Supergeo Technologies, a global provider of GIS software and solutions, officially released SuperGIS Engine 3.2 to assists GIS developers in customizing GIS applications to meet diverse requirements of each project.
Developed by Supergeo through integrating mapping and GIS technologies, SuperGIS Engine 3.2, as the COM-structured development component, provides developers with complete GIS core components. The developed applications can be seamlessly embedded into programming language in Windows developing environment and integrated with other systems for strong system development, Supergeo said.
SuperGIS Engine 3.2 offers complete development resources. GIS programmers or developers are allowed to efficiently develop applications with GIS functionalities such as Display Layer, Edit, Query, Access Spatial Database, etc. Hundreds of GIS-related objects, diverse controls, comprehensive developing samples and object diagram are given to technical users, to effectively build programs and deploy to multiple end-users.
A variety of new components are contained in SuperGIS Engine 3.2. For example, “Internet Connection Component” for Proxy Server settings and “Data Exclusion” for excluding specified vector data for better map display are newly supported. In terms of mapping, point symbols can be rotated and resized according to their attributes for more flexible displaying effect.
In addition to the Suites enhancements, the Autodesk InfraWorks 360 family of offerings now includes enhanced roads and highways capabilities and new features to help civil engineers to model and visualize more realistic bridge design concepts.
“The architects, engineers, and contractors who use our products told us that they needed solutions to meet their real-world challenges, and we are responding. The 2015 Suites meet requests for greater productivity, improved collaboration, and more complete, better integrated BIM workflows,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president, IPG Product Group, Autodesk. “We also continue to offer more flexible ways to license our software, as well as more cloud services to improve customer collaboration and efficiency. Together with our customers, we are transforming the way buildings and infrastructure will be designed and built going forward.”
Here are the new features available in all of the 2015 Design Suites.
Productivity and design improvements including:
An updated, modern interface for Autodesk AutoCAD 2015 and AutoCAD 2015-based products: Helps building designers and civil engineers quickly open new and existing drawings with New Tab, visually access drawing content with Ribbon Galleries, and easily find tool locations with new Help Window functionality
Better integration with the cloud: New one-button access to Autodesk BIM 360 from Autodesk Navisworks Manage 2015, Autodesk Navisworks Simulate 2015, Autodesk Revit 2015, and Autodesk AutoCAD 2015 helps customers collaborate and manage their BIM project workflow and data
Enhanced point cloud capabilities include improved control over point cloud datasets and enhanced display settings in AutoCAD 2015-based products, as well as Autodesk Navisworks Manage 2015, Autodesk Navisworks Simulate 2015, Autodesk Revit 2015, Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2015, and Autodesk InfraWorks 2015, provide more realistic visualizations and walk-throughs
Building Design
Autodesk Revit 2015 software offers customer requested improvements to help make it easier for architects, and engineers to:
Apply a hand-sketched, graphic style to models, using the sketchy lines feature.
Include imagery in schedules to better convey graphical information.
Create and manage changes with improved tools to sketch and control revision cloud shapes.
Create more accurate documentation in 3D views using enhanced hidden lines capability.
New sketchy lines feature for Autodesk Revit 2015 software enables designers to apply a hand-sketched graphic style to views of a model to encourage client feedback and input when reviewing a design. Image courtesy of Autodesk.
A full rundown of additional 2015 enhancements for the Autodesk Building Design Suite can be found here.
“As we’ve grown, we’ve committed more and more to Autodesk Building Design Suite because it gives us the complete digital toolbox we need not just to complete projects, but to innovate as well. While Revit is our design workhorse, and we use Navisworks to coordinate building systems, we also use many other tools in the Suite as well as Autodesk 360 cloud services,” said Andrew Watkins, Associate Principal, Ayers Saint Gross, a top 300 global design firm according to ENR Magazine.
Civil Engineering
Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015 software (included in various editions of the Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 2015) includes these improvements:
Greater flexibility for designing and displaying corridor models.
More efficient creation of profile layouts.
Better production drafting to create deliverables more efficiently.
More consistency between the AutoCAD Civil 3D and AutoCAD ribbon/command set.
Simpler ways to create custom subassemblies.
Streamlined geographic location functionality includes ability to capture and embed Online Map Data (such as aerial map information) for offline viewing and plotting.
Better interoperability and data exchange functionality for DWG and DGN files.
AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015 corridor modeling enhancements provide greater flexibility when designing and displaying corridor models.
Autodesk InfraWorks 2015 (which is included in various editions of the Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 2015 and Ultimate edition of the Autodesk Building Design Suite 2015) and Autodesk InfraWorks 360 (which offers additional cloud services that add collaboration and analysis for large-scale preliminary designs) offer new features and capabilities including:
An updated user interface for quicker access to the tool you need.
Support for additional data formats including AutoCAD 3D DWG, AutoCAD Civil 3D DWG, 3D DGN, IFC, and Sketchup (SKP).
CityGML import now supports schema location, building asset mapping, and self-intersecting geometry.
Autodesk InfraWorks 2015 and Autodesk InfraWorks 360 now offer a new, more intuitive user interface to help speed workflows.
Key updates for Roadway Design for InfraWorks 360 include style zones within road sections and fixed width parametric grading for roads with discrete control over grading, cut slope, and fill slope.
The new Bridge Design for InfraWorks 360 helps civil engineers explore preliminary bridge design options more effectively by modeling and visualizing realistic civil structures in the context of the surrounding proposed site. This new application helps simplify, accelerate, and focus the layout of girder bridge design concepts, and maintain consistent data and context.
Autodesk also released previews today for upcoming industry-specific applications for InfraWorks 360 including Drainage Design for InfraWorks 360 and cloud services including Model Builder for InfraWorks 360 and Corridor Optimization for InfraWorks 360.
Oil & GAS: Plant Design
Key customer requested enhancements to the Autodesk Plant Design Suite 2015 include:
Center of Gravity (COG) functionality to identify and edit COG for piping models, spools or components and produce COG reports.
Fixed-length pipe modeling capability helps route fixed-length piping more easily.
Bill of Materials capability to create tables and linked annotation when composing orthographic drawings.
New Center of Gravity functionality for AutoCAD Plant 3D 2015 software provides the ability to identify and edit center of gravity for piping models, spools or components.
Autodesk Building Design Suite 2015, Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 2015, Autodesk Plant Design Suite 2015 and Autodesk InfraWorks 360 availability and related cloud services vary by country. Details and purchasing options are available at www.autodesk.com/purchaseoptions, with subscription options outlined at www.autodesk.com/subscription/overview.
March 2014 US Topo map of the Moab, Utah area, 1:24,000 scale. Orthoimage layer is turned on, contour and woodland layers turned off. Map: USGS
Newly released US Topo maps for Utah now feature a new commercial road data provider. The latest highway, road and street data from HERE has been added to the 1,476 revised US Topo quadrangles for the state.
“HERE, a Nokia business, is proud to provide fresh, robust and comprehensive map content to the State of Utah and the US Topo Maps program,” said Roy Kolstad, VP Sales Enterprise Americas, HERE. “We are excited for users to experience the benefits HERE brings with our more than 25 years of experience in cartography, drawing on more than 80,000 sources of data.”
The new maps also include Public Land Survey System (PLSS). These data are added to the growing list of states west of the Mississippi River. PLSS is a way of subdividing and describing land in the United States. All lands in the public domain are subject to subdivision by this rectangular system of surveys, which is regulated by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Other selected states will begin getting PLSS map data during the next respective revision cycle.
The new design for US Topo maps improves readability of maps for online and printed use, while retaining the look and feel of the traditional USGS topographic map. Map symbols are easy to read when the digital aerial photograph layer imagery is turned on.
Other re-design enhancements and new features:
New shaded relief layer for enhanced view of the terrain
Military installation boundaries, post offices and cemeteries
New road classification
A slight screening (transparency) has been applied to some features to enhance visibility of multiple competing layers
New PDF legend attachment
Metadata formatted to support multiple browsers
1885 historical USGS map of the Moab, Utah area, 1:250,000 scale. Map: USGS
US Topo maps are created from geographic datasets in The National Map, and deliver visible content such as high-resolution aerial photography, which was not available on older paper-based topographic maps. The new US Topo maps provide modern technical advantages that support wider and faster public distribution and on-screen geographic analysis tools for users.
The new digital topographic maps are PDF documents with geospatial extensions (GeoPDF) image software format and may be viewed using Adobe Reader, available as a no-cost download.
US Topo maps are updated every three years. The initial round of the 48 conterminous state coverage was completed in September of 2012. Hawaii and Puerto Rico maps have recently been added. More than 400 new US Topo maps for Alaska have been added to the USGS Map Locator & Downloader, but will take several years to complete the vast state.
Pitney Bowes, Inc., and IBM have announced a collaboration on IBM’s codename “BlueMix” platform-as-a-service to develop new hybrid cloud location services that help businesses unearth deeper connections between their customers, their geography, and their networks to deliver more personalized services and contextually relevant experiences.
IBM’s BlueMix is a new development environment that helps clients and developers speed the adoption of hybrid clouds. The initiative combines the strength of IBM software, third-party and open technologies. BlueMix provides DevOps in the cloud — an open, integrated development experience that scales to any level. Pitney Bowes is among the first third-party solutions now available to developers and companies on the new IBM BlueMix Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS).
More than 1.2 billion people around the world today use Pitney Bowes location intelligence solutions when they check in or use location-sharing features on major social media platforms. Pitney Bowes’ location intelligence suite of products offers comprehensive capabilities to provide businesses with the ability to visualize spatial data and understand relationships between specific locations. Using advanced, hyper-accurate location data, insurers can improve underwriting decisions, telecommunications providers can better analyze network coverage, and retailers can deliver more targeted promotions to consumers based on when and where they are most likely to buy.
For Pitney Bowes, the partnership provides the opportunity to expose key solutions, such as location-based services, e-commerce fulfillment, Internet postage, and parcel management, through IBM’s API Management to an extended ecosystem of innovators and developers. It also speeds the availability of new services from Pitney Bowes to vast new markets globally.
“Together, IBM and Pitney Bowes are developing a powerful lineup of cloud services around mobile application development and location intelligence,” said Steve Robinson, General Manager, IBM Cloud Platform Services. “This open-platform collaboration will inspire development that accelerates innovation and fosters growth.”
“Companies need tools and expertise to manage and integrate APIs, leverage location intelligence and customer data, and then seamlessly extend their services to reach their customers via the cloud and mobile devices,” said Roger Pilc, chief innovation officer for Pitney Bowes. “We look forward to delivering Pitney Bowes digital commerce solutions on IBM’s BlueMix.”
Topcon Positioning Group has released the MAGNET Field GIS software kit designed for efficient data collection, navigation and maintenance tasks.
“MAGNET Field GIS is field data collection software with extremely useful data sharing capabilities,” said Jason Hooten, national sales manager, GIS products. “Utilizing the cloud, MAGNET Field GIS can send and receive data via a company’s MAGNET Enterprise account, allowing professionals in the field greater productivity and less time wasted driving to and from an office to deliver collected data.
“MAGNET Field GIS is powerful and intuitive — built to easily recognize and adapt to a user’s surroundings,” said Hooten. “Whether in an urban area within a GNSS network or in a rural setting with a DGPS connection, MAGNET Field GIS provides a modern data collection solution.”
The software package also includes features such as Microsoft Bing Maps for real-time background imaging, popular GIS file-format compatibility and a customizable interface.
The Collector for ArcGIS app can be used offline to collect and edit maps and data regardless of network availability.
Esri has released new versions of Collector for ArcGIS and Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS. The Collector app now includes the ability to download maps to your smartphone or tablet device to collect and edit data when working offline. Operations Dashboard has added support for browsers so users can view operations on their iPad, Android tablet, or from their desktop. Both apps are available at no cost to ArcGIS Online subscribers and Portal for ArcGIS customers.
Collector for ArcGIS is a configurable field data collection app for iOS and Android devices. With the latest release, maps can be used anywhere regardless of network availability. Users can take map areas offline and work with them in remote locations where network availability is either nonexistent or unreliable. Users can download Esri basemaps as well as their own basemaps managed within their ArcGIS organization.
Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS provides a common operational picture for monitoring, tracking, and reporting events within your organization. The new version of Operations Dashboard now supports web browsers. That means you can have the same real-time view of operations on your tablet that you see on your Windows desktop.
Data sources inside Operations Dashboard have also been improved in the 10.2.2 version of the app. Users can now power operation views using dynamic map services as well as feature services, and other types of layers including real-time weather, traffic, and social media feeds.
Collector for ArcGIS can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Operations Dashboard is available through ArcGIS Online. Portal for ArcGIS users can access the Operations Dashboard app from the Customer Care portal.
DigitalGlobe, Inc., has launched a crowdsourcing campaign that will allow anyone to help look for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 by combing through satellite images for clues of its whereabouts.
The search drew so many participants on its first day March 17, that it crashed the company’s website, with 500,000 visitors wanting to help find the missing Boeing 777. Anyone can begin searching the satellite images, tagging anything that looks suspicious. Each pixel on a computer screen represents half a meter on the ocean’s surface.
The Longmont, Colorado, company said two of its commercial satellites have already collected images comprising roughly 1,988 square miles at the confluence of the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea, where the Beijing-bound aircraft mysteriously went missing on Saturday. The company is continuing to update the images to reflect new information about the search area provided by the Malaysian government.
To help, go to DigitalGlobe’s crowdsourcing website, Tomnod.com.
Topcon Positioning Group announces two new updates for MAGNET Enterprise — the cloud-based solution for managing field and office data in a web browser environment. New to the system is the introduction of MAGNET Enterprise Mobile, an application for mobile devices, as well as new project management functions.
MAGNET Enterprise Mobile is designed to allow users to take the central hub of the MAGNET system of solutions with them on the go. Oscar Cantu, Topcon software marketing manager, said, “The MAGNET Enterprise Mobile app takes the powerful software solution for exchanging data between the office and field through a cloud-based Company Account and puts it in the pocket of the user for easy access wherever they travel.” The app is available on the Apple App Store for iPhones and iPads.
Another addition for both the full web browser solution, as well as the mobile version of MAGNET Enterprise, is the introduction of new project manager extensions. Customers will have new functions for coordinating and overseeing their projects including: an overview dashboard for all active projects, a proposal writing and task-creation operation, task assignments, a project-specific dashboard, project calendar, project status reports, and user schedule and timecard applications.
“MAGNET Enterprise has proven itself as an ideal solution for project managers overseeing the progression of multiple projects, managing company assets, safely storing and retrieving project related files and orchestrating daily efforts within their secure cloud-based Company Account. Now, with the addition of these tools, MAGNET customers will meet deadlines, gain productivity and collaborate like never before,” said Cantu.
“The project management oriented functionality, coupled with the introduction of the MAGNET Enterprise Mobile app is another step forward in the MAGNET system of solutions that brings together all facets of a company for unmatched collaboration.”
TomTom has today announced its speed cameras service is now available in Brazil. Drivers will benefit from up-to-date warnings of nearby fixed and red light cameras, as well as speed enforcement zones.
Car manufacturers can integrate the service in their in-dash and mobile navigation systems, TomTom said. Backed by OpenLR* technology, TomTom is able to pinpoint more than 17,000 speed cameras across Brazil.
“Drivers in Brazil are now better equipped to make smarter decisions on every journey, keeping to the designated speed limit and avoiding costly fines,” commented Ralf-Peter Schaefer, VP of Traffic at TomTom. “The launch of this service adds to the real-time information available to Brazilian drivers; TomTom recently launched its world-class traffic information in Brazil, helping drivers avoid frustrating traffic jams and reach their destination faster.”
Trimble has introduced the InSphere platform for geospatial information management, a cloud-based software platform for central management of geospatial applications, data and services. Trimble says InSphere offers an innovative approach for central management of geospatial operations to improve workflow, maximize efficiency and transform the way geospatial professionals work and access critical operational information.
The framework provides access to multiple applications, including three productivity apps: Trimble InSphere Data Manager, Trimble InSphere Equipment Manager and Trimble TerraFlex to simplify field data collection. In addition, Trimble Access Services provide a seamless data connection between surveyors in the field and managers in the office, the company said. InSphere allows organizations to manage everything in one place, accessible anytime and virtually anywhere.
Geospatial customers in a range of industries — including surveying and engineering, natural resources management and mapping — now have easy access to productivity-enhancing applications. The secure, cloud-based system is easy to deploy and configure to meet the needs of any organization, Trimble said.
“The centralized management, streamlined access and tailored toolsets of Trimble InSphere are designed to boost overall operating efficiency,” said Alain Samaha, business area director of software for Trimble’s Geospatial Division. “Because geospatial information has the potential to transform organizations, we are simplifying access so the benefits of this information can be shared more readily with those who need it.”
InSphere Data Manager. The Trimble InSphere Data Manager application improves access to geospatial information for the whole organization. Accessible anytime and anywhere through a desktop or mobile device, Data Manager allows organizations to manage geospatial data in one place, for easy access to previous project information and time saved in project management.
The Trimble InSphere Data Manager can be used on a desktop, laptop, or mobile device.
InSphere Equipment Manager. The Trimble InSphere Equipment Manager application allows organizations to centrally manage their field devices. At a glance, surveying and mapping companies, can track equipment location, and view the current status of warranty, firmware and software for their fleet of field equipment.
Trimble TerraFlex. Trimble TerraFlex is a scalable cloud-based solution for everyday mobile field data collection. TerraFlex addresses a wide variety of field requirements including attribute-rich GIS data collection on a variety of common field devices. With an online data repository and streamlined toolset for creating custom digital form templates, TerraFlex keeps the data flow standardized and streamlined for effective project organization.
Trimble Access Services. The perfect complement to Trimble Access field software and Trimble Business Center desktop software, Trimble Access services assist users with day-to-day workflows. Users can wirelessly transfer survey files between the field and office to ensure access to the most up-to-date data.
GammaTech Computer Corp., an international manufacturer and supplier of notebook and tablet computers, has added the S15H: a 15.6-inch semi-rugged Durabook notebook with high-definition resolution that takes full advantage of the Intel Haswell CPU. The S15H is designed for rugged applications and environments.
“The S15H was designed to fill a need for a 15-inch monitor in the marketplace,” said Paul Kim, GammaTech vice president of marketing. “Many companies and organizations have legacy software programs that were designed for 15-inch monitors with no way to run them. The S15H provides a solution to this problem, while eliminating the need and expense of modifying how legacy systems display.”
The S15H notebook’s full high-definition (1920 x 1080 resolution) 15.6-inch LED display with Intel compliant high-definition stereo audio, built-in microphone, and Intel integrated graphics controller, plus nVidia Optimus technology ensures incredible image detail and crisp reproduction, even for the most graphic-intense situations, including 3D, GammaTech said.
Replacing Intel’s Ivy Bridge, the Haswell CPU is the first SoCs that is made specifically to take advantage of Intel’s 22nm process technology. It features a new core, new graphics, and substantial changes to the platform in terms of memory and power delivery as well as power management. That means consumers or businesses using the GammaTech S15H notebook can expect faster computing and graphics, and longer battery life in a sleek form factor, GammaTech said.
The use of a USB 3.0 connector allows the S15H notebook to transfer data very fast, GammaTech said. With a “SuperSpeed” transfer mode, USB 3.0 is capable of transferring data at up to 5Gbit/sec., more than 10 times as fast as the 480 Mbit/sec. top speed of USB 2.0. Plus, with its increased bandwidth, USB 3.0 is able to use two unidirectional data paths: one for receiving data, the other for transmitting. It is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices.
The Durabook S15H notebook has a magnesium alloy case 20 times stronger than ABS plastic. The unit is tested to military standard 810G for drop and shock resistance. Its keyboard, buttons and indicators are spill resistant. Its flexible HDD cable design absorbs shock from drops, providing protection for important data, while anti-shock mounting technology around the LCD helps protect the display from accidental damage.
Other rugged features include an exclusive optical disk-tray lock that prevents unintentional tray eject from drop and vibration; double-protection smart battery circuitry, which prevents damage caused by current or voltage surges and overheating; and smart battery calibration that helps fight the loss of battery capacity after repeated charge-discharge cycles.
The Durabook S15H notebook comes with an Intel 4th Generation iCore CPU M series with Intel HM86 chipset. Two dual-channel DDR III SODIMM slots provide 2, 4, 8, or 16GB of memory. An internal optical media device accommodates a DVD super-multi drive (DVD-R/CD-RW/DVD-RW/DVD+RW_DL/DVD-RAM).
The S15H notebook can be used virtually anywhere thanks to wireless communications such as integrated 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet, an Intel Mini-Express wireless LAN network connection, and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR. A WWAN 3G module is also available. The SIM card is secured behind a security-screwed door.
System security is provided by internal TPM 1.2 data security protection, as well as a Kensington lock connector and both administrator and boot password control.
