,893
8
Massachusetts
$10,293,155,124
$17,512,619,612
$21,563,396,990
$15,311,723,734
N/A
$64,680,895,460
9
North Carolina
$13,933,404,480
$10,330,860,954
$9,906,870,506
$7,751,458,704
$7,201,904,492
$49,124,499,136
10
Maryland
$11,764,631,642
$9,641,288,327
$6,381,209,263
$6,920,924,916
N/A
$34,708,054,148
11
Connecticut
$9,162,361,469
$8,157,864,151
$7,292,127,632
$8,774,300,132
N/A
$33,386,653,384
12
Georgia
$11,052,557,614
$10,521,985,895
$5,291,887,200
$3,457,728,530
$1,389,552,868
$31,713,712,107
13
Mississippi
$2,828,758,155
$3,858,574,230
$5,351,501,617
$4,850,283,320
$1,766,898,284
$18,656,015,606
14
Pennsylvania
$314,850,616
$5,812,076,371
$6,283,697,262
$4,819,045,458
N/A
$17,229,669,707
15
Delaware
$3,604,927,907
$3,338,893,060
$4,202,564,034
$3,823,191,061
N/A
$14,969,576,062
16
Alabama
$1,266,591,391
$2,252,764,464
$1,761,389,904
$2,420,261,918
$2,253,383,119
$9,954,390,796
17
Rhode Island
$1,819,637,687
$1,759,354,804
$1,917,701,002
$1,980,048,165
N/A
$7,476,741,658
18
Maine
$1,247,207,669
$728,679,536
$1,966,851,214
$1,864,662,237
N/A
$5,807,400,656
19
New Hampshire
$546,389,684
$785,968,562
$1,255,120,636
$628,235,688
N/A
$3,215,714,570
20
District of Columbia
N/A
N/A
$62,715,469
$288,727,708
N/A
$351,443,177
Total
393,494,752,074
324,225,419,007
371,135,087,394
267,395,972,220
132,090,242,053
1,488,341,472,748
Additional CBSA data, market rankings, regional, state and local-level maps are available upon request.
Methodology
The 2015 CoreLogic storm surge analysis encompasses single-family residential structures including mobile homes, duplexes, manufactured homes and cabins, among other non-traditional home types. Year-over-year changes in the number of homes at risk and RCV can be the result of several variables, including new home construction, improved public records, enhanced modeling techniques, fluctuation in labor, equipment and material costs, and even potential rise in sea level.
As a result, direct year-over-year comparisons should be avoided. To estimate the value property exposure of the single-family residences CoreLogic utilized it’s proprietary Marshall & Swift/Boeckh reconstruction cost valuation methodology.
This methodology estimates the cost to rebuild the property in the event of a total loss and is not to be confused with property market values or new construction cost estimation. Reconstruction cost estimates more accurately reflect the actual cost of damage or destruction of residential buildings that would occur from hurricane-driven storm surge since they include the cost of materials, equipment and labor needed to rebuild, and also factor in geographical pricing differences.
Actual land values are not included in the estimates. The values are based on 100-percent or total destruction of the residential structure. Depending upon the amount of surge water from a given storm, there may be less than 100 percent damage to the residence, which would result in a lower realized reconstruction cost value.
Storm surge is triggered primarily by the high winds and low pressure associated with hurricanes, which cause water to amass inside a storm as it moves across the ocean before releasing as a powerful rush overland when the hurricane moves onshore. In addition to the property damage and potential lives lost to flooding, the speed and force associated with storm surge waves can significantly increase geographic and economic impact in hurricane disaster areas.
On the day of the solstice, June 21, geospatial professionals around the world and members of Land Surveyors United (a global support network for land surveyors) will be simultaneously recording survey-grade GPS data from thousands of points around the globe, to gain a more accurate understanding of the earth’s surface.
Measurements made on Survey Earth in a Day 4D (SEIAD) will serve as comparative data from prior events and to expand upon the database of logged points. “This year it will be called 4D, as we will be layering the data from our previous three years into a single map, representing points data gathered from thousands of locations around the planet by professional surveyors,” organizers said. “This day is the largest geospatial event in history as it allows surveyors to participate in their own location. With close to 3,000 more members than we had last year, we are hoping that all of you will participate from your location on June 21.”
In 2012 the first Survey Earth event was held, establishing many new understandings between geospatial and geomatics professionals and the general public on geospatial issues, organizers said. “With a mission not only to learn more about the Earth’s surface but also monitor its changes over time, and the changes in public perspective, as a global community, we may be more capable of assessing our future,” organizers said.
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.
Pictometry International Corp. has secured an order from the Los Angeles Region – Imagery Acquisition Consortium (LARIAC) to provide digital terrain datasets through LiDAR capture of the 4,000+ square mile area that makes up Los Angeles County. Pictometry is a subsidiary of EagleView Technology, a provider of aerial imagery, data analytics and GIS solutions.
The LiDAR project will allow consortium members access to the digital data and imagery for use in 3D modeling, floodplain and watershed mapping, disaster management, land-use planning, transportation planning, volumetric studies, solar modeling, vegetation analysis, sustainability planning, and more.
Slated to begin later this year, the project will capture and deliver LiDAR in accordance with USGS Quality Level 2 specifications. At two points per square meter, this will equate to more than 21 billion individual measurements of elevation across the county.
Pictometry will also provide the consortium with a number of derivative digital terrain datasets, including a digital terrain model, digital elevation model, digital surface model as well as one and two foot contours of the project areas. “We are looking forward to the LiDAR capture which will be the final phase of the LARIAC4 imagery and mapping project,” said Mark Greninger, geographic information officer, County of Los Angeles. “The digital datasets when combined with Pictometry aerial imagery and our geographic data will provide powerful intelligence and information for all the members of LARIAC.”
“The elevation data will provide the county and consortium members a core of authoritative, high quality data that will be critical for mapping, analysis and support of the county’s mission,” explained Greninger. “These datasets will be included in our enterprise GIS system, available both internally and externally to allow for more cost-efficient operations.”
Robert Locke, Pictometry president of Government Solutions, said that the project represents a natural progression in the long-term business relationship that the company has with the consortium. “We are pleased that the County of Los Angeles recognizes Pictometry’s expertise and ability to provide LiDAR and digital models,” Locke said. “While known as the leader in aerial image capture, Pictometry is also extremely qualified and experienced in LiDAR capture and delivery.”
Pictometry completed most of the LARIAC4 mapping and image acquisition project during 2014, with the remainder to be completed in 2015.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has begun production of higher level (more highly processed) Landsat data products to help advance land surface change studies. One such product is Landsat surface-reflectance data. Landsat satellite data have been produced, archived, and distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey since 1972.
Surface reflectance data products approximate what a sensor held just above the Earth’s surface would measure, if conditions were ideal without any intervening artifacts (interference or changing conditions) that may come from the Earth’s atmosphere, different levels of illumination, and the changing geometry of the view by the sensor from hundreds of miles above the Earth. The precise removal of atmospheric artifacts increases the consistency and comparability between images of the Earth’s surface taken at different times of the year and different times of the day.
Surface reflectance and other high-level data products can be requested through the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center by accessing the EROS Science Processing Architecture (ESPA) interface. Surface reflectance data are also available using the USGS EarthExplorer; select “Landsat CDR” under the tab for datasets. More information on Landsat surface reflectance data is available at the USGS Landsat website and in an updated USGS Fact Sheet.
Data users in many different fields depend on basic Earth observation information from the USGS to conduct broad investigations of historical land surface change that cross large regions of the globe and span many years. Accordingly, this community of users requires consistently calibrated radiometric data that are processed to the highest standards.
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.
Hackathons have captured the imagination and participation of coders around the world. But there has yet to be a geospatial intelligence-focused hackathon. The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF), along with its partners and sponsors, will offer coders, data scientists and thought leaders the first-ever GEOINT Hackathon Friday, June 12, through Sunday, June 14, at its offices in Herndon, Va. Individuals and teams will partner, program and pitch solutions as they compete for a $15,000 prize.
There is no cost to register for the GEOINT Hackathon. Just visit connect.usgif.org, create an account, and select “Upcoming Events” from the sidebar menu. The “USGIF Hackathon” is listed at the bottom of this page. Full details are available here.
GEOINT Hackathon participants will be challenged to create an open-source solution within a roughly 40-hour timeframe of Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. This is a GEOINT hack, so location matters. The geography of interest and specific hack goal will be announced Friday evening during the 6 p.m. kick-off briefing.
USGIF provides this hint: “We are more interested in fostering collaboration than creating apps. All collaboration-centric coders are encouraged to sign up. The winning team will not only receive the cash prize but also passes to attend GEOINT Foreword and the GEOINT Symposium, where they will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with industry, government, and academic leaders.”
“This is a fabulous opportunity for our global GEOINT Community to continue the ongoing process of reinventing itself and opening its doors to collaboration and transparency,” said Darryl Murdock, USGIF vice president of professional development. “It is also a super venue for trying things we never before thought possible.”
USGIF, OGSystems, DigitalGlobe, Esri and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) are sponsoring and supporting the event through donations, infrastructure support and judges.
This is intended to be the first in a series of GEOINT-focused hackathons. USGIF plans to hold another hackathon during GEOINT Community Week in November.
Intergraph Security, Government and Infrastructure (SG&I) has unveiled I/Map Editor for ArcGIS, a product that works directly with Esri’s ArcGIS Platform to migrate geospatial data into Intergraph’s Computer-Aided Dispatch software (I/CAD), creating greater efficiencies for users of both systems.
Also, SG&I has established Studio One, a user experience design and development lab that provides space for multi-disciplinary teams to collaborate on innovative, user-centered products and solutions.
I/Map Editor for ArcGIS brings advanced mapping features to Intergraph’s map build environment, automating and streamlining map creation in I/CAD. I/Map Editor for ArcGIS is designed to minimize the number of different systems and steps required for ArcGIS users, offering them a one-stop shop for uploading data into their I/CAD system.
‘I/Map Editor for ArcGIS enables ArcGIS users to more efficiently get their GIS data into I/CAD using tools familiar to them,” said Kalyn Sims, chief technology officer, Intergraph SG&I. “It also provides them with the ability to more frequently update their data, which benefits agencies and the public they serve. Our goal is to provide public safety organizations with the most up-to-date geospatial data possible within their first responder systems.”
Intergraph’s industry-leading I/CAD system is critical to public safety operations, enabling agencies to quickly answer emergency and non-emergency calls, create and update incidents and manage multiple resources in real time. Intergraph’s I/Map Editor products facilitate the use of GIS data as the source of mapping information in I/CAD.
Built on Intergraph’s GeoMedia, I/Map Editor permits the use of GIS data from third-party systems as the source of map graphics in I/CAD. Built on ArcGIS, the new I/Map Editor for ArcGIS enables I/CAD map production within ArcGIS. An extension hosted in ArcMap, it natively connects to Esri data sources.
In March, Intergraph and Esri announced collaborative efforts to enhance geospatial capabilities for public safety and security agencies. Through the collaboration, the companies have been working together to more tightly align Intergraph’s I/CAD software and Esri’s ArcGIS Platform.
Studio One. Located at Intergraph SG&I’s headquarters, Studio One is an extension of the company’s strategic efforts to ensure its products are built to meet the needs of users, some of whom are in high-pressure environments.
“The methodologies and technologies of UX (user experience) are maturing very quickly. For example, now we can accurately assess whether software raises or lowers stress,” said Amy Hawkins, UX team manager, Intergraph SG&I. “As we move information technology closer and closer to users, in the form of mobile and wearable devices, we need to be very sure that we are making people’s jobs easier, not harder. That’s why we established Studio One.”
Comprised of a distributed group of user researchers, designers, technical architects and functional designers, Intergraph SG&I’s UX team conducts customer site visits, ethnographic observation, interviews and surveys to understand customer workflows and environments. The UX team has traveled to multiple cities across the U.S., visiting a dozen different public safety agencies in four different metropolitan areas. In the Denver area, the team conducted approximately 47 ride-alongs with police, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel.
The UX team works with product development teams to build usage metrics collection into Intergraph SG&I’s products so that strategists and design and development teams have the best possible data on which to base product direction decisions. The team also works with research groups at universities such as Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt and the University of Alabama in Huntsville to get independent perspectives on user mental models and emerging technologies.
“By working directly with users, we get a clear understanding of how to meet customer needs now and in the future as new technologies and challenges emerge,” Hawkins said. “Our customers are in the business of providing important public services. Studio One is all about, helping people help people.”
Intergraph SG&I’s UX team will meet with customers for UX assessments during HxGN LIVE, Hexagon’s annual international user conference, in Las Vegas from June 1-4.
The latest version of the TerraGo Edge includes enhanced polygon and polyline capabilities, enriched mapping features, expanded GPS receiver integration and adds KML import and export formats. View the video above for an on-demand demo of the latest features in TerraGo Edge v3.6.
