Eric Gakstatter, contributing editor of GPS World and Geospatial Solutions, talks with Sarah Liu of Supergeo Technologies, Inc., about the company’s GIS solutions for worldwide users while at InterGeo, held October 7-9 in Berlin.
Tag: INTERGEO
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Topcon Announces Latest Addition to 3D Layout Line
Topcon’s LN-100W 3D positioning system. Topcon Positioning Group announces an update to its world’s first line of 3D positioning systems designed for one-operator layout — the LN-100W. The latest model includes Bluetooth functionality.
The LN-100W is on display at InterGeo 2014, being held this week in Berlin.
“LN-100W offers an enhanced level of connectivity with the addition of Bluetooth functionality,” said Ray Kerwin, Topcon director of global surveying products. “Now operators have an additional wireless communication option that will provide greater versatility with devices such as tablets that might not be WLAN ready.
“The update exemplifies our focus on making the LN-100 as simple to use as possible,” said Kerwin. “The LN-100W offers the popular self-leveling, one-operator 3D layout features of the original model, and takes the ease-of-use a step further.”
The LN-100W is the newest of BIM (Building Information Modeling) solutions from Topcon.
Watch a video demonstration from InterGeo below.
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Trimble Offers Pipeline Construction Software for Oil and Gas
The Trimble Access Pipelines launcher. Trimble announced today an addition to its Trimble Access family of field software applications: Trimble Access Pipelines. Designed for surveyors involved in oil and gas pipeline installation, Trimble Access Pipelines addresses challenges encountered by pipeline surveyors by automating common pipeline survey tasks. The software solution saves time by simplifying attribute and inventory collection and integrating all the data into one easy-to-use data collection workflow.
The announcement was made today at InterGeo 2014, the world’s largest conference on geodesy, geoinformatics and land management.
Trimble Access Pipelines, a new addition to the ever-increasing suite of applications available for Trimble Access field software, offers a streamlined workflow for pipe inventory collection and validation, weld mapping and as-built measurements. The software significantly reduces project time and redundancies by collecting pipe attribute data, recording the relationship between welds and pipes, and electronically linking the joint attributes to measured welds. Using the application, pipeline surveyors can capture the necessary data so construction can proceed without costly delays.
The complete end-to-end solution is enabled when combining the power of Trimble Access Pipelines and Trimble Business Center. Trimble Access Pipelines can quickly generate customized reports for the tally and weld map data or the surveyed pipeline directly on the controller. All field data can be seamlessly transferred into Trimble Business Center to produce rich, complete deliverables including as-built plots using the Trimble Business Center Advanced Drafting module.
“One of the most time consuming challenges pipeline surveyors face is the collection of pipe attribution detail and recording the information with weld positions,” said Benoit Mallen, business area manager of Oil and Gas for Trimble’s Geospatial Division.”With Trimble Access Pipelines, we have leveraged Trimble’s strength in positioning technology and combined it with a workflow-specific application to create a streamlined solution that can meet the needs of geospatial professionals working in the oil and gas industry.”
Trimble Access Pipelines and Trimble Business Center Software version 3.30 are available now through Trimble’s Geospatial Distribution Channel.
A free trial of the Trimble Access Pipelines application as well as other available modules for Trimble Access are available to all existing Trimble Access users, and can be activated and installed using the Trimble Access Installation Manager. For more information on Trimble Field software, visit www.trimble.com/Survey/Field-Software.
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Carlson Launches GIS360 for Android at InterGeo
Carlson GIS360 for Android, introduced at InterGeo this week in Berlin, is a mobile field GIS-GPS tool that utilizes both GIS and surveying technologies for field data collection.
“Taking advantage of the graphics processing power of Android devices, GIS360 now includes an innovative 3D viewer so the user can see data and models in 3D on site,” said David Loescher, Carlson U.K. sales director and director of GIS360 Development.
In addition to allowing field crews to navigate maps and collect and report data all in the field, GIS360 provides the data and fully rendered models of mines, earthworks and pipe networks can that can be viewed in 3D. The software’s Siteview function uses the Android devices’ built-in GPS, compass and gyros to give the user the view of the site that is in front of him.
Carlson GIS360 provides a wireless connection to any map server of choice, so users are never without a map. This saves considerable time and effort as field crews can verify that all of the data collected is accurate before leaving the site. No costly site revisits are necessary and no office work is needed.
The software’s “cloud” options mean that users’ data is always backed up with the ability to share between field and office in real-time. GIS360 goes beyond just positioning as it includes a wide range of tools for mobile workforce management, GPS data collection, tracking and asset maintenance.
Used on an Android tablet or smartphone, Carlson GIS360 for Android can take GIS data anywhere, Carlson said. The built-in GPS and compass instantly calculate what the user is looking at and then displays the data automatically.
“The GIS360 development team set out to make the collection of asset information easier and more efficient by combining the power of GIS360 with affordable Android devices,” added Loescher. “The result not only saves a lot of field time, but also makes the process far easier for everyone concerned.”
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Live from InterGeo
Geospatial Solutions/GPS World staff will be reporting from InterGeo October 7-9. The massive trade show, held this year in Berlin, is considered the world’s leading conference trade fair for geodesy, geoinformation and land management. With more than 16,000 visitors from 80 countries, it is one of the key platforms for industry dialogue.
Staff members attending include GPS World Editor and Publisher Alan Cameron, Survey/GIS Editor Eric Gakstatter, and Digital Editor Joelle Harms. All three are accepting meeting invitations for companies interested in discussing their products and services. Contact [email protected].
VIDEOS
Supergeo Technologies, Inc., chats with Eric Gakstatter, GPS World and Geospatial Solutions contributing editor, about its different GIS solutions for worldwide users.
PHOTOS
BLOGS
InterGeo: The Worldwide GIS Showcase (09/25/14)
NEWS
Sokkia Introduces NET AXII Measuring Station (10/07/2014)
Topcon Announces Latest Addition to 3D Layout Line (10/07/2014)
Trimble Offers Expanded GNSS Portfolio for Surveyors (10/07/2014)
Trimble Offers Pipeline Construction Software for Oil and Gas (10/07/2014)
Carlson Software Introduces Surveyor2 Data Collector at InterGeo (10/07/14)
Carlson Launches GIS360 for Android at InterGeo (10/07/14)
Hemisphere GNSS Offers New Survey-Grade GNSS Antennas (10/07/14)
Applanix Offers Single-Board GNSS-Inertial System for UAV Mapping (10/07/14)
Icaros to Unveil Versatile Nadir/Oblique Aerial Mapping System at InterGeo (10/03/14)
InterGeo Event Considers Land Management Challenges (10/03/14)
Trend- and Media-Forum at InterGeo Features Innovation, China (10/03/14)
Juniper System, Soil Instruments Partner on Geotechnical Monitoring (10/03/14)
Oxford Technical Solutions Launches Board Set for System Integrators (10/03/14)
Orbit GT Showcases UAS Mapping Pro at InterGeo (10/03/14)
Icaros to Demonstrate Measuring Tool for Oblique Imagery at InterGeo (09/24/14)
EUROGI Conference to Be Held in Conjunction with InterGeo (08/11/14)
Join Us for Our Post-Show Webinar
New Product Trends in UAV, Survey, Mapping, and Geospatial Data Collection and Analysis
InterGeo Post-Show ReportThursday, October 16, 10 a.m. PDT/ 1 p.m. EDT / 5 p.m. GMT
Summary: UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) are taking over the surveying industry, thanks to their ever-improving sensors and the fact that they are getting lighter and can therefore remain in the air for longer. They complete surveying and inspection tasks that would otherwise be difficult to tackle, and do so with impressive cost-efficiency. UAV trends and technology will be among the focal points at the InterGeo conference in Berlin in early October.
Our correspondents will return with a fresh report, moderated by GPS World Editor and Publisher Alan Cameron and Survey Scene Editor Eric Gakstatter.
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Geospatial Solutions Staff to Report from InterGeo
GPS World/Geospatial Solutions staff will be reporting from InterGeo October 7-9. The massive trade show, held this year in Berlin, is considered the world’s leading conference trade fair for geodesy, geoinformation and land management. With more than 16,000 visitors from 80 countries, it is one of the key platforms for industry dialogue.
Staff members attending include GPS World Editor and Publisher Alan Cameron, Survey/GIS Editor Eric Gakstatter, and Digital Editor Joelle Harms. All three are accepting meeting invitations for companies interested in discussing their products and services. Contact [email protected].
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Trend- and Media-Forum at InterGeo Features Innovation, China
The Trend- and Media-Forum at InterGeo 2014, held October 7-9 in Berlin, showcases international trends and visionary presentations. Highlights include the daily JobSHAKER career event and the first cooperation with Chinese media platform 3sNews.
The InterGeo Trend- and Media-Forum works with renowned companies and publishing houses to explore interdisciplinary questions and initiate dialogue and debate. With a range of presentations, workshops, award ceremonies and panels, the forum is a catalyst for innovation and drives trends. The presentations focus on topics such as business processes involving geointelligence, UAVs, mobile solutions, cloud environments, 3D applications and e-government strategies.
JobSHAKER. In 2014, the topics of careers and young professionals will once again be at the heart of the InterGeo Trend- and Media-Forum. The well-established JobSHAKER career event brings together InterGeo employers and jobseekers. Attractive employers such as Leica Geosystems, Trimble Germany, Riegl Laser Measurement Systems, ALLSAT and the German armed forces use the Trend- and Media-Forum to showcase job opportunities and career profiles in their particular field. Conversations and discussions are very much encouraged at this event. JobSHAKER will take place daily from 12:30 to 2 p.m. as part of the Trend- and Media-Forum at InterGeo.
Dialogue with China. In a highlight of this year’s Trend- and Media-Forum, China will be entering into dialogue with the rest of the world. Gold media partner 3sNews, one of the largest media platforms for geoinformation in China, will be present. Sarah Long from 3sNews describes the significance of this cooperation with InterGeo: “We are looking forward to innovative, highly developed products and inspiring presentations, and plan to establish partnerships for the future. As the world’s largest and most influential exhibition for the geoinformation industry, InterGeo is an absolute must for us. It’s an opportunity for us to find out all the latest news and communicate it to China — our news about InterGeo will be broadcast throughout the world.”
GSS at InterGeo. GPS World/GSS staff will be reporting from InterGeo October 7-9. The massive trade show, held this year in Berlin, is considered the world’s leading conference trade fair for geodesy, geoinformation and land management. With more than 16,000 visitors from 80 countries, it is one of the key platforms for industry dialogue. Staff members attending include GPS World Editor and Publisher Alan Cameron, Survey/GIS Editor Eric Gakstatter, and Digital Editor Joelle Harms. All three are accepting meeting invitations for companies interested in discussing their products and services. Contact [email protected].
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InterGeo Event Considers Land Management Challenges
Housing shortages and rising property prices in urban areas, depopulation and energy revolution in rural areas — the contrasts couldn’t be greater. On Thursday, October 9, land management experts will come together at InterGeo to discuss key issues and potential solutions.
“The key to making rural areas viable in the long term is to work together. Citizen participation, shared usage strategies, cooperation between municipalities — boundaries are disappearing and it’s land development that makes this possible,” said Hartmut Alker, chair of the Federal and State Working Group on Sustainable Land Development.
In this context, the conference at InterGeo focuses on four major themes:
- Flood prevention using land management strategies.
- Housing shortages in urban areas, taking into account socially progressive land use and forward-looking area management.
- Competition for land during the energy revolution as a political issue and a challenge to engineers to find compatible and compensatory solutions.
- The future of rural areas is a broad topic that examines the “successful shrinking” and successful development of villages and rural areas.
“Developing strategies for the future of rural areas in the context of demographic change is of fundamental importance for Germany as a successful business hub. However, it is not yet given sufficient priority within society,” said Martina Klärle, executive director of FFin – Frankfurter Forschungsinstitut.
At the event, exhibitors will showcase a broad portfolio of tools and solutions for land management. Planning software, 3D simulations and high-resolution remote sensing data are prime examples of geodetic services in this field.
GSS at InterGeo. GPS World/GSS staff will be reporting from InterGeo October 7-9. The massive trade show, held this year in Berlin, is considered the world’s leading conference trade fair for geodesy, geoinformation and land management. With more than 16,000 visitors from 80 countries, it is one of the key platforms for industry dialogue. Staff members attending include GPS World Editor and Publisher Alan Cameron, Survey/GIS Editor Eric Gakstatter, and Digital Editor Joelle Harms. All three are accepting meeting invitations for companies interested in discussing their products and services. Contact [email protected].
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Satlab Geosolutions Adds Americas Office, Appoints Phil Gabriel
Satlab products include (from left) the SL600 6G GNSS receiver, the SL300 6G GNSS receiver, and the SL55 controller. Photo: Satlab Geosolutions AB Swedish-based survey and GIS equipment maker Satlab Geosolutions AB has expanded into the U.S. and Americas with the creation of a new sister company Satlab Geosolutions (USA), Inc., based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Phil Gabriel has been named managing director of the USA office.
Setting up a formal base of operations in the U.S. will allow Satlab to better service their clients and expand their customer base in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Latin America, a company release said. As past president of Hemisphere GNSS, Gabriel brings to the team his many years of experience in the survey, GIS, GNSS, machine control, marine and navigation industries, Satlab said.
The U.S. location will sell, support and service the new product lineup being introduced at InterGeo in Berlin, Germany, on October 7. Satlab is seeking dealers to expand its business throughout the Americas.
“The addition of a U.S. office is an exciting next step for us, after successful expansion into Turkey and the Czech Republic in the last few years,” said Bjorn Agardh, CEO of Satlab Geosolutions AB.
“Our products have been well received and continue to perform extremely well,” added Birol Gucluer, CTO and partner of Satlab.
“I’m excited to join Bjorn and Birol, extending their success by ensuring their high standards in customer service are maintained here in the Americas,” Gabriel said.
Satlab invites Survey and GIS dealers to meet the expanded team at InterGeo October 7-9 in Berlin, where they will be introducing several new models of their popular receivers and handhelds.
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InterGeo: The Worldwide GIS Showcase
Did you know the largest GIS conference in the world is held in Germany every year? Last October, more than 16,000 geospatial geeks traveled to Germany to attend the InterGeo Conference. In just a few short weeks, Geospatial Solutions’ staff will travel to Berlin and mix it up with the world’s leading geogeeks. If you want to see the latest and greatest GIS technology, both hardware and software, it is the best show in the world, bar none.
The second largest GIS conference in the world is the Esri International User Conference. It’s a great conference, with one major caveat; it’s a user conference for Esri users. Competitors and perceived competitors are not invited.
InterGeo is open to any company that can afford an exhibit booth. That’s one major difference. The other major difference is that there are very few technical sessions. That means all 16,000+ attendees are wandering around the exhibits. The exhibit aisles are packed with people, all the time for all three days, and the energy is fantastic.
The InterGeo conference is an eye-opener for North Americans who attend for the first time. This is because they will see a much wider variety of brands than they are exposed to in North America and, in many cases, they will see products with lower price points. It’s all about marketing. The African, Asian and European markets won’t pay as much for products as North Americans will, and seeing how 83% of the InterGeo attendees are from Europe, you can imagine how the products are marketed. Only 2.4% of the 2013 attendees were from North America. Following is a map illustrating where last year’s attendees traveled from:
InterGeo 2013 attendance. Not only are there commercial exhibits, but also technology displays such as this mapping machine from the 19th century that was displayed during the 2012 InterGeo Conference.
At this year’s show, we expect to see a lot of UAVs. Last year, there were 25 exhibits showing UAVs. This year, I expect that number to double as new UAVs are being introduced almost weekly and, unlike in the U.S., UAVs are legal to fly in many countries of the world.
I also expect to see a wider variety of RTK GNSS receivers, at more competitive prices than last year.
Stay tuned to Geospatial Solutions and GPS World magazine staff as we descend into Berlin in a couple of weeks. Expect lots of photos, video recordings and write-ups of the event. Remember to follow me on Twitter for real-time news and photos.
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EUROGI Conference to Be Held in Conjunction with InterGeo
The European-focused imaGIne conference will provide attendees with an opportunity learn what is going on in the geospatial sector and to network with important decision-makers. EUROGI’s “imaGIne: Opportunities Everywhere” Conference will be held October 8-9 in Berlin, Germany.
The imaGIne conference will take place at the same venue and at the same time as the InterGeo trade fair.
A key aim of the conference is to showcase the best that Europe has to offer in the geospatial field, thus the conference subtitle “Geographic Information Expertise: Made in Europe.” The aim has guided EUROGI and its member associations in the selection of themes and speakers, organizers said.
Plenary Sessions and Keynotes
During the plenary sessions, presentations will be given by top European and global experts.
- Roberto Viola, deputy director, Directorate General CONNECT, European Commission, will provide an outline of the European Union’s Digital Agenda Europe, with particular emphasis on geospatial aspects.
- Detlef Dauke, director general, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy will speak on behalf of the German vice-chancellor, who is the patron for the conference.
Two speakers will provide a view of the state of the European geospatial industry from a global perspective, highlighting its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Other issues which will be covered in the plenaries include the Internet of Things (billions of interlinked sensors across Europe), Linked Data (joining up data which was otherwise unconnected) and Big Data (massive amounts of data from diverse sources and across many fields).
In addition to the plenary sessions, there will be 15 parallel sessions of 90 minutes each, each of which has a specific thematic focus. The themes include Job Creation and Economic Growth, Energy, Environment, Demography, Smart Cities, Copernicus (Europe’s Earth Observation initiative), Open Data, Big Data, and Insurance. The sessions will not only provide interesting insights, but will also feature panel sessions with discussions of pertinent issues, as well as opportunities for audience engagement.
The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre will provide an opportunity to discuss the European Union Location Framework, a set of policies and measures which aim to facilitate the integration of geospatial information into e-government services and to increase alignment in and between existing and future EU policies.
InterGeo Fair. InterGeo is the world’s leading trade fair for geodesy, geoinformation and land management. With over half a million event website users, over 16 000 direct visitors each year from 92 countries and more than 500 exhibitors, it is one of the key platforms for business dialogue in the geospatial information sphere.
Registration for EUROGI’s imaGIne conference will automatically entitle delegates to visit the fair.
More information about the conference can be found at www.imagine2014.eu. The website also provides the opportunity to register. An early-bird discount rate will be available until August 31.
The Geospatial Sector — Huge and Growing Fast
Geospatial information, also often referred to as geographic information, is any information that has a location/position “tag.” The tags can take many forms, including for example, postal codes, street addresses, words that have a location/place reference (such as Barcelona, the Rhine, Slovenia, etc.), north/south coordinates, and more. Organizing and managing tags enables vast amounts of otherwise disparate information to be integrated and new and innovative insights and services to be provided.
According to a report published last year by Oxera, a leading UK economic research firm that was commissioned by Google, at $150-270 billion annually the geospatial sector globally was one third the size of the global airline industry. (See “What is the Impact of Geospatial Services?”)
The report states, “Geo services are making an important contribution to the global economy and to future productivity. The efficiency gains they create are helping to facilitate future economic activity and generate additional consumer welfare.”
Everyone is aware of the airline industry, but very few are aware of the geospatial industry, an industry that to a very large extent operates out of direct public view, but that produces products and services that impact on billions of people worldwide on a daily basis. The insurance, automotive, telecommunications, navigation, marine, agriculture, energy, utilities, tourism, and recreation and media industries are just some of sectors that rely heavily on geospatial products and services.
Apart from the enormous size of the sector, another key point highlighted in the Google-sponsored research report is that the sector is growing globally at about 30 percent annually. With overall global economic growth taking place in the lower single-digit range, growth of this nature can truly be described as explosive, conference organizers said.
