March 2009 eNews
Highlights include: GeoNetwork, 2009 WA Spatial Excellence Awards, Important Announcement from SSI and ISA, Positioning the Future, Smart Sensors the Way to Go, The OGC Elects Directors and Pay-As-You Drive System Could Renew Aging Infrastructure.
What’s Happening in the WALIS Community?
Data Group (Formerly the Metadata Group)
WALIS Working Groups – Routable Road Centreline Network Group
WALIS Stakeholders in the News
Local Government Reform Strategy – Structural Reform Guidelines
ESRI’s Latest GISette Newsletter Released
2009 WA Spatial Excellence Awards
Building a Better Planning System
Entries Open for 2009 Golden Gecko Awards
GeoSamba Universal Now Provides Direct Connection to ArcGIS Server
GREENHOUSE 09: New Climate Change Challenges
Marine Bioresources Library Launches at WA Museum to Aid Medical Research
Important Announcement from SSI and ISA – Change of Special General Meeting Date
Australian Angle
Antarctic Subglacial Mountain Range the Size of the Alps Mapped
Men More Likely to be Distracted by GPS Units While Driving?
2009 Australian Safer Communities Awards
Setting Australia’s Limits - Understanding Australia's Marine Jurisdiction
New Digital Geological Map of Australia - Seamless National Baseline Dataset Released
CSIRO-China in Wireless Sensor Research Tie-Up
Roadkill GPS Navigation System to Protect Animals
Australian Bushfires Spark Open Data Debate
Scientists Find Evidence of Recent Undersea Eruption
Satellite Imagery Over Fire Affected Areas in Victoria
News from Around the Globe
NASA-Funded Carbon Dioxide Map of US Released on Google Earth
Governors Award ESRI, Microsoft Public-Private Partnership Honours
Soil Maps Generate Reliable Quaternary Geologic Map
OGC Request for Comments on Candidate Web Map Tiling Standard
Fugro Declares G2 Positioning Operational
SuperGIS Server Beta Will Release by the End of March
GeoSpatial Experts Introduces Photo-Mapping Software for Consumers
MapMechanics Helps Shaw Trust with Travel Analysis for Disadvantaged and Disabled People
Pay-As-You-Drive System Could Renew Aging Infrastructure
Opinion: The Shapefile 2.0 Manifesto
New Version of ERDAS Image Web Server Delivers 4,203 Tiles a Second
Ambitious Mission Tackles Gravity's Pull
China to Build Indonesian Satellite
Upcoming Events
Details of events in Australia and around the world
Interesting Website of the Month
What’s Happening in the WALIS Community?
Data Group (Formerly the Metadata Group)The Group met on 9 March 2009. There were two fantastic presentations on Creative Commons and Data Quality Framework. To view these presentations or the agenda and minutes to this meeting please visit our new page on the WALIS site at http://www.walis.wa.gov.au/interragator/data-and-metadata-group.
If you would like to attend the next meeting or for further information, please contact Jade George at jade.george@walis.wa.gov.au or on 9273 7039.
Interragator+Due to on-going technical difficulties users are requested not to create metadata or publishers until further notice. We apologise for the inconvenience and are doing our best to fix the problems as soon as possible.
Contact Jade George at the WALIS office on 9273 7039 if you have any questions or need urgent assistance.
Thank you for your understanding.
SLICPIf you are interested in commenting on a policy being created for the Shared Land Information Capture Program please contact Jade George on 9273 7039 or slicp@walis.wa.gov.au.
WALIS Working Groups - Routable Road Centreline Network GroupThe Routable Road Centreline Network (RRCN) Group was initially formed in 2006 when a data study was done to review the feasibility and opportunities to create a routable road centerline network from the available road data.
Recommendations included enhancing the existing road segments with minimum attributes required to build a navigable road network for specific use in emergency management.
The RRCN Group is now continuing as a working group to progress on specifications for routable attribution and to investigate ways of streamlining data maintenance. The RRCN group also connects key users and suppliers of road data to find a long term solution towards creating a harmonized road model.
Current representatives on the RRCN group are from Landgate, Main Roads Western Australia (MRWA), Western Australian Police (WAP), Fire and Emergency State Authority (FESA), Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), Public Transport Authority of Western Australia (PTA) and Local Government.
Please contact Jenny Smith, (08) 9273 7093 at the WALIS Office if you would like to contribute to the RRCN efforts or would like to know more about WA roads data progress.
WALIS Marine GroupThe WALIS Marine Group’s next meeting will be held on 26 March at Landgate Remote Sensing in Floreat. Presentations include: Landgate SRSS Marine Remote Sensing Applications, Curtin University Marine Remote Sensing Applications and Murdoch University Marine Remote Sensing Applications.
Also happening in March is the A changing climate: Western Australia in focus symposium on 27 March at the University of Western Australia, Crawley. Contact Lynne Stephenson to register.
For more WMG related activities visit http://www.walis.wa.gov.au/projects_and_activities/WALIS_Marine_Group or contact Jenny Smith / (08) 9273 7093
GeoNetworkWALIS is now testing the
GeoNetwork to assess the viability
of the GeoNetwork as a metadata catalogue for WA. To ensure your agency is
represented at state and national level we encourage your involvement. A new
webpage has been set up at http://www.walis.wa.gov.au/interragator/geonetwork
to keep you up to date with GeoNetwork information and give you ideas on how
you can get involved.
WALIS Stakeholders in the News
Local Government Reform Strategy - Structural Reform GuidelinesLocal Government Minister John Castrilli has announced that the Local Government Reform Steering Committee has released Structural Reform Guidelines to assist local governments with developing reform submissions to the Minister.
As part of the reform, he has encouraged each local government within Western Australia to embrace the opportunity for voluntary amalgamations to achieve much needed structural reform in this State. He has also requested that by 31 August 2009, each of the 139 local governments in Western Australia will have made an informed decision on voluntary amalgamation and for each council to have an elected member group of between six and nine.
For more information on Local Government Reform, visit the Department of Local Government and Regional Development’s website.
To download a copy of the Structural Reform Guidelines, click here.
ESRI's Latest GISette Newsletter ReleasedThe latest edition of ESRI Australia's GISette newsletter is now available. Find out about all the latest news, events, case studies, technology tips and training information.
The March issue of the National Native Title Tribunal’s quarterly publication Talking Native Title is now available – read about a native title determination in the Gulf of Carpentaria, a genealogical project that’s helping progress claims from Noongar claimants in Western Australia, indigenous land use agreements in the Northern Territory, upgrades to Native TitleVision and a look back over 15 years of the Native Title Act.
2009 WA Spatial Excellence Awards
The Western Australian Spatial Excellence Awards are hosted by the WA Regional groups of the Australian Spatial Information Business Association (ASIBA) and the Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI).
ASIBA and SSI have amended the process for the WASEA Industry categories for 2009 and the call for entries starts now.
The deadline for entries will be 29 May 2009, however, entries can be submitted at any time and the judging panel will consider the projects in early June 2009.
Another change is that the criteria for all projects have been amended to be generic, and all projects will be considered for all categories. This will also allow the finalists in WASEA to line up with the categories selected for APSEA.
For more information, visit the SSI website.
Building a Better Planning SystemA consultation paper on options to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning system has been released by the Department for Planning and Infrastructure.
The paper sets out a broad planning reform agenda for lasting improvement to the planning system and identifies priority areas for reform.
Building a Better Planning System Consultation Paper is available at www.wapc.wa.gov.au/comment and from the Department (contact 9264 7777).
Comment on the priority actions identified in the paper is invited until Friday 1 May 2009.
Entries Open for 2009 Golden Gecko AwardsEntries for the Department of Mines and Petroleum’s environmental excellence awards, the Golden Gecko Awards, are now open.
The department is looking for mineral and petroleum companies and service providers that have gone beyond standard environmental practice.
The awards recognise leadership in environmental management, protection and rehabilitation.
For more information and to download the entry form, visit the Golden Gecko website.
GeoSamba Universal Now Provides Direct Connection to ArcGIS ServerThe Australian-built GeoSamba Universal technology from iintegrate Systems – a subsidiary of NGIS Australia – has now been integrated with ESRI’s flagship server product, ArcGIS Server.
Web link to full article: http://www.ngis.com.au/Media+and+Publications/News/1473.aspx
GREENHOUSE 09: New Climate Change Challenges
Australia’s biennial climate science conference, GREENHOUSE 2009, will be held in Perth from 23 to 26 March with a review of the latest Australian and international science contributing towards an understanding of climate change.
More than 500 delegates representing science, government, industry and the community will share knowledge across key themes from future climate, oceans, greenhouse gases, managing climate and water, energy, agriculture and seasonal climate variability.
Presentations at the conference will help to forge new directions in strategies to mitigate carbon emissions and adapt to a changing climate.
Web link to full article: http://www.csiro.au/news/GH09-New-climage-change-challenges.html
Source: CSIRO
Marine Bioresources Library Launches at WA Museum to Aid Medical Research
The Western Australian Museum has launched WA’s first Marine Bioresources Library, providing assistance to biodiscovery researchers in their research into cures for cancer and other diseases.
The WAMBL is a library of frozen samples taken from sponges and other marine species and will be curated professionally by WA Museum experts. Extracts will be available for use by State, national and international organisations to provide new research opportunities for industry.
The establishment of this Library will assist in a number of activities, including creating a georeferenced biodiversity database.
Web link to full article: http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/news/Marine_Bioresources.asp
Important Announcement from SSI and ISA – Change of Special General Meeting Date
The President of ISA and the President of SSI regret to inform members that the proposed vote to consider a winding up motion for SSI and ISA CANNOT NOW PROCEED on the date notified, that is, 31 March 2009, due to the required minimum notice period not being met.
The issue of the Agenda, Motions and voting forms did not provide for the minimum notice period in accordance with each Institution’s Constitution and the relevant legislation. To proceed to vote without such sufficient notice would cause the meeting and any outcomes from the meeting to be invalid.
The Board of SSI and the Council of ISA are scheduling a revised vote date to be notified at the earliest opportunity.
The SSI Board and the ISA Council will now take steps to ensure that notice periods are strictly adhered to so that all legal and Constitutional requirements are met.
Sincere apologies are offered to members for the present situation. However it is trusted that members will appreciate the need for strict probity in such an important matter for the Institutions.
In addition, the interim Board of SSSI, while not pre-empting the outcome of the vote, has decided to meet in Canberra as scheduled on 31 March in order that pre-committed costs may be best utilised, and in recognition of the positive work that can be achieved face-to-face on this occasion.
Australian Angle
Curtin will host its first-ever Australian Research Council (ARC) Federation Fellow, with the appointment of internationally renowned geodesist Professor Peter Teunissen, who commenced at Curtin University in January 2009. The appointment follows Teunissen’s role in a Curtin-led 2007 ARC project to extend key technologies for next-generation Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).
Professor Peter Teunissen will lead a team of researchers to improve Australia’s capability in utilising a modernised GPS and GNSS by addressing critical theoretical and modelling issues.
The team will aim to fulfil the high-accuracy and high-integrity requirements of tomorrow’s geospatial information needs in the Earth, atmospheric and space sciences.
Source: Curtin University of Technology, Office of Research and Development
(Originally appeared in R&D Now, the magazine of the Office of Research and Development, Research Highlights 2008)
Antarctic Subglacial Mountain Range the Size of the Alps Mapped
Flying twin-engine light aircraft the equivalent of three trips around the globe and working in temperatures that averaged -30 degrees Celsius, an international team of scientists has not only verified the existence of a mountain range that is suspected to have caused the massive East Antarctic Ice Sheet to form, but also has created a detailed picture of the rugged landscape buried under more than four kilometres of ice.
Web link to full article: http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=36053&source=17&rank=2
Source: Australian Antarctic Division
Spatial sciences play an important role in our lives, so it is surprising that most of us use technologies from this rapidly emerging science in one form or another each day, without recognising it by name.
The core of spatial sciences is the mapping of information and development of programs that allow us to understand and use the information it presents.
Spatial refers to a place, space or location, and since everything is somewhere on the surface of the Earth, spatial information and technology has a very broad range of uses.
User-friendly software – such as Google Earth, Google Maps and GPS navigation systems – is really just a teaser to the dynamic spatial revolution that has been quietly building up over the last two decades.
Source: Emmett, S.
(Originally appeared in cite (Page 12), the magazine of Curtin University of Technology, Issue 13, Summer 2008/09)
Men More Likely to be Distracted by GPS Units While Driving?
Boys love their toys but a new survey shows that the latest must-have gadget for blokes could pose a safety risk.
It seems men, more than women, are prone to distraction when using in-car GPS navigation devices.
In a study of 2500 Australian drivers, 17 per cent of male respondents admitted to losing focus while using their GPS units in the car.
Just 12 per cent of women said they became distracted by the gadgets.
Web link to full article: http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,25127430-5014239,00.html
2009 Australian Safer Communities Awards
The Australian Safer Communities Awards are sponsored by Emergency Management Australia (EMA), a division of the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department, in conjunction with States and Territories.
They recognise best practice and innovation by organisations and individuals that help to build safer communities across Australia.
Entries for the 2009 Australian Safer Communities Awards are now open. Download the brochure and entry form for more information.
Setting Australia’s Limits - Understanding Australia's Marine Jurisdiction
On 9 April 2008, the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf adopted recommendations confirming Australia's entitlement to a continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the coastline (extended continental shelf) of some 2.56 million square kilometres.
(This is an area slightly larger than the land area of Western Australia and one-third the size of the Australian continent).
The recommendations marked the culmination of 15 years of intensive scientific, legal and diplomatic work and commitment from a number of Australian Government agencies, particularly through a close partnership between Geoscience Australia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Attorney-General's Department.
The decision means Australia is the first country to be in a position to proclaim the outer limit of its continental shelf on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission.
The continental shelf, however, is only one of a number of zones that make up Australia's marine jurisdiction. Other important zones are also derived from UNCLOS and national legislation, as well as arising out of treaties with neighbouring countries.
Web link to full article: http://www.ga.gov.au/ausgeonews/ausgeonews200903/limits.jsp
Source: AusGeo News, March 2009, Issue No. 93, copyright Geoscience Australia
New Digital Geological Map of Australia - Seamless National Baseline Dataset Released
A new seamless, digital, surface geology dataset covering Australia at 1: 1 million scale was released during simultaneous launches across the country on 16 December 2008. The map, which has fully integrated depiction of geological features across borders, will provide an invaluable baseline dataset for national and regional evaluation of resources as well as environmental management and land use decision-making.
The compilation of a seamless surface geology map of Australia at 1:1 000 000 scale commenced in 2001. Since then, more than twenty geologists, GIS technicians and stratigraphic indexers have combined their efforts to produce the most detailed, informative and consistent national geology coverage available.
Web link to full article: http://www.ga.gov.au/ausgeonews/ausgeonews200903/geological.jsp
Source: AusGeo News, March 2009, Issue No. 93, copyright Geoscience Australia
CSIRO-China in Wireless Sensor Research Tie-Up
Australian and Chinese scientists have pledged to develop natural disaster early warning systems that could help prevent the devastating death tolls in Victoria's bushfires last month.
The remote sensing systems would be developed as part of a wider agreement between the CSIRO and Beijing University to develop next-generation wireless communication technology, formally signed yesterday.
A new wireless centre of excellence at the CSIRO’s radio physics research labs in Sydney has been opened to facilitate the agreement.
Web link to full article: http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25138278-15306,00.html
The Federal Government is considering mandating that all major new infrastructure projects such as bridges, roads and railways have smart sensors built into them to monitor maintenance and help prevent disasters.
The government's $42 billion stimulus package will bring on a flood of fresh infrastructure projects and Minister Stephen Conroy wants to mandate that a smart technology clause be inserted in all new infrastructure proposals and that infrastructure projects stemming from the package had embedded intelligence.
The government's smart sensors for infrastructure plan draws on National ICT Australia's Smart Transport and Roads (StaR) project which is developing an intelligent road monitoring system. Australian and Chinese scientists this week pledged to develop remote sensing systems as part of a wider agreement.
Web link to full article: http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25141692-15306,00.html
Roadkill GPS Navigation System to Protect Animals
Satellites can now warn Australian drivers to slow down in roadkill-prone areas, in a bid to stem the deaths of some 300,000 wild animals on the island of Tasmania each year.
Researchers Alistair Hobday and Melinda Minstrell spent three years and covered 9,320 miles (15,000 kilometers) recording and mapping roadkill carcasses before uploading their data into a GPS (global positioning system) navigation program.
Web link to full article: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090311-roadkill-GPS.html
Source: National Geographic News
Australian Bushfires Spark Open Data Debate
Australia’s southeast suffered its worst ever outbreak of bushfires last month. The fires killed more than 200 people, left thousands homeless and devastated huge swaths of the state of Victoria.
In certain circles, the disaster has also sparked renewed debate about the need for open data and the role of private industry in assisting with information flows to the public in disaster situations.
Throughout the emergency, GIS officers from Victoria's Department of Sustainability and Environment and the Country Fire Authority confronted the task of mapping the worst natural disaster in the nation's history.
Web link to full article: http://www.asmmag.com/news/australian-bushfires-spark-open-data-debate
Reprinted from www.asmmag.com, copyright 2009 ASM.
Scientists Find Evidence of Recent Undersea Eruption
Scientists have returned from exploring three submarine volcanoes in the Kermadec Arc where they found evidence of a recent large eruption at one of the volcanoes.
While mapping the Rumble III volcano, they found a marked change in the shape of the summit. A map made in 2007 showed an 800m-wide crater near the top of the submarine volcano.
The new map shows the crater has been filled and the nearby summit cone has been reduced in height by about 100m.
Web link to full article: http://www.gns.cri.nz/news/release/20090312underseavolc.html
Source: GNS Science
Satellite Imagery Over Fire Affected Areas in Victoria
AAMHatch has sourced data from two premier satellite imagery companies, GeoEye and RapidEye, to collect large areas of imagery over bushfire affected regions in Victoria.
This type of spatial information is vital for the assessment of damage and for planning for the future.
There is pre and post fire imagery across most fire affected regions available. The IKONOS and GeoEye-1 satellites produce high resolution satellite imagery (0.8m and 0.5m pixels respectively) which shows details useful for damage assessment, insurance claims and detailed mapping.
Web link to full article: http://www.aamhatch.com/news.cfm?itemId=F2F13A42-19B9-EFA7-D63BF48695E77F0E
News from Around the Globe
NASA-Funded Carbon Dioxide Map of US Released on Google Earth
Interactive maps that detail carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion are now available on the popular Google Earth platform. The maps, funded by NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy through the joint North American Carbon Program, can display fossil fuel emissions by the hour, geographic region, and fuel type.
View the Vulcan carbon dioxide map on Google Earth at: http://www.purdue.edu/eas/carbon/vulcan/GEarth/
Source: NASA (2009, February 23). NASA-Funded Carbon Dioxide Map of US Released on Google Earth. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090222184453.htm
Governors Award ESRI, Microsoft Public-Private Partnership Honours
The National Governors Association (NGA) has honoured ESRI and Microsoft Corporation with its annual Public-Private Partnership Awards at the closing plenary session of the 2009 NGA Winter Meeting.
The NGA Public-Private Partnership Awards were established last year to recognise NGA Corporate Fellow companies for noteworthy partnerships with governors and states, and to honour companies that have partnered with a governor's office to implement a program or project that positively affects a state's citizens. The NGA Corporate Fellows Program, now in its 21st year, promotes the exchange of information between the private sector and governors on emerging trends and factors affecting both business and state government.
Web link to full article: http://www.govtech.com/gt/621918?topic=117676
Source: Government Technology
The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) recently held its biennial election of directors. Of the 21 elected members of the consortium's 2009-2010 Board of Directors, 16 serving members were returned and four new members have been seated. The new OGC board members are Jeffery Peters, Kevin Pomfret, François Robida and Rob van de Velde.
Web link to press release: http://www.opengeospatial.org/pressroom/pressreleases/960
Soil Maps Generate Reliable Quaternary Geologic Map
Geologists, archeologists, anthropologists, ecologists, engineers, and natural resource managers routinely use National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) data across field sciences. Researchers at Iowa State University decided to test the reliability of this data as applied in geology, and sought to create the best possible Quaternary geology map of the Des Moines Lobe solely using NCSS data. Their broader goal was to create the map to explore how the rich level of detail in the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database can be used to serve many other areas of study.
Web link to news release: https://www.soils.org/press/releases/2009/0112/231/
OGC Request for Comments on Candidate Web Map Tiling Standard
The membership of the Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC) is requesting comments from the public on the candidate OpenGIS Web Map Tiling Service (WMTS) Interface Standard.
The candidate WMTS Interface Standard is much like the OGC's popular Web Map Server (WMS) Interface Standard, but it enables better server performance in applications that involve many simultaneous requests. To improve performance, instead of creating a new image for each request, it returns small pre-generated images (e.g., PNG or JPEG) or reuses identical previous requests that follow a discrete set of tile matrices. This proposed standard provides support for multiple architectural patterns - KVP, REST and SOAP.
The Request is scheduled to close on 29 March 2009.
For more information, visit the OGC website.
Fugro Declares G2 Positioning Operational
Following earlier introduction in November 2008, the latest global navigation satellite correction system from Fugro based on GPS and Glonass (G2) is now declared operational and available for hire.
Web link to press release: http://www.fugro.com.au/news/newsdetails.asp?item=441
SuperGIS Server Beta Will Release by the End of March
SuperGeo Technologies will release the Beta version of its first enterprise application server software, SuperGIS Server, by the end of March.
SuperGIS Server fulfills the achievement of expanding the use of GIS capabilities within enterprise as well as saving the end user from installing specific software or giving training to its users. It does this via comprehensive and integrated Enterprise GIS software. The features are centrally managed in the SuperGIS Server, allowing organisations to combine various GIS application functions for distribution.
End users can attain and manipulate the data or function services by connecting to the server host that is already installed with SuperGIS Server desktop software, mobile device application or browser.
Web link to press release: http://www.supergeotek.com/About_us_news_and_events.aspx#
GeoSpatial Experts Introduces Photo-Mapping Software for Consumers
People who take digital photographs for business or pleasure can now map their photos just like mapping professionals do.
GeoSpatial Experts have introduced the GPS-Photo Link Express Series, a consumer edition of its popular photo-mapping software. It was created for anyone who needs to accurately capture the GPS coordinates where they take digital photos so the precise photograph locations can be documented and displayed on a digital map, such as Google Earth. Recreational photographers will also find the Express Series is an easy way to keep track of where their photos were taken.
Web link to full press release: http://www.geospatialexperts.com/GPL%204.3%20PR.php
MapMechanics Helps Shaw Trust with Travel Analysis for Disadvantaged and Disabled People
When someone contacts Shaw Trust, a charity that helps disabled and disadvantaged people to find employment, it needs to be able to direct them to one of their 60 offices that is most convenient for them to travel to.
Since the boundaries of the user-organisations can be irregular, and do not necessarily align with obvious borders, the task of identifying the most suitable office for each caller is more complex than it might appear.
MapMechanics, a specialist in computer-based mapping and geographic information systems, has been able to deal with the challenge by building a data set that matches postcodes to the boundaries of the funding organisations, and has integrated it with Shaw Trust’s existing Client Information Database (CID).
Web link to full press release: http://www.mapmechanics.com/mapmechanicspressroom/press_theshawtrust_2009.htm
Pay-As-You-Drive System Could Renew Aging Infrastructure
Amid nationwide calls to renew aging infrastructure, a U.S. commission report underscores the need for a nationwide pay-as-you-drive system - a system akin to one refined and tested worldwide by upstart tech firm Skymeter Corp.
The federally-appointed National Surface Transport Infrastructure Financing (NSTIF) Commission released a report recommending that the U.S. transition from fuel taxes to a system where roads are financed by drivers' actual use of roads.
The commission states that this can be done privately, efficiently, and most cost-effectively, by using satellite GPS technology. Coinciding with this report, just-completed results of supervised global trials on three continents confirm that Skymeter Corp's GPS technology is a consistent, secure, reliable and accurate system.
Web link to full article: http://www.gpsdaily.com/reports/Pay_As_You_Drive_System_Could_Renew_Aging_Infrastructure_999.html
Source: GPS Daily
Opinion: The Shapefile 2.0 Manifesto
Alex Willmer, a database administrator in England has written a blog post exploring the need for and candidates to be the successor to the shapefile as "the" de facto standard for geospatial data.
He suggests three possible options in the form of ESRI's File Geodatabase, Autodesk's Spatial Data Format (SDF) and Alessandro Furieri's Spatialite.
Web link to blog post: http://moreati.org.uk/blog/2009/03/01/shapefile-20-manifesto/
New Version of ERDAS Image Web Server Delivers 4,203 Tiles a Second
ERDAS has announced a new release of their Image Web Server, with Optimized Tile Delivery serving more than 4000 tiles in one second.
Many public sites now offer data via a tile based delivery method, where a complete image or map consists of a number of smaller image tiles (rather than a single image). Typically, this type of imagery delivery requires a multitude of servers or caching systems for good performance on high-demand sites. Optimized Tile Delivery enables a single ERDAS Image Web Server to replace an entire server farm and/or caching system when providing tile-based geographic data.
Web link to full press release: http://www.erdas.com/Company/NewsReleases/tabid/96/currentid/2793/objectid/2793/default.aspx
Ambitious Mission Tackles Gravity's Pull
A satellite designed to map variations in the earth's gravity was launched as part of an ambitious series of experiments.
The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch the GOCE — Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer — into space from Pletsek in northern Russia mid-March.
The mission's aim is to map the earth's "geoid", which the ESA describes as a reference map for the shape of our planet and its gravitational variations.
Web link to full article: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/770985/ambitious-mission-tackles-gravitys-pull
China to Build Indonesian Satellite
The Chinese government decided last week to give Indonesia a remote sensing satellite to help monitor the seas surrounding its islands.
The Antara News Agency in Jakarta reports that the satellite 'will be used for monitoring happenings and developments in the sea
Web link to full article: http://www.asmmag.com/news/china-to-build-indonesian-satellite
Reprinted from www.asmmag.com, copyright 2009 ASM.
Upcoming Events
SPAR 2009
30 March – 1 April, Hyatt Regency, Denver Colorado
SPAR 2009 is all about the business and technology of capturing, managing and integrating 3D information. Topics to be discussed include 3D laser scanning, mobile survey and mapping, LIDAR dimensional control, asset management, BIM/ CAD/ GIS integration, security planning and forensics and digital heritage preservation.
Now in its sixth year, SPAR 2009 attracts attendees from the world's largest petroleum and petrochemical producers, manufacturing companies, shipbuilders, civil and transportation infrastructure engineering firms, industrial metrologists, architects, geotechnical and mining firms, land surveyors, and federal, state and local governments.
Register online here.
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.
Expedition 2009
8-9 April, Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel, Toronto, Ontario
As much as 85% of the enterprise data that companies already possess has a reference to location that is considered when making critical decisions. Location Intelligence leverages this location content to help companies unlock potential and improve business performance.
Attend Expedition 2009 to learn how your organisation can improve business performance by leveraging location content to Unlock the Potential.
Registrations are now open.
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.
Geoforum2009
23-25 April, Lviv, Ukraine
GeoCAD’09
8-9 May, Alba Iulia, Romania
Read the First Announcement or visit the website.
Where 2.0 Conference
19-21 May 2009, San Jose, California
Where 2.0 2009 delves into the emerging technologies surrounding the geospatial industry, particularly the way our lives are organised. Maps are everywhere now, and presented as realistically or as representationally as suits your needs.
The barriers to building location-based online and enterprise apps have been lowered, and the field is crowding with players. Now that consumers have access to incredible amounts of data and the tools to visualise it, what's considered cutting edge? Where is the next mapping frontier? Who are the hackers and early adopters backing? Is there still a first mover advantage?
You can also witness this ground breaking content first hand by attending sessions, workshops, Ignite, and the Where Fair at the 2009 event.
Visit the website for more.
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.
ISPRS 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.
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.
GEOG-AN-MOD 09 and ICCSA 2009
29 June – 2 July, Kyung Hee University-Global Campus, Yongin, Korea
The Fourth International Workshop on Geographical Analysis, Urban Modeling, Spatial Statistics will be held in conjunction with the 2009 International Conference on Computational Science and its Applications (ICCSA 2009).
The growth of Spatial Data Infrastructures, geo-portals and private sector initiatives produced an increase of geographical data availability at any scale and worldwide. This growth has not been fully coupled by an increase of knowledge to support spatial decisions.
Spatial analytical techniques and geographical analysis and modelling methods are therefore required in order to analyse data and to facilitate the decision process at all levels. Old geographical issues can find an answer thanks to new methods and instruments, while new issues are developing, challenging the researchers for new solutions. This workshop is aimed at contributing to the development of new techniques and methods to improve the process on knowledge acquisition.
Click here for important dates or visit the ICCSA website for more details.
ESRI Survey and Engineering GIS Summit
11-14 July, San Diego, California
Registrations are now open.
6th International Symposium on Mobile Mapping Technology
21-24 July, São Paulo, Brazil
The main objective of the conference is to discuss the most recent technology and its application, to exchange experiences and to promote future research aiming at the development and the production in the fields related to mobile mapping.
Symposium on Mobile Mapping Technology
IAG2009, Geodesy for Planet Earth
31 August – 4 September, Buenos Aires
IAG2009 will be an event that covers the whole of geodesy in an exciting social environment that extends knowledge, improves practice and widens networks. Following the long outstanding tradition of these scientific assemblies, IAG2009 will be a major scientific event, bringing together geodesists from all over the world, and demonstrating the vital role that geodesy plays in our society.
Visit the website for more.
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.
GISCA 09
27-28 August, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Geographic Information Science and Technologies have evolved into a key instrument for managing our societies, environments and infrastructures, as well as individuals’ daily lives.
The GISCA series of conferences aims at building a Central Asian network of GIS professionals supporting the sustained development of this region into an environmentally friendly, secure and prosperous society.
iGEOMAP Conference
28-29 August, Bangalore, India
The iGEOMAP 2009 conference will address India’s urban infrastructure issues using GIS along with presenting state-of-the-art practices.
ISPRS Workshop Laserscanning 2009
1-2 September, Paris, France
Laserscanning 2009 is the 6th ISPRS workshop dedicated to the processing and the analysis of point clouds acquired and generated from active airborne and terrestrial sensors. LiDAR data has been studied for many years. They are widely used, from accurate city modelling to many thematic approaches (eg. forestry, hydrology) where the topography and the land cover are involved. Based on LiDAR data as well as data from other sensors, surveyors and scientists have built an operational framework to extract spatial information, but also are facing challenging tasks to enhance current point cloud processes.
Laserscanning 2009 will focus on new data, methodologies, algorithms and applications related to the processing of point clouds as well as sensor improvements and new sensor-driven calibration techniques.
Visit the website for more details.
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.
GIS for Oil and Gas Conference
13-17 September, Houston, Texas, USA
The conference will provide opportunities to share knowledge with an audience of hundreds of industry professionals. The GIS for Oil & Gas Conference is the only event of its kind—nowhere else can oil and gas professionals get targeted, high-quality information that will help them maximise their geospatial information. Join the prestigious group of presenters who provide valuable information about real-world applications of GIS technology in the energy industry.
The call for papers is now open.
International Conference on Geo-Spatial Solutions for Emergency Management (GSEM)
14-16 September, Beijing, China
Geo-spatial technology is one of the three emerging technologies in the 21st century. Driven by societal and economical needs, geo-spatial solutions for emergency management techniques are now in the frontiers of the geospatial technology, and have received an increasing interest in the academic, government, industries, and beyond. CASM as the largest multi-disciplined comprehensive research institute in China in the field of surveying and mapping, will strive to make this event a symposium of the highest quality.
Visit the website for all the details.
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.
Visit www.ssc2009.com for more information.
CoastGIS 2009
30 September – 2 October, Santa Catarina, Brazil
CoastGIS, the International Symposium on GIS and Computer Mapping for Coastal Management, is a series of conferences that began in Cork, Ireland, in 1995 as a collaboration between the Commission on Coastal Systems of the International Geographical Union and the Commission on Marine Mapping of the International Cartographic Association.
In the early 1990s, both were aiming to find a vehicle through which coastal issues and technological processes could be examined and means by which recent advances in the mapping of the world's coastal zones could jointly find an outlet.
As a major event, the CoastGIS series attracts an international audience of coastal researchers, managers and practitioners who use one or more of the geospatial technologies.
Visit the website for more.
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.
7th FIG Regional Conference
19-22 October, Hanoi, Vietnam
The theme of the 7th FIG Regional Conference is ‘Spatial Data Serving People: Land Governance and the Environment - Building the Capacity’ and is divided into three sub-themes: Land Administration; Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) and the Environment; and Capacity Building.
WALIS Forum
11-13 November, Perth Convention Exhibition Centre
WALIS Forum is one of the premier GIS events in Australia, attracting over 650 participants from a diverse range of professions. Held every 18 months, the Forum provides an opportunity to address issues related to the collection, management and application of geographic or spatial information. WALIS Forum
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.
IGNSS 2009
1-3 December, Gold Coast, Queensland
This IGNSS symposium will include open forums where users can discuss the implementation and application of GNSS and other location technologies, and voice their concerns in an interactive format with representatives from all the satellite system providers, major manufacturers and applications developers.
The call for papers is now open.
Interesting Website of the Month
Earth Hour 2009
What began as a campaign to get Sydneysiders to turn their lights off, has grown to become one of the world’s biggest climate change initiatives.
In 2009, at 8.30pm on March 28, people around the world will turn their lights off for one hour – Earth Hour. We’re aiming to reach one billion people, more than 1000 cities, all joining together in a global effort to show that its possible to take action on global warming.
Already 538 cities in 75 countries (which is double the number of countries that participated in 2008) are committed. With hundreds more cities expected to sign up to switch off for the event, Earth Hour 2009 is setting the platform for an unprecedented global mandate for action on climate change.
Link to website: http://www.earthhour.org/
Disclaimer: The information contained in this newsletter is provided for
general information purposes. It does
not constitute professional or expert advice and you must not use or rely upon
it for that purpose. WALIS and the State
of Western Australia, do not guarantee and do not accept responsibility for the
accuracy, currency, completeness and reliability of the information contained
in this newsletter. The opinions
contained in the information do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WALIS
or the State of Western Australia. Links to other Internet sites are provided
for your convenience only and they do not constitute an endorsement, approval
or recommendation of the material contained in those other Internet sites. It is your responsibility to evaluate the
relevance, accuracy, completeness and reliability of material contained in
those other Internet sites.