December 2008 eNews
Highlights include: Chief Information Officer's Forum, Landgate Creating Innovative Tools for Carbon Accounting, Perkler, Giant Map Offers First Complete View of Australian Geology, Lost in the City, Play. Meet. SNIF., Ordnance Survey Takes on Google and Digital Pen Converts Paper Marks to Digital.
What’s Happening in the WALIS Community?
Chief Information Officer’s Forum
WALIS Stakeholders in the News
Landgate Creating Innovative Tools for Carbon Accounting
Latest US Laser Technology Arrives in Perth
2009 Web GIS Challenge Open for Entries
Spatial Sciences Institute Biennial International Conference
Australian Angle
TradeMe Drops Smaps for Google
New Radiometric Map of Australia
Dynamic Land Cover Mapping from Space
GeoEye-1 Satellite Imagery Seminars
Xinjiang Considers Australian Land Information System
Australia-Indonesia Disaster Reduction Facility Announced
Merrick & Company Awarded Many Stars Project Contract
Giant Map Offers First Complete View of Australian Geology
Electronic Navigational Charts for New Zealand Now Available
New Maps a Boon for Queensland Mineral Explorers
Fine-Scale Terrain Detail of Australia Released
News from Around the Globe
Bluesky Takes Online Mapping to a New Level
New Satellite Being Developed for Rural Net Connectivity
Blom Launches Online Platform for Geo-Referenced, High Resolution Oblique Images
Open Geospatial Consortium Survey
Intermap Technologies Launches NEXTMap TerrainOnDemand Online Data Store
Awareness Technologies Upgrades Laptop Cop with Skyhook Wireless Real-time Geo-Location
British Transport Police Preparing for 2012 Olympics with ERDAS APOLLO
U.S. Naval Observatory to Add Leap Second to Clocks
Ordnance Survey Takes On Google
Intermap Technologies Partners with Lowrance to Provide AccuTerra GPS Maps
Digital Pen Converts Paper Marks to Digital Data
Fugro Introduces New High Performance Satellite Navigation Service
Upcoming Events
Details of events in Australia and around the world
Interesting Website of the Month
What’s Happening in the WALIS Community?
The WALIS Office would like to take this opportunity to thank our members and the community for supporting the many and varied WALIS activities throughout this year.
Your support helps WALIS to achieve its successes, and we look forward to working with you in 2009.
We wish you and your family a safe and merry festive season and a happy New Year.
Chief Information Officer's Forum
WALIS, in conjunction with the Australian Computer Society, is pleased to announce it will host a half-day forum scheduled for 12 March 2009, especially designed to cater for Chief Information Officers.
Peter Batty, the former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Intergraph, will be attending as the keynote speaker. Several other exciting speakers will also be present to discuss land information and ICT solutions and how they can value-add and grow your business.
An interactive Q & A session will follow.
The forum will be held in the ARRC auditorium at Bentley Technology Park, providing participants the opportunity to network and tour the facilities at iVEC.
More information will be forthcoming – watch this space!
Contact: Melissah MacKenzie, 9273 7042.
The Shared Land Information Platform Focus Area for Coastal Vulnerability and Marine Management business case has undergone a first pass and full assessment with the Office of E-government.
The full assessment results are being discussed with WALIS, Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) and Department for Treasury and Finance (DTF). The WALIS Executive Policy Committee (EPC) has endorsed the Business Case by providing letters of support from Landgate, Department of Agriculture (DAFWA), Department of Environment (DEC), Department of Water (DoW), Department of Industry and Resources (DoIR), Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) and Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA).
More information about WMG activities can be found at: http://www.walis.wa.gov.au/projects_and_activities/WALIS_Marine_Group or contact Jenny Smith if you would like to contribute to the group’s efforts.
The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, 9 March 2009. Please contact Jade George on 9273 7039 or jade.george@walis.wa.gov.au for further information.
The State Land Information Capture Program for the 2009-2010 financial year was opened November 2008. Submissions must be in by 31 January 2009.
We are very keen to hear about all your data needs. Data captured through the SLICP can range from aerial photography, topographic data, satellite imagery, bathymetry, LIDAR, infrastructure, to 3D surveys, soils, ortho-imagery and any other type of spatial data required. The data requested through SLICP provides an opportunity to drive decision making on important issues such as climate change, planning, mining and health.
Even if you plan to fund and manage your own data capture, it is critical that the data requirement is flagged in the SLICP. This promotes further savings and efficiency from “capture once use many” and builds capacity, awareness and validity in a consolidated spatial data infrastructure. It also enables data discovery to potentially contribute to national level community good projects (ie. disaster mitigation).
For further information and to download an application kit; go to http://www.walis.wa.gov.au/slicp.
http://www.walis.wa.gov.au/slicp/questionnaire.2008-11-24.4061821112
The survey is designed to give us some specific, technical information about how you are currently using aerial imagery, and what your business needs over the next 3-5 years are. Information in this survey will complement other research and investigation projects to underpin future State Land Information Capture Program activities, and help guide decision making around digital capture services. This will enable us to specify and activate the right contracts and tenders to deliver a fit for purpose service to WALIS users.
It is a lengthy and technical survey, and we would appreciate as much information as you have time to offer. Two submissions will be randomly drawn to receive one of Landgate's Earth is Art unframed prints (of the winner’s choice) – make sure your survey is completed by 5 January 2009 to be in with a chance.
A SLIP Indigenous Focus Group has been set up with 15 representatives from a range of state and federal government agencies, including the Department of Indigenous Affairs and National Native Title Tribunal. There have been three meetings to date with a focus on assisting decision making for indigenous services through spatially enabled information. The next meeting will be held in mid February.
Please contact Jade George on 9273 7039 or jade.george@walis.wa.gov.au for further information.
WALIS Stakeholders in the News
Spatial Sciences Institute Board Members
The Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI) has announced their new Board members. Marnie Leybourne is the new President Elect/ Chair, the Past President is Renee Bartolo, Michael Guidici is the President Elect and the Treasurer is Andrew Bashfield. Click here for the full list and details of the members.
Landgate Creating Innovative Tools for Carbon Accounting
A ground-breaking suite of online Carbon Accounting tools for forest carbon sink projects is being developed by Landgate.
Landgate CarbonWatch was the result of requests from the forestry-based carbon offset industry in Western Australia. The CarbonWatch suite will use satellite imagery to make it easier for project owners to plan a forest sink project, demonstrate eligibility under the Kyoto protocols, then monitor and quantify the sequestered carbon for their project. It will integrate high resolution satellite imagery and other spatial datasets, such as property boundaries and environmental data, in an online environment.
Web link to full press release: http://www.landgate.wa.gov.au/docvault.nsf/web/MR_LG_CarbonWatch_20081202/$FILE/MR_LG_CarbonWatch_20081202.pdf
Latest US Laser Technology Arrives in Perth
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has acquired a state of the art air quality monitoring laser radar system (Lidar) from the US that is set to revolutionise emission detection in Western Australia.
Developed and produced by Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies, the $1.2 million WindTracer WTX is the first of the new generation of this system in the world, making DEC the first customer to receive this model of Lidar.
Web link to full press release: http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/news/department-of-environment-and-conservation/world-first-latest-us-laser-technology-arrives-in-perth.html
2009 Web GIS Challenge Open for Entries
ESRI Australia is calling for entries in its third biannual Web GIS Challenge in a bid to find the best location intelligence focused Internet site for 2008-2009.
Open to organisations whose websites use ESRI or ESRI Australia Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and are accessible by the general public, the 2009 Web GIS Challenge aims to showcase a wide range of online location intelligence capabilities from across Australia.
Web link to full press release: http://www.esriaustralia.com.au/esri/NewsEvents/Web_GIS_Challenge_Announcement_PR.pdf
Spatial Sciences Institute Biennial International Conference
The Spatial Sciences Conference is scheduled for 28 September to 2 October 2009 in Adelaide, South Australia.
The call for abstracts is now open and abstracts are invited for oral and poster presentations on topics in keeping with the Conference theme, Spatial Diversity. The deadline for submissions is Friday, 6 February 2009 and on-line submissions are the only method of receipt of abstracts.
Please visit the Conference website www.ssc2009.com
for more information or click here to view the Call for Abstracts
flyer.
Australian Angle
TradeMe Drops Smaps for Google
New Zealand internet auction giant TradeMe will dump its popular electronic mapping site Smaps at the end of the month.
It will now use Google's mapping application Google Maps on its sub-sites, including Travelbug and TradeMe Property.
The move comes after a relatively lacklustre performance of Smaps in the online map market in New Zealand.
Web link to full article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4768678a28.html
Main Roads have released another edition of the Distance Book (version 10) which provides information on distances to towns and localities. It also shows the route numbering system, travel times, bridge information, straight line diagrams and focal point markers.
Visit the Main Roads website for more information, or to download the full version of the book in PDF, click here.
Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure. A geocacher can place a geocache in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache's existence and location online. Anyone with a GPS unit can then try to locate the geocache.
A benchmark is a point whose position is known to a high degree of accuracy and is normally marked in some way. The marker is often a metal disk made for this purpose, but it can also be a church spire, a radio tower, a mark chiselled into stone, or a metal rod driven into the ground.
The interesting thing about benchmarks is that a majority of them are located in plain sight (though largely ignored by the general public). Click here to discover some of the benchmarks in WA.
Geocaching is not only good for getting out and about and discovering hidden treasures, but it also can be environmentally friendly.
Link to website: http://www.geocaching.com/
New Radiometric Map of Australia
Geoscience Australia is about to release a new full-colour Radiometric Map of Australia at a scale of 1:5 million.
In a world first, Geoscience Australia commissioned the flying of an Australia-wide airborne geophysical survey (AWAGS). The processed radiometric data from the survey was used to adjust all of the radiometric survey data held in the National Radiometric Database to a common standard, or datum. The levelled database is now being used to produce the first Radiometric Map of Australia, derived from levelled and merged composite potassium (K), uranium (U) and thorium (Th) grids over Australia at 100 metre resolution. These grids are being used to generate a number of derivative products, including the new full-colour ternary map of the continent. The new radiometric map, and all the digital data that underpin it, will be available early in 2009.
Web link to full article: http://www.ga.gov.au/ausgeonews/ausgeonews200812/radiometrics.jsp or click here to download the pdf article.
Source: AusGeo News, December 2008 Issue No. 92
Dynamic Land Cover Mapping from Space
Geoscience Australia currently uses Earth observation satellites to capture environmental information over the entire Australian continent. The satellites used, including Landsat, the Advanced Land Observing System, and Resourcesat-1, are operated by the United States, Japan and India respectively. Geoscience Australia now holds an archive of satellite observations, over the last 30 years, which supports several nationally significant environmental initiatives. These include the National Carbon Accounting System for the federal Department of Climate Change and the Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) by the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water.
Web link to full article: http://www.ga.gov.au/ausgeonews/ausgeonews200812/landcover.jsp or click here to download the pdf article.
Source: AusGeo News, December 2008 Issue No. 92
GeoEye-1 Satellite Imagery Seminars
Over 300 people recently attended the AAMHatch and GeoEye seminars held across Australia in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth. These seminars covered the launch of the GeoEye-1 satellite, the first few examples of 50cm imagery, the GeoEye-1 product range, pricing and several satellite imagery case studies.
Information from the seminar is now available, including the AAMHatch presentation on satellite imagery applications for the Australian market; GeoEye presentation on technical aspects and the product range of GeoEye-1; and comparative brochure on GeoEye-1 and IKONOS products.
For more satellite imagery information, visit the AAMHatch satellite page.
Perkler, an Australian invention, is an online community for perks and the people who love them. Its mission is simple: to make the complicated loyalty and rewards world simple for people.
It combines web2.0 social media with a robust search engine to deliver search, management and learning capabilities so people can get more out of the programs they are a member of.
Perkler solves both consumer and retailer frustrations by facilitating interaction between the two and presenting opportunities for loyalty awareness, comparison and redemption in one online space by: enabling users to search across ALL their perks by likes, location, or both in combination – either on the web or (in the future) on their mobile at the point of purchase; making it easier for them to find and become a member of programs; and creating a specialist knowledge community for people to discuss rate and tell others about programs. Take the tour here.
Web link to full press release: http://www.perkler.com/press_releases/2008-01.pdf
Web link to short facts release: http://www.perkler.com/press_releases/perkler_short_facts.pdf
Xinjiang Considers Australian Land Information System
A Chinese delegation from the government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is visiting Australia to discuss the commercialisation of the Northern Territory government’s Integrated Land Information System (ILIS). This technology is particularly interesting to the Xinjiang government, which is in the process of reforming land ownership in rural areas.
They are visiting Darwin, Australia, as guests of a company called Salmat BusinessForce, and the Northern Territory Government's Department of Planning and Infrastructure.
The two Australian organisations have signed an agreement that will allow Salmat to export technology developed by the government.
Web link to full article: http://www.asmmag.com/news/xinjiang-considers-australian-land-information-system
Reprinted from www.asmmag.com, copyright 2008 ASM.
Australian-Indonesian Disaster Reduction Facility Announced
The Prime Minister of Australia and the President of Indonesia, leaders of the two economies co-chairing the APEC Taskforce on Emergency Preparedness, have agreed to establish an Australia-Indonesia Disaster Reduction Facility in Jakarta which will be operational by April 2009.
The investment in the Facility will be A$67 million (approximately US$42 million) over five years and it will support Indonesia’s (and the region’s) efforts to reduce the impact of disasters and to improve self-management capabilities through training and outreach; risk and vulnerability assessment; and research and analysis on emerging regional threats.
Web link to full article: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/media/release.cfm?BC=Media&ID=2353_9531_9236_9485_392
Cohga is a privately owned Australian company that was founded by a group of ESRI Australia employees, with a focus on the development of IT products, and the supply of associated professional services.
Cohga's philosophy is to use Open, State of the Art, and non vendor-specific technology to create products and solutions that meet client expectations.
Cohga has designed, developed and supports the Weave business integration framework: a structure for combining disparate information systems in an easy to use environment.
Click here
to read about Cohga in the news.
Merrick & Company Awarded Many Stars Project Contract
Merrick & Company, a world leader in LiDAR, digital ortho imaging, photogrammetry, and geospatial solutions was awarded a contract by the Australian‐American Energy Company (AAEC) to acquire and deliver LiDAR data, digital orthophotography, and a DTM of approximately 640 square miles at the Crow Reservation of the Crow Tribe of Indians (Apsáalooke Nation), within southeastern Montana.
The Crow Nation and AAEC have partnered to explore the coal resources on the reservation in order to develop coal to‐liquids operations on the Reservation. Click here to read more about the Many Stars Project.
The Australian-American Energy Company, LLC is a subsidiary of Australian Energy Company Limited (AEC), headquartered near Perth, Australia. AEC was the original developer of the APEL (now Monash) CTL Project in Victoria, Australia and is currently developing a $2 billion clean-coal conversion project, the Latrobe Valley Urea Project, also in Victoria.
Web link to full press release: http://www.merrick.com/images/uploads/project_sheets/Merrick_Awarded_Australian-American_Energy_LiDAR-Survey_Contract_12-12-08.pdf
Giant Map Offers First Complete View of Australian Geology
Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore has launched a huge map that seamlessly links the whole of Australia’s surface geology and displays Western Australia’s valuable resource deposits.
WA was the last State added to the 1:1 million scale map unveiled at several events across the country by Geoscience Australia and State and Territory Geological Surveys.
Geoscience Australia geologists and cartographers have worked since 2000 to create a single dataset by standardising and consolidating maps published by State, Territory and Commonwealth agencies.
Web link to full press release: http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=131046
Electronic Navagational Charts for New Zealand Now Available
LINZ has released the first set in a series of Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) for New Zealand waters. Eleven ENCs are available at present, covering the Cook Strait crossing.
All of the world’s sea routes are expected to be covered by ENCs by 2010, and in New Zealand’s case, all key areas will be catered for within 18 – 24 months.
ENCs are becoming mandatory on various classes of shipping internationally, beginning with high speed craft and in 2012 for international trading vessels carrying large numbers of passengers. While some vessels will keep backup systems based on paper charts, completely electronic navigation chart systems – with suitable backup – are appearing. The Royal New Zealand Navy’s next generation of vessels, for example, feature entirely paperless bridges with no room for plotting tables.
ENCs are used on ships with Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), which combine ENCs with other data, such as data from Global Positioning Systems, radar and the ship’s speed log.
Web link to full article: http://www.linz.govt.nz/hydro/projects-programmes/hydro-news/20081121-nz-encs-now-available/index.aspx
New Maps a Boon for Queensland Mineral Explorers
CSIRO’s Minerals Down Under Flagship is working with the Geological Survey of Queensland (GSQ) to provide Queensland’s mineral explorers with the benefits of exciting new advances in hyperspectral mineral mapping technologies.
Last year, the GSQ released stage one of the Next Generation Mineral Mapping project – a series of over 20 maps covering more than 8000 square kilometres in the Mount Isa region.
Stage two was officially released this week by the GSQ’s Executive Director Dave Mason at the Survey’s Digging Deeper seminar in Brisbane.
Web link to full article: http://www.csiro.au/news/Next-Generation-Mineral-Mapping.html
Source: CSIRO
Fine-Scale Terrain Detail of Australia Released
CSIRO is building a three-dimensional computer model of Australia’s ground surface topography at scales never seen before.
The new one-second Digital Elevation Model (DEM) provides nearly ten times finer resolution and much greater detail than previous models. It dramatically improves the understanding of Australia’s landscape and this will transform the management of Australia’s water resources.
The one-second DEM development is a key activity within the water information research and development partnership between CSIRO’s Water for a Healthy Country Flagship and the Bureau of Meteorology’s Improving Water Information Program.
Web link to full article: http://www.csiro.au/news/Digital-Elevation-Model-Released.html
Source: CSIRO
News from Around the Globe
Nokia reveals the results of a global study into how people find their way around.
Getting lost in London is inevitable. According to new research commissioned by Nokia, the world's leading supplier of map-enabled devices, there are more people getting lost in London than anywhere else in the world, including cities like Bangkok and Beijing, which are nearly twice the size of London.
The findings are part of a global study, one of the largest navigation studies to date, where 12 500 people in 13 countries world were quizzed about their sense of direction and navigational habits.
Web link to full press release: http://www.nokia.com/A4136001?newsid=1273511
Bluesky Takes Online Mapping to a New Level
Bluesky has launched a brand new online map shop that offers a unique range of mapping, aerial photography and other aerial survey data available online at the touch of a button.
Visitors to www.bluesky-world.com can search using a postcode, place name or geographic co-ordinate, view and refine their selection before purchasing CAD and GIS ready digital data.
The new website, which has an enhanced look and improved user experience, provides access to the most up to date aerial photography, height data, detailed 3D models, LiDAR, thermal imagery and Ordnance Survey mapping.
Web link to full article: http://www.bluesky-world.com/press_releases/?id=129
Aerial Services Adds Leica’s ADS80-SH82 Airborne Digital Sensor to Arsenal of Professional Mapping Tools
Aerial Services Inc. has become the first US geospatial firm to purchase the ADS80 Airborne Digital Sensor, Leica Geosystems’ third generation state-of-the-art line sensor technology.
The sensor is capable of numerous applications including orthophotos and 3D feature mapping and is Leica’s most advanced digital sensor ever. When coupled with their robust software tools, XPro, the sensor can turnaround finished orthophotography to clients faster than any other digital solution on the market. It approaches the speed of one hour of processing for each hour of acquisition. Further, the ADS80 provides a new level of accuracy and detail providing the ability to handle advanced mapping applications.
Web link to full article: http://aerialservicesinc.com/news/releases.html#ads80
New Satellite Being Developed for Rural Net ConnectivityIndia is developing an "unconventional" satellite which would focus on providing internet connectivity to the rural masses and render timely advice on various aspects of agriculture.
Primarily aimed at rural areas, it's an INSAT-class (three tonne) satellite but the speciality would be that instead of having an all-India beam, it would have spot beams covering different parts of the country, and there would be a control hub by which it would be connected to national network.
Web link to full article: http://voiceofindia.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3331&Itemid=76
Having your best friend at your side is a great way to meet new people, and the SNIF Tag makes it even easier.
The device records encounters with other SNIF dogs as well as acting as a tool for social networking – expanding your circle of friends every time you take your pup for a walk.
The SNIF Tag also acts as monitoring device, tracking what your dog is doing, even when you're not around. When he's home, you can track activities in real-time and when he's out and about, the information is stored and uploaded as soon as he gets home, so you'll know when he had a walk, played, or napped. Plus, you can see which other SNIF dogs he's been hanging with and compare your dog with the activities of others in the network.
Click here for more.
Blom Launches Online Platform for Geo-Referenced, High Resolution Oblique Images
Blom has launched its online platform BlomURBEX to deliver high-resolution oblique and vertical images of cities, towns and urban areas. The platform meets the growing demand for online access for the delivery of high quality images of over 1,000 European cities to either desktop or mobile devices for commercial and consumer solutions.
Application developers will be able to use BlomURBEX’s Software Development Kit (SDK) to build applications that use Blom’s rich data for consumer applications such as navigation and commercial applications for example urban planning, site appraisal and commercial property underwriting. BlomURBEX content has already been used to create a new iPhone application allowing users to navigate with oblique images.
Web link to full article: http://www.blomaerofilms.com/en/news/news-archive/2008-11-24-(1)
Open Geospatial Consortium Survey
The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is conducting a survey of the geospatial community regarding the ‘Business Benefits of Using OGC Standards’.
Researchers from the University of Illinois and the University of North Carolina developed the survey in conjunction with the OGC. The survey will not only provide valuable input to research on standards development organisations and standards effectiveness, but it will help the Consortium to improve its ability to address geospatial interoperability needs.
Click here to take the survey.
Web Map Service (WMS) for the FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) and Related Items
FEMA provides access to the National Flood Hazard Layer through a Web Map Service. The National Flood Hazard Layer is a computer database that contains FEMA's flood hazard map data. The data depicts flood hazard information and supporting data used to develop the information.
The primary hazard classifications are the 1 percent-annual-chance flood event, the 0.2 percent-annual-chance flood event, and areas of minimal flood hazard. Flood hazard and supporting data are developed using specifications for horizontal control consistent with 1:12,000-scale mapping.
Visit the website for more.
Intermap Technologies Launches NEXTMap TerrainOnDemand Online Data Store
Intermap Technologies has launched NEXTMap TerrainOnDemand (www.TerrainOnDemand.com), a new and improved online data store to support customer access to their growing NEXTMap digital mapping database. The enhanced data store provides immediate access to the Company’s NEXTMap USA and NEXTMap Europe data. NEXTMap TerrainOnDemand allows access to the Company’s unique national datasets created with unprecedented accuracy and detail that includes precise 3D digital elevation models, orthorectified radar images, contours, and optimized TIN models.
As the company continues its aggressive program of generating off-the-shelf availability for more than 10 million km2 of data across Western Europe and the U.S., geospatial data will continually be added to the online library, providing up-to-date access to NEXTMap data for customers around the world.
Web link to full press release: http://www.intermap.com/interior.php/pid/1/sid/306/tid/245/nid/2222
Awareness Technologies Upgrades Laptop Cop with Skyhook Wireless Real-time Geo-Location
Awareness Technologies and Skyhook Wireless have released Laptop Cop with real-time geo-location. The Wi-Fi Positioning System (WPS) from Skyhook Wireless adds a powerful new set of features to Laptop Cop, making it the most comprehensive and effective laptop protection software in the industry.
Laptop Cop works on any Windows laptop, whether newly-bought, or already in use. It is available now through Dell Computer's main website, or direct from Awareness Technologies, at www.laptopcopsoftware.com The software operates in an undetectable stealth mode, activating only when a laptop is lost or stolen. Its multi-layered functions, including geo-location and remote file-retrieval, go beyond encryption and IP-pinging so owners can truly protect their laptops, and all the contents.
Web link to full press release: http://www.skyhookwireless.com/press/skyhookawareness.php
British Transport Police Preparing for 2012 Olympics with ERDAS APOLLO
Looking towards the 2012 Olympic Games in London, British Transport Police is implementing ERDAS APOLLO 2009, a unified enterprise platform for managing and serving large volumes of geospatial data located and distributed across an organization.
British Transport Police is the national police force for the railways, providing a policing service to rail operators, their staff and passengers throughout England, Wales and Scotland. The Force is also responsible for policing the London Underground system, Docklands Light Railway, the Glasgow Subway, the Midland Metro tram system and Croydon Tramlink. The mission of British Transport Police is to provide a policing service which delivers a safe railway environment free from disruption and the fear of crime.
Web link to full article: http://www.erdas.com/Company/NewsReleases/tabid/96/currentid/2609/default.aspx
U.S. Naval Observatory to Add Leap Second to Clocks
On December 31, 2008 a ‘leap second’ will be added to the world’s clocks at 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This corresponds to 6:59:59 pm Eastern Standard Time, when the extra second will be inserted at the U.S. Naval Observatory’s Master Clock Facility in Washington, DC. This marks the 24th leap second to be added to UTC, a uniform time-scale kept by atomic clocks around the world, since 1972.
Web link to full article: http://www.usno.navy.mil/pao/press/2008_Leap_Second_Release.pdf
Source: U.S. Naval Observatory
Ordnance Survey Takes on Google
UK national mapping agency, Ordnance Survey, is making moves to mark out its copyright territory in an attempt to keep its data out of the hands of internet search engine giant Google. This seems to have encouraged some advocates of free data to line up behind Google, which is usually seen as the antithesis of free data.
In a document titled Use of Google Maps For Display and Promotion Purposes and circulated to local government, OS prohibits the use of any OS-derived data for display on Google Maps.
It states that OS data or data derived from OS data can only be supplied to a third party in ‘limited circumstances’ - which do not include display on Google Maps.
Web link to full article: http://www.asmmag.com/news/ordnance-survey-takes-on-google
Reprinted from www.asmmag.com,
copyright 2008 ASM.
London-based architects, Amenity Space, have received international praise for their unique recycled building blocks made entirely out of disused maps.
The Map Compression Block – which stacks maps on top of each other to create a heat efficient and strong building brick – was honoured at the San Francisco Urban Re:Vision Awards.
The award recognised the project’s innovative approach to producing an eco-friendly and sustainable building material.
Web link to full article: http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/media/news/2008/nov/mapblock.html
Source: Ordnance Survey
Intermap Technologies Partners with Lowrance to Provide AccuTerra GPS Maps
Intermap Technologies has entered into a partnership agreement with Lowrance, a leader in outdoor navigation and wholly-owned brand of Navico Holding AS to offer AccuTerra maps for the Brand’s enhanced outdoor GPS devices.
Under the terms of the agreement, AccuTerra GPS maps will provide users with detailed roads, trails, terrain, topographic contours, points of interest, and land management maps.
Web link to full press release: http://www.intermap.com/interior.php/pid/1/sid/306/tid/245/nid/2226
Digital Pen Converts Paper Marks to Digital Data
A new pen-and-paper data collection technology has been developed. With a special pen, users mark up a paper map and those markings appear on a digital version of the same map. Each marking becomes a GIS layer in the digital version. Local governments are embracing this technology because many responders still favor using pens and paper in the field instead of laptops and tablets.
Conventional wisdom suggests fieldworkers must join the paperless world. However, some say workers whose core competencies involve field navigation, logistics and physical strength need not be expected to maintain extensive technology skills. The Adapx digital pen, called Penx, offers GIS technicians a way to do their jobs without requiring technology training for fieldworkers.
Web link to full article: http://www.govtech.com/gt/565779?topic=117676
Fugro Introduces New High Performance Satellite Navigation Service
Fugro has introduced a new satellite based precise positioning service: G2.
This new high performance navigation service combines the navigation satellites of both the American GPS constellation and the Russian GLONASS constellation, to produce a composite GPS/GLONASS position solution. The service utilises Fugro’s own network of dual system reference stations to calculate ‘orbit and clock’ errors on a satellite by satellite basis for all 50 satellites of the two global navigation satellite systems thus providing consistent decimetre level accuracy positioning on a world wide basis.
Web
link to full article: http://www.fugro.com.au/news/newsdetails.asp?item=427
Upcoming Events
LiDAR 2009
5-8 January, Harbin, China
The aim of the First International Conference on LiDAR Technology and Remote Sensing Applications is to provide a platform for academics and engineers in LiDAR technology and remote sensing application areas to meet, exchange ideas, and establish professional networks. It is a forum to focus on specific disciplinary research, as well as on multi-disciplinary studies. The uniqueness of LiDAR and remote sensing is that it crosses narrowly defined subject areas and gathers researchers from not only technical areas, but also from areas which use the technology.
Conference Sponsors include the Institute of Remote Sensing Applications, Chinese Academy of Sciences, IEEE NSW Section, Heilongjiang University, China and NSW Department of Lands.
A call for papers has been announced. Visit the website for more details or to register. Early bird registration is before 1 December 2008.
2009 ESRI Asia Pacific User Conference
20–21 January, Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Singapore City, Singapore
The ESRI Asia Pacific User Conference (APUC) will provide a forum for ESRI users with different levels of expertise to meet and share their experiences and best practices. ESRI users from the Asia Pacific region will have the opportunity to attend workshops conducted by developers and product engineers from ESRI. They will also have the chance to meet with ESRI professionals and hear about the new advances in GIS technology. ESRI President Jack Dangermond will deliver the plenary address at the Conference.
Visit the website for further information, to register or to find out more about the call for papers.
Map World Forum 2009
10-13 February, Hyderabad, India
Map World Forum will not just be a conference. It will be a forum that will simply aim to “Converge Ideas and Expand Horizons for Sustainable Planet Earth”. It will aim beyond speeches and discussions to find practical ways to protect the earth and improve people's lives.
Its mission, therefore, will be to encourage the geospatial family and the society at large to function in ways that protect the Earth's natural environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of present and future generations.
Visit the website for more.
Trimble Dimensions 2009
23-25 February, The Mirage, Las Vegas, USA
As a surveying, engineering, construction, mapping, GIS, geospatial and mobile resource management professional, Trimble Dimensions 2009 attendance is your ticket to greater success. Choose from more than 300 sessions and learn how to get the most from your positioning equipment. Listen to industry leaders discuss the future of positioning. Connect with peers from around the world and share information and explore new solutions in our partner pavilion.
Visit the website for more information.
iGeoMap 2009
20-21 March, J N Tata Auditorium, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
With almost 300 million Indians living in urban areas (in 3700 towns and cities), the country has the second largest urban population in the world. Essential infrastructure facilities, specifically in the areas of water management, roads, transportation, housing, sanitation and sewage, need to be provided to this growing urban population.
Due to the increasing availability of information systems and data, planners and municipalities are focusing on modeling the urban space using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
The iGeoMap 2009 conference will address urban infrastructure issues using GIS along with presenting state-of-the-art practices.
The call for papers is now open.
2009 Annual Meeting of the AAG
22-27 March, Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas
The Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) attracts geographers and related professionals from around the world. The meeting forum stimulates discussion about research, education, accomplishments, and developments in geography.
This year's program will feature 4,000 presentations by leading scholars and researchers from more than 60 countries; an international networking reception; exhibitions showcasing recent scholarly publications, advanced geographic technologies, and expanding employment opportunities; and numerous field trips to explore the rich cultural and physical geography of Las Vegas and the surrounding region.
Visit the website for more details, to submit an abstract or to register.
GEO-9
1-2 April, Ricoh Arena, Coventry, UK
GEO-9 is the UK's only dedicated geospatial trade exhibition. GEO-9 will be showcasing leading players from every aspect of the geographic information industry. From measurement and data collection through to advanced geospatial analysis, GEO-9 brings them all together at the same event.
GEO-9 will also host the popular, long running m3 conference. Grounded in the three m's; measuring, modelling, managing, this year's conference theme will be "When every penny has to count: cost effective geo-solutions for challenging times". The m3 conference provides delegates with the opportunity to come together to review current practice, discover emerging technologies and debate future opportunities and attracts business leaders, practitioners and academics from Europe and beyond. Each day will hear a stimulating keynote speaker to set the scene.
Check the website for more details or to register.
3rd International Conference on Remote Sensing
15-17 April, Altas Park Hotel, Moscow
The theme of the conference is ‘The Synergy of High Technologies’ and the main topics of the conference will be up-to-date technologies and development trends of Russian and foreign Earth remote sensing programs; software systems, technologies and solutions for data processing from leading international and Russian developers; applications of remote sensing data for different fields; and hits and misses while project implementation using satellite imagery and GIS.
Click here to register or visit the website for more information.
2nd International
Conference on Earth Observation for Global Changes (EOGC2009)
25-29 May, Chengdu, China
Knowledge about changes to the Earth's surface and the underlying processes that induce them has enormous impacts on how society responds to these changes. With its remarkable progress in the past decade, Earth observation technology has been playing a crucial role in studies on global changes.
EOGC2009 will include several presentations on the use of remote sensing applications to assess environmental changes, as well as Geospatial Data Processing and Integration for Change Detection and Environmental Monitoring by the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS).
Visit the website for further details.
GeoTec Event 2009
1-4 June, Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The GeoTec Event offers its attendees high calibre and timely presentations from knowledgeable industry leaders, geospatial technologists and users from Canada and the world.
Click here for details on the call for papers.
SPRS Hannover Workshop 2009 - High-Resolution Earth Imaging for Geospatial Information
2-5 June, Hannover, Germany
Earth imaging from air and space has undergone major changes over the last years. Examples of new and significant developments comprise a growing use of digital aerial cameras, an increasing number of high-resolution and hyperspectral satellite sensors, of laser scanning and SAR/InSAR. Calibration issues are important for every sensor.
Today, all these data are used for the production of geospatial information. At the same time, updating existing geospatial databases has gained more importance, and automation has had a significant impact on the processing chain. In addition, the stunning success of Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth along with developments such as GEO (intergovernmental Group of Earth Observations), GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) and GMES (Global Monitoring of Environment and Security) have significantly changed the remote sensing arena in the last few years.
These developments form the background for the ISPRS Hannover Workshop High-Resolution Earth Imaging for Geospatial Information 2009.
Organisers of the ISPRS Hannover Workshop 2009 are calling for papers and abstracts should be submitted electronically by 1 February.
spatial@gov Conference 2009
15-16 June, National Convention Centre, Canberra
Spatial capabilities offer increased value to every facet of government operations. The 2009 spatial@gov Conference is a new event for the spatial community and will focus on the importance of spatial information in enhancing the business of all tiers of government. This conference will focus on the benefits of using ‘place’ or ‘location’ as a powerful enabler to support policy development, service delivery and internal business processes. The program will cover government spatial activities in the areas of national priority including Social Inclusion, Climate Change and a range of other government activities.
Visit the website for more details.
10th South East Asian Survey Congress (SEASC) 2009
4-7 August, Bali International Convention Center (BICC), The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia
Geospatial technology has been increasingly recognised as a vital part of our life. Geo-information as the product of this technology has found its application in various sectors. At the individual level, geo-information has now become a part of our lifestyle, with the use of digital maps and satellite based navigation systems.
Globally, the world is facing many issues that need mutual collaboration among organisations and countries, since a problem that occurs in a country may interface its neighbouring countries. Geo-information is one of the important key factors to overcome such kind of global/ regional issues holistically.
Many organisations have been collecting and managing various kind of geo-information for their own purposes. This situation creates isolated geo-information islands that are not connected and accessible to each other.
Therefore, “Integrating geo-information islands” has been chosen as the theme of the SEASC. For more information, visit the website.
Map Asia 2009
18-20 August, Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Singapore
The 8th annual international conference and exhibition on geospatial information, technology and applications is being organised by GIS Development and the Singapore Land Authority.
The Asia and Pacific region demands and offers scope for application of the various Geographic Information technologies like GIS, GPS, Remote Sensing and Imaging.
To meet the requirements of the Geo-informatics community in the Asian region, every year Map Asia raises a platform for the Asian Geo-informatics community to realise, recognise, and reveal the stages of dissemination of Geospatial Information.
6th International Symposium on Digital Earth (ISDE6)
9-12 September, Beijing, China
The theme of the conference is ‘Digital Earth in Action’ and will continue the tradition of gathering world-class scientists, engineers and educators engaged in the fields of digital earth, earth observation, geo-informatics and relevant applications to review the progress of Digital Earth during the last decade and discuss the achievements of Digital Earth and the recent developments.
Click here for details and the call for papers.
Spatial Sciences Institute Biennial International Conference
28 September – 2 October, Adelaide, South Australia
This biennial conference is the premier event for spatial sciences in the Australasian region. It attracts a large and diverse audience and in 2009 will embrace a new format. It will provide cutting edge developments in the application of spatial science to a diverse set of disciplines, communities and people: indeed this diversity is the inspiration for the conference theme of Spatial Diversity.
The conference theme will be delivered via plenary and keynote presentations, technical papers, symposia, workshops, competitions, awards, site visits, dinners, lunches, coffee, exhibitions, breakfasts, walks and talks. The aim is to attract key players in the industries where spatial information is important – environment, mining, defence, land administration, agriculture, disaster management and more. Together with these people, a large range of exhibitors of technology and applications will be present.
The call for abstracts is now open. Visit www.ssc2009.com for more information.
22nd CIPA Symposium (2009)
11-15 October, Kyoto, Japan
The 22nd International Committee for Documentation of Cultural Heritage (CIPA) Symposium will be an international and inter-disciplinary event on recording, documentation, preservation and restoration of cultural heritage applying information and communication technology.
To be held in Asia for the first time, the topics to be covered will include GIS, intellectual property and open source, terrestrial/ aerial photogrammetry and terrestrial/ aerial laser scanning, remote sensing and strategies for long-term archiving of digital information.
Click here for the first announcement.
4th International Conference: Earth From Space – the Most Effective Solutions (2009)
1-3 December, Moscow, Russia
Rapid development of the space information technology has deprived the limited groups of specialists of the privilege to control telecommunications, navigation and remote sensing of the Earth from space. We can witness how Earth observation from space helps to resolve a wide range of practical tasks, becoming a modern public information instrument.
The International Conference "Earth from Space - the Most Effective Solutions" is the largest biennial event in sphere of Earth remote sensing in Russia and CIS countries, attended by around 350 participants from different countries. The goal of the conference is to show the experience of practical use of satellite monitoring in different branches of economy together with the recent developments in remote sensing as the backbone of cost-efficient functioning economic systems and is an opportunity to demonstrate the latest innovations, achievements and practical results in sphere of space information technologies.
Visit the website
for more.
Interesting Website of the Month
Learn How Everything Works!
Is the Dead Sea really dead? Do fish feel pain? Have you ever wanted to know how pole vaulting works? Or maybe find out the history of e-commerce? Whatever your question, you are sure to find it at www.howstuffworks.com
For the spatially-inclined, there is a map feature that shows locations and major features around the world's regions. Explore continents, countries, cities and islands across the globe using the interactive maps. This map shows the prevalence of television receivers – and just how many are in Australia compared to the rest of the world!
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