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NOAA to Map West Coast Land Cover The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently awarded three remote sensing contracts to map areas along the West Coast of the United States. Space Imaging will map coastal land cover in Washington and Oregon, and Earth Satellite Corporation will map coastal land cover in California. An award also went to EarthData International to develop coastal digital elevation models for southern California, using radar technology. These land-cover mapping projects will collectively develop land-cover baseline data from which trends can be detected and changes documented. This effort marks significant new coordination between NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey. Even though the two federal agencies develop map data for different end users, these organizations recently agreed to develop common data requirements. This collaboration is expected to result in considerable time and cost savings for all parties. The radar data (specifically, interferometric synthetic aperture radar, or IfSAR) is targeted for the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, a project designed to help state and local officials prioritize shoreline areas for conservation and restoration efforts. NOAA's Coastal Services Center, the administrator of both projects, is a federal agency that provides remote sensing products to state and local coastal resource management programs. For further information, please contact Donna McCaskill at the NOAA Coastal Services Center. Tel: (843) 740-1272. E-mail: [email protected]. PCI Geomatics Signs License with UNB for Advanced Pan-Sharpening Algorithms
PCI Geomatics has signed their latest license agreement with the University of New Brunswick (UNB) for the use of new Pan-Sharpening algorithms. These algorithms will be built into an add-on package for Geomatica, which is an integrated software solution by PCI Geomatics for remote sensing, photogrammetry, spatial analysis, and cartography.
Many new satellite sensors provide high-resolution panchromatic (black and white) imagery along with lower resolution multispectral (color) imagery. Pan-sharpening algorithms fuse both sets of imagery together to create a high-resolution color image, preserving the original color fidelity while allowing for better visualization and interpretation. When coupled with PCI Geomatics highly precise satellite modeling and new atmospheric correction capabilities, accurate orthocorrected pan-sharpened imagery can be produced from a wide variety of sensors.
The University of New Brunswick (Canada) is the oldest public university in North America. It has a broadly based scholarly capacity characterized by excellent research facilities and faculty of international renown. PCI Geomatics is a developer of geomatics software solutions for remote sensing, GIS, cartography and photogrammetry. For further information, please contact Anthony Melihen at PCI Geomatics, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. Tel: (905) 764-0614. E-mail: [email protected]. Tripod Data Systems Releases Survey Pro 3.6 with Bluetooth Capability Tripod Data Systems (TDS) has released version 3.6 of its Survey Pro(tm) software for Windows CE. The company's latest version of Survey Pro allows users to toggle the touch screen on and off, and it also offers cable-free operation when used with Trimble Blue Cap(tm). Survey Pro 3.6 works with the new Trimble 5800 GPS receiver and can store post-processing data on the TDS Ranger or Trimble TSCe. Users connect to the Trimble 5800 receiver either with a cable or by using the Blue Cap module that takes advantage of Bluetooth wireless technology to provide a cable-free work environment. Another new feature in Survey Pro 3.6 is the ability to toggle the touch screen both on and off. This allows users to temporarily suspend the touch screen's operations if they wish to clean it while using a Ranger or TSCe in rugged outdoor environments. Survey Pro 3.6 for Windows CE is designed for the TDS Ranger and Trimble TSCe. It uses Windows CE.NET, the latest Microsoft operating system. CE.NET is required for Bluetooth support. Survey Pro 3.6 is also available for the current Windows CE 3.0 operating system. Tripod Data Systems Inc. (TDS) develops both software and hardware for land surveyors and others who collect and process spatial data. For further information, please contact Amy Urban at Tripod Data Systems, Corvallis, Ore. Tel: (541) 753-9322. E-mail: [email protected]. NOS Pacific Services Center Updates Pacific Islands GIS with ERDAS IMAGINE(r) The National Ocean Service (NOS) Pacific Services Center (Honolulu, Hawaii) has purchased ERDAS IMAGINE(r) to help the U.S. Pacific islands of Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) update their GIS databases, including road networks, coral reef mapping, and building locations. With IMAGINE Professional(r), IMAGINE Vector(tm) and IMAGINE VirtualGIS(tm), coastal zone management program offices will take existing IKONOS imagery and outline features such as building footprints, then store the features in a GIS-compatible data layer. A combination of supervised and unsupervised classifications will be performed to determine vegetation and land use around the islands. Finally, classification through field surveys and additional aerial photographs will be refined. In partnership with local coastal resource management communities of Guam, American Samoa, and the CNMI, the NOS Pacific Services Center determines and carries out needed assistance in the areas of hazard mitigation, information resources, and safe navigation. The remoteness of the islands has made it difficult for these organizations to participate in the national movement toward the use of GIS in managing coastal resources. The Pacific Services Center is using ERDAS IMAGINE to remedy this situation and provide the islands with accurate GIS and imagery data, while reducing project time and costs. Coastal zone management program offices currently are mapping coral reefs. ERDAS IMAGINE training is scheduled to begin in January 2003, with GIS updating and classification projects starting shortly thereafter. Once these projects are completed, the organizations will continue to use ERDAS IMAGINE software to maintain and continually update the GIS data. For further information, please contact the GIS & Mapping Division
of Leica Geosystems, 2801 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30329. Tel: (404)
248-9000. E-mail: Research Systems and NIMA Collaborate on Technology Integration Research Systems Inc. (RSI) has entered into a five-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA). This CRADA enables NIMA and RSI to jointly develop image exploitation tools for NIMA. These tools may also be available for use in RSI's ENVI software, a data analysis and visualization product that is used by government professionals, scientists, researchers and engineers. NIMA is a U.S. Department of Defense and National Intelligence Community agency that provides imagery, imagery intelligence and geospatial information in support of national security objectives. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., NIMA operates major facilities in northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and St. Louis, Mo. Key objectives defined within this CRADA are the evolution of technical requirements for ENVI Software, integration of NIMA software technology into the ENVI Software environment, and ongoing ENVI product enhancements aimed at advancing imagery and geospatial information processing for NIMA. Research Systems Inc. (RSI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Eastman Kodak Company, provides high-performance software solutions for the visualization and analysis of large, complex sets of data, plus developing, deploying and managing various imaging applications. For further information, please contact Gillian Webster at RSI, Boulder, Colo. Tel: (303) 413-3906. E-mail: [email protected]. Vexcel Partners with ESRI on Wireless GIS System Vexcel Corp. recently joined with ESRI (Redlands, Calif.) to develop a Web-based GIS system for a leading manufacturer of wireless network equipment. This system, VexLink(tm), evaluates whether unobstructed line-of-sight relationships exist between designated geographic locations, the sort of clearance that is required for setting up high-speed, wireless data links. The VexLink system uses Vexcel's geographical database, which includes 3D models of buildings, trees and terrain. A customized version of ESRI's software products power VexLink's ability to connect with the database. VexLink turns manual methods of assessing point-to-point clearance into an automated task. Users are not required to purchase extensive geographic databases of all areas of potential interest, but instead gain access to geographic information from the database on a pay-per-use basis. Because VexLink does not require a high-speed Internet connection and is available around the clock, users have the flexibility of place and time to access the database and determine line-of-sight clearances. In March 2002, ESRI named Vexcel its "New Partner of the Year for the Denver Region" in recognition of the teamwork that led to the development of VexLink. The ESRI business partner program promotes business relationships with organizations and assists partners in development, marketing and sales. Vexcel Corporation specializes in GIS and mapping production services, radar (SAR) technologies, remote sensing ground stations, and aerial and close-range photogrammetry. For further information, please contact Elizabeth Gold at Vexcel Corp., 4909 Nautilus Court, Boulder, CO 80301. Tel: (303) 583-0252. E-mail: [email protected]. City Of Loveland Mobilizes GIS Operations With GiveMePower's PowerCAD(r) CE Heralding a new era for small-city GIS processing, the city of Loveland, Colo., is reducing costs and improving efficiencies by combining PowerCAD CE(tm) from GiveMePower Corp. -- a "go anywhere" mobile/wireless handheld CAD system -- with AutoCAD Map(r), a popular desktop GIS system from Autodesk Inc. Loveland needed to provide its field staff and external contractors with remote access to the critical, up-to-date municipal mapping data housed in its AutoCAD Map GIS computer system. Following many months of research, the city selected PowerCAD CE running on Microsoft's Windows CE(r)-based Pocket PCs as the simplest way to use a mobile/wireless extension to AutoCAD Map, successfully integrating the two software systems in a matter of hours. Prior to implementing PowerCAD CE, the city's GIS department was able to provide important information only in the form of a 290-page printed map book, which was costly to produce and to update. With hundreds of intuitive and industry-compliant commands, PowerCAD CE runs as a self-contained, portable CAD system, or as a mobile extension for PowerCAD Pro(tm), AutoCAD(r) and other leading desktop CAD and GIS systems. For advanced mobile CAD users, PowerCAD CE Pro features advanced 2D and 3D functionality and complete system customization using LISP and Visual C++ programming. GiveMePower is a software and services company that delivers desktop and mobile/wireless software solutions for the design-and-build market, offering full-powered, AutoCAD(r) compatible computer-aided design (CAD) systems optimized for handheld computers that run Microsoft's Windows CE(r) mobile operating system. For further information, please contact Deb Walton at GiveMePower Corp., New York, N.Y. Tel: (888) 97-POWER. E-mail: [email protected]. First GeoMedia(r) Research Grant Awarded to Center for Bioenvironmental Research Intergraph Mapping and GIS Solutions has awarded the company's first GeoMedia(r) Research Grant to the Center for Bioenvironmental Research (CBR). The Center, created out of a partnership between Tulane and Xavier Universities in New Orleans, La., encourages scientists from multiple disciplines to work together to investigate and resolve environmental problems. Intergraph's GeoMedia Research Grant program awards $5,000 in cash funding and a $50,000 software donation to educational institutions for innovative applied research. The CBR is renowned for its interdisciplinary research efforts on aquatic ecosystem health, and for its analysis of environmental contaminants. With the grant, the Center will update the lab's data access and integration capabilities. GeoMedia technology will be used to increase the lab's strength in multidisciplinary research hubs, and IntelliWhere technology will be instrumental in the addition of hubs in location-based services. In addition, GeoMedia technology will be available to researchers and staff members as they conduct environmental research and educate students in the scientific, political, economic, and cultural dimensions of environmental issues at both universities. Intergraph Mapping and GIS Solutions serves government agencies and commercial enterprises with end-to-end geospatial solutions for cartography and map production and enterprise-wide mapping and GIS. For further information, please contact Intergraph by telephone at (800) 791-3357 (in the U.S.) or +1 (256) 730-7191 (internationally), or visit the company's Web site at www.intergraph.com/imgs. NIMA Selects MAPublisher in 500-license deal The National Imaging & Mapping Agency (NIMA) has purchased 500 licenses of MAPublisher software from Avenza Systems Inc. for use throughout its organization. MAPublisher is map production software used in creating cartographic-quality maps from GIS data. Avenza Systems Inc. is a privately held supplier of map-making software and geodata products that also offers product training and consulting services. For further information, please contact Avenza (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) by telephone at (905) 567-2811, or visit the company's Web site at www.avenza.com. Leica Geosystems Appoints Spatial Technologies as Western Canadian GPS Dealer Leica Geosystems has named Spatial Technologies Inc. as its GPS dealer for Southern Alberta and Southern Saskatchewan. Leica Geosystems' subsidiary CYRA Technologies Inc. has also named Spatial Technologies as a dealer of the CYRAX 2500 laser scanner and software in Western Canada. Spatial Technologies is a new, Calgary-based company created to sell, rent, service and support leading-edge geomatics technologies in Western Canada. Two former Leica Geosystems employees, Rick Kurash and Brett Findlater, run the company with combined industry experience totaling more than 35 years. Spatial Technologies will sell, rent, service and support the entire Leica Geosystems line of GPS products and CYRA 3D laser scanners, software and peripherals in their region. In addition, Spatial Technologies will act as the marketing arm of Pleiades Data Corp. Pleiades provides dual-frequency differential GPS in Alberta and Ontario, either over the Internet or via real-time digital cellular links. Leica Geosystems develops, manufactures and markets systems for surveying, mapping and positional determination. The company is divided into six divisions: surveying and engineering, GIS and mapping, industrial measurement, special products, consumer products, and new businesses (Cyrax). For further information, please contact Carson Kennedy at Leica Geosystems Inc., 4855 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suite 235, Norcross, GA 30092. Tel: (770) 447-6361. E-mail: [email protected]. PlanGraphics Delivers Updated D.C. Digital Orthophoto Base Map PlanGraphics Inc. recently delivered an updated digital orthophoto base map to the District of Columbia. The work was completed under contract to the District's Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) and will provide a major reference layer for the District's GIS base map. The base map was developed using state-of-the-art TrueOrtho(r) aerial datasets from ISTAR Americas Inc. ISTAR is an aerial imaging and photogrammetric processing company that provides high-resolution digital data to cities, counties, and various commercial and government clients around the world. ISTAR produces digital images and 3D surfaces through its automated TrueOrtho production system. PlanGraphics is a systems integration and implementation firm providing a broad range of services in the design and implementation of information technology, both in the public and commercial sectors. For further information, please contact Jennifer Oberlin at PlanGraphics Inc., 112 East Main Street, Frankfort, KY 40601. Tel: (502) 223-1501. E-mail: [email protected]. Vexcel Offers Web-Based GIS System for Homeland Security Vexcel has released VexLink(tm), its multi-purpose, Web-based GIS system for homeland security applications. The system was originally developed to facilitate the installation of high-speed wireless data networks by assessing clear line-of-sight conditions between geographic locations. This newest expansion of Vexlink's capabilities includes the addition of emergency preparation and emergency response simulation functions. As an emergency preparation tool, VexLink is used to study the propagation of toxic gas and other airborne contamination. Models created from these studies provide vital information for risk assessment and evacuation planning. The system combines Vexcel's 3D building and terrain data with formulas that simulate variables, such as airflow patterns and wind speed, to show the direction and distance toxic pollutants would likely follow if released. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is using Vexcel's data in this manner to perform air pollution studies in New York City as a follow-up to last year's terrorist attacks. VexLink can also enhance the effectiveness of siren and public address warning systems used to alert and direct urban populations during emergency circumstances. This application uses Vexcel's urban database to determine unobstructed paths between loudspeakers and surrounding locations. It allows for simulations that identify the optimal placement of warning loudspeakers to increase the efficiency of the system. The range of a warning system is severely limited when buildings and terrain obstruct sound waves. In addition, VexLink automatically searches for alternative speaker placements if it determines that a particular path is obstructed. Vexcel Corporation specializes in GIS and mapping production services, radar (SAR) technologies, remote sensing ground stations, and aerial and close-range photogrammetry. For further information, please contact Elizabeth Gold at Vexcel Corp., 4909 Nautilus Court, Boulder, CO 80301. Tel: (303) 583-0252. E-mail: [email protected]. Caliper Ships Maptitude for Great Britain Caliper Corp. has released Maptitude for Great Britain, a new addition to its growing GIS product suite. Maptitude comes with extensive U.K. data such as points of interest, postal code boundaries and points, and demographic data. Maptitude comes with three detailed datasets of Great Britain that provide a massive amount of national information, suitable for any location-based application or task. This also includes one of the most detailed London databases. Use Maptitude to do the following:
Maptitude offers advanced geographic analysis tools that allow thematic mapping (dot-density, color-coded, scaled-symbol), as well as maps with integrated pie and bar charts. The MapWizard(r) automatic mapping technology allows one to create thematic maps with a single mouse click, plus map customization via interactive editing and drawing tools. Caliper is a developer of GIS products, including Maptitude GIS for Windows. For further information, please contact Stewart Berry at Caliper Corp., 1172 Beacon Street, Newton, MA 02461. Tel: (617) 527-4700. E-mail: [email protected] ASD Offers Turntable Accessory for FieldSpec(r) Spectroradiometers Analytical Spectral Devices Inc. (ASD) now has a turntable-sampling accessory for use with its FieldSpec line of spectroradiometers. This turntable is an ideal accessory for applications that require analyses of irregularly shaped or non-homogeneous samples. The turntable transforms a traditionally awkward and time-consuming analytical process into an efficient and effortless one by placing a sample in a dish and rotating it. The turntable produces 600 separate, highly accurate spectra in about a minute. It features a 150mm viewing area, a 53.2mm spot size, and is easily operated by the touch of a button. Researchers in the grain, agricultural, pulp and paper, food, plastics, and mining industries will especially benefit by using this accessory. Analytical Spectral Devices is a manufacturer of field-portable, laboratory-quality UV/Vis/NIR spectrometers, spectroradiometers, spectrophotometers and corresponding software. For further information, please contact John Enterline at ASD, 5335 Sterling Drive, Suite A, Boulder, CO 80301. Tel: (303) 444-6522. Web address: www.asdi.com. City of Rye Hires Applied Geographics for Data Conversion Applied Geographics Inc. (AGI) has received a contract from the city of Rye, N.Y., to conduct a major photogrammetric data conversion project. AGI will convert tiled AutoCAD-format planimetric and topographic layers to citywide seamless GIS data layers, perform utility data and annotation conversions, and automate the city's utility networks. The company will also provide on-call GIS implementation assistance and will develop specific applications that include an abutters notification application for use throughout city hall, as well as an enhanced Web-GIS parcel mapping application for use both by city workers and the general public. Applied Geographics Inc. (AGI) provides GIS services that include needs assessment, implementation planning and system design, data conversion and development, plus multiple custom applications. For further information, please contact Thomas Harrington, Jr. at AGI, Boston, Mass. Tel: (607) 292-7125. E-mail: [email protected]. ESRI Participates in World Summit On Sustainable Development Activities ESRI was recently an active participant in the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), an international conference staged once every 10 years. In 2002, more than 60,000 delegates attended the conference held from August 26 to September 4 in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa. Among ESRI's list of WSSD activities was the display of a sampling of the many entries for the My Community, Our Earth (MyCOE) and Geographic Information for Sustainable Development (GISD) projects. During the past year, ESRI has partnered with many institutions on these two major initiatives. The exhibit at WSSD focused on the importance of geographic information and related technologies to the successful implementation of sustainable development projects. In the MyCOE project, secondary and university students from around the world completed projects in which they used the tools and methods of geography to study how their communities are changing and the ways in which they might improve the quality of life there. The GISD exhibit highlighted the use of geographic information for decision making related to such issues as natural resource management, public health, and poverty reduction by African institutions in a public/private partnership with the U.S. government, universities, nongovernmental organizations, and private companies. ESRI is a leading developer of GIS software, providing a full range of consulting, implementation, and technical support services. For further information, please Jim Baumann at ESRI, 380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92373. Tel: (909) 793-2853. E-mail: [email protected] Intergraph Acquires Full Ownership of Z/I Imaging Intergraph Corp. has signed an agreement with the Carl Zeiss Group to acquire its minority interest in Z/I Imaging, making the Earth-imaging company a wholly owned subsidiary of Intergraph. Z/I Imaging, formerly a joint venture between Zeiss and Intergraph, offers solutions for the acquisition, exploitation, management and distribution of Earth imagery. Z/I Imaging will merge with Intergraph's Mapping and GIS Solutions division to provide a total geospatial toolset to national, state and local governments, photogrammetric mapping firms, and commercial customers in industries such as transportation, engineering, utilities, defense and intelligence. Intergraph has also announced that Dr. Terry Keating has joined Intergraph Mapping and GIS Solutions as an executive vice president. Dr. Keating will be responsible for Z/I Imaging and complementary service units. He received his Ph.D. in photogrammetry and remote sensing from the University of Wisconsin and is a certified photogrammetrist, a registered land surveyor, and a professional engineer. Intergraph Corp. is a provider of end-to-end technical solutions and systems integration, involved in developing, marketing and supporting software and services in such industries as power generation, public safety, utilities and communications, mapping and GIS, and Earth imaging. For further information, please contact Jeannie Robison at Intergraph, Huntsville, Ala. Tel: (256) 730-8066. E-mail: [email protected]. Boeing Autometric and Teradata to Enhance Business Intelligence Gathering Once used primarily for military operations, data management software with geospatial capability is now commercially available from Boeing Autometric and supported by the Teradata(r) data warehouse. Boeing Autometric, a unit of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, developed the software called Spatial Query Server(tm) (SQS). With a wide range of applications, SQS leverages the power of the Teradata enterprise data warehouse, enabling users to gather and analyze data cost effectively in order to make business decisions that will increase revenue, reduce expenses, or identify new business growth opportunities. SQS Version 4.0 is available now and will be compatible with future Teradata software releases. In a typical operational scenario, SQS queries a Teradata data warehouse containing aerial and satellite imagery, along with business and referenced geographical data. Using Teradata database analytics, it then presents an accurate picture of the geospatial distribution of the data, an essential component for business analysis. When used in conjunction with Boeing Autometric's visualization products, roads, rivers, streets and traffic patterns can be depicted graphically. For more than 40 years Boeing Autometric has been involved in geospatial information technology and solutions, providing products and services for data storage, data warehousing, data production, and data visualization. For further information, please contact Diana Ball at Boeing Autometric, 7700 Boston Blvd, Springfield, VA 22153. Tel: (562) 797-5863. E-mail: [email protected]. DigitalGlobe(tm), PCI Geomatics(tm), CCRS Announce QuickBird(tm) Sensor Model Support Following several months of cooperative development and testing, DigitalGlobe(tm), PCI Geomatics(tm) and the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS, Natural Resources Canada), are pleased to announce support of the QuickBird(tm) Rigorous Sensor Model within PCI Geomatics software. This is the first commercial software support of the QuickBird Rigorous Model, as developed by Dr. Thierry Toutin at CCRS, which allows the orthorectification of QuickBird Basic Imagery Products with the highest degree of accuracy. Dr. Toutin is well known within the geomatics industry for his algorithm model accomplishments and has cooperated with PCI Geomatics on numerous occasions. PCI Geomatics announced its support of the QuickBird Rational Polynomial Coefficient (RPC) model earlier this year. The introduction of the QuickBird Rigorous Sensor Model offers PCI Geomatics users a more robust and consistently accurate solution. DigitalGlobe's QuickBird satellite offers the highest resolution satellite imagery commercially available. Lifted into orbit on October 18, 2001, QuickBird has 61-72cm (2-2.4 ft) panchromatic and 2.44-2.88 (8-9.4 ft) multispectral resolution sensors, depending upon the off-nadir viewing angle (from zero to 25 degrees). In addition, QuickBird provides a high revisit frequency of roughly one to three days, depending upon the latitude in question. The sensor has coverage of from 16.5km to 19km in the across-track direction. Established in 1971, the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) is responsible for the acquisition of Earth-observation data, and for the development of remote sensing applications and related methodologies and systems. A division of Natural Resources Canada, CCRS plays an important role in the international realms of remote sensing. PCI Geomatics is a developer of geomatics software solutions. Their flagship product, Geomatica, serves the worlds of remote sensing, GIS, cartography and photogrammetry. DigitalGlobe (www.digitalglobe.com) is an imagery and information company that provides highest-resolution satellite imagery products. For further information, please contact Chuck Herring at DigitalGlobe, Longmont, Colo. Tel: (303) 682-3820. E-mail: [email protected].
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