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EMERGE Delivers Imagery for Southern California Association of Governments
EMERGE has completed delivery of more than 35,000 square miles of imagery
for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). The terms
of the contract call for data collection and processing for delivery by
April 2002, but EMERGE was actually able to complete delivery in late
January. SCAG is the largest council of governments in the United States,
responsible for federal and state requirements that include research and
planning for transportation, growth management, hazardous waste management,
and air quality.
SCAG contracted with EMERGE to collect
and process one- and two-meter GSD (ground sampling distance), natural-color
orthorectified imagery covering 38,619 square miles. The association will
use this imagery to update its land-use maps and provide a consistent
data source to its members for a variety of uses.
Five SCAG partners contributed funds to
the project, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Regional
Sanitation District, National Park Service, Southern California Edison,
and South Coast Air Quality Management District. Los Angeles County purchased
0.3-meter orthorectified imagery over the majority of the county for assorted
work projects, while Southern California Edison plans to use the imagery
to locate and map its power lines.
EMERGE (Andover, Mass.) provides digital
orthorectified mosaic imagery products for a variety of land-use applications
that serve governmental agencies, forestry, agriculture, transportation,
energy providers, and public utilities.
For further information, please visit the
company's Web site at www.emergeweb.com.
RSI Supports Development in Southern Thailand
RADARSAT International (RSI) has been awarded a contract for the first
phase of its Andaman Environmental Resource Information Network (AERIN)
project in southern Thailand. This phase involves a feasibility study
that will examine and assess the potential design and implementation of
AERIN as well as technology transfer and training. AERIN will be conducted
in partnership with Versatile Mobile Systems (Vancouver, Canada) and Thailand's
National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC).
Increasing economic development and tourism
in the Phuket region of southern Thailand has caused degradation to the
environment and coastal resources. AERIN will provide Thai government
entities with a means to monitor and manage the development of the Phuket
environment in a sustainable manner. The interface of AERIN will be a
Web portal that provides access to a geographic information system (GIS)
where various data from local and national agencies, the Internet, and
Earth-observation satellites will be stored.
This multilingual platform will have layered
access levels to information and decision support tools. Custom applications
will be created for key project stakeholders that include pollution and
coastal zone monitoring, and land-use sustainability. This project was
undertaken with the financial support of the government of Canada provided
through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
For further information, please contact
Cory Rossignol at RADARSAT International, Richmond, B.C., Canada. Tel:
(604) 231-5000. E-mail: [email protected].
Sanborn Chosen for Multiple Mapping Projects in the Carolinas
The Sanborn Map Co. has won several large mapping projects in the southeastern
United States. The company will work on a total of five projects, including
three in North Carolina and two in South Carolina.
In North Carolina, Sanborn was chosen by
New Hanover County to provide color digital orthophotos, building footprints,
and four-foot-resolution contour mapping for the county. Rowan County
and its county seat -- Salisbury -- also contracted Sanborn to provide
color digital orthophoto imagery for both the county and the city. Additionally,
Iredell County chose Sanborn to update its black-and-white digital orthophotos,
which Sanborn last mapped in 1997. Sanborn expects to complete these three
projects within the next twelve to eighteen months.
In South Carolina, Sanborn was chosen by
Pickens County to provide color digital orthophotos, building footprints,
and four-foot-resolution contour mapping for the county. Sanborn won a
separate project to provide color digital orthophoto imagery for Newberry
County as well. Both projects will be completed within one year. The Sanborn
Map Co. offers a full suite of photogrammetric mapping and GIS services
to federal, state and local government agencies, and to the private sector.
For further information, please contact
Amy Drescher at Sanborn, Pelham, N.Y. Tel: (800) 930-3298. E-mail: [email protected].
Petris Announces New Data Visualization Tool
Petris Technology Inc. has launched a new software product, the PetrisWINDS
Internet Dashboard. This Web-based tool provides a graphical representation
of large, complex data sets, enabling instantaneous viewing of patterns,
trends, anomalies, inconsistencies and data as visual indicators, not
just quantified data.
Originally developed for the financial
marketplace, Petris has enhanced this tool by allowing the user to create
maps through a dynamic link to a database, or via a Microsoft Excel template.
This feature gives the user broad flexibility in the use of the Dashboard
and provides a standard for exchanging Dashboard views. The Dashboard
creates a hierarchy of data, allowing one to drill down into various levels
of data presented, and then displays a map where the user visualizes that
data. The information is then displayed as rectangles of various sizes,
relative positions and colors.
Petris Technology Inc. provides Web-based
services architecture for its oil & gas clients in the areas of integration,
data and application management.
For further information, please contact
Walt Rosenbusch at Petris, Houston, Texas. Tel: 713-956-2165. Web address:
www.petris.com.
ESRI Releases MapShop 1.5
ESRI joins with The Associated Press (AP), the world's oldest and largest
news organization, in announcing the latest release of MapShop Software
Version 1.5. MapShop is designed specifically for creating custom maps
for the news media. The system provides access to timely and accurate
geographic map data and content, from global events to local street-level
detail, assisting the user in the creation of all types of news and map
graphics. MapShop allows for data output to editable EPS, GIF, shape-file,
and other standard formats. This updated version enhances the functionality
and data offering experienced in the original release of MapShop.
MapShop 1.5 includes shaded-relief imagery
of the United States and a more detailed world base map -- including hot
spots such as Afghanistan -- as well as the ability to locate U.S. addresses
and define cartographic style preferences. MapShop subscribers also have
access to desktop GIS tools such as ArcView, plus all the GIS data available
through its Web application.
New features for the latest release of
MapShop include:
* U.S. Address Matching -- the ability to create a map of specific U.S.
street addresses
* Preferences -- the ability to set such design preferences as map color
palettes for individual subscriber organizations
* Markers -- enhanced marker placement functionality
* Census 2000 -- new census demographic content and enhanced search tools.
MapShop 1.5 subscriptions include a one-year
service period as well as GIS software and training, and can be used by
anyone at the subscribing newspaper to create as many maps as they like
during the year. Products includes both commercial and government data
sets such as topographic, street network, demographic, environmental,
flood zone, U.S. Census, and other data.
ESRI provides consulting, implementation,
and technical support services as a developer of GIS software.
For further information, please contact
Jesse Theodore at ESRI, Redlands, Calif. Tel: (909) 793-2853. E-mail:
[email protected].
Applanix Provides POS AV Systems for Finnish National Land Survey
Applanix Corp. has been awarded a contract to provide two POS AV(tm) (Position
and Orientation System for Airborne Vehicles) systems to the Aerial Image
Center of the National Land Survey of Finland, an agency that looks after
all of the aerial photography needed for topographic mapping and cadastral
map production within the country. POS AV provides data required for geometric
correction and geocoding of airborne sensors, as well as for aerial camera
orientation parameters in airborne photo surveying and mapping.
The POS AV Direct Georeferencing feature
allows the determination of camera orientation parameters with minimal
aerial triangulation and ground controls, thus enabling the rapid creation
of digital orthophotos and maps.
Applanix Corp. develops products
that measure the position and orientation of vehicles in dynamic environments,
used in a variety of applications that include road profiling, aerial
survey and mapping, railroad track maintenance, and seafloor mapping.
For further information, please contact
Mike Zywiel at Applanix, 85 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
L4B 3B3. Tel: (905) 709-4600. Web address: www.applanix.com.
CARIS Releases Geology-Specific Digital Mapping Software
CARIS announces the release of CARIS GEMM 4.0, a mapping software package
specifically designed for the display and output of geological data within
a digital environment. Among the features in this release are included
customizable symbol templates, tools for merging and overlaying topological
maps, photogrammetric and scanned images, and GPS collection.
The CARIS GEMM 4.0 symbol library contains
more than one thousand Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) and National
Mapping Program (NATMAP) standard geological symbols. This capacity lends
GEMM the flexibility necessary for geological map creation across all
applications including structural, geophysical, and geochemical disciplines.
The GEMM system also includes CARIS Digital
Atlas, a utility for automatic extraction, formatting and generation of
a dataset for user-defined areas anywhere in the world. This list includes
public-domain data of World Vector Shoreline, Global Seafloor Topography,
Digital Chart of the World (DCW), Gtopo30 elevation data, and Etopo5 bathymetric
data.
For further information, please contact
Sheri Flanagan at CARIS, 264 Rookwood Ave., Fredericton, New Brunswick,
Canada E3B 2M2. Tel: (506) 458-8533. E-mail: [email protected].
Avenza Announces MAPdataUSA 2K
Avenza Systems Inc., the developer of MAPublisher map production software,
announces the release of MAPdataUSA 2K, a 19-CD library of the complete
U.S. Census 2000 TIGER/Line data set. Enhancements include joined road
and water layers, proper name directory of states and counties, and ZIP
Code tabulation areas by state.
A summary of MAPdataUSA 2K benefits also
includes the following elements:
* All data in shape-file format for direct use in MAPublisher and GIS
packages
* Organized by state and county, using proper names for easy access
* Road name columns concatenated for easier labeling
* Available for both Mac and Windows operating systems. Avenza Systems
Inc. (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) provides cartographers and GIS professionals
with software tools for mapmaking. In addition to software offerings for
Mac and Windows users, the Company offers value-added data sets, product
training, and consulting services.
For further information, please visit the
company's Web site at www.avenza.com.
Z/I Imaging Releases the ImageStation 2002 Photogrammetric Workstation
Z/I Imaging Corp. has released ImageStation(r) 2002 for its softcopy photogrammetric
production workstation. ImageStation 2002 is the sixth generation of Z/I
Imaging's Window's-based digital production systems. The 2002 modular
rack-mount design allows for expansion with a 12-unit chassis that includes
five units for the host computer.
The specifications include:
* Dual 2.0 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, Xeon processors
* 1 GB of RDRAM
* 36.7 GB system drive and two 73.4 GB data drives. The remaining seven
units of rack space are available for configuring the workstation to meet
specific needs. Customers have a choice of either single or dual 21" or
24" monitors.
The ImageStation 2002 runs on Microsoft
Windows(r) 2000 and includes Z/I Imaging's exclusive ImagePipe software
for easy digitizing and comfortable viewing. JPEG image-compression software
allows the user to take up less disk space, thereby facilitating faster
network transfers and streamlining all aspects of the production workflow.
Z/I Imaging Corp. provides end-to-end imaging
solutions including aerial cameras, stereo softcopy workstations, photogrammetric
scanners, and Microsoft Windows-based image management, processing, and
distribution software.
For further information, please contact Rachel
Rogers at Z/I Imaging, Huntsville, Ala. Tel: (256) 730-8051. E-mail: [email protected].
Leica Geosystems Announces User Group Meeting 2002
The Leica Geosystems User Group Meeting (UGM '02) will take place August
18-23, 2002, at the Mission Valley Doubletree Hotel in San Diego, Calif.
With the recent integration of ERDAS and LH Systems into Leica Geosystems,
UGM '02 builds on the popular LH Systems User Group Meeting and Aerial
Camera Workshop to include seminars and sessions relevant to customers
across the corporation's entire GIS & Mapping Division.
UGM '02 plenary sessions, parallel sessions,
demonstrations and workshops will cater to customers in the division's
four product areas. Participants will meet with Leica Geosystems' executives
and engineers, share in the experience of other product users, learn about
new improvements and releases of the company's systems, and increase their
understanding of the extensive functionalities in the existing lines of
products.
With the recent integration of ERDAS and
LH Systems, Leica Geosystems has expanded its product areas to offer four
ranges of GIS and mapping solutions: airborne data acquisition, geographic
imaging, GPS/GIS, and land information systems.
For further information, please contact
the Leica Geosystems GIS & Mapping Division, 2801 Buford Highway N.E.,
Atlanta, GA 30329. Tel: (404) 248-9000. E-mail: [email protected].
GITA Announces 2002 GIS for Oil & Gas Conference Dates
The Geospatial Information & Technology Association (GITA) has made a
call for papers relating to its 2002 GIS for Oil & Gas Conference. The
theme for this gathering is "Securing Your Assets: Leveraging the GIS
Investment." The deadline for abstract submission is May 3, 2002, with
the conference scheduled for the JW Marriott Hotel in Houston, Texas,
on September 23-25, 2002.
This event focuses on decision-making and
geospatial information technologies within the oil and gas industry, and
helps organizations deal with customer service issues, mergers and acquisitions,
regulatory changes, increasing data demands, and more. It is devoted exclusively
to the applications of GIS technology for the upstream and downstream
aspects of the industry including exploration and production, land/lease,
pipeline, retail, refining, and marketing.
Paper abstracts should be 200 words in
length and include the intended audience rank (novice, intermediate, advanced,
or all three) and three learning objectives summarizing what participants
will gain from the presentation. Abstracts may be submitted online via
the GITA Web site at www.gita.org/events/conferences/oil_gas/02/send_abstract.html.
For further information, please contact
Molly Sausaman at GITA, 14456 E. Evans Ave., Aurora, CO 80014. Tel: 303-337-0513.
E-mail: [email protected].
DIME(r) Software Release 2.1 Now Available
Positive Systems Inc. has released version 2.1 of their DIME(r) (Digital
Images Made Easy) software. DIME software provides an alternative to traditional
methods for mosaicking, georeferencing and color balancing all types of
aerial and satellite imagery. Version 2.1 decreases image preparation
costs by providing small-format users with lower prices for processing
individual image frames with file sizes of 40MB or less. Increased performance
is also included in this release, with the introduction of pyramid files
for faster image viewing and improved image-format management tools.
Commercially available since January 2001,
DIME Software has been used as part of Positive Systems service offerings
for more than four years.
For further information, please contact
Julie Raine at Positive Systems, Whitefish, Mont. Tel: (406) 862-7745.
E-mail: [email protected].
Army National Guard Selects Tele Atlas as Primary Map Data Provider
The Army National Guard (ARNG) and Tele Atlas have partnered to provide
street data to National Guard personnel across the United States. The
ARNG's federal mission is to maintain properly trained and equipped units
for prompt mobilization in the event of national emergencies. Tele Atlas
focuses on attaining high-quality data across its comprehensive network
of streets by collecting and verifying attributes such as routing characteristics
in the field. Its North American real-time traffic services, collected
in conjunction with Westwood One, report on accidents and special events,
and offers road construction updates.
Tele Atlas North America (Menlo Park, Calif.;
formerly Etak Inc.) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tele Atlas N.V., a
provider of digital map data. The company delivers high-quality spatial
data and real-time traffic information for business and consumer applications.
For further information, please visit the
company's Web site at www.na.teleatlas.com.
Definiens´ eCognition evaluated by NIMA Pathfinder Process
Definiens Imaging GmbH announced that eCognition has been evaluated by
NIMA for their 2002 Pathfinder Initiative. The company's object-oriented
Earth observation image-classification and feature extraction system was
among the top 16 products to have been selected for more detailed assessment
during a recent "wrap-up conference" in Washington D.C.
Definiens expects this evaluation by NIMA
to assist in their introduction of eCognition into the North American
market, especially to federal security and defense customers. eCognition
2.0 -- available since October 2001 -- offers additional capabilities
such as direct ingestion of vector information on top of any sized raster
data, and the definition of user-defined object features.
The NIMA 2002 Pathfinder Initiative involved
assessing low- to high-end tools for exploiting commercial multispectral
(MSI) and hyperspectral (HIS) imagery that addresses end-to-end image
processing and evaluation chains. The assessment period began in spring
2001, with final results presented at the aforementioned conference on
November 29, 2001. Forty-three vendors submitted their software solutions
to NIMA, from which 16 were selected for a closer analysis. The review
team represented 29 different U.S. federal offices and organizations.
Definiens Imaging GmbH develops decentralized
communication platforms as well as software for knowledge management and
image analysis. For further information, please contact Birgit Aigner
at Definiens Imaging GmbH, Munich, Germany. Tel: (49) 89-231-1800. E-mail:
[email protected].
Intermap Technologies Launches NEXTMap Britain Program
Intermap Technologies has begun its NEXTMap Britain program, the collection
of 158,700 square kilometers of high-resolution terrain elevation data
for all of England and Wales and parts of Scotland.
The announcement by Intermap at London's
Stansted Airport included the notation that this marks the first time
mapping of an entire nation will have been funded and executed by commercial
entities rather than by a government. Intermap's proprietary technology
-- STAR-3i IFSAR -- will accomplish in less than 90 days what had previously
taken 30 years to do using earlier mapping techniques. The event was jointly
hosted by Getmapping plc, a recent subscriber to the NEXTMap Britain program
and an aerial photography provider in the United Kingdom. The open house
featured product information and demonstrations, and a preview of the
STAR-3i IFSAR system mounted in a Learjet 36 aircraft.
NEXTMap Britain will provide customers
with highly accurate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), including surface
models (DSMs) and terrain models (DTMs) for the entire country. The ground
surface will be modeled in detail, as an elevation point will be provided
every five meters. The whole country will be covered using technology
that provides one-meter vertical resolution. In urban areas and in selected
flood-prone areas, a second set of mapping data will be provided that
produces a vertical accuracy of 50 centimeters. The NEXTMap Britain data
acquisition project began in late December 2001, and should be completed
by March 2002.
Intermap Technologies Corp. specializes
in the production of digital elevation models, orthorectified imagery,
and a wide array of value-added products.
For further information, please contact
Brian Bullock at Intermap, Denver, Colo. Tel: (303) 708-0955. E-mail:
[email protected].
ESSI Develops Georectification Software For PROBE-1 Data
Earth Search Sciences Inc. (ESSI) has developed a georectification software
program for use with Probe-1 hyperspectral data. This program offers clients
greatly improved accuracy in the georeferencing of hyperspectral image
maps.
Georeferencing imagery is the process of
accurately positioning the imagery relative to a map coordinate system.
Once georeferenced, the imagery can be integrated with other similarly
processed information such as streets, buildings, bodies of water, and
topography. To aid in the georeferencing of PROBE-1 imagery, a C-MIGITS(tm)
II Inertial Navigation System / Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) --
developed by Boeing Corp. -- is used to record the PROBE-1 instrument's
position and orientation, ten times per second. Using data from the INS
and differential GPS unit, the ESSI software program calculates ground
coordinates for every pixel within a PROBE-1 image. The output from the
georectification program can be used in a variety of commercial software
programs to generate hyperspectral image maps in virtually any map projection.
Georeferenced imagery or processed results can also be overlaid on 3D
digital elevation models.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Environmental
Protection Agency, U.S. National Forest Service, and assorted state, local,
and federal government agencies are expected to be users of georeferenced
hyperspectral imagery for many applications, including the identification
of noxious weeds, infested and diseased trees, and areas of especially
high fire potential throughout the nation's forests.
For further information, please contact
Tim Monroe at ESSI, Kalispell, Mont. Tel: (406) 751-5200. E-mail: [email protected].
GeoVault Data Manager to Archive Ireland's Geographic Information
Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi), Ireland's national mapping agency, has
purchased a GeoVault Data Manager from Leica Geosystems for the archiving,
management and distribution of imagery and associated geospatial data.
OSi will use GeoVault to house and serve
imagery and data used to create map series, and to produce products such
as orthophotos and digital terrain models. LH Systems, a wholly owned
subsidiary of Leica Geosystems, is the developer of GeoVault. OSi has
approximately 15 terabytes of images and data for initial archiving. Once
the data is ingested, GeoVault will be used as an image server to manage
the accessibility of OSi data for a wide range of applications including
computer-aided design (CAD) and geographic information systems (GIS).
GeoVault provides secure, automated long-term storage and management of
digital imagery files and geospatial information in a work group, intranet,
or Internet setting.
An integral part of the GIS & Mapping Division
at Leica Geosystems, LH Systems produces systems for acquiring, processing,
and maintaining imagery and precise geospatial information.
For further information, please contact the Leica
Geosystems GIS & Mapping Division, 2801 Buford Highway N.E., Atlanta,
GA 30329. Tel: (404) 248-9000. E-mail: [email protected].
DigitalGlobe and SPOT Sign Exclusive Channel Partnership Contract
DigitalGlobe and SPOT Image Corp. have signed a six-year channel partnership
contract that grants DigitalGlobe the right to sell SPOT satellite products
and services to customers in the U.S. agriculture and defense markets.
This partnership will be managed by the U.S. SPOT subsidiary that will
retain its exclusivity for all other markets in North, Central, and South
America.
Government and commercial clients in the
agriculture market use SPOT products to provide rapid, up-to-date information
on crop conditions for market forecasting, disaster response, and long-term
planning. The U.S. Department of Defense has used SPOT since 1986 for
mapping, terrain assessments, and the development of 3D terrain models
for training, simulation systems, and mission planning.
The SPOT 5 satellite, launching in April
2002, will provide very-large-area resolution imagery at 2.5-meter, five-meter
and 10-meter levels, along with global elevation models from a dedicated
suite of sensors. DigitalGlobe (Longmont, Colo.) is an imagery and information
company that provides high-resolution satellite imagery -- 61cm-resolution
panchromatic data and 2.44m-resolution multispectral data -- via its QuickBird
satellite, launched on October 18, 2001.
For further information please visit the
company's Web site at www.digitalglobe.com.
ESRI Acquires CACI's U.S. Marketing Systems Group
ESRI has completed its acquisition of CACI's U.S.-based Marketing Systems
Group, a business unit of CACI International Inc. This process includes
the creation of the ESRI Business Information Solutions Group (ESRI BIS)
and the purchase of software, data assets, and methodologies. The companies
have agreed on a partnership structure to jointly pursue future business
opportunities.
ESRI BIS will work closely with ESRI's
software products organization to build solutions, including extending
ArcView Business Analyst. For the past year, the CACI Marketing Systems
operation has worked closely with ESRI on their next-generation version
of ArcView Business Analyst, as well as Web services for business information.
ESRI provides consulting, implementation,
and technical support services as a developer of GIS software.
For further information, please contact Karen
Hurlbut at ESRI, Redlands, Calif. Tel: (909) 793-2853. E-mail: [email protected].
DigitalGlobe and BAE SYSTEMS Form QuickBird Strategic Partnership
BAE SYSTEMS Mission Solutions and DigitalGlobe Inc. have formed a strategic
software partnership that supports the satellite imagery industry's new
"open systems" approach. Through this partnership, DigitalGlobe will license
its proprietary QuickBird sensor model to BAE SYSTEMS for incorporation
into the SOCET SET(r) software product suite. DigitalGlobe's successful
launch of the QuickBird satellite in October 2001 allows SOCET SET(r)
users around the globe to obtain and use 61-centimeter panchromatic and
2.5-meter multispectral imagery.
BAE SYSTEMS Mission Solutions supplies
commercial photogrammetric and image analysis products for the global
precision geospatial and imagery markets.
For further information, please contact
Ed Langmaid at BAE SYSTEMS. Tel: (858) 675-5995.
E-mail: [email protected].
Intermap to Demonstrate STAR-3i IFSAR Data for Census Bureau
Intermap Technologies has been awarded a contract with prime contractor
AERO-METRIC Inc. (Sheboygan, Wisc.) to collect 6138 square miles of STAR-3i
IFSAR data over six Texas counties on behalf of the U.S. Geological Survey.
The final user for this work is the U.S. Census Bureau. From the radar-based
imagery data, Intermap will provide digital map files that show roads,
railways, pipelines, transmission lines, and rivers and streams.
The U.S. Census Bureau had recently issued
a proposals request to improve the accuracy of their Master Address/TIGER
Files. The work to be done by Intermap will require remapping the continental
United States to a high degree of accuracy.
Intermap Technologies captures and produces
digital mapping data for use in a wide range of applications, including
planning and engineering projects, navigation systems, and to enhance
the accuracy and detail of satellite images.
For further information, please contact
Brian Bullock at Intermap, Denver, Colo. Tel: (303) 708-0955. E-mail:
[email protected].
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