GPS World

Tag: mobile devices

  • Fleet Management Market worth $30.45 Billion By 2018, Study Says

    MarketsandMarkets announced they recently conducted a study on the Fleet Management Market, which analyzed and studied the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. The study observes that the fleet management market is expected to grow from $10.91 billion in 2013 to $30.45 billion by 2018, at an Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 22.8% from 2013 to 2018.

    According to the announcement, intelligent fleet management solutions based on technologies such as Global Positioning system (GPS)-based telematics are helping fleet operators to enhance operational efficiencies in terms of improving vehicle performance and mileage, enhancing operational reliability and safety, maintenance planning, driver control, and optimizing navigation and routes. The growing competitiveness among the transportation service providers, CO2 emission control norms, and rising fuel prices are making the Fleet Management System (FMS) an essential component for the business operation of the fleet vehicle operators.

    The number of vehicles is increasing globally with a major boom in the emerging economies; this has a positive impact on the fleet management industry. Asia-Pacific is expected to exhibit the highest growth rate in the fleet management market revenue out of the various regional markets. There are also government endeavors to mandate the incorporation of GPS tracking features in all the new vehicles to be sold and operated in their specific regions, which clearly shows the opportunities for fleet management business growth. Organizations from public transport, service sectors, logistics, and retail industries are expected to bring huge business opportunities for the fleet management vendors.

    The key strategies followed by many of the leading companies in the fleet management market are new technology, customized solution, and acquiring relatively small domain expert players. Some of the major players in this market are Accenture, Motorola Solutions, TomTom, Qualcomm, Masternaut, Trimble Navigation Ltd., Garmin International, Fleetmatics, Pointer Telocation Ltd, Verizon Networkfleet, among others.

    This MarketsandMarkets report provides key insights into the market dynamics, industry trends, and adoption trends in the fleet management market. It explores business potential of fleet management solutions across varied industry verticals such as academia, government and waste management, public transport, utilities, retail, logistics, construction, mining, oil, gas and chemicals, service sectors, and others. The report talks about revenues expected from the fleet management solutions and services offered to different types of vehicles.

    The report analyzes market sizes and revenue forecasts across different regions. The report also draws the competitive landscape of the fleet management market, providing an in-depth comparative analysis of the technological and marketing strategies that the key players are adopting in order to gain an edge over their competitors.

  • ArcPad 10 Workshop at Oregon State University Campus

    GeoMobile Innovations announced they are conducting an ArcPad 10 workshop on the Oregon State University campus September 12-13, 2013. Taught by ArcPad  “guru” Craig Greenwald, the workshop will provide an extensive overview and hands on training opportunity for new and current ArcPad users or GIS administrators who manage and support field crews using ArcPad.

    GeoMobile_ArcPad10_Training1

    “We will review the new features in the newly-released ArcPad 10.2  such as integration with ArcGIS Online as well as cover the entire soup-to-nuts ArcPad workflow,” said Greenwald, a 7-year veteran of the ArcPad team. “We will also discuss integrating high-accuracy GIS data collection in ArcPad, an increasingly popular trend.”

    The workshop will be conducted in Corvallis, Oregon on the beautiful Oregon State University campus. Corvallis is nestled in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, within 60-90 minutes of the Portland Metropolitan area, mountains, and the spectacular Oregon coast.

    Those interested are encouraged to inquire/register quickly.  Class size is limited.

    For more details, please visit:

    ArcPad 10 Training at Oregon State University – Sept. 12-13, 2013

    About GeoMobile Innovations

    GeoMobile Innovations Inc., located in Corvallis, Oregon USA, specializes in ESRI Mobile GIS platforms and has years of experience in field to office data workflow projects, with a forte in high quality Mobile GIS application development. An ESRI Business Partner (reseller, developer, and consultant),  GeoMobile’s mission is to work as a partner with clients, empowering them to improve return on investment by implementing quality Mobile GIS and field data collection solutions.

  • Agency9 Brings 3D Gaming Effects to Web-Based GIS and Planning

    Agency9 CityPlanner, a web service for 3D visualization, has released support for 3D rendering effects such as real time shadow mapping, ambient occlusion, atmospheric scattering and god rays. These effects, traditionally only seen in high-end video games, elevate even the most simple 3D-model and city model to an astounding visually level and enables shadow studies for planners, Agency9 said.

    CityPlanner is a tool for intelligent 3D-GIS visualization with the combination of a powerful 3D engine and support for traditional GIS data sources and standards such as KMZ, WMS, GeoTiff, ESRI Shape and more.

    Agency9 CityPlanner is a web-based service for 3D visualization of projects within urban development, infrastructure and energy. CityPlanner provides 3D web planning tools for widespread access and collaboration. It is created for urban planners, communicators, consultants and GIS technicians to create, share and publish project and spatial information from a normal web browser. CityPlanner is used by municipalities internationally in their daily work with master and local planning, also involving stakeholders and citizens in the planning process by enabling web publishing of 3D plan visualisations.

    “We are very pleased to announce these exciting features that continue to strengthen the position of Agency9 CityPlanner as the premier 3D visualisation tool for the web. CityPlanner is continuously evolving by being developed in close cooperation with the users to ensure that the product supports their workflows and requirements without compromising user experience and usability,” said Johan Göransson, Product manager.

    Atmospheric scattering and god rays:

    Atmospheric scattering and god rays

    Real time shadows & Ambient Occlusion:

    Real time shadows & Ambient Occlusion

     

  • HERE Delivers Precise Indoor Location Content to Qualcomm

    HERE announced that it will make available its indoor Venue Maps to Qualcomm Atheros, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated. Leveraging indoor map data from HERE that is tightly coupled to the core indoor positioning engine will help Qualcomm IZat location technologies deliver more precise positioning (within 3-5 meters) to mobile devices inside buildings. Improving the overall indoor location experience for consumers, this combination is expected to accelerate the development and use of compelling location-based experiences as well as promotions in shopping malls, transportation hubs and entertainment venues around the globe.

    “In our quest to deliver location awareness everywhere, Qualcomm Atheros is propagating indoor location capabilities to ensure the best possible experiences in a wide variety of places,” said Cormac Conroy, vice president of the mobile, computing and location business unit at Qualcomm Atheros. “Our collaboration with HERE complements the capabilities of our IZat location platform to deliver the exceptional accuracy that is required for businesses and app developers looking for ways to reach mobile consumers and create additional revenue opportunities from location-based services.”

    HERE_indoor_maps

    To map buildings, HERE reports that mapmakers visit venues from airports to zoos to sports complexes, museums and other facilities around the world to ensure map data is precise and no detail is forgotten. They collect building floor plans and then validate against the real world which includes double-checking the names of points of interest and ensuring that rich features such as ATM machines, restrooms and escalators are included.

    “Indoor spaces are among the new frontiers in mapping and HERE is uniquely positioned to bring its global leadership in outdoor mapping to inside venues,” said Cliff Fox, senior vice president of Location Content at HERE. “Not only have we been the first to map some of the most recognized buildings in the world, but we also offer the world’s broadest coverage of indoor spaces with currently more than 9,000 venues consisting of 50,000 unique buildings mapped in 69 countries. With our continuously expanding reach in coverage and focus on efforts to improve accuracy, we can support Qualcomm Atheros in its quest to provide access to accurate location information and services to consumers as they move about venues.”

    Venue Maps complement Qualcomm Atheros’ end-to-end IZat indoor positioning capabilities to deliver always-on location awareness to mobile devices in more places. IZat is comprised of Qualcomm Atheros’ broad technology portfolio, including cellular, global navigation satellite system (GNSS), Wi-Fi, sensor and cloud-based assistance solutions, as well as its widely deployed location core, already found in more than one billion devices on mobile networks worldwide.

  • Autodesk Releases Free App for Reviewing 3D Models

    Autodesk, Inc. announced the launch of Autodesk FBX Review for Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows 8 enabled devices. The standalone app gives professional artists and animators a powerful, lightweight tool to conduct detailed reviews of a wide range of 3D assets, including detailed 3D models, environments and character animations.

    “We’ve consistently observed our customers’ need to speed up project iteration, while maintaining high-fidelity assets that are faithful to the original design,” said Chris Bradshaw, senior vice president, Autodesk Media & Entertainment. “FBX Review streamlines the asset review process, providing greater flexibility for mobile, decentralized creative teams.”

    Intuitive, Full-Featured Asset Review

    According to the announcement, modern workflows include numerous internal and external clients and stakeholders, many in different locations. Autodesk FBX Review allows any user on a Windows device or platform to view 3D assets with a robust feature set, without using commercial 3D animation software. For example, an artist working in Autodesk Maya can send an animation file to anyone who has installed FBX Review, and the recipient will have a full menu of features with which to view the assets.

    FBX_Review_Splash

    By supporting a wide range of open 3D file formats, from popular digital creation formats like .fbx, .3ds, and .obj to .dxf, an Autodesk AutoCAD format, FBX Review gives artists the freedom to use their favorite 3D tools. Reviewers can then choose to view assets with various shading options, animations, cameras or lighting options in the Microsoft DirectX 11 enabled viewport. Supported viewing options include:

    • Static and Dynamic Tessellation
    • Displacement and Vector Displacement Maps
    • Skin Deformations and Animation
    • Real-Time Shadow Maps
    • Reflection Maps
    • Light and Ambient Occlusion Maps
    • Image Based Lighting
    • Ground and Sky Ambient Color

    To evaluate animations and scenes, FBX Review offers easy-to-use controls to cycle through animation takes and different camera angles to quickly play, pause and scrub-through animations. Scenes can be viewed with the cameras and lights native to the file or with the in-app perspective and orthographic cameras.

    Mobile-Friendly Design

    Autodesk FBX Review’s mobile support provides a near seamless way to continue the production cycle away from the workstation. Developed from the ground up for the Windows 8 platform, the mobile app incorporates the same full feature set as the desktop app, with a simple user interface that leverages the touch screen display, such as a multi-view camera that allows reviewers to pan, circle or zoom in on assets and touch sensitive animation playback and lighting controls. The mobile app simply requires Microsoft Windows 8 OS, 50 MB of disk space for installation and only 4GB of RAM. For optimal asset viewing, mobile devices should also include a graphics card that supports Microsoft DirectX 11.

  • Esri Releases ArcPad 10.2

    Esri has released ArcPad 10.2. ArcPad is mobile mapping and field data collection software designed for GIS professionals. The new version of ArcPad improves synchronization with the ArcGIS platform and speeds data collection in the field with new automation options.

    Esri’s reported its latest release of ArcPad gives users the ability to directly open ArcGIS feature services in ArcPad and synchronize edits with hosted or on-premises GIS. The new capability significantly improves mobile workflows by enabling disconnected editing of published services. In addition, ArcPad gives users the ability to automate edits with a Quick Fields option, which can be customized to autopopulate any field during data collection.

    According to the announcement, for users who rely on desktop workflows that revolve around file sharing and distribution, ArcPad 10.2 includes new ArcGIS Online integration. With this option, users can store their ArcPad projects and QuickProject templates as an ArcPad package in their ArcGIS Online accounts for sharing with members of their group. ArcGIS Online subscribers can also browse ArcGIS Online from inside ArcPad with the ability to select and download a project or template, creating an easy, collaborative workflow.

  • Trimble Adds DigitalGlobe Satellite Imagery to Mobile Apps and Printed Maps

    Trimble announced it has entered into an agreement with DigitalGlobe Inc. to license its satellite imagery for offline use in Trimble Outdoors mobile apps, allowing outdoor enthusiasts to view and store imagery on their smartphones and tablets. In addition, DigitalGlobe imagery will be available for high-resolution, large-format custom prints at MyTopo.com, a Trimble company.

    “Our customers use Trimble apps in remote areas where network data coverage doesn’t exist. Armed with smartphones loaded with memory, they�re increasingly asking for map content to be stored locally on the handset for off-the-grid use. We’re excited to enable our customers to cache DigitalGlobe’s high-resolution imagery on their smartphones to address these needs,” said Mark Harrington, vice president of Trimble. “In addition, providing our MyTopo customers with the ability to create large format print maps with DigitalGlobe’s high-resolution imagery allows them to have the convenience of a traditional paper map that matches their handset experience in the field. By partnering with DigitalGlobe, Trimble can significantly enhance the quality of satellite photography available in our products.”

    According to the announcement, DigitalGlobe will provide imagery down to a 30-centimeter resolution for the continental U.S. and 50-centimeter resolution globally, effective immediately. The 30-centimeter resolution means one pixel on the image equals 30 centimeters on the ground.

    “By partnering with Trimble we can showcase how our imagery can be used in new and unique ways for location-based services companies,” said Bert Turner, senior vice president of sales at DigitalGlobe. “Outdoor enthusiasts will now have access to DigitalGlobe’s vast imagery library—the largest and most up to date of its kind—in order to harness the power of mapping and location intelligence even in the most remote locations.”

    Mobile Apps with DigitalGlobe Imagery

    According to the announcement, outdoors enthusiasts will be able to use DigitalGlobe’s worldwide imagery in five apps:

    Trimble Outdoors Navigator (iPhone, Android), designed for in-the-field navigation for hikers, backpackers, mountain bikers, and general outdoor use
    Trimble Outdoors MyTopo Maps (iPad, Kindle Fire, Android tablets), designed for outdoor trip planning
    Trimble GPS Hunt (iPhone, Android), smartphone app built for hunters
    Trimble GPS Fish (iPhone, Android), smartphone app built for anglers
    Trimble GPS Maps (iPad), tablet app designed to plan hunting and fishing trips
    To save maps on their mobile device, customers need to select the area and zoom levels of the DigitalGlobe imagery using the Offline Maps tool found in the supported apps. The ability to store offline satellite imagery will require an Elite membership ($29.99 per year) to TrimbleOutdoors.com (trimbleoutdoors.com/elite) or GPSHuntFish.com (www.gpshuntfish.com/elite).

    Printed Maps with DigitalGlobe Imagery

    Customers can order the new Premium Satellite Image prints in five sizes ranging from 18″ x 24″ to 60″ x 96″ on MyTopo.com, which has a simple five-step process to design custom maps. In addition, users can select the map scale down to 1:1K, plus overlay GPS coordinates, navigation grids and exclusive map layers like public land boundaries, hunt units, forest roads, and lake contours. The imagery can be printed on several paper formats, including waterproof and glossy.

    High-resolution prints will be available in the U.S. and Canada to start, and expand to worldwide coverage later in 2013.

  • Federal Geographic Data Committee Seeks Comments on Draft NSDI Strategic Plan

    The U. S. Geological Survey announced that the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is seeking public comments on the draft strategic plan for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The draft NSDI strategic plan has been developed with inputs from a variety of sources, including FGDC member agencies, the National Geospatial Advisory Committee, and geospatial partner organizations. The plan describes a broad national vision for the NSDI, and includes goals and objectives for the Federal government’s role in continued sustainable development of the NSDI. Following the public comment period, a revised draft of the plan will be prepared for final review and adoption by the FGDC Steering Committee. Following completion of the strategic plan, the FGDC will develop more detailed project plans for the goals and objectives in the strategic plan.

    http://www.fgdc.gov/nsdi-plan/draft-nsdi-strategic-plana8093public-comment-version-7-31-2013.pdf

    Draft NSDI Strategic Plan – Public Comment Version (Version 2, 7/31/2013) [PDF]

    NSDI Strategic Plan Comment Form [XLS] (Please use this form to provide comments. Comments should be submitted [email protected] by August 21, 2013)

    Visit the NSDI Strategic Plan page for more information about the NSDI strategic planning process and activities

    DATES: Comments should be submitted by Wednesday, August 21, 2013.

    ADDRESSES: Comments can be submitted electronically to: [email protected].

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Mahoney, U.S. Geological Survey (206-220-4621).

    Chart: http://www.fgdc.gov/nsdi-plan/draft-nsdi-strategic-plana8093public-comment-version-7-31-2013.pdf

  • Willens Law Offices Unveils Real-Time Bike Accident Reporting System for Chicago

    Willens Law Office announced the first self-reported Chicago bicycle accident map will collect data about cyclists’ encounters with careless and reckless driving. This interactive map will allow users to report, not only bicycle accidents and doorings, but close calls or near misses as well, all in real time. Additionally, by reporting the type of collision, weather, lighting and surface conditions during the accident or close-to accident, we will be able to have more data about bicycle accidents, when they occur, where they occur, and how to prevent them. The most important improvement over past maps is that close call or near miss data can also be reported and shared among cyclists, and while technically not an accident, this data may be the most valuable as it occurs in the highest frequency and often can help with future design plans and infrastructure updates.  As more accidents and near misses get reported, the heat map will provide visual representation to identify the areas with the largest number of incidents, and maps can be created specifically for a particular type of accident. You can access the map here and conduct your own search, if you’re a cyclist please share your most troublesome intersection or address for near misses.

    WillenBikeAccidentMap
    Reported Chicago bicycle accidents over the last 5 years
    http://www.willenslaw.com/report-your-accident/
    Source: Willens Law Offices

    According to the announcement, the cyclists of Chicago will be able to use this interactive map to help identify “hot spots.”  These are areas of the city that are particularly dangerous for cyclists.  The data will bring attention to problem areas and arm cyclists and community organizations with information to advocate for safer roads, which, in turn, will increase roadway modifications and/or targeted enforcement of the law.  Extended use of the map will help keep the streets of Chicago safer for everyone – cyclists, motorists and pedestrians alike, helping to plan safer routes for riding. Knowledge is power when it comes to choosing the safest routes while bicycling in the city of Chicago.

    Attorney Matthew Willens of Willens Law Offices in Chicago had this to say “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  My hope is that, with the use of this map, bicycle accidents will decrease as the popularity of informed cycling increases.” Willens Law Offices was recently featured in the Chicago Tribune for the initiative to provide ghost bike racks in memory of deceased bicyclists. The firm plans to donate a ghost bike rack for each cyclist who falls victim to a fatal bicycle-motorist accident in the City of Chicago and contacts the firm. The racks would NOT replace ghost bikes, but would increase the number of public bike racks and would hopefully help maintain the memory of the past cyclist by its permanent nature and utility allowing cyclists to lock up their bikes, as well as a serve as a reminder to be aware of the cyclists on the road.

  • GRW Purchases Optech Gemini ALTM LiDAR Sensor

    GRW has purchased an Optech Gemini Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper (ALTM), adding to the company’s full realm of geospatial mapping solutions, including Digital Aerial Photography, Aerial LiDAR, ground-based Stationary Terrestrial Laser Scanning (STLS), and Mobile Terrestrial Laser Scanning (MTLS).

    “The Optech Gemini will meet the increased demand for aerial acquisition, providing our clients with the latest advancements in LiDAR technology,” said Jeremy Mullins, CP, GRW’s LiDAR manager. “We have seen a substantial growth in the LiDAR market over the last several years.”

    Ben Fister, PE, PLS, PSM, is principal‐in‐charge of the firm’s Geospatial Division. “GRW has always been committed to providing our clients with the best available solutions tailored to their project goals. After careful evaluation, we appreciate the technical advancements that the Optech Gemini has provided in the field of advanced aerial LiDAR solutions. It is a perfect addition to GRW’s arsenal of equipment,” Fister said.

    The sensor will be utilized for a variety of projects and industries, including aviation, coal, forestry, transportation, 3D engineering design projects, and related federal, state, and municipal mapping projects.

  • GRASS GIS 6.4.3 Released

    The Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) announced the release of a new stable version of GRASS GIS. This release fixes bugs discovered in 6.4.2 version of the program and adds a number of new features. This release includes over 830 updates to the source code since 6.4.2. As a stable release series, the 6.4 line will enjoy long-term support and incremental enhancements while preserving backwards-compatibility with the entire GRASS 6 line.

    According to the announcement, key improvements of this release include some new functionality (assistance for topologically unclean vector data), major speedup for some vector modules, fixes in the vector network modules, fixes for the wxPython based portable graphical interface (attribute table management, wxNVIZ, and Cartographic Composer). A number of new modules have been added for processing LANDSAT and MODIS satellite data, and a new vector statistics module is also introduced. Many new symbols and north arrows are available, and the user will find an improved and easier to use wizard for creating custom project locations with precise map projection and datum support. Community-contributed add-on modules are now more easily and robustly installed from an online archive. Other major developments include enhancements to the Python scripting library and numerous software-compatibility fixes and translation updates. Important is the enhanced portability for MS-Windows (native support, fixes in case of missing system DLLs). And we welcome Romanian as our twenty-fourth language.

    Source code download:

    http://grass.osgeo.org/grass64/source/
    http://grass.osgeo.org/grass64/source/grass-6.4.3.tar.gz

    Binaries download:

    winGRASS 6.4.3 standalone installer
    winGRASS 6.4.3 in OSGeo4W installer
    Arch Linux
    openSUSE One-Click installer
    Ubuntu
    Mac OS X
    … further packages will follow shortly.

    To get the GRASS GIS 6.4.3 source code directly from SVN:
    svn checkout http://svn.osgeo.org/grass/grass/tags/release_20130727_grass_6_4_3

    See the OSGeo detailed announcement:
    http://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/Release/6.4.3-News

    First time users should explore the first steps tutorial after installation.

  • Esri Releases ArcGIS 10.2

    Esri released the new version of ArcGIS, marking a major milestone in the history of the Esri platform. With ArcGIS 10.2, Esri has taken advantage of the significant changes in IT that magnify the power and accessibility of GIS. The new release improves ease of use, real-time data access, and integration with existing infrastructure. It allows people to more easily deploy web GIS—the key component for implementing GIS as a platform. Web GIS helps users organize their work and simplifies geographic information discovery, access, sharing, and collaboration.

    ArcGIS 10 dot 2 MapTourTemplate_3

    More Online Analysis Tools

    According to the announcement, ArcGIS 10.2 extends the analytic functionality of GIS to everyone via ArcGIS Online. Advanced analysis tools have been added to ArcGIS Online for investigating geographic relationships, patterns, and trends within data. New tools in ArcGIS Online include overlay layers for combining two or more layers into one single layer; enhanced hot-spot analysis; and data enrichment resources to glean information about the people, places, and businesses in a specific area or drive time.

     ArcGIS Online Access

    To ensure that ArcGIS for Desktop users have access to ArcGIS Online capabilities, Esri entitles every customer organization that has ArcGIS for Desktop (Basic, Standard, or Advanced) to receive an ArcGIS Online subscription. The number of named users will be equal to the total number of ArcGIS for Desktop licenses current on maintenance. This will enable users to easily get started with ArcGIS Online. It will also give access to all Esri apps—such as Esri Maps for Office, Collector for ArcGIS, and Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS—as well as numerous app templates hosted in ArcGIS Online. Esri will notify ArcGIS for Desktop customers about the details of this new entitlement in the coming weeks.

    Portal for ArcGIS

    At ArcGIS 10.2, Esri gives people the ability to deploy ArcGIS Online capabilities on-premises for tighter content security and control. Portal for ArcGIS provides a secure front end for ArcGIS for Server, with dozens of easy-to-use apps and full integration with ArcGIS for Desktop. It includes geographic viewers and analysis tools designed for people without any GIS knowledge. Experienced GIS users can connect to Portal for ArcGIS from ArcGIS for Desktop, developer APIs, and other Esri applications. The Portal for ArcGIS extension software is included with ArcGIS for Server Advanced (Enterprise or Workgroup) and is licensed and priced based on the number of named users.

    Real-Time Data Access

    Esri’s new release of ArcGIS introduces a number of new technologies that enable the real-time collection and sharing of data with GIS. It includes ArcGIS GeoEvent Processor for Server, a new ArcGIS for Server extension that gives users the power to access live data streams. People can analyze and send processed results to other users or into other systems. This capability transforms GIS applications into powerful frontline decision tools, refining data quickly for consumption and enabling fast response in any situation.

    Expanded Business Intelligence Support

    With business intelligence (BI) being relied on even more in an increasingly competitive marketplace, the new ArcGIS release expands Esri’s support for major BI systems. ArcGIS 10.2 includes new MicroStrategy BI and Microsoft Dynamics Customer Relationship Management tools, allowing users of those platforms to perform location analytics on their business data and focus their marketing. Core BI tools Esri Community Analyst and Esri Business Analyst Online also get productivity-enhancing face-lifts and major customization capability.

    For more information on the dozens of other improvements in the latest release of ArcGIS, visit esri.com/whatsnew.