GPS World

Tag: TerraGo

  • TerraGo Offers Lightweight GIS Applications from ArcMap

    Editor’s Note: Learn more about how the TerraGo Edge replaces single-use GPS handheld devices and enables mobile workers and field crews to easily collect and share field data. Attend GPS World’s May webinar, Say Goodbye Proprietary GPS Devices, Hello TerraGo Edge.

    TerraGo, a geospatial collaboration and enterprise mobility software company, is offering a new version of its OpenGeoPDF software, now available with TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS, TerraGo Composer and TerraGo Toolbar. The latest release gives end users powerful new spatial database features, including the ability to search and update feature attributes, with an interactive OpenGeoPDF map accessible to any end user without requiring them to purchase any software.

    “TerraGo’s OpenGeoPDF lets people turn static maps into interactive GIS-lite applications by letting ArcMap users share a free portable client application,” said Kevin Coles, manager of Enterprise GIS at Lumos Networks. “With OpenGeoPDF, end users can do more than view maps and imagery. They can interact with maps in ways previously only available with GIS software including the ability to control layers, measure distances, query, update and extract feature data in a universal format.”

    OpenGeoPDF produces a measurable return on investment by enabling organizations to leverage their GIS investment to create free GIS-Lite solutions for non-GIS users. One of the many benefits of the OpenGeoPDF approach is that GeoPDF maps with embedded feature attributes can be accessed, searched, updated and extracted as an OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) GeoPackage.

    “The incredible value of geospatial data and an organization’s investment in GIS should result in more than a paper map or flat image in a PowerPoint,” said TerraGo Chief Technology Officer George Demmy. “OpenGeoPDF offers limitless, new possibilities for geospatial data interchange and creates much richer analytical applications for end users.”

    To start a trial of TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS, download here.

    To start a trial of TerraGo Toolbar for Adobe Reader, download here.

  • TerraGo Partners with RazorTek on TerraGo Edge

    TerraGo is partnering with RazorTek, a GIS and remote-sensing consulting firm specializing in design, development and automation of complex systems for spatial data display and analysis. RazorTek will deploy TerraGo Edge for customers looking to replace GPS handhelds with a mobile app that integrates directly with Esri’s ArcGIS.

    “We see a great opportunity to help our customers utilize TerraGo Edge for field data collection on their smartphones and tablets,” said Dan Rodriguez, CEO, RazorTek. “The nice thing about TerraGo Edge is that it replaces proprietary GPS handhelds with a simple mobile solution at a fraction of the cost, and it works seamlessly with Esri ArcGIS out of the box.”

    “RazorTek is an industry expert for deploying advanced remote sensing and GIS solutions,” said John Timar, vice president,  TerraGo. “TerraGo Edge gives the RazorTek team a cost-effective mobile solution that can deliver cm-level accuracy or whatever the RazorTek customer needs, while leveraging their existing ArcGIS investment.”

    RazorTek is an authorized reseller of TerraGo products and also offers a range of geospatial technology software and services including GIS services, aerial photography, satellite imagery and LiDAR.

  • GEOINT Coverage, Day 3: Interview with USGIF CEO, New Tech

    Kalinski-Ball-Aerospace-GEOINT-O
    Roy Nelson of Ball Aerospace discusses real-time 3D models created with flash LIDAR. See video below.

    GEOINT 2013* –  Day Three

    I had the opportunity to interview Keith Masback, CEO of USGIF, about GEOINT 2013*. He discusses new technology, future combat systems, and plans for the 2015 conference. Watch the interview here:

    I spent a good part of the day touring the GEOINT EXPO. Here are a few video clips that show technology I found especially interesting, from these exhibitors. (Scroll down to see each video.):

    Ball Aerospace: Roy Nelson of Ball Aerospace discusses real-time 3D models created with flash LIDAR.

    Consolidated Resource Imaging (CRI): Dr. Gregg Wildes discusses the company’s system of wide-area surveillance, including the WAMI, or wide-area motion imagery system.

    Solid Terrain Modeling: Mark Fisher talks about how his company creates 3D models of terrain using geospatial data sets with its special inkjet printer.

    TerraGo: Scott Lee shows off new developments with GEOPDFs on a mobile device, using the Terrago Edge application.

    Thermopylae Sciences & Technology: Jamel Monroe, engineer at Thermopylae, demonstrates the Occulus Rift 3D virtual reality glasses, with the game Half-Life 2.

  • TerraGo Unveils New Version of Geospatial Collaboration Software

    TerraGo, a provider of location intelligence solutions, has released v.6.0.4 of its geospatial collaboration software, including TerraGo Publisher, TerraGo Composer and TerraGo Toolbar. It is hosting a webinar on January 30 to demonstrate key capabilities.

    The latest release includes features that improve the user experience, introduce new field data collection capabilities, and provide enhanced support for Esri ArcGIS v.10.1 and v.10.2.

    According to Chief Technology Officer George Demmy, “Our software enhancements are designed to simplify the way ArcGIS users share products derived from their work and analysis with the people who consume them, anywhere they might be, and to make it simple and intuitive for those end users to analyze and update those products and even contribute their own observations without specialized software or training.”

    With a strategic group of partners, including systems integrators and software providers, and more than 1,000 global customers, including those in defense and intelligence, crisis response, transportation and natural resources, TerraGo solutions enable organizations to discover, integrate and deliver location intelligence to the edge of the enterprise and back, the company said.

  • TerraGo Acquires Geosemble Technologies

    TerraGo Technologies Inc. has acquired the complementary software products and technologies of Manhattan Beach, CA-based Geosemble Technologies Inc. Terms between the privately held companies were not disclosed. Both firms are In-Q-Tel portfolio companies.

    According to the announcement, Geosemble’s flagship product, GeoXray automates the process of discovering, geospatially visualizing, monitoring and sharing relevant unstructured information from any source. The software mines and processes content from news, blogs and social media and analyzes data by place, time and topic. GeoXray decreases the amount of time analysts spend sifting through big data and produces more germane information specific to an area of interest. The solution, which is used by a number of intelligence agencies, frees analysts to spend more time on quality analysis and enables better collaboration with peers, decision makers and field personnel.

    TerraGo reports that the strategic acquisition of Geosemble builds on TerraGo’s growing geospatial intelligence applications and reports expertise. The combined companies’ solutions will now enable users to selectively discover relevant spatial content; compose dynamic, interactive geospatial intelligence applications and reports; and collaborate in online and disconnected environments. The new TerraGo suite of solutions will facilitate enhanced situational awareness and actionable intelligence for better planning, improved decision making and faster response.

    Founded in December of 2004, TerraGo reported that Geosemble is a spin-off from the University of Southern California (USC). Its founders are computer science faculty members and originally developed the company’s core artificial intelligence and geospatial data analysis algorithms at USC. The technology has since been strengthened and refined to apply to a range of government and commercial user needs focused on automatically discovering and integrating information into satellite and aerial imagery and maps. The Geosemble business and technical team will be brought into TerraGo as the Geosemble solutions group, and the office in Manhattan Beach will be expanded to accommodate additional engineering staff as well as support resources to serve TerraGo’s growing West Coast customer base. Both firms are In-Q-Tel portfolio companies. 

    “The strategic acquisition of Geosemble will enable our customers to discover, visualize, monitor and share geospatial intelligence relevant to their operations and areas of interest,” said TerraGo Pres. and CEO Rick Cobb. “We warmly welcome our new colleagues to the TerraGo team, which, as always, remains committed to our tradition of product innovation and dedication to customer success.”

    “This union is a perfect fit for Geosemble since TerraGo brings valuable distribution, implementation and customer support capability to Geosemble’s products, in addition to TerraGo’s own valuable suite of complementary technology. The combined resources of our companies will enable us to further develop advanced geospatial intelligence solutions for our existing defense and intelligence customers as well as others in crisis management, public safety and a wide range of commercial businesses,” said Andre Doumitt, former Geosemble CEO and now TerraGo vice president of business development for Geosemble solutions.

  • TerraGo Releases Publisher for ArcGIS v.6

    TerraGo announced the release of Publisher for ArcGIS v.6,  the latest version of TerraGo geospatial collaboration software allows the Esri community to produce TerraGo GeoPDF maps and imagery for users to collaborate without the need for sophisticated GIS tools or training.

     

    According to the announcement, TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS provides unprecedented collaboration capabilities by enabling Esri users to extend, exchange and exploit their enterprise geospatial assets by producing highly portable, intelligent and interactive TerraGo GeoPDF maps and imagery. Mobile and field workers can use GeoPDF maps and imagery to easily access, update and share mission-critical geospatial intelligence whether in connected or offline environments.

    Version 6 Publisher for ArcGIS provides advanced GeoPDF map and imagery production and collaboration capabilities that empower users to:

    • Produce GeoPDF applications that are automatically enabled to allow anyone, anywhere using the no-cost v.6 TerraGo Toolbar with Adobe Reader to update and share maps and imagery with georeferenced audio, video, notes, geoforms, and Web services;
    • Support automated GeoPDF map production using Esri data-driven pages;
    • Export feature layers and attributes into TerraGo GeoPDF maps to allow markup and editing in TerraGo Toolbar and Adobe Reader.

    Detailed product information about TerraGo Publisher, Composer and Toolbar v.6 software is available at: http://www.terragotech.com/products/overview

  • Brian Soliday Joins TerraGo Technologies

    TerraGo Technologies, provider of GeoPDF and the MAP2PDF family of products, announced that Brian Soliday has joined the company as vice-president of sales. Soliday will be responsible for expanding use of the company’s geospatial data distribution format known as GeoPDF.

    Prior to signing on with TerraGo, Soliday spent almost 20 years in various sales, consulting, and business development management roles with Space Imaging, Autodesk, LizardTech, and Trimble, as well as start-up geospatial technology vendors.

    “Brian has successfully grown and managed all kinds of sales organizations in other GIS solutions companies. We expect that his broad base of experience as well as his in-depth knowledge of the geospatial market will help us execute effectively while we’re experiencing rapid expansion of our customer base across multiple vertical markets,” said James Davis, TerraGo president and CEO.

    Adoption of TerraGo’s MAP2PDF products and GeoPDF technology has steadily increased in the last year. Unit sales of products are up almost 500 percent, while the TerraGo customer base has grown more than 300 percent. The company’s employee base has more than doubled.

    The MAP2PDF family of products allows customers to publish and collaborate on GeoPDF files that contain robust cartographic data and mapping capabilities, including layers and embedded feature attributes. GeoPDF files can be easily distributed and used in connected or disconnected modes. Because the product leverages Adobe Reader, most non-GIS pros already have viewing software installed and are familiar with how to use it.

    WithGeoPDF, users are able to view finished digital maps, turn layers on and off, query attributes, display coordinates, measure distances, and track locations via GPS without the need for specialized geospatial knowledge or training.

    “TerraGo has gained momentum quickly because the product set addresses problems that organizations have long struggled with,” said Soliday. “Being able to open up their GIS data to anyone in the enterprise anywhere in the world gives GIS professionals vast new capabilities and opportunities to create greater value while serving constituents more effectively. It’s a unique value proposition and the user community is already embracing the possibilities GeoPDF brings to this market space.”

    In addition to his professional experience in the GIS industry, Soliday is an active member of the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, serving as the Rocky Mountain Region President in 2004. Soliday also serves on the editorial advisory board of Geospatial Solutions magazine. A practicing conservationist, habitat partner and life member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), Soliday currently serves the RMEF as Colorado State Volunteer Chair. He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Geography with specialties in GIS and Remote Sensing.

  • Geo-Enabling the IC with GeoPDF

    This week, TerraGo Technologies announced that it has entered into a strategic agreement with In-Q-Tel – an independent venture capital fund tasked with identifying new technologies for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the larger intelligence community (IC) – to spark the development of new mapping solutions needed by such IC leaders as the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).

    For several years now, many government agencies (including the US Army Corps of Engineers, USACE), have relied on TerraGo’s innovative GeoPDF proprietary data-sharing format to exchange geospatial data between users of varying skills levels – from engineers on the scene of natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina to soldiers in the field who can use Adobe Reader to manipulate maps. The agreement between TerraGo and In-Q-Tel is expected to advance the development of GeoPDF and related technologies to meet the operational demands of these organizations, as they continue tackling such challenges as the Global War on Terror and emergency response for major natural and manmade disasters.

    Since its first MAP2PDF for Adobe Acrobat product was introduced seven years ago, TerraGo has evolved the technology that allows for the creation and sharing of digital map display files in a user-friendly format. Today’s GeoPDF format allows users to convert raster and proprietary CAD and GIS mapping and database information to text-searchable, georeferenced PDF files. It also allows for the creation of both georegistered and GIS database-embedded PDF files – hence the term GeoPDF.

    With GeoPDF, users can send complex, georegistered maps as PDF files with layers and embedded feature attributes. A GeoPDF can be distributed and used in connected or disconnected modes with the free Adobe Reader and GeoPDF Toolbar software. Users can view finished digital maps, turn layers on and off, query attributes, display coordinates, measure distances, and track locations via GPS . . . all without the need for specialized geospatial knowledge or training.

    For an example of how USACE is using the GeoPDF file format, we can look to the corps’ Topographic Engineering Center (TEC). Currently, TEC is creating unclassified/for official use only digital map displays for regions of the world where the Global War on Terror is being fought. TEC has created DVDs for five countries in support of the war, and it has distributed these DVDs to the military. The project has included taking all of the NGA standard map sheets of Korea, having them scanned and converted to GeoPDFs, and packaging them with an index sheet. By the end of the year, TEC anticipates having created 30-plus country DVDs that consist of all NGA standard products in raster GeoPDF format. The center is also awaiting NGA’s delivery of vector-based GeoPDFs for inclusion in the country DVDs.

    It’s abundantly evident that TEC and NGA have bought into the GeoPDF concept in a big way. Whether TerraGo will be the only GeoPDF name in town remains to be seen, but I think it’s inevitable that the technology itself is here to stay, in both the private and the public sector. In the intelligence community, GeoPDF is clearly a smart way to share geospatial information quickly and easily, especially when the nation’s welfare – and American lives – might be on the line.

    Editor’s Note: Eric Gakstatter, a GPS/GIS consultant with Discovery Management Group LLC, and Ray Caputo, a geographer with the US Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Engineering Center, contributed to this editorial.