Downloaded from the Monthly and Preventing an Million Deal, the US Digital- the Internet Were Often Google Earth Outreach Outbreak

JUNE 2008 VOL 12 ISSUE 6 RNI 68561/18/6/98/ISSN 0971-9377 UP/BR-343/2008 Price: INR 150 / US$ 15 Subscriber’s copy. Not for Sale The Global Geospatial Magazine

New face (of GIS) each day, LBS way

Keeping Digital Maps Fresh Arnout Desmet Interview

GIS data compression and its need for LBS Naoki Ueda Stanley Wing Fai Ng CEO, MapAsia.com A new dimension for navigation services Alexander Zipf, Michael Bauer About the cover: Page 5

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P_Server-Products_L0307.indd 1 2/14/08 4:58:31 PM In this issue... Advisory Board

Dato’ Dr. Abdul Kadir bin Taib COLUMNS Deputy Director General of Survey and 48 LBS in weather and Mapping, Malaysia Editorial 07 geophysical services Aki A. Yamaura Weather information carries little meaning Sr. Vice President, Asuka DBJ Partners, Japan unless it is related to a specific geographical News 08 Amitabha Pande location... Secretary, Inter-State Council, Government of India Publication 62 LEE Lap]-shun Bhupinder Singh Sr. Vice President, Bentley Systems Inc., USA Events 66 56 A new dimension for Bob Morris President, Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging,USA navigation services ARTICLES BVR Mohan Reddy By combining the growing amount of user Chairman and Managing Director, generated geo-content, 3D visualisations Infotech Enterprises Ltd., India 32 Location enabled and open standards... David Maguire Alexander Zipf, Michael Bauer Director, Products, Solutions and International, devices Changing the nature ESRI, USA of geographic information 60 Location aware Frank Warmerdam and its use President, OSGeo, USA As a person walks from store to store in a APPLICATIONS Prof. Ian Dowman mall, a path is created. In this era... President, ISPRS, UK Harsha Vardhan Sumit Sen Prof. Josef Strobl Director, Centre for Geoinformatics, 64 GPS in LBS: The future… University of Salzburg, Austria Kamal K Singh 36 Keeping Digital Maps Dr. Satyaprakash Fresh Chairman and CEO, Rolta Group of Companies, India Prof. Karl Harmsen Digital maps are no longer just about INTERVIEW Director, UNU-INRA helping people get from one point to another. In fact, they have heralded... Marc Tremblay Vice President, Commercial Business Unit, Arnout Desmet 52 Stanley Wing Fai Ng DigitialGlobe, USA CEO, MapAsia.com Mark Reichardt 40 GIS data compression President and Chief Operating Officer, OGC, USA ABOUT THE COVER... Prof. Martien Molenaar and its need for LBS The image conveys different ways in which GIS is Rector, ITC, The Netherlands Imagine if your MP3 player could store only coming up/being presented to gereral people. The Matthew O’Connell different ways are depicted as different faces. 20 songs, or if you are unable to send... CEO, GeoEye, USA Naoki Ueda Prof. Michael Blakemore GIS Development is intended for those interested and involved Emeritus Professor of Geography, in GIS related activities. It is hoped that it will serve to foster University of Durham, UK a growing network by keeping the community up-to-date on Location Based Services many activities in this wide and varied field. Your involvement in Dr. Milan Konecny 44 providing relevant information is essential to the success of this endeavour. President, International Cartographic Association, A collaborative approach Czech Republic GIS Development does not necessarily subscribe to the views For many decades, it has made good busi- expressed in the publication. All views expressed in this issue are those of the contributors. It is not responsible for any loss to Er. Mohammed Abdulla Al-Zaffin ness sense to a high-end technology like anyone due to the information provided. Director, GIS Centre, Dubai Municipality, UAE Geospatial Technology to create a viable... GIS Development Pvt. Ltd. Printed and Published by Sanjay Kumar. Dr. Prithvish Nag Saurabh Bagaria, Devyani Sharma, Press M. P. Printers B-220, Phase-II, Noida, Gautambudh Nagar (UP) INDIA Publication Address P-82, Sector-11, Director, NATMO, India Garima Tiwari Gautambudh Nagar, Noida, India Editor Ravi Gupta Rajesh C. Mathur President, ESRI India Chairman M P Narayanan Editor in Chief Ravi Gupta Honorary Managing Editor Prof. Arup Dasgupta Robert M Samborski Director Maneesh Prasad Publisher Sanjay Kumar Excutive Director, Gita, USA Editorial Team: Sr. Associate Editor (Honorary) Dr. Hrishikesh Samant Sr. Assistant Editor Saurabh Mishra Sr. Assistant Prof. Stig Enemark Editor Anamika Das Sr. Sub Editor Harsha Vardhan President, FIG, Denmark Sales and Marketing: Regional Managers Middle East Prashant Joshi North America Annu Negi Asia Pacific Sunil Ahuja Europe Niraj Regional Sales Managers South Asia Nikhil Malhotra Sales Managers Middle East and North Africa Prof. V. S Ramamurthy Sharmishtha Seth, Gaurav Sharma Asia Pacific Kavitha Seras Sales Manager South Asia Abhishek Kotangle Sr. Manager Chairman, IIT, Delhi, India Marketing and Communication Megha Datta Design Team: Sr. Creative Designer Deepak Kumar Graphic Designer Manoj Kumar Singh OFFICES INDIA: GIS Development Pvt. Ltd. Circulation: Vijay Kumar Singh A - 145, Sector - 63, Noida, India Tel Fax Software Development Group: Team Leader Kumar Vikram Member Atul Raj + 91 - 120 - 4260800 to 808 + 91 - 120 - 4260823 - 24 UAE: GIS Development Branch Portal Team: Product Manager Shivani Lal Dy. Manager Anshu Garg Team Member Anjali Srivastava Dubai Airport Free Zone Area, P.O. Box No: 54664, Dubai, UAE Tel + 971 - 4 - 2045350, 2045351 Fax + 971 - 4 - 2045352 MALAYSIA: GIS Development Sdn. Bhd. Suite - 22.6, Level - 22, Menara Genesis, 33, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur - 50250, Malaysia 5 Tel + 601 - 72929756 Fax + 603 - 21447636 GIS DEVELOPMENT | JUNE 2008 Vol. 12 Issue 6 Email [email protected]

From Editor’s Desk

I Keep six honest serving-men: (They taught me all I knew) Their names are What and Where and When And How and Why and Who. Rudyard Kipling,"The elephant's child"

Prof. Arup Dasgupta s I read through the articles submitted to this month's Honorary Managing Editor issue I was struck by the common thread flowing [email protected] Athrough all of them. How to get information to an individual when and where the person wants it. This issue of 'where' is not new but the focus on the 'individual' is noteworthy. It presents not because the location is necessarily withheld, but because the a democratisation of a technology and is one of the signs that the answer - when provided - is given without sufficient context or tools technology has arrived. I call this the 'Model T' effect after the ubiqui- for interpretation." For long the satisfactory answer to 'where' was tous Ford Model T car that enabled the man in the street to own a car. treated as rocket science involving satellites and huge number Henry Ford realised that the automobile can come of age only when crunching computers. It still is, but it is now accessible freely to any- it meets the needs of a huge number of people thereby enhancing one anywhere on any device from a desktop computer to a hand sales. If you ignore this basic fact then your technology, no matter held cell phone. how clever it is, will fail. Nothing illustrates this better than the fail- ure of the famous Edsel motor car, also made by Ford in the late '50s. It is however, a sobering thought that when we come to a crunch situation like the Myanmar cyclone, technology by itself does not Cut to 1973 when the first mobile phone came into the market. bring succour. To paraphrase Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of These were based on analogue communications technology, costly ASEAN, technology without will to use it fails every time. Thus we and heavy but they provided that element of 'where' and 'when' to see tremendous efforts by various organisations to create location communications connectivity that was always present as a latent information about Myanmar but almost no usage of this by the gov- need. This breakthrough fuelled several technological developments ernment while people continue to suffer. As I write this China is across continents from Japan to Finland until we now have in our coming to terms with the aftermaths of the mega quake. The Chi- hand the ubiquitous cell phone, affordable, easy to use and therefore nese are power users of geospatial technology (see Map Asia 2003 indispensable. We see here another example of the democratisation for an excellent article on the use of geospatial technologies for of technology. earthquake relief in China) and most certainly they will be using these technologies to good effect. The development of GPS also follows a similar trend beginning as a scientific method for determining satellite orbits, growing into a This is my first editorial as the new Managing Editor (Honorary). military system for position location and navigation, making the Maneesh Prasad who has ably steered this publication for many transition to civilian use as a result of the tragedy of the loss of a years, to many successes, has relinquished these reins to follow his civilian aircraft due to its navigation error and finally achieving dreams but he will be with us as a guiding hand. Thank you, ubiquity as a hand held device either in stand alone mode or as a Maneesh for all that you have contributed and wishing you all the part of another ubiquitous device like a cell phone. best in your endeavours.

The final piece is the democratisation of maps and imagery as per- And finally, for a contrary view of LBS I would recommend to read- sonified by Google. In an article on the philosophy of Google Earth in ers the article "Road Trip - A GPS takes a technological ignoramus for IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications (July/August 2007), a ride" by Andy Simmons in the Reader's Digest (India edition) May Michael Jones writes "All too often, the notion of ‘where’ is the least 2008. usefully answered of the five W's even when its the most important; “”

GIS DEVELOPMENT | JUNE 2008 Vol. 12 Issue 6 7 News: Regional

Census to Cost Sh7 Billion

Kenya: The Government will conduct a national census at a cost of Sh7 billion (USD108M) to facilitate planning and execution of its development programmes. Planning, National Development and Vision 2030 Minister, Mr Wycliffe Oparanya, said the census will be in August, next year. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics has already kicked-off the census with demographic mapping of Cen- tral, Eastern and Nyanza Provinces. He said his ministry had prepared a short-term economic recovery paper on resettlment. More than Sh31 billion has been set aside for the job, he added. "We need to know the population as we embark on implementing the Vision 2030," said Oparanya. Putting villages on map

Congo: Hundreds of villagers are helping to map parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo where thick forest and con- flict have prevented effective mapping. So far about 190 villages have been found in one area of Bandundu province where old maps show only 30, UK-based charity The Rainforest Foundation says. Most maps are produced from satellite images taken from above, but this project is using handheld GPS units. The map is intended to aid post-war planning and timber permit allocations. The charity hopes the map will be ready for a government meeting in May on forest and land.

bases and make them avail- ing software for a Global impact of climate change in able on the internet. The Positioning System (GPS). the Himalayas. The expedi- BSDI gives access to digital Department of Water and tion is being organised by geospatial data and infor- Sewerage spokesman Mai- Asian Trekking in partner- Geospatial data to go mation, as well as the serv- ka Nagalu said staff in the ship with the International online with BSDI ices that help to discover or Central, Eastern and West- Centre for Integrated launch find and interact with that ern divisions had under- Mountain Development Brunei: The Brunei Spatial data. BSDI will also provide gone training on GPS and (ICIMOD) and United Data Infrastructure (BSDI) many online services that GIS. He said the department Nations Environment Pro- was launched this April allow the discovering, eval- was working with the gramme (UNEP), and coin- at the Ministry of Develop- uation and access geospa- Department of Lands to ciding with ICIMOD’s Silver ment’s office. The initiative tial resources (data, services map out the positions of Jubilee celebrations. The is facilitated by the Min- and organisations). water mains, meters and initiative intends to draw istry and led by the Depart- pipes. the world’s attention to the ment of Survey in partner- Eye in sky will problems resulting from cli- ship with the Land and monitor leaks Eco Everest featured mate change, pointing to Town and Country Plan- Fiji: The Public Works in Earth.Google.com the melting Himalayan gla- ning. BSDI is the technolo- Department will soon have Nepal: The ‘Google Earth ciers as a graphic example. gy, standards, access sys- a hawk's eye view to moni- Outreach Showcase’ now Key findings of ICIMOD’s tem and protocols neces- tor the illegal connection to features the Eco Everest scientific research expedi- sary to harmonise all of the water meters and find leaks Expedition 2008, which is tions on the impact of cli- Sultanate's geospatial data- as it is in the process of buy- raising awareness on the mate change in the Everest

8 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 region, which are taking area where a dengue out- clear enough to show every available before. place in parallel to the break is going to occur. building, road marking and By comparison, Google climbing expedition, can be Now imagine doing this bush. Under a five-year $5 Earth images available on downloaded from the monthly and preventing an million deal, the US Digital- the Internet were often Google Earth Outreach outbreak. This would be the Globe QuickBird Earth years out of date and had Showcase website as well reality next year if observation satellite, which inaccurate grid references. as the expedition website Malaysian Remote Sensing passes over the country Agencies that have signed and viewed in the Google Agency director-general every five days, will pro- up include the Defence Earth environment. Darus Ahmad has his way. vide high-resolution digital Force, Fire Service, Land The ICIMOD application Preferring to focus on pre- images. The photos will not Information New Zealand, presents a range of scientif- vention rather than the be sharp enough to identify the Agriculture and ic and historic data and cure, Darus came up with Forestry Ministry, Kapiti information on one of the the idea of using remote Coast District Council, most spectacular regions in sensing technology to come Auckland Regional Council, the world. Displayed in the up with a dengue risk map. GNS Science, Landcare Google Earth application, "The idea came about when Research, Niwa and Massey the information will help we realised that current and Waikato universities. create awareness amongst approaches are only used to a wider audience of the address the issue after it Joint remote- pressing issues of climate had already happened. So sensing satellite change in the Himalayas. we thought of preventing it for GCC The application also before it happened by nar- UAE: The UAE's Defence embeds dispatches from rowing down the likely Ministry has a project to areas to be affected before launch a joint satellite with the dengue outbreak even Gulf Cooperation Council occur red," Darus said. The people or number plates, (GCC) countries soon, a sen- map, which is expected to but they will be useful for ior official informed. be ready by the end of the picking out a lot of detail. Brigadier Khalifa Moham- year, would identify The service will also pro- mad Al Rumaithi, Chief of dengue "hot-spots" on a duce multi-spectral images Military Works at the monthly basis. The map - pictures taken with red, Armed Forces, did not elab- will also be able to identify blue, green or infra-red orate on the issue, but told areas which are not light that can be used to Gulf News the project of the dengue-prone in the past show different types of veg- joint remote-sensing satel- the Eco Everest Expedition but may be in the future. It etation, water currents, soil lite has come a long way. in the form of text, photo- will also show the exact moisture and ground tem- He also pointed out that graphs, and video clips. All locations and the severity peratures. Dubai sat1 will be launched the information can be of dengue outbreaks. Defence Force intelli- by the end of this year for browsed interactively. gence director Colonel peaceful purposes and civil Satellite camera Kevin Arlidge said the applications. Dubai sat1 Maps predict has NZ covered KiwImage Project, being will provide data for infra- places at New Zealand: Government run through the Defence structure development, greatest risk of agencies and local authori- Force's Joint Geospatial rural and urban develop- dengue ties have signed up for a Support Facility in Devon- ment planning, manage- Malaysia: Imagine opening private United States satel- port, on Auckland's North ment of natural disasters a map and immediately lite service that will provide Shore, would provide much and provision of accurate being able to identify the images of New Zealand better imagery than was maps.

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 9 News: Regional

Infotech looking additional capabilities in PSLV-C9 carrying CARTOSAT- 2A at acquisitions the engineering of automo- India: Infotech Enterprises, bile and high technology. blasts off from Sriharikota Hyderabad-based engineering and IT technology solu- Launch of tions provider, is on the first digital In its thirteenth flight con- look out for acquisitions, environmental ducted from Satish according to a top official atlas Dhawan Space Centre from the company.The India: Development Alter- (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota company has a cash surplus natives (DA) with the sup- on April 28, 2008, ISRO’s of $100 million to focus port from Union Ministry of Polar Satellite Launch Vehi- potential acquisitions."We Environment and Forests cle, PSLV-C9, successfully haven't yet found the right has designed and devel- launched the 690 kg Indian target, but are looking at oped the first Interactive remote sensing satellite those companies which State of Environment (SoE) CARTOSAT-2A, the 83 kg will fill our gaps in the Engi- Atlas of India. The Atlas is Indian Mini Satellite (IMS- neering and Geospatial the first of its kind in India 1) and eight nanosatellites Information Services (GIS) with regular updates and is for international customers departments," said available both as a CD and into a 637 km polar Sun B.V.R.Mohan Reddy, CMD, as an interactive website. Synchronous Orbit (SSO). Infotech Enterprises. The The Atlas is a compilation PSLV-C9 in its ‘core alone’ company has formed a of categorised thematic configuration launched ten merger and acquisition maps on green (forest, bio- satellites with a total group to specifically identi- diversity), blue (water weight of about 820 kg. fy potential companies, resources) and brown (air The 690 kg main payload, said Reddy. Apart from pollution) environmental CARTOSAT-2A, was the first satellite to be injected into short listing the right com- issues and provides flexibil- orbit at 885 seconds after lift-off at an altitude of 637 km. panies, the M&A group is ity and versatility for users About 45 seconds later, Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) was also already planning for to visualise environment separated after which all the nano satellites were sepa- the integration process spatial data using simple rated in sequence. The initial signals indicate normal with the acquired compa- GIS functionalities. The health of the satellites. nies. The deals are likely to data used in preparation of be zeroed in the next couple the spatial maps and atlas CARTOSAT-2A of quarters. "Primarily are taken from various gov- Europe and US are the over- ernment sources. The CARTOSAT-2A is a state-of-the art remote sensing satel- seas locations where we are unique feature of the Atlas lite with a spatial resolution of about one metre and swath of 9.6 km. looking for companies to is the Pressure - State - The satellite carries a panchromatic camera (PAN) capable of taking acquire. The size is not the Impact - Response (PSIR) black-and-white pictures in the visible region of electromagnetic spec- main focus. We are capable framework analysis, where trum. The highly agile CARTOSAT-2A is steerable along as well as across of absorbing a larger com- all the maps are presented the direction of its movement to facilitate imaging of any area more fre- pany. We are willing to and displayed in the PSIR quently. The satellite’s health is continuously monitored from the raise debt for a right deal," framework. Spacecraft Control Centre at Bangalore with the help of ISTRAC network said Reddy. The company is of stations at Bangalore, Lucknow, Mauritius, Bearslake in Russia, Biak looking at one or two Indi- CEPT to start PG in Indonesia and Svalbard in Norway. an companies. Through the course in Geomatics High-resolution data from CARTOSAT-2A will be valuable in urban and proposed acquisitions the India: The Centre for Envi- rural development applications calling for large scale mapping. company would look to add ronmental Planning and

10 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 Technology (CEPT) is going Civic records suggest that in the country to have a dig- Gujarat state to start Master's pro- over 100 million gallons of ital map. Once completed, government expects gramme in Geomatics. Ear- filtered water is lost every- the map will help the police early AICTE nod for lier the CEPT had intro- day primarily because to respond better to emer- geo-informatics duced Diploma and of leaks in the pipes and gency-like situations. The academy advance Diploma in Geo- unmonitored flow from brainchild of Ludhiana SSP India: The construction matics. Initially, 20 stu- roadside and household R K Jaiswal, the map will be work on a new six-storey dents will be taken.The taps. Almost every day, the prepared by Guru Nanak building scheduled to course is to create skilled civic water supply depart- Dev Engineering College. house a new academy of manpower in the field of ment gets flooded with Giving the details of the geo-informatics will start remote sensing, digital complaints about fluctua- project, the SSP said the soon. A team from All India image processing, digital tion in pressures, leaks and map will have all the land- Council of Technical Educa- cartography, photogram- uneven distribution. marks of the city and will tion (AICTE) recently made metry, Geographical Infor- The mapping, which will have the minute details of a visit regarding approval mation System and Global cover the primary water all the areas of the city. of M.Tech. course at the pro- Positioning System. It will mains and supply lines, "This map will be posed academy near Gand- be a six semester course will be done in phases. The attached to every police hinagar, Gujarat. Rs 12 crore covering diploma, advance first phase will cover the control room (PCR) and PCR (USD 3M) would be spent diploma and Master course, area from South Sinthee to bikes. So one would be able on the new building com- each of one year. Tollygunge. French firm to know the location of PCR ing up in the premises of Seureca had carried out bikes in the city. It will the Bhaskaracharya Insti- Digital mapping a pilot project using remote become easy to trace PCR tute for Space Applications of water lines in sensing technology in Ward bikes anywhere and any- and Geo-informatics (BIS- Kolkata 63 and at the Tallah pump- time. The areas where AG). India: The civic authorities ing station in 2005. police help is needed could The project is being fund- have decided to prepare a "The pilot project helped be identified immediately ed by State Science and digital map of the under- us a lot in improving by just glancing at the map. Technology department. ground water pipes that the water supply manage- It will increase the efficien- The government has were laid more than 70 ment. So, we have decided cy of the police and will already submitted the syl- years ago. "The map will to replicate the model in make the reaction time of labi before the Gujarat Uni- help us identify the prob- the other 140 wards," the policemen more accu- versity to which the acade- lem areas in the water said mayor Bhat- rate," the district police my will be affiliated. lines," said Mayor Bikash tacharayya. Work will start chief said. SSP Jaiswal fur- The academy will pro- Ranjan Bhattacharyya. soon after the National ther said the digital map is mote and carry out "The pipes were laid 70- Urban Renewal Mission a pre-requisite for installing research, impart education 80 years ago but there is no authorities approve the the global positioning sys- and training to students map of the network." The scheme. Agencies that tem (GPS) which makes and professionals in geo- Calcutta Municipal Corpo- had executed similar proj- police able to know the informatics technology and ration will approach the ects will be invited to sub- location of its vehicles, applications. National Urban Renewal mit bids. stolen vehicles or vehicles Besides M. Tech. course, Mission for funds - Rs 1,000 being driven by criminals. academy also plans to run crore - for the mapping as A digital map for Jaiswal said the idea doctoral (Ph.D.) pro- well as installation of flow Ludhiana city on struck him from the suc- grammes in geo-informat- and pressure monitors at the anvil cessful experiments of ics, sustainable develop- strategic points in the net- India: Ludhiana will soon some metropolitan cities ment, environment, natu- work that supplies water to join the elite group of where digital maps have ral resources and coastal over 2.8 lakh households. selected metropolitan cities already been in place. studies will be introduced.

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 11 News: Regional

ronmental testing is a ters) in space. The 4,310 major milestone on the pound satellite will collect road to launch," said Bill imagery that can distin- Schuster, GeoEye's chief guish objects on the Earth's Radarsat-2 ready operating officer. GeoEye-1 surface as small as 0.41 for commercial is part of the National meters or about 16 inches in operations Geospatial-Intelligence size. Canada: Radarsat-2 has Agency (NGA) NextView been commissioned and is programme. The NextView Kimball named ready for commercial oper- program is designed to Associate Dr. Suzette M. imballK ations, MacDonald, Det- ensure that the NGA has Director at twiler and Associates Ltd. access to commercial USGS logic investigations on the (MDA) announced May 1. imagery in support of its USA: Dr. Suzette M. Kimball past, present and future Launched in December, the mission to provide timely, has been named Associate conditions of the Earth's satellite completed its com- relevant and accurate Director for Geology of the environment, hazards and missioning April 25 and geospatial intelligence U.S. Geological Survey, the resources. transitioned into commer- in support of national scientific agency of the U.S. cial operations to deliver security. Department of the Interior. PropertyMaps.com radar imagery of Earth. When operational, Geo- Kimball is the first woman enhances online real Radarsat-2, a follow-on to Eye-1 will be the world's to hold the position. Kim- estate search, Radarsat-1, was developed highest resolution commer- ball has been director of the includes parcel under a collaboration cial imaging satellite, Survey's Eastern Region boundaries between MDA and the designed to take highly pre- since 2004. In her new posi- USA: PropertyMaps.com Canadian Space Agency. cise images of the Earth tion she will provide execu- (www.PropertyMaps.com) from 425 miles (684 kilome- tive leadership of USGS geo- announced a new partner- General Dynamics AIS completes testing for GeoEye-1 Google Earth for desktop Linux USA: General Dynamics Advanced Information Sys- Linspire, Inc., developer of CNR.com, the free and 'one-click' digital software delivery tems (AIS) announced the service for desktop Linux software, announced the availability of Google Earth for completion of satellite inte- Freespire 2.0, Linspire 6.0, Ubuntu 7.04 & 7.10 (32 bit) desktop Linux users. Available for gration and environmental download and installation with one-click through CNR.com, Google Earth is a free soft- testing for GeoEye's next- ware download from Google that combines satellite imagery, maps. generation earth imaging satellite, GeoEye-1. General Dynamics is the prime con- Google pulls Pentagon images tractor and integrator of the spacecraft and telescope for Google has removed Pentagon images of US military bases from its online Internet Map GeoEye. GeoEye-1 will service. The Pentagon says the online images posted on Google's online street level map remain at the General service pose a security threat to US military bases. "We have been contacted by the mili- Dynamics space systems tary," Google spokesman Larry Yu said. "In those instances where they have expressed facility until it is shipped to concerns about the imagery, we have accommodated their requests." The Defense Vandenberg Air Force Base, Department, which is still studying how many images are available, has also banned California for launch this Google teams from filming video images on bases.However, because many images were summer. taken from public streets, the military may not have a legal right to request that videos "The completion of envi- be pulled.

12 GIS DEVELOPMENT Scripps' redictedP Depth Google sets sights on 3D map of the oceans Map. Created from ship sonar soundings and satel- USA: e'veW got Google Instinct Software that uses images for more detail. lites, it infers the depth of Earth and Google Sky. Google Earth as a visuali- the sea floor based on the Next up will be a map of zation tool for marine data.) Additional data will be dis- tiny bumps and dips in the the world below sea level-- Asked to comment on played as overlying layers ocean's surface. Google cean.O The com- Google cean,O a Google that depict phenomena like pany has assembled an spokeswoman said the weather patterns, currents, To bring more clarity to the advisory group of company had "nothing to temperatures, shipwrecks, sea floor, Sandwell and oceanography experts, and announce right now." coral reefs, and algae others said, Google will in December invited Oceanography blooms, much like the likely use high-resolution researchers from institu- researchers, however, say National arkP Service and grids from oceanographic tions around the world to such a tool would be NASA provide additional institutions showing the the Mountain iew,V Califor- incredibly useful. data for Google Earth and depths of select areas of nia, Googleplex. There, Google Sky. the seas and paste them they discussed plans for "There is no real terrain or in. Data for those grids, creating a 3D oceano- depth model for the ocean "Google will basically just which cover a very small graphic map, according to in Google Earth," said Tim provide the field and then portion of the sea floor, are sources familiar with the Haverland, a geospatial everyone will come flock- created by ships using matter. application developer at ing to it," predicted multibeam sonar. One pos- the Fisheries Service of Stephen .P Miller, head of sible source for Google The tool--for now called the National Oceanic and the Geological Data Cen- Ocean data are detailed Google cean,O the sources Atmospheric Administra- ter at the Scripps Institu- "tiles" from multibeam and say, though that name tion (NOAA). ouY" can't tion of ceanography.O predicted topography could change--is expected get in a submarine and in "There will be peer pres- compiled by the Lamont- to be similar to other 3D essence fly through the sure to encourage people Doherty Earth Observatory online mapping applica- water and explore ocean to get their data out there." (LDEO) of Columbia tions. eopleP will be able to canyons yet." University. Tiles are high- see the underwater topog- "It would take about 100 resolution sun-shaded raphy, called bathymetry; Google ceanO will feature ship years to map the images as well as digital search for particular spots a basic layer that shows oceans at high resolution," elevation models covering or attractions; and navigate the depth of the sea floor said Dave Sandwell, a pro- the entire global ocean through the digital environ- and will serve as a spatial fessor of geophysics at the that allow for interactivity ment by zooming and pan- framework for additional Scripps Institution of similar to Google Earth, ning. (The tool, however, is data, sources said, adding Oceanography. Sandwell where you can get differ- not to be confused with that Google plans to try to speculated that Google will ent views by zooming in the Google" cean"O proj- fill in some areas of the get at least some of the and out and by tilting the ect by France-based Magic map with high-resolution basic sea floor data from planet's surface.

ship with Digital Map Prod- ings - a vital function for bases used by Realtors scientific model that can ucts that allows buyers, consumers and the real nationwide by using popu- map where coral reefs are sellers, investors and real estate community" said lar mapping tools such as in the most trouble and estate professionals to see company founder and pres- Google Maps, Google Earth, where they can best be pro- the actual boundaries of ident, J. Matthew Beck. and Microsoft Virtual Earth. tected. Scientists with the more than 80 million land PropertyMaps.com is a Wildlife Conservation Soci- parcels. "It will provide user-friendly, one-stop- Scientific model ety in New York and the online access to hundreds shop Web site that allows maps coral reefs International Institute for of thousands of undevel- consumers to quickly status Geo-Information Science oped properties, vacant lots search the actual Multiple USA: U.S. and Dutch and Earth Observation (ITC) and rural large-acreage list- Listing Service (MLS) data- researchers have created a in the Netherlands said the

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 13 News: Regional

model synthesises several fuel mineral resources in been settled with Ofek efforts over a 2 -year period. ocean conditions, including Afghanistan. Afghanistan's admitting patent infringe- Data will be collected using photosynthetic and ultravi- geologic setting indicates ment. In August 2005, Light Detection and Rang- olet light, and factors them significant natural resource Pictometry filed suit alleg- ing (LiDAR) technologies. into previous reports of potential, and though ing that the defendants The digital elevation data coral stress or bleaching. important mineral deposits willfully infringed on Pic- will be available to the pub- The data are then used to and petroleum resources tometry's patent (U.S lic at no charge on the U.S. map the distribution of have been identified, much Patent No. 5,247,356). As a Geological Survey's Center inhospitable conditions. of the country's potential result, Ofek will leave the U for LiDAR Information The researchers found remains unknown. These .S. market immediately. Coordination and Knowl- much of the northern Indi- new data, acquired from edge Web site. an Ocean contains very an airborne geophysical Red River Basin stressful environments for and photographic survey of elevation map Ky. Mine Mapping corals, with areas of the the country, provide project set to judged best online Maldives and the Sey- valuable new information launch service chelles falling in the middle to policymakers and poten- USA: The International USA: The Kentucky Mine of the most severe condi- tial private investors and Water Institute will launch Mapping Information Sys- tions. The least stressed will enable scientists to a $5 million project design- tem (KMMIS) received reefs have been found in an better define areas for ed to develop a hig resolu- the Best of Kentucky tech- area east and just north of future exploration and tion digital elevation map nology award in the Best Madagascar. The model development. To assist in of the entire U.S. portion of Online Services category at was detailed in a recent the reconstruction efforts the Red River Basin. The the Kentucky Digital Gov- issue of the journal Ecologi- in Afghanistan and to project's collected data will ernment Summit. Develop- cal Modeling. complement the resource have numerous applica- ment of the information assessments coordinated tions, including flood plain system began in May 2004, New data to help by the U.S. Agency for management, flood fore- with a $1 million grant from Afghanistan's International Develop- casting, decision-support, the Mine Safety and Health resources ment, the USGS was com- precision farming, project Administration and contin- assessment missioned by the Islamic alternatives analysis and ues with support from the USA: The U.S. Geological Republic of Afghanistan to planning. The initiative will U.S. Office of Surface Survey recently collected conduct this survey. cover 41,700 square miles of Mining. The website pro- new data to help identify lands in North Dakota, Min- vides online digitised and fault lines and the potential Pictometry nesota and South Dakota. georeferenced maps location of undiscovered infringement The project size is compara- showing the location and water, oil and gas, and non- lawsuit settled ble to the entire state of extent of underground USA: Pictometry Interna- Kentucky. The need for bet- mines in Kentucky. tional Corp., provider of ter elevation mapping georeferenced aerial image across the Red River Basin Water deptt launches libraries whose patented initially was identified by new public technology is used globally numerous local, state and information system to capture oblique image federal agencies after the USA: The Department of libraries, announced that Flood of 1997, according to Water Resources (DWR) has its lawsuit with Aerial Chuck Fritz, director of the released a new water Cartographics of America; International Water Insti- resources data manage- Ofek Aerial Photography tute, based in Fargo. ment tool called the Inte- International; and Green- The initial phase will con- grated Water Resources man-Pedersen Inc., has sist of five data-collection Information System

14 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008

News: Regional

(IWRIS). IWRIS is a Web- MapQuest and AT&T's Yel- for a variety of applications Jena-Optronik based GIS that allows users lowPages.com. Urban Map- including surveying, urban positions in new to access, integrate, query, ping also offers a database planning, urban and rural global satellite system and visualise multiple sets of 60 mass transit systems construction, environmen- Germany: The Jena- of data from diverse across the United States. tal monitoring, resource Optronik GmbH received sources. and territory management, two Authorizations to Pro- Some of the databases disaster prevention and ceed (ATP) for the develop- currently accessible relief, and scientific ment and manufacturing of through IWRIS include research. electronic, mechanical and DWR's Water Data Library, Trimble VRS Now pro- optical components within California Data Exchange GNSS positioning vides service to subscribers, the European earth obser- Center (CDEC), United launched in Madrid utilizing a network of refer- vation program GMES States Geological Survey with Trimble VRS ence stations, which covers (Global Monitoring for streamflow data, Local Spain: Trimble launched approximately 28,900 Environment and Security). Groundwater Assistance Trimble VRS Now Service in square kilometers (11,160 In line with new systems Grants (AB303), and data Madrid, Spain. The com- square miles) across the for future GMES-services a from local agencies. The mercial service provides greater Madrid area. set of operational satellites system will be expanded surveyors, civil engineers Users connect into the is intended. Three in five of with additional data sets and geospatial profession- system using a wireless these satellite families, so- and functionality in the als in the area with instant connection; the software called Sentinels, have future. acknowledges the users’ already been defined. With- DWR developed IWRIS to field positions and provides in the two satellite families improve water data man- a stream of correction data Sentinel-2 for optical earth agement and scientific that enable centimeter observation and Sentinel-3 understanding in support accuracy throughout the for the observation of the of Integrated Regional network. oceans the Jena-Optronik Water Management GmbH is a member of the (IRWM). Navionics ships core team. new Platinum + Jena-Optronik’s contribu- 40,000 US cartography tion in the framework of neighbourhood Italy: Navionics, dealing in Sentinel-2 compasses the mapped electronic charting and dig- design of the overall instru- USA: Urban Mapping, Inc., a ital navigation data, is now ment electrical architecture provider of location- shipping its new flagship of the main payload MSI enabled content anno- access to real-time kine- product, Platinum+. An (Multispectral Imager) as unced that it has compiled matic (RTK) Global Naviga- enhancement to its earlier well as the development, 40,000 US neighbourhoods tion Satellite System (GNSS) Platinum cartography, Plat- manufacturing and testing representing more than corrections without the inum+ combines high- of the Video Compression 2,000 cities and towns. need for a base station. The resolution and aerial pho- Unit VCU, a key subsystem Named Urbanware Neigh- service delivers centimeter- tography overlays, XGA of the MSI. Within Sentinel- borhoods, this database is level RTK positioning cus- panoramic pictures, 3 Jena-Optronik is signifi- used by many American tomized for each GNSS improved rendering of 3D cantly involved in the main portals, map platforms and receiver’s location any- bathymetric detail, the instrument SLSTR (Sea and Internet yellow page pub- where in the network. The complete European Coast Land Surface Temperature lishers, including Trimble VRS Now Service is Pilot guide and high-defini- Radiometer) by developing Microsoft's Virtual Earth, claimed to supply fast and tion fishing data with more essential components for it. Idearc's SuperPages.com, accurate GNSS positioning accuracy and detail. Beside the thermal and

16 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 mechanical engineering of health services and demo- the SLSTR, the Jena-Optron- graphics, initially in the ik GmbH is responsible for Republic of Ireland and the opto-mechanical struc- eventually worldwide as ture, several subsystems, related to Irish Health Ser- telescope and scan systems vices. Health Atlas Ireland of the Sentinel-3 family. was selected among dozens projects for its innovation Health Atlas Ireland capacity and its technical wins the Irish Public perfection. It is an innova- Service Excellence tive project that greatly Award 2008 improves the quality and Ireland: The Irish Prime the efficiency of services Minister, Mr. Bertie Ahern, delivered by health services. hosted a reception in St. Patrick's Hall, Dublin Infoterra Castle where he handed launches Flood over the "Prime Minister Risk Model of GB Public Service Excellence UK: Infoterra Ltd. has Awards" to each of the launched the first compre- 20 successful projects hensive flood risk model of selected from this year's Great Britain to incorporate process. Health Atlas all the major causes of Ireland, one of the flooding, significantly awardees, is an open source assisting in the assessment e-government project led of risk at a property level. by Irish Health Sector and The new Flood Risk Model supported by OpenApp, goes beyond traditional a Zea member SME, river and coastal flood in charge of the technical risks to include the risks development. It integrates from surface water flood- geographical information ing, dam breaks and technologies, database and groundwater. statistical techniques. In addition, the model A user friendly interface takes into account single supports web-enabled and multiple events. access across the Irish JBA Consulting, one of the health sector and collabo- specialists in flood risk and rating agencies. environmental manage- Health Atlas is a 'voyage ment, partnered with of discovery' for health Infoterra Ltd to develop service planning and this flood risk assessment health event data analysis. model. This product com- The purpose of the system bines Infoterra's geospatial is to help answer questions height data with JBA's flood related to health events, modelling expertise to emergency response, provide a new level of intel-

JUNE 2008 News: Regional

Graph and DIS- tables from a particular geomarket- TRICT 10 includes ing project and edit them within this new plug-in Excel. Changes can then be imple- along with a map mented into the corresponding set of a European geomarketing project and reflected country of choice on the associated maps. Maps creat- and purchasing ed in RegioGraph/DISTRICT can Geomarketing functions integrated directly into MS Office 2007

Germany: The latest update for the acclaimed geomarketing software power data for European countries be opened directly within Word, applications RegioGraph and DIS- and regions. RegioGraph 10 is Excel or PowerPoint. All of this is TRICT makes it possible to perform offered as a stand-alone product or possible without lengthy geomarketing from directly within bundled with Microsoft Office 2007 export/import procedures. MS Office 2007’s Excel, Word and Small Business Edition. In addition to a comprehensive PowerPoint. The plug-in lets users The Office 2007 Plug-In enables array of powerful tools for market easily implement geomarketing users to access RegioGraph and DIS- analysis and sales territory into their daily work routines. TRICT functions via a menu bar in planning, RegioGraph 10 and DIS- Thanks to a new development by the MS Office Suite applications. For TRICT 10 include a map set for GfK GeoMarketing, users of the geo- example, after editing a sales struc- a European country of choice as marketing solutions RegioGraph 10 ture in Excel, the file can be incorpo- well as the corresponding purchas- and DISTRICT 10 can access geomar- rated into the corresponding DIS- ing power data (at GfK regions keting functionality from directly TRICT project without switching level). The market data and maps fit within the Microsoft Office 2007 applications or going through a together seamlessly and are ready applications, Word, Excel and Pow- laborious export procedure. By the for use immediately following erPoint. The 2008 update of Regio- same token, users can import layer installation.

risks?' ligence to flood risk predic- • hat'sW the likely impact of Salisbury to keep track information, recycling tions. multi-source flooding on a of what is happening in the sites, conservation areas Infoterra offers this Flood given area?' area where they live. and listed buildings. Risk Model as an online • How can we support the Salisbury District Council emergency services plan- risk assessment service. The has introduced GIS WB loan for ning and management service enables Infoterra during a severe flood to its website, at www.sal- modernised land to provide organisations event?' isbury.gov.uk which allows management with very simple opera- users to type in Turkey: The World Bank tional answers to key ques- Find out what's their post code to find all today a loan equivalent to tions such as: happening down information relevant US$203 million to the Gov- • Is this property at risk your street in UK to them. Currently, the ernment of Turkey for the from flooding?' UK: A new hi-tech system system covers planning Land Registry and Cadastre • hatW is my organisation's will allow people in applications, councillor Modernization Project. The total exposure to flood

18 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 Project will improve the organisations and agencies, efforts. of ways. To begin with, it effectiveness and efficiency often using different The Balkans are affected was made possible through of the land registry and methodologies. But earth- both by the large lithos- the internet, which enabled cadastre services. quakes and other risks do pheric plates of Eurasia and teams from different coun- The project will (i) reno- not respect national bound- Africa, as well as smaller tries to communicate via vate and update cadastre aries. Problems such as units such as the Arabian the web. The teams also maps to support digital overcrowding, hasty and plate and the Adriatic conducted a workshop in cadastre and land registry poor construction and inad- microplate. In addition, Ohrid, Macedonia at the information; (ii) make the equate preparation are numerous active tectonic end of March 2007, and digital land registry and found in many countries. located inland contribute to held a meeting in Tirana at cadastre information avail- Experts agree that a cross- stress accumulation, which the end of August the same able to public and private regional approach is long from time to time produces year. entities (iii) improve cus- overdue. The new project major seismic activity. The mapping also took tomer services in land reg- promises to pave the way The new mapping project advantage of GIS technolo- istry and cadastre offices; for future co-operative is innovative in a number gy to achieve both greater (iv) improve human resources in the Turkish Land Registry and Cadastre Live Maps reinstalled for UK web surfers Agency (TKGM); and (v) develop policies and capaci- UK: After 48 hours of angry emails, comments and protests, Microsoft reinstalled its Live ty to introduce best inter- Maps service to UK internet users. Microsoft claimed that the bungle – which forcefully national practices in prop- redirected UK web users looking to log on to Microsoft’s Live Maps service to MultiMap erty valuation in Turkey. instead – was down to gremlins in the system and not a deliberate policy. While readily The project will have a admitting that it had intended to drive UK traffic to its MultiMap site in order to high- maturity of 23.5 years light a number of UK-specific feature upgrades, Microsoft remains adamant that it was including a 5 year grace never the intention for the period. redirect to look like it was being forced upon users. Mapping geohazards Until the bug was in the Balkans removed UK users had to Macedonia: A grant from fool the Live Maps servers the US Civilian Research into believing their request and Development Founda- was coming from the US, tion (CRDF), a small team of otherwise they were auto- specialists from Albania, matically redirected to Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedo- MultiMap – even if they nia, Montenegro and Roma- typed Maps.Live.Com into nia has created a new map their browser window. illustrating geohazards in The apparent withdraw- their countries. The project al of the service led some represents the first ever UK users to fear that the attempt to produce a Live Maps Collections they had built up had been lost and it was not long before dis- homogenous, composite gruntled UK users were airing their grievances in substantial numbers on the official geohazard map for the Live Maps Blog. Some users even organised a dedicated Facebook group calling for the Balkans. Until now, such reinstallation of Live Maps in the UK. work has been carried out Eventually forced to relent, Microsoft has now apologised and switched off all the separately by various automatic redirects off while it fixes the ‘bug’.

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 19 News: Regional

breadth and precision. The Geographic database Agency with private on the ground) the level of result is a state-of-the-art opens doors to private tech partner, Intelligent detail includes every ham- tool which integrates many sector…and the Addressing.“Centralising of let and village as well different data sets in order potential is huge address data has created as roads, paths, field bound- to give a broad overview of UK: A national geographi- significant efficiencies aries, copses and hill how a geological hazard cal electronic database in public sector organisa- contours. Selected tourist may impact a community, called National Land and tions - some of which previ- and leisure information - area, or country. Cartogra- Property Gazetteer (NLPG), ously had up to 150 dis- such as the locations phy and map compilation is now available for com- parate databases” of pubs, visitor centres and were carried out by the mercial use after all 376 said Steve Brandwood, Albanian Geological Sur- English and Welsh local programme manager vey, based in Tirana. authorities signed up to at Intelligent Addressing. supply data. Local authorities update ESRI (UK) releases The NLPG was initiated in their data locally and add CrimeAnalyst 1.5 1999 to centralise all it to the NLPG at least once ESRI (UK), the has launched address and property data a month, while some CrimeAnalyst version 1.5, a onto a single database. are using electronic feeds GIS software solution for to update mapping, analysing and data in real- sharing crime data, with time as new “hotspotting” analysis and planning large dataset workflow. applications Used by UK police forces, Information contained on are approved or buildings including South Yorkshire the system includes are demolished. and Leicestershire Police, addresses, postcodes and CrimeAnalyst is built on national grid references, An explorer’s way to Isle of ight’sW aerial view ESRI ArcGIS GIS technology, as well as a unique property discover the island helping police forces collect, reference number for each UK: The revised OS Explorer cycle trails - is included, combine, visualise, analyse, individual property. The Map for the Isle of Wight making the map ideal for and share crime informa- NLPG has been used features new tourist attrac- outdoor activities or explor- tion in real-time, and goes by public sector organisations, cycle route changes ing. And, with information beyond traditional crime tions - such as the police, and access land. Outdoor from the Countryside “hotspotting” software to fire service and county enthusiasts on the Isle of Agency, Ordnance Survey deliver in-depth, live loca- council - for the past four Wight can now explore to highlights ‘open access’ tion-based intelligence. The years but is now available their heart’s content - areas by using a yellow tint software enables South for private sector groups thanks to Ordnance Sur- surrounded by an orange Yorkshire police force ana- to subscribe to. The value vey’s latest map revision. boundary. So ramblers can lysts to produce the latest of the NLPG is huge, with The local OS Explorer Map discover some of the most neighbourhood specific companies dealing in fields has been updated and reis- scenic parts of the region - crime trends against high such as insurance, cus- sued - giving walkers, cycli- previously closed to the level resource allocation tomer profiling, logistics sts and other al fresco public. data for example, while and satellite navigation adventurers access to the also updating its mapping potentially finding uses most up-to-date leisure TerraGo data every two weeks in for the database. mapping of the area avail- appoints new line with the UK’s National Subscriptions will be able. President Intelligence Model (NIM) managed by the Improve- At a scale of 1:25,000 (4 USA: Richard M. “Rick” Cobb framework. ment and Development cm on the map equals 1 km has been appointed Terra-

20 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2006 Go Technologies' new Presi- Sovozond organises 2nd International dent and CEO. Cobb, who most recently served as Remote Sensing Conference COO for Approva Corpora- tion, replaces James Davis, who is departing the company after three years of leadership. Topcon wins world's largest total station bid USA: With more than 800 instruments to be delivered to the Polish Ministry of Education (MEN) by Top- con's exclusive Polish partner TPI, Topcon is said to have set a new global record for the largest tender ever with its technology.

The sale, valued at more The Second International Conference on Remote Sensing – the Synergy of High Technologies was organised than $2.5 million, includes on April 16-18, 2008 by Sovzond, Russian firm dealing in satellite imagery (products and services). The event, supported by GIS-Association, served as a meeting point for directors and lead specialists of the Russian and 430 GPT-3107N total sta- foreign companies specialising in GIS and mapping, land registry, resolution of thematic tasks for oil and gas tions and 430 AT-G6 optical industry, power industry, town planning, executive and municipal management, ecology and resource manage- levels; making for a total of ment. About 300 participants from 16 countries took part in the conference. ariousV sessions of the conference were devoted to state-of-the-art and development prospects of Russian and foreign earth remote sensing 860 instruments in one (ERS) programmes. Diamond Alex and Susan Moynihan’s report (DigitalGlobe, USA) "Sourced from the orldsW sale. Most Advanced Commercial Satellite Constellation" attracted the special attention of participants. The report paid focused on the performance data and advantages of high-resolution orldVW iew-1 space vehicle and prom- TPI and MEN agreed ising orldVW iew-2 vehicle. The second day of the conference started from section "Software complexes, sys- on the sale in early May. tems and solutions for ERS data processing from leading Russian and foreign developers". The session demon- strated ample opportunities of software The equipment will be products on ERS data processing and used for educational pur- geoinformational technologies to solve various tasks. Specialized seminars poses in all Polish second- were held as part of the conference. ary technical schools Conference participants noted the joint seminar of Sovzond and VNIIGAZ titled that require surveying "Satellite Radar Differential Interfero- instruments in their educa- metric Monitoring of Earth Surface Dis- tional processes. placements on Oil and Gas Fields under Development" where capabilities of Ray O’Connor, president monitoring Earth surface deformations Attendees by the type of activities and CEO of Topcon Position- on oil and gas fields by means of satellite differential radar interferometry and ing and chairman of Top- GPS-surveys were reviewed. Joint seminar of Sovzond and Territorial Information Fund of Ural federal District - con Europe Positioning "Capabilities of up-to-date Optical and Radar ERS Data for Information Support of the Forestry Activity" - was also actively discussed. (TEP), called the agreement “a true partnership The sponsors of the conference were DigitalGlobe, GeoEye and European Space Imaging. Information support between Topcon, TEP and of the conference was provided by R&D.CNews (primary information sponsor), Geoprofi magazine, GeoTop electronic catalog, GISinfo newspaper, Astronautics News magazine, Aerospace Courier magazine, GIM Inter- TPI, one of the key dealers national magazines, GEOconnexion and GISDevelopment. Conference participants noted that the ever-growing in the company’s global interest in the conference and growing number of participants proved that the demand for Earth space survey leads to active development of ERS data market in Russia. dealer network.”

JUNE 2006 GIS DEVELOPMENT 21 News: Business

Sentinel-2: A new cable harness. The industri- Infotech Utility, Telecom- between Cadcorp's digital contract worth EURO al core team also comprises munications and Govern- mapping/GIS facilities and 195M for Astrium Jena Optronik (Germany), ment Division, said "By suc- Limehouse Software's solu- France: Astrium has been Boostec (France), Sener and cessfully proving our tions. As a result, users will appointed by ESA to be the GMV (Spain). onshore production capa- be able to incorporate inter- prime contractor to build bility, we now offer greater active maps into web-based Sentinel-2, the first optical RapidEye granted choice of outsourcing documents relating to, for satellite in the Sentinel ISO 9001:2000 options that deliver opera- example, planning applica- series. The main industrial certification tional and cost-saving ben- tions. This will enable inter- contract worth EURO 195 Germany: RapidEye, a efits for our customers." ested parties, including million was signed by Volk- geospatial information consultants and other pro- er Liebig, ESA´s Director of services and solutions Cadcorp, fessionals, as well as citi- Earth observation, Evert provider, announced that Limehouse zens, to navigate between Dudok, CEO Astrium Satel- TÜV NORD of Germany, an Software form the documents and the lites and Uwe Minne, Astri- official accreditation body partnership maps and to add comments um´s Director of Earth for ISO 9001 standards, has UK: Digital mapping and or to suggest changes. Observation and Science in granted RapidEye ISO GIS software developer Friedrichshafen (Germany). 9001:2000 certification for Cadcorp and document cre- Pictometry, KKC Sentinel-2 will provide a their Quality Management ation, publishing and con- sign permanent record of com- Systems (QMS) after an sultation solutions develop- international prehensive data to help extensive audit. This certifi- er Limehouse Software technology inform the agricultural sec- cate covers marketing, sale, have announced a technol- agreement tor (utilisation, coverage), development, and provi- ogy partnership. It will USA: Pictometry Interna- forestry industry (popula- sion of geo-spatial product enable the companies to tional Corp., provider of tion, damage, forest fires), and service projects. Rapid- cooperate to deliver GIS- geo-referenced aerial image disaster control (manage- Eye is currently anticipat- enabled applications to libraries has signed an ment, early warning) and ing the launch of their own address the collaboration, exclusive technology humanitarian relief pro- constellation of five earth document creation and licensing agreement with grammes. Sentinel-2 will observation satellites by stake-holder engagement Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd. also be able to observe nat- mid-year. challenges faced by local (KKC), a Japanese mapping ural disasters such as authorities and private-sec- and surveying company floods, volcanic eruptions, Infotech tor organisations. under which KKC has exclu- subsidence and landslides. Enterprises The creation of a formal sive rights to utilize Pictom- In the Sentinel-2 mission receives contract partnership was driven by etry's unique image capture programme, Astrium in from Powercor the fact that both compa- and processing technology Friedrichshafen is responsi- Australia nies share many local and market image libraries ble for the satellite's system India: Infotech Enterprises authority customers that and software throughout design and platform, as Ltd, head quartered at have a need to combine the Japan, including customers well as for satellite integra- Hyderabad, has been power of mapping capabili- in government agencies, tion and testing. Astrium awarded a three year con- ties and planning-related commercial businesses, and Toulouse will supply the tract to provide solutions in consultation activities. web sites. multi-spectral imaging GIS & data management Under the partnership "We are also pleased that instrument (MSI), and services to Powercor Aus- agreement, Cadcorp and this partnership enables us Astrium Spain will be in tralia Ltd, one of the largest Limehouse Software will to contribute to the interna- charge of the satellite's electricity distribution com- work together to develop tional activities of other structure and will produce panies in Australia. customised applications Japanese enterprises that its thermal equipment and John Renard, President of that provide a two-way link can benefit from Pictome-

22 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 try's oblique image capture cation of the LDCM space- USGS awards satellite and many other purposes. technology." said Toyoji craft bus, integration of the imagery contracts, USGS makes this data elec- Matsui, KKC's General Man- government furnished enhancing access to tronically accessible to any ager of Business Solution instruments, satellite-level users Federal agency or other Division. testing, on-orbit satellite USA: The United States Geo- user group that falls within check-out and continuing logical Survey (USGS) the data licensing agree- General on-orbit engineering sup- announced the award of ments. Dynamics port. General Dynamics three multi-year acquisi- receives NASA will also provide a space- tion contracts for high and Autodesk contract craft/observatory simula- moderate-resolution satel- acquires assets USA: General Dynamics tor. Landsat will obtain lite imagery to GeoEye, Dig- of REALVIZ Advanced Information Sys- data and imagery for use in italGlobe and SPOT Image USA: Autodesk, Inc. has tems, a business unit of agriculture, education, Corporation. The contracts completed the acquisition General Dynamics, has business, science and gov- will provide the USGS and of substantially all of the been selected by NASA to ernment. The LDCM obser- other Federal agencies assets of REALVIZ S.A., the build the spacecraft for the vatory will include evolu- access to commercial satel- privately held developer of Landsat Data Continuity tionary advances in tech- lite data from the U.S. and image-based content cre- Mission (LDCM). Under the nology and performance, international marketplace ation software. Terms of terms of the $116 million providing 60 percent more for use in environmental the transaction were not delivery order, General Earth coverage data per day monitoring, land manage- disclosed. REALVIZ was Dynamics will be responsi- than the current Landsat ment, energy development, founded in 1998 and is ble for the design and fabri- observatory. natural hazards mitigation headquartered in Sophia Developments @ DigitalGlobe

Joins Autodesk Data Initiative to provide world Imagery USA: DigitalGlobe has joined Autodesk's data initiative. DigitalGlobe's participation in the initiative is claimed to give Autodesk customers quick, easy and affordable access to highly-accurate world imagery solutions. Autodesk's new data initiative portal offers customers access to DigitalGlobe's online library of world imagery directly with AutoCAD Map 3D software, for meeting the growing market demand for enhanced imagery in utility, telecommunications, and AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) applications. With the new partnership programme, Autodesk customers gain e-commerce access to DigitalGlobe's popular ImageConnect online imagery service for Map 3D through a co-brand ed website linked from the Autodesk data portal. Taps Boeing launch services for WorldView-2

DigitalGlobe has chosen Boeing Launch Services for the launch of WorldView-2, DigitalGlobe's third remote-sensing satellite. WorldView-2 is claimed to offer the industry's highest collection capacity, more frequent refresh and revisit rates, more spectral information and greater imaging agility. WorldView-2, being built independent of a U.S. Govern- ment contract, is currently scheduled to launch in mid-2009. A Delta II expendable launch vehicle will transport the WorldView-2 satellite into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Files registration statement for IPO

The company has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a proposed initial public offering of its common stock. Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Lehman Brothers Inc. will serve as joint book-running managers for the offering.

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 23 News: Business

Antipolis, France. REALVIZ's REALVIZ's flagship products store CFC, Sony Pictures tive. The city selected the technology provides effi- are Stitcher software for the Imageworks, Warner Broth- software because of its cient ways to generate 3D creation of panoramas and ers Animation, Electronic intuitive user interface, content and visual effects 360 degree virtual tours, Arts and Activision comprehensive inspection from photo imaging and 2D and ImageModeler soft- REALVIZ technology has and sketching capabilities, environments. Its products ware to produce 3D models been used to create visual and affordable price. are used for panoramic from photographs. effects for Zodiac, The Host, Working with Ulteig, photography, image-based REALVIZ's clients include Children of Men, Superman Princeton Public Utilities modeling, match moving Boeing, NASA, Daimler Returns, Harry Potter and is deploying GO! Sync and optical motion capture. Chrysler, Cinesite, Frame- the Goblet of Fire and many Mobile GIS on mounted, other blockbuster films. GPS-enable rugged devices to provide field crews with Intermap maps kept up-to-date with Microsoft satellite awarded $8.1M GIS. The Inspection Exten- contract sion will automate various map project sued over name USA: Intermap Federal Ser- public works inspection vices, Inc., subsidiary of practices and the Redline Intermap Technologies Extension will assist with USA: Microsoft's Corp., has received a USD ensuring GIS is updated TerraServer-USA $8.1 million contract to pro- with map correction or any satellite imagery vide 3D digital elevation f work related drawings. project has been data and orthorectified slapped with a radar imagery for an inter- Fugro wins 5 yr trademark lawsuit national project. Data will contract of up to from a small North be used for topographic $250M from US Carolina company map production, 3D visuali- Department of with a confusingly zation, & natural resources Commerce similar name.Ter- management. Using the The Netherlands: Fugro NV raserver.com filed company's proprietary won a hydrographic sur- the suit in North Interferometric Synthetic veying contract from the US Carolina federal Aperture Radar (IFSAR) Department of Commerce court, seeking monetary damages and asking that technology, Intermap will for a period of five years for Microsoft be stopped from using the TerraServer name. begin collecting and deliv- an amount not-to-exceed TerraServer-USA is a ten-year-old Microsoft research proj- ering radar mapping servic- $250 million. Fugro said an ect that makes satellite images and maps from the U.S. es for the client in 2008 and initial task order valued at Geological Survey freely available over the Internet. will complete the project in $3.5 million is for side scan Microsoft got involved in the project because it wanted to early 2009. sonar and multibeam echo experiment with Windows and SQL Server, processing sonar mapping operations large amounts of data in a high-performance computing Princeton Public in support of post hurricane environment. In 2005 the project was rolled into Utilities selects GO! debris mapping for previ- Microsoft's Virtual Earth product, but Microsoft continues Sync Mobile GIS ously affected areas of the to maintain the TerraServer-USA.com Web site. In court USA: TC Technology, a Louisiana coastline. Future filings, Terraserver.com, which initially worked with Mobile GIS player, announ- operations can include a Microsoft and Compaq on the effort, says it has held the ced that Princeton Public multibeam echo sounder, Terra Server trademark since March 2000. It also owns the Utilities has selecte GO! side scan sonar and hydro- trademark for Terraserver-usa, the court filings state. Ter- Sync Mobile GIS in support graphic LIDAR anywhere in raserver.com was formerly known as Aerial Images. of its field inspection initia- US waters, including Alas-

24 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 ka, Hawaii, the Territories OGC Approves sensus process by a submis- Wichai Saenghirunwat- and the Great Lakes. KML as Open sion team led by Google tana, managing director Standard and Galdos Systems Inc. of the new office, "The Fugro acquires USA: The members of the KML is an XML-based opening of ESRI Vietnam Irish mapping Open Geospatial Consor- programming language, allows us to better serve services company tium, Inc. (OGC) announced originally developed to our users in this area and The Netherlands: Fugro NV the approval of the manage the display of is an acknowledgment has acquired BKS Surveys OpenGIS KML Encoding geospatial data in Google of the growth and maturity Ltd., an aerial mapping Standard (OGC KML), mark- Earth. The OpenGIS KML 2.2 of the GIS market.". services company based ing KML's transition into an Encoding Standard for- Saenghirunwattana says in Northern Ireland, from open standard which will malises the KML 2.2 model the company hopes Amalgamated Metal be maintained by the OGC. and language while to expand the education Corp. for an undisclosed Developers will now have a remaining backwards com- market in the country and sum. BKS Surveys employs standard approach for patible with existing KML plans to increase GIS train- 100 and has an annual using KML to code and 2.2 files and tools. ing through joint initia- turnover of 6.2 million share visual geographic tives with local schools and euros, Fugro said. The content in existing or ESRI Vietnam opens universities. Currently, company, to be renamed future web-based online office in Hanoi the largest user of ESRI soft- Fugro-BKS, will fall under maps and 3D geospatial Vietnam: ESRI announced ware in Vietnam is Fugro's geospatial services, browsers like Google Earth. the opening of ESRI Viet- the Ministry of Natural which produces data-sets KML version 2.2 was nam in association with Resources and Environ- and maps. brought into the OGC con- ESRI Thailand. According to ment (MONRE).

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 23 News: PRODUCT

IMAGINiT releases and NPR-332 and features 3" tors to be more efficient Wall maps GIS asset application and 5" angle accuracy mod- and productive. The new collection from USA: RAND Worldwide, els. The Nikon NPR-302 version allows earthworks Maps.com provider of technology Series offers a distance operators to visualise, con- USA: Maps.com has solutions to organizations measurement accuracy of struct and balance road sur- released a collection of wall with engineering design up to ±(2 + 2 ppm x D) mm. faces more accurately and maps and they are now and information technolo- The products of the series faster, in higher gears. available to the public. gy requirements, annou- are compact and light- Operators can grade to These maps were specifical- nced that its IMAGINiT weight, weighing only 5.0 cut / fill maps representing ly designed using GIS data Technologies division has kg (11 lbs.). Meeting IP56 the total earthworks by the Maps.com cartogra- released the IMAGINiT GIS standards with water and progress on the job site, phers throughout the Assets application, helping dust proof protection, the generated from the Trimble course of the past year. clients regain control of Nikon NPR-302 Series are SiteVision Office Productiv- Each map in this collection their parcel, sanitary, rugged and are claimed to ity Module. These cut / fill has international and/or storm, road, water, and operate in virtually all maps are generated state borders, highways electric assets. GIS Assets types of weather. The sin- from productivity data col- and freeways, time zones, can be used by engineers, gle, onboard battery pro- lected from each machine mountain ranges, deserts, mappers, and technicians vides up to 16 hours of con- equipped with Trimble and islands. The maps will to streamline the daily tinuous distance and angle GCS900 and represent also help locate sales terri- process of maintaining measurements, or 30 hours the total earthworks tories by clearly showing infrastructure asset and of service. progress on the job site. where counties are and real property data. Built on As machines work, the cut / where highways and free- AutoCAD Map 3D, it takes Trimble GCS900 fill maps are updated. The ways are located. advantage of the AutoCAD Grade Control data can be transferred design and drafting fea- System back to the office at the MapFrame tures, while adding the USA: Trimble introduced its end of a shift, reprocessed releases of FSI property and utility fea- Trimble GCS900 Grade and transferred back to the 2.0 tures of a full geospatial machines at the start of the USA: MapFrame Corp. system. next shift. announced the release of the enhanced FieldSmart Nikon-Trimble LeadDog Standard Interface - FSI 2.0. introduces releases FSI 2.0 allows seamless reflectorless total highways data interaction between station series for Kazakhstan MapFrame's mobile map- Japan: Nikon-Trimble Co., USA: LeadDog Consulting, ping and field automaton Ltd. introduced the NPR-302 provider of street and road software and third party Series of Nikon Total Sta- maps announced the applications, such as tions-high precision, long- release of a major roads and mobile workforce manage- GCS900 mounted on bulldozer range reflectorless mechan- highways geographic data- ment, ticket locate, and cus- ical total stations with laser base for Kazakhstan. Lead- tomer developed systems. pointers. The new Nikon Control System version Dog maps are in use in a FSI 2.0 allows field users to products are available 10.8, which provides auto- wide range of applications perform all their work from through Nikon - Spectra matic blade control, config- from military and govern- the context of a map-based Precision distributors. urable earthworks progress ment emergency and interface - a simple, straight The Nikon NPR-302 Series monitoring and blade guid- defence support to com- forward interface that end offers three models, the ance software on the mercial fleet management users understand and Nikon NPR-362, NPR-352 machine to enable opera- and location based services. embrace. For example,

26 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008

News: PRODUCT

when MapFrame interfaces automation of repetitive Google Earth 4.3 released to a mobile work manage- tasks used for orthorectifi- ment system, FSI 2.0 allows cation, mosaicking, USA: Google Earth 4.3 (Beta) is now available for down- the third party application pan-sharpening, tone load. There are several things new with the latest soft- to place its work orders balancing and other image ware upgrade. The company now touts the addition of 12 directly on the GIS-based processing jobs. These new languages in the new version of Google Earth. They map. Field users can view workflows can be deployed include: Danish, English (UK), Spanish (Latin American), the work orders with a sim- as standalone processing Finnish, Hebrew, Indonesian, Norwegian, Portuguese ple click of the mouse. A chains or easily integrated (PT), Romanian, Swedish, Thai, and Turkish. On the tech- double click on the work into an existing production nical front, the new release of Google Earth arrives with order location point pulls framework. ProLines are enhanced navigation tools, which Google hopes users up the information from available for all PCI will find to be more intuitively operable. the 3rd party mobile work supported airborne and Another addition to Google Earth’s navigation controls management application-- satellite sensors and can be is the Street View option, which first arrived under the allowing users to view and easily customized to meet Google nameplate back in May 2007 within the more ele- edit the information within specific image processing mentary Google Maps utility. The company’s software a spatial context, and then needs. send that edited information back to the 3rd party Leica IPAS20, new application. airborne direct georeferencing system ProLines from PCI Switzerland: Leica IPAS20, Geomatics the new offering from Leica USA: PCI Geomatics' Pro- Geosystems, is a modular Lines are highly automated standalone system that image processing chains delivers direct georeferenc-

Niagara Falls in Google Earth used to correct, mosaic, and ing for a wide range enhance imagery, as well as of airborne sensors such extract elevation data as imaging, LIDAR, synthet- derived from satellite and ic aperture radar (SAR), engineers have employed the PhotoOverlay feature to airborne sensors. Built thermal and multispectral give Google Earth users a view of panorama shots from using the PCI Geomatics systems. Leica IPAS20 ground level, which can be seen when the Street View Professional Software is equipped with the latest layer is activated. Going from an overhead angle to one at Development Kit (ProSDK) GPS/GLONASS technology the city’s street is as simple as double-clicking an icon and advanced Pluggable and a plug and play associated with an overlaid photo. Functions (PPF) framework, IMU interface. The Leica Google also promises more prevalent displays of build- ProLines are designed for IPAS20 Control Unit ings modeled in SketchUp. Lastly, clicking the new sun- production environments supports different airborne light button in advance of hitting the play button on the and can process large sensor types and multi-sen- time slider will give the user the chance to watch the sun amounts of image data in sor systems with up to four circle the globe. You can also zoom in from afar and watch an unassisted fashion, thus sensors. The plug and the sunrise crest the horizon. reducing labour costs and play IMU interface enables The announcement of the new release of Google Earth dramatically shortening connection to various types also notes that it will be gradually adding particular map- throughput time. An exten- of IMUs, selected based ping information in the form of imagery acquisition sion of PCI GeomaticaX on user requirements dates. Google Earth 4.3 Beta is available for download for technology, ProLines are for accuracy and exporta- Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. workflows that enable the bility.

28 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008

1 2 Location

RELEASES Google Maps Street View perspective manually, tor solution is a highly-inte- imagery is available, users according to his preference. grated SoC which elimi- Navento launches will see camera icons next nates up to 12 previously- GeoPing to each step of their direc- TrafficLand releases discrete ICs typically found Navento's mobile location tions, which will open a live traffic camera in PND devices. The analog tracking and sharing appli- Street View image of the application on audio codec and the power cation - GeoPing - allows location, along with an Facebook management functions users to let friends know arrow showing the action TrafficLand has released the have been integrated on where they are and what to be taken. Users can click TrafficLand Facebook appli- the chipset, saving space they are doing. The initial through their entire route cation, enabling users of and cost. release of GeoPing is com- through Street View, and the social networking web- patible with Facebook and on completion of journey a site to interact with more Altek launches Nokia GPS-enabled mobile green marker will indicate than 6,000 live traffic cam- integrated GPS phones. Other social net- arrival at their destination. eras around the world. The sat nav camera works and more mobile application allows Face- Altek has introduced a phones will be supported in NDrive releases book users to view live satellite navigation digital future releases. photo mapping video from their selected camera with integrated sat nav camera as well as view any GPS and DSC functionali- Google Maps Street NDrive, a Portugal-based of the traffic cameras in View now available in navigation software com- more than sixty markets driving directions pany, has launched in the worldwide that are current- Street View is now integrat- United Kingdom two ly available on TrafficLand's ed into Google Maps driv- Portable Navigation public website. The images Devices, G280 and G800, update to show live views featuring oblique aerial from the selected traffic imagery - called "Photo cameras whenever Face- mapping" to make it more book users open a page con- consumer friendly. This taining the TrafficLand system features 5 different application. Users can view perspectives; 4 diagonal all of their friends' cameras ties. The camera's built-in perspectives plus a bird's as well as the top ten "most GPS automatically record eye view. The system auto- watched" TrafficLand net- the co-ordinate data on to matically chooses the best work cameras by selected the image files. By using perspective for the driver city and worldwide. Google Earth, Google Map ing directions. In the whilst navigating. Alterna- and Flickr users are able to regions across the US where tively, the user can choose a Sigmatel announces integrate the images into processor solution the world map to obtain dedicated to PNDs full geographical informa- Quarter1 Results SigmaTel, Inc., a fabless tion of any or all of their semiconductor company, images. Apart from estab- Navteq: Revenue of $224.5 million, up 40% has announced a complete lishing exactly where each Garmin: Revenue up 35%; operating margin at 26% processor solution for the photograph was taken, Tele Atlas: Revenue of 58.8 million; Q1 sales fall portable navigation GPS users can also determine AND: Revenue up 20%; profit up 50% market, enabling lower sys- the route they travelled SiRF: Revenue of $62.0M, net loss $28.1M tem costs for portable navi- based on the time stamps TomTom: Revenue of 264M, 3% operating margin gation devices. The Sigma- and co-ordinates recorded Tel STMP3738 semiconduc- on every image. And if a

30 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 1 2 user wants to retrace his renamed Tele Atlas Kalyani Report steps, he can select the rele- India Pvt Ltd. The joint ven- vant images and obtain ture will significantly High-accuracy LBS key to offsetting E911 costs for carriers: immediate directions. strengthen Tele Atlas' oper- Frost & Sullivan ations in India and its direct 27% of UK fleets use vehicle tracking technology: DigiCore interaction with customers GPS chipset shipments to approach one billion by 2012: BUSINESS and other partners in the Future Horizons region. Navigation Devices and Systems Will Generate Global Rev- Nokia and ARC enues of $62 Billion by 2012: ABI Research Transistance to Honda partners with Over 90 million vehicles to be connected by 2012: Berg deliver RTTI to Japanese police for Insight mobiles location-based crime Industrial GNSS Market to Hit $240B by 2013: ABI Nokia and ARC Transis- info in nav system Research tance, the European net- Honda Motor Co. has work of automobile clubs, teamed up with Japanese are working together to police to launch a new serv- their PND's, it turned out tests critical new technolo- provide real-time traffic ice for its Internavi naviga- they were not a big hit. In gies (such as the on-board information (RTTI) to Nokia tion system that displays America and Asia the com- atomic clocks, signal gener- mobile device users. Nokia vehicle-related statistics for ator and user receivers) and will offer the service as a the destination zone of the validates the new features premium offering in Nokia travel. The service shows of the Galileo signal design, Maps 2.0 and in future ve information on crimes such characterises the radiation sions of Nokia Maps. By as car thefts and break-ins, environment of the Medi- adding RTTI, Nokia can alert and flags high-risk areas um Earth Orbits (MEOs) drivers of traffic conges- near the driver's destina- planned for the Galileo tion, construction or other tion, throwing in audio and satellites and secures access road hazards. When Nokia visual cues (such as a bomb to the Galileo frequencies Maps receives the road icon) as the car approaches allocated by the Interna- updates from ARC Transis- them. The service is avail- pany is currently still wait- tional Telecommunications tance, the application can able to members of Honda's ing to see. Union. dynamically re-route dur- "Internavi Premium club". ing navigation and provide a faster route. Sony gets out of LAUNCH PEOPLE the European Tele Atlas and Kalyani PND market EU gives Galileo the SiRF's CEO establish JV in India Sony is quitting the person- green light resigned Tele Atlas has signed a al navigation device market Galileo's second experi- SiRF Technology annou- definitive agreement with in Europe. This activity has mental satellite, GIOVE-B, nced that Michael L. Can- Kalyani Group to acquire shown too little profit to was launched from the ning has resigned as CEO substantial equity position justify its continuance. Baikonur cosmodrome in and president and as a in Pune, India-based map Sony's efforts in conquering Kazakhstan on Saturday member of its board of provider, Kalyani Net Ven- the PND market have never April 26, 2008. The Galileo directors. Diosdado P. tures Ltd. After the closing been very successful. Their In-Orbit-Validation Ele- Banatao, a founder, and of the transaction, which is first devices were too large ment (GIOVE) mission com- chairman of SiRF's board of subject to the satisfaction and didn't really appeal to prises two experimental directors, has been appoint- of certain usual and cus- the consumer. Even when satellites, the first of which ed executive chairman and tomary closing conditions, they fixed that and started - GIOVE-A - was launched in has assumed the role of the company will be shipping thinner version of December 2005. GIOVE interim president and CEO.

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 31 LBS

Location enabled devices Changing the nature of geographic information and its use

geospatial information. Users can be These give rise to challenges which are expected to "pull" or receive "pushed" s a person walks from store also being seen as opportunities information and also it needs to reach quickly to keep them "geospatially rele- to store in a mall, a path is around the world. vant" created. In this era of loca- • The need for updated and accurate A data has burgeoned because of two • The ubiquitous, reliable and hassle tion critical decisions such a piece of reasons. Firstly, the data itself needs to free nature of such services can only be geospatial information is vital for man- remain relevant to the user at that point ensured when data is compressed and interoperability is ensured in some agers of the mall. Technology now pro- in time since the user is physically pres- sense. This can be achieved when stan- vides new opportunities to capture, store, ent to verify the correctness of the data. Also the accuracy is critical at the micro dardisation, encryption and compres- and process geospatial data. It addresses level of decisions that users take. sion techniques are combined with a the growing demands of emerging mar- variety of techniques such as service • Additional data such as direction and oriented architectures. kets, especially concerning location orientation may be required to supple- enabled devices. ment conventional geospatial data. For The emerging trends also herald a example, in handheld devices with rout- new era in the communication of ing applications, it may be necessary to Geospatial information is no longer provide travelling instructions based on geospatial information based on tech- confined to conventional cartographic the orientation of the end user. Details niques of compression and communi- uses and temporal aspects of data are about landmarks and road routing cation networks which cope with deliv- instructions are necessary. becoming increasingly important for ery of information "about the right • Multiple modes and near real-time preferences we make in daily life. Most delivery of such services is a desiderata time and right place". (The requirement importantly, both creators and users of for any LBS based applications. This of delivery of information at the right such data have changed radically. presumes the earlier two necessities time and right place remains uncom- and loads an additional requirement for

32 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 promised). The room for error is very such developments on the geospatial small and ironically systems have to data market is still to be seen. Gaming software suggest users to make corrections for The one most important aspect of “ mistakes and omissions (wrong place what mobile location based platforms in association with names, etc) in addresses and other has done to geospatial data is that it position technology details that they provide. has put it to the "point" where it is most have shown new Simply put, smart applications now needed (pun intended!). Perhaps this is avenues for next need good quality data at real-time, all the biggest revolution in terms of the generation interac- the time. While challenges in making "requirement specifications of geospa- tive entertainment the applications smarter, are big. How- tial data since the beginning of Geo- ever, equal challenges lie on the data graphic Information Systems them- technology side of the application. selves. While GIS ensured that geo- It is impossible to trivialize the emer- graphic data was corrected for topolog- gence of social networking as a close ical errors, LBS ensures that road data is is inevitable that location based servic-” associate of LBS usage, especially in not "off the road". With increasing es face challenges of "Mix and Match" mobile phones. The concept of trust number of users, such inaccuracies are and interoperability of data (and servic- and the tendency to exchange geospa- quickly becoming things of the past. es in future) remains a way forward, in tial information in such networks has One look at the winners of the global order to produce richer and more led online communities to create, share LBS challenges in Europe and Americas "usable" applications. and use geospatial data, be it relief shows the significance of another The dynamism of the LBS industry workers in Africa using GPS enabled crucial property of geospatial data drives the dynamism of geospatial data phones to generate road maps, or the being put to the test - the usage of markets. Data producers can no longer branding of national mapping agen- geospatial data in association with oth- remain complacent and need to be on cies, such as Ordnance Survey, in pro- er data sets their toes to produce "exciting" and viding accurate geospatial data to Taxistop uses taxi prices, availability "accurate" data. mobile phone users. along with road network data around The element of trust and confidence The entertainment value of locational different countries. America's Emer- on LBS application is intricately linked information is also a related opportuni- gency Network uses emergency bul- to the trust that can be put to the data it ty. Gaming software in association letins with geospatial data while uses along with the positioning accura- with position technology have shown UbiSafe uses emergency messaging cy that is provided. new avenues for next generation gam- along with location information of As a result the geospatial industry has ing and interactive entertainment family members. now grown many years younger, to technology. In such contexts, open In summary, geospatial data needs to achieve the agility and smartness of development platforms such as be used along with data from different the smart and sleek location enabled Android and Open Handset Alliance are domains which may or may not have device it serves. steadily gaining focus. The effects of been collected for the same purpose. It Sumit Sen, [email protected]

JUNE 2008

LBS

So how does all that data get pack- aged into the navigation device with a high degree of efficiency and accuracy? The first challenge in building and maintaining an accurate map database involves collecting geographic information. As with any system, the higher the quality of the input, the higher the quality of the output. Take for example, map data and content provider Tele Atlas, which covers more than 205 countries in its own database and through partnerships. Such wide coverage means that Tele Atlas makes approximately 100,000 changes daily and about 3 million changes each month to the maps. These changes include new construction, traffic flows, restricted maneu- vers, blocked passages, toll roads, speed Keeping Digital Maps Fresh restrictions and signage. To capture such data, Tele Atlas' nearly 1,700 office cartographers and 350 field cartographers employ three cate- such as mobile phones, in-car naviga- gories of data collection resources: an igital maps are no tion systems and portable navigators, extensive resource network, survey longer just about help- in an accurate and timely manner can vehicles and user feedback. Ding people get from one be very challenging. point to another. In fact, they have On average, as much as 10-15 percent WIDE NETWORK OF DATA heralded a whole new range of cus- of map content - everything ranging SOURCES tomised content. Today's digital map from a changed street direction, a lane Tapping the company's network of users are seeking to know more marker change to new streets or build- more than 50,000 sources, the cartog- about their surroundings. These con- ings and new Point of Interest (POI) raphers are able to obtain critical infor- sumers are seeking to know: Which information - changes every year and mation daily, including many develop- notable restaurants are there in a in high growth areas, this can be even ments that simply can't be viewed five-kilometre radius? greater. Consider the millions of from the road. These resources include miles/kilometers of roads in the world, satellite and aerial imagery, public data What interesting tourist attractions are as well as buildings, landmarks and sources and filings, tax maps, propri- nearby, and why are they interesting? other structures that need to be updat- etary web crawler tools, government Where can I find a Wi-Fi connection ed. And with digital maps evolving agencies and strategic partners among while I'm waiting for my next meeting from 2D to more realistic, content rich others. to begin? Where can I find a qualified maps, with 3D imagery and capabilities With such a network, a map provider dentist while I'm on vacation that I can like video, photos, voice descriptions, can see the conditions and changes as converse with? And they want to have tour guides and other details such as they currently exist, and also anticipate this information almost instanta- schedules, restaurant reviews, etc, changes that have not yet occurred. For neously. Getting such an encyclopedia keeping pace with the rate of change is example, through government agen- of information to a range of devices an enormous challenge. cies, public data sources and filings,

36 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 Tele Atlas can obtain information about new residential and commercial developments, new highways and roads well in advance of when construction actually starts.

VEHICLE SURVEYS Additionally, Tele Atlas deploys 268 vehicles worldwide and 50 innovative Mobile Mapping Vans for data collection in Asia, Europe and North America. The data collectors, who drive around Tele Atlas mobile mapping van and manually take pictures, aren't alone in their efforts to collect information and verify and anticipate change. MOBILE MAPPING VANS how a driver reacts to a particular situ- The truth is that alone they can't possi- In the past three years, Tele Atlas has ation. Tele Atlas Mobile Mapping vans bly detect everything around them. But much improved the way drivers collect capture data quickly, traveling at post- when these are combined with a information with its Mobile Mapping ed highway speeds, and advanced back resource network, this helps to ensure Vans. end processing methodologies help that what goes into the map is fully These capture what drivers notice - process and package data efficiently verified and accurate. For every kilome- names of roads, images of streets, com- and accurately. ter driven, multiple sources such as plex intersections, landmarks, store Each van is equipped with four to six satellite and aerial imagery, public data fronts, road signs, speed limit changes cameras that precisely capture data in a sources and filings, tax maps, govern- and more. Using sophisticated electron- 360-degree range - both in front and ment sources, input from utility, fleet ics like 3D gyroscopes, the vans can cap- back as well as side to side. and postal drivers are combined to help ture slope and curvature information, The images offer quality detail and confirm and double check where bridge height and weight restrictions, precision at exceptional speed, which is changes are taking place, or are tunnel restrictions, and other roadway especially vital when measuring attrib- planned. features that could have an impact on utes such as the height of bridges and

Fig. 1: Best way to add new neighborhoods

Here is an example of how combining professional drivers with a vast resource network enables Tele Atlas to anticipate changes better than other map providers who primarily drive to capture changes. In each case, non-driving resources provide critical information that they combine and confirm, allowing Tele Atlas to deliver fresh, accurate updates before competitors have even noticed the changes. This resource network, built up over a period of more than 20 years, provides an invaluable source for maximizing the accuracy of the map data.

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 37 updated maps as possible, and ulti- mately greater satisfaction.

THE FUTURE OF MAPS The coming years will witness the unveiling of new and exciting map- based applications. Increasingly, maps will provide information beyond that which is purely navigational - for example, not only can the application Fig. 2: Comprehensive network of resources to anticipate and verify change get you to the nearest car park, it may be able to detail that there are ten spaces left in it. Or, perhaps a search for length of tunnels. The vans are more sumers themselves are increasingly a local restaurant will not only provide accurate than standard field capturing representing a key channel to feed that addresses, it will provide information techniques with two-metre absolute dynamic content back-speeding the on where you can find a curry fish accuracy and faster change detection. frequency of updates and improving lunch special nearby - or even a coupon In fact, the van can capture data up to overall "freshness" of digital maps. for a shop you will be passing along the five times faster, which is more effi- Feedback can be obtained through a way! Furthermore, imagine being able cient than traditional driving methods. Web-based service that enables anyone to explore a new city with a map that However, it may require repeat visits to communicate the changes he/she can show you what the route looks like, each time an update is required. observes directly to the map provider. and what the destination looks like, all Unlike aerial photographs or satellite Easy-to-use forms make it simple to in 3-D and with realistic texture and images, the maps are delivered as a provide input, and ensure a consistent color. vector database. That means that format to aid in identifying and verify- More than being maps and naviga- streets, landmarks and signposts are ing the information. After the changes tion tools, maps will be interactive por- modeled as a set of precise 'x' and 'y' are classified by location and type, they tals that allow users to explore and find coordinate pairs that represent the are prioritised, processed, tested, veri- their way around their worlds, accord- position of these objects in space and fied and incorporated into map data- ing to their preferences. Aided by their spatial relationship to one anoth- base. One such example is Tele Atlas' increased connectivity and the emer- er. The end result: precise positional Map Insight which can handle millions gence of the Internet as a collaborative accuracy of those points and more of change reports each year. medium, maps will provide the partici- detail, such as the exact curve a road patory medium for enabling person- takes, to better assist the driver. Inter- GETTING UPDATES TO alised experiences that our social com- estingly, the data from mobile map- THE USERS puting society demands. ping vans alone has already totaled 51 At Tele Atlas, more than 2,000 auto- As maps continue to evolve in terabytes (or 51,000 gigabytes). When mated control procedures are executed functionality, we can look forward to stacked up in DVDs, is taller than the against the map data prior to any prod- them enriching the lives of individuals highest building in the world at 586.1 uct release. The database is thoroughly and communities in a broad array of metres. tested to ensure accuracy. Partners, new, exciting and dynamic ways, with such as automotive, handset and superior mapping data as the founda- USER FEEDBACK portable navigation device manufac- tion. As today's consumers seek more turers, then incorporate the maps into detailed location-based functionality, their devices and applications and Arnout Desmet including the "community", user-gen- make the current maps available Managing Director, erated content becomes imperative to online for users to download as well - APAC South, Tele Atlas Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd the collection process. The users/con- ensuring that their users have the most [email protected]

38 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008

LBS GIS data compression a need for LBS

every mobile phone is equipped with a process, and cuts out sound which can magine if your MP3 player could GPS and is LBS-ready. Yet, people do not hardly be heard. store only 20 songs, or if you are use these services unless they are as In this case, the data compression is Iunable to send or receive an email easy and comfortable to use as MP3 not 100% reversible but ensures ade- because it has a large file attached. Data players and music download services. quate quality to allow pleasant listen- compression would be your need. Today, Now new data compression technolo- ing. This is called 'Lossy' data compres- data compression technologies are a very gies especially designed for LBS/GIS sion. MP3 audio - MPEG layer 3 - is popular, common, and fundamental part data are in high demand because of the based on this principle and combines of Information Technology and our daily following reasons: many algorithms to balance compres- lives as well. • Existing data compression technolo- sion efficiency and quality loss. On the gies are insufficient to meet the In 1948, Dr. Claude E. Shannon formu- contrary, for file data, the compression- demands of LBS/GIS lated the theory of data compression. must be 100% reversible. This is called • GIS data compression improve cus- After that, a variety of data compres- tomer's experience of LBS 'Lossless' data compression. If the file is sion theories and methods have been a text file, such as an English article or • GIS data compression boosts LBS developed. Today, they an integral part computer programming code, there of the applications software and not EXISTING DATA COMPRES- should be repeating pattern of words explicitly mentioned, but they certain- SION TECHNOLOGIES ARE and phrases. If there is a repeated pat- ly contribute a great deal of conven- INSUFFICIENT TO MEET tern, an algorithm called Universal ience to our daily life. There are various THE DEMANDS OF LBS/GIS Coding can be used for lossless com- 'ready-to-use' compression tools avail- There are a lot of data compression pression. LZW coding, which is used in able for many different types of usage. algorithms and methods available in GIF image format, is one example of You may have heard of some of them, the world. Each of them is designed and Universal Coding. For visual image such as MP3, AAC, WMA formats, optimised for specialised purposes. data, the fact that a pixel and its neigh- which were designed for audio data Most compression tools are combina- bour have similar colour is utilised as compression, JPEG, for picture compres- tions of multiple compression algo- part of the mechanism of compression. sion, and ZIP, for the compression of rithms and try to maximise the com- When data has some relation to neigh- data. Data compression technologies pression efficiency of target object bouring data, Data Relativity Coding always work behind the scenes to data. Compression theory always uses may be used. DPCM - Differential Pulse improve the usability, conformability, the characteristics and inherent redun- Coding Modulation - is one example of and convenience of hardware and dancy of target data. Data Relativity Coding. The result of related services. calculating the difference between one Today, Location-Based Services (LBS) EXAMPLES OF DATA data point and the next data point is a is focused on expanding their markets TYPE AND COMPRESSION small number. When there is a bias of and becoming as popular as other IT METHODS appearance probability among values, services. Especially in the mobile phone Compression of audio data utilises the the method called 'Entropy Coding' is market in advanced countries, almost limited nature of human's cognition suitable. The famous Huffman coding

40 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 pression method may work fine. Table 1 1. Thinning out shows an example of differential-based compression. n and its Third, GIS data require 'Lossless' compression and 'Lossy' compression, depending on the situation and purposes. In other words, what you need is to pinpoint an exact location, route, or shape of path/area. 'Lossy' compression

may fit when the 'route' is more impor- 2. Leaving intersection only tant than each of the points it consists is one such method. The JPEG image of. In this case, the following options format uses one of these algorithms. may be considered. (Fig. 1) In addition, unlike other types of data, a GIS 'route' GIS DATA IS DIFFERENT data can be recovered by Map-Match- FROM AUDIO, VISUAL, OR ing technologies that adjust position TEXT/BINARY DATA error onto road shape on the map. First, GIS data has a layer structure. It • Thinning out the points it consists of often represents lines, areas or both. For • Leaving only the intersection points remaining 3. Decreasing the precision and example, navigation routes (line) or the Map-Matching correction outer limits of a park (area), etc. These • Decreasing the precision of these points GIS data consist of multiple geographic points or locations. Each point data con- LBS may be used with handheld com- sists of latitude, longitude, and option- puters or mobile phones. Generally 0.0001’precision 0.001’ precision Map-Matching Correction ally altitude, time, or other parameters. speaking, data compression algorithms Fig. 1 Second, any geographic point and the are 'heavy' processes for computers. PC- next point in GIS data are probably based-LBS have the power to handle 'close' to each other and stay in the local this, but mobile-device-based-LBS have In addition, it is preferable that com- region, if data represents routes or to be capable of handling these kinds of pressed data has 'later adding capabili- areas. However, data scale, latitude and compute intensive processes. 'Heavy' ty'. In case of real-time locating, data longitude, is available globally. Thus, processing slows down systems and arrive periodically and need to be sets of data cause large redundancy consumes batteries quickly. Thus, GIS added to previous data. If GIS data com- that can be compressed easily. Even data compression should be a 'light' pression needs decompression, adding, single usage of differential-based com- process for such devices. and compression again every time, it will consume a lot of hardware Table1: resources.

Example Latitude Differentials (unit in 0.00001 degree) As explained above, GIS data has unique characteristics, so existing data

+35.00001 +3500001(not compressed) compression methods that are optimised for other types of data do not

+35.00002 +1 cover the demands of GIS data compression.

+35.00003 +1 GIS DATA COMPRESSION

+35.00002 -1 IMPROVE CUSTOMER'S EXPERIENCE OF LBS

Total number of characters 36 15 Usability or human interfacing is the

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 41 Fig. 2 Fig. 3

key for any product or service, if your In addition, if customers use LBS on called "mash-uppers" and many com- business target is consumers. In other mobile devices, GIS data compression mercial companies create services by words, people only use what is easy may save them money, assuming that combining parts called APIs or Applica- and comfortable to use. Like the MP3 the cost of data communication ton Programming Interface. Some are makes your music more accessible, GIS depends on data traffic. offered by Google, some are from other data compression could improve your Web-service companies, and some are customers' experience. GIS DATA COMPRESSION the original creations of individuals. As First, GIS-compressed data saves stor- BOOSTS LBS a result, Google Maps™ gets thousands age capacity. Users may use LBS in LBS will evolve in two directions. One is of LBS contents available for Google handheld devices or mobile phones "M-LBS" and another is "C-LBS". Maps™ in a short period. Not every with limited storage capacity. Saving commercial company that makes LBS data storage space immediately Mash-up LBS contents can provide contents in this increases available memory. Fig. 2 What I call 'M-LBS' is 'Mash-up LBS'. manner. In addition, many 'Mapplets' shows an example of GIS data com- Generally speaking, IT services are are used by many customers, so the pressing. moving towards independent services contents that people use most come to Second, it improves communication to 'mash-up' their services. The era of the top of list. speed - an important factor to mash-up services is just arriving. Com- In short, Google only provides a plat- ensure user comfort in the service, mercial companies are shifting from form for mash-uppers, and as a result especially for network-based LBS. contents provider to platform provider. many excellent LBS contents come is Many IT services - whether LBS or non- The best example of mash-up in LBS is added to Google Maps™. Because of LBS - start considering packet saving for the Google 'Mapplets' gadget. By con- Google Maps™ API, most of the early enhancing performance, because necting Google Maps™ to other infor- mash-up services that people created the slowest element determines the mation providers, you can show any are Google Map-based LBS. So, surpris- whole performance in network-based location-based information on Google ingly, in the field called 'Web 2.0', LBS services. Maps™. play a popular part. Thus, many Web services have started offering the JSON data format along Platform vs Content Complex GIS Data interaction LBS with the XML format to improve the Google never provides any service con- Second, what I call 'C-LBS' is Complex- performance of their services. JSON is a tent. However, Google provides a plat- data-LBS. In the era of the mash-up, much 'lighter' processing system and form - i.e., materials to build up servic- Web services need to exchange data. If provides a smaller data size than XML. es. Thousands of amateur developers both services are LBS, then the GIS data

42 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 should be exchanged or enable data exchange shared. Today, only a few among LBS. The formats services have started export- called KML, KMZ, GML, and ing/importing GIS data GeoJSON are commonly used among other services and to share data among GIS sys- even in these cases, they tems. KMZ is a ZIP-com- only share GIS data of a sin- pressed file of KML. Howev- gle point, probably a 'desti- er, KMZ is not efficient. Our nation', or two points, proba- experiments found that bly 'start and goal'. replacing GIS data with GIS- If LBS platform services compressed-format, such as start exchanging complex Google Maps™ API encoded GIS data, such as routes, Polyline algorithm or Loca- directions, or areas, then Port™ GIS data compression service interaction will Algorithm, in become richer, rather than KML is much more effective interacting with a single than KMZ. This is only point. Figure 3 shows the because the ZIP method is concept of M-LBS and C-LBS. not suitable for GIS data, as • A navigation system explained before. exports your 'route', and then a city guide service shows only those restaurants that CONCLUSION are along your route. Once practical GIS data com- • A real estate search service pression becomes popular exports a 'list of the houses and available, LBS will rise to you chose', and then search a new mash-up-based stage. services give you a list of sports gyms close to each of GIS systems - the foundation the houses. of LBS - should support GIS • Travel planning services data compression and export 'your travel schedule', decompression for the serv- and then an ad service gives you coupons of shops that ices that run on it. With you may visit later. thousands of mashed-up LBS There must be more cre- contents, there will ative combinations of LBS doubtlessly be very creative services. The key is the porta- ones that nobody could even bility of GIS data. In inde- imagine today. LBS and its pendent GIS or LBS, GIS data market will then expand at stay within a system data- an increasing rate. In the base. In inter-LBS mash-up, near future, GIS data com- GIS data must be available pression technologies will even outside a system as definitely play an important well as sharable and role behind the scenes. exchangeable with other mash-up services. In other words, GIS data Naoki Ueda need to be "portable" Founder and CEO, There are already Locazing Inc., Japan some file formats that [email protected]

JUNE 2008 LBS

Location Based Services A collaborative approach

erful devices, to connectivity issues, two decades. The industry has taken a cost and affordability etc. This article big leap forward in hardware, software or many decades, it has focuses on one such important con- and data acquisition techniques indi- made good business straint i.e. data. There are many chal- vidually. However, what an end user sense to a high-end lenges associated with data, which is needs is a solution service and not just technologyF like Geospatial Technolo- one of the key ingredients for any an application bundled with some gy to create a viable and meaningful attractive recipe for geo-spatial appli- data. In short, what a user needs is a end-user service like Location Based cations. These can be operational, tech- usable application with the relevant Service. Market research conducted nical or business challenges. In this data at an affordable cost. There are by BCC Research, predicts the global article we will be discussing some of many challenges with respect to "Rele- market for mobile location technolo- these limitations. We would also like to vant Data". Some of the commonly gies to increase to over $48.8 billion propose a collaborative solution which faced issues are: by 2012. is a service oriented, loosely coupled, Coverage: There is unlimited data in message based, event driven, common this world and users have varied needs; LBS are one of the key applications of data infrastructure to help tackle some there are users who do not require cov- Geo spatial technologies. Though it has of these limitations. erage beyond a city, and there are users a good potential opportunity, the pro- who would want the service wherever liferation of these services is limited by THE PROBLEM they go without any data degradation. many challenges which range from There has been a lot of development in Such users are looking for two features lack of widespread availability of pow- Geospatial technologies over the past i.e. constant access to the service and

44 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 consistency in the quality of data in explanation. There is a huge cost asso- terms of coverage. ciated with LBS infrastructure and this Let us consider the case of medical has to be passed on to the customer, “The goal of this project representatives whose job requires resulting in high charges per bit of data was to provide all the them to be constantly on the move and delivered. Intense competition is bring- tools necessary to add who have to frequently visit new ing data rates down and this pushes complex geospatial data places. They would like to have access the pay-back for providers by many types and services to to a service that informs them about all years. Cached information within their applications using a the medical facilities and contacts wireless transceivers (across all plat- language that's in the within, say, a 10km range. Such service forms) for LBS (including mobile search comfort zone of the pro- can be a boon for them and will help and advertising) brings down the cost improve their efficiency. The problem per bit of data delivered. To make Loca- grammer rather than the here is that a local service provider may tion based services widely acceptable GIS professional not have access to regions beyond their the industry has to deliver an optimum targeted user base and the cost of solution with acceptable levels of limi- acquiring data in entirety is huge tations which the common user can which may not make business sense. afford and not a masterpiece that is too appeal, we will have to deal with” all of Granularity: This is a measure of the perfect or expensive for regular use. them. In the next section we propose a size or description of components that Data Formats: There are many data collaborative solution aimed at make a system. In other words; the rel- formats and standards already avail- addressing most of these issues. ative size, scale, level of detail or depth able and in use by users in the world Collaborative Data Interchange Infra- of penetration that characterizes an market. Each data format has its own structure (CDII): "A Service oriented, object e.g. a yard broken into inches has pros and cons. Applications tightly cou- loosely coupled, message based, event higher granularity than a yard broken pled with data formats have limited driven solution" into feet. interoperability. This has an impact on There are two aspects to granularity both the application providers as well APPROACH viz. granularity of scale and granularity as users e.g. application providers get The solution we are proposing is of features. Both of these are difficult to bound to a data provider and a user inspired by the approach cell phone tackle, unless the data providers have a gets bound to an application provider. providers have used to increase their huge user base. But as the user base Though there are many exchange for- coverage. The key here is to provide the increases so does the diversity and the mats (such as DXF for AutoCAD, MIF for users with what you have, and for problem here is ever increasing horizon MapInfo and E00 for Arc/Info) that what you don't, use someone else's of requirements. help maximize data interoperability, capability. This helps increase capabili- Frequency of update: A user paying most of these formats lack unified ties quickly and every time there is a for such services would want the latest description methods for spatial objects new provider, the entire community changes bundled with the application. i.e. different data formats use different grows. Even if data acquisition is managed, data models to describe spatial objects. there are other challenges associated Thus, after data exchange or format METHODOLOGY with data updating as the entire serv- translations, information of the origi- A collaborative data interchange ice has to go through data standardiza- nal data cannot be expressed accurate- requires adherence to a set of standards tion checks, rigorous regression and ly, and information loss occurs. More- and protocols. A universal data stan- parallel deployments. The cost and over, real-time updating of spatial data dard with voluntary consensus-type time required to update LBS data is and data consistency cannot be real- standard methods, practices, guides high. Geo-rectifying and digitizing a ized via external data exchange. and specifications will ensure high hard-copy map is time and labor inten- These issues may appear simple quality & interchangeable data for LBS sive when we look at them individually, but applications. For this author propose to Cost: This does not require much of an to have services with mass reach and take lead from OGC WMS & WFS and

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 45 ate response and a transaction will take place. • Transaction management should also be taken care, there can be multiple subscription models used for these transactions; like pay per use, fixed duration, fixed area with fixed duration and many more such combinations.

IMPACT Having providers Fig. 1: Collaborative data interchange model share their services would soon create an ecosys- integrate it with Service oriented archi- • Any provider willing to be a part of tem that will benefit from anyone new tecture (SOA) concepts. OGC would CDII as a provider would need to joining the value chain at various lev- expose their services using standard lend the geo spatial data interchange interfaces. els, help strengthen the capabilities of standards and SOA would help provide • These services should be discover- existing providers and definitely help the base framework and communica- able, which means anyone wanting to the end user consumer who is looking tion protocols. The use of SOA will also use someone else's data capability for a solution and not just a set of com- should be able to find these services promote business agility and deliver IT plicated technologies and an incom- using some global directory or service flexibility. Also web services are descriptor repository. plete application. Apart from this if a already in use by various GIS software's •For capabilities that the provider does user can have an added capability to and are accessible using web, which not have, they become service con- create data as per his convenience, it allows the user to retrieve data that sumers to other providers and would will be an added benefit. This informa- follow one of the approaches men- others are sharing world-wide. tioned below. tion when created by a user, about a The collaborative data interchange certain point of interest or about a road - The service consumer should be infrastructure would not only require able to query the capabilities of the towards a destination can be made technical fulfillment and adoption of service provider. The service available to public at large by sharing it provider will send a response stat- standards, but would also require cre- with the server, as in the case of GPS ing what data is present (layers, ation of a geospatial service oriented scale, vintage etc.) and what capa- devices. This will help create informa- environment. Each provider would bilities associated with this data are tion database of unmapped regions. need to expose the common interface exposed (GetMap Image, GetFea- tureInfo etc) which would then be discovered, pub- - Alternatively, the service con- lished and invoked in a standard form. sumer would send the request to At any given point there will be two the CDII directory with their Saurabh Bagaria* separate entities viz. one providing the requirement and CDII will return Sr. Project Manager the list of providers capable of services and one consuming those. [email protected] doing the transaction as well as the These entities may play either of the cost associated with each one of Devyani Sharma* QA Engineer roles depending on the user request. them Garima Tiwari* QA Engineer Figure 1 is a simplified process flow •The service consumer will then send explaining the concept. the actual request to the provider and in *Pitney Bowes Mapinfo, India turn the provider will send an appropri-

46 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 TvqfsHJT3/3`HJTEfwfmpqnfou`dvswf/qeg!!!311904024!!!΢ϱ!21;26;5:

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L Application LBS in weather and geophysical services

disseminates through its own website overlaid on top of geographical maps eather information car- weather observation and forecasts to enable the weather forecasters to ries little meaning using GIS to enable the public to better assess the location and intensity of Wunless it is related to a appreciate the spatial and temporal rain areas. Furthermore, sophisticated specific geographical location. Hong evolution of weather situations. GIS tool gives forecasters a cross-sec- Kong Observatory (HKO), being responsi- In recent years, HKO also made use of tional view of the storm structure by ble for issuing weather warnings and Location Based Services (LBS) to just a mouse drag on the map. Figure 1 forecasts in Hong Kong, has a long tradi- increase the efficiency of work and shows how a hail event was revealed tion of using GIS in processing meteoro- enhance its public weather services. from the radar image. logical and other geophysical data spa- With the aid of LBS, new location-spe- Over a wider range, weather-related tially, and presenting them on geograph- cific services were launched allowing phenomena such as cloud, fog, dust ical displays for both internal analysis the public to better integrate the and aerosol as detected by meteorolog- and external service delivery. weather information in their decision ical satellites are presented to weather The use of GIS at HKO, in its more processes. Examples of the Observato- forecasters with the aid of GIS. The GIS primitive form, can be traced back to ry's GIS and LBS applications will be display software is highly versatile in the 1980s when the first computer- discussed in the following sections. that it can ingest data from different based weather radar was implement- meteorological satellites. ed to replace the old analogue system. USE OF GIS TO ENHANCE To facilitate analysis of different The display of radar return signals on EFFICIENCY weather phenomena, satellite pictures top of a geographical map enabled GIS is especially useful when it comes can be enhanced by assigning differ- weather forecasters to follow the to analysing and presenting a large ent colours to signals detected by dif- movement and development of rain volume of information that spans a ferent channels and overlaying them areas in a more efficient manner. As wide area, such as data from radar or on the same map. Figure 2 shows how GIS technology advanced, convention- satellite. The rain areas detected by duststorms are revealed from the al weather charts drawn manually by weather radar, presented in different satellite image. weather forecasters were replaced colours according to the intensities, are Besides applications on weather fore- with computer-generated charts. The weather forecasters are thus free to switch between different weather elements on the same map or generate multiple overlays to suit his/her analysis needs. The emergence of the Internet in the 1990s was another breakthrough which enabled HKO to expand its range of GIS-type products, from internal analysis for own use, to the delivery of services to external users. In Fig 2: Processed satellite image brings out major Fig 1: Cross-sectioning to reveal hail signatures features including dust (hazy gray), deep clouds addition to textual information, HKO from radar picture (white), low clouds (pale yellow), high clouds (blue) and vegetation (green)

48 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 casting, GIS is also widely used by the USE OF GIS AND LBS IN ed by the Observatory's lightening HKO in other areas such as earthquake THE INTERNET AGE location network are displayed in monitoring. An earthquake monitor- Apart from using GIS to display weath- graphical form on the Observatory's ing system empowered with GIS fea- er information in such a manner that website and Personal Digital Assistant tures displays earthquake information forecasters could assimilate it conve- (PDA) website. With the service adopt- such as location and magnitude on a niently and effectively, the combined ing GIS technology, users can interac- map, with visual and audio alarms use of GIS and Internet had enabled tively zoom in to their areas of interest available so that the Observatory's per- HKO to expand and enhance its service and such geographic features as land- sonnel can respond immediately to the to the public. With increasing band- marks, highways, country parks and earthquake. width, weather forecast charts, previ- beaches can be switched on and off at Just like other GIS tools with high ously only available to forecasters, are the fingertips of users. portability, the earthquake monitoring now available on the Internet, empow- Another feature of the service software is shared for operational use ering citizens to make intelligent involves the provision of a user-friend- by different countries, which can add weather-related and location-specific ly decision support tool. Members of to the maps their own geographic decisions for themselves (Figure 4). the public can select their own location overlays such as local roads, bridges Another example is the Observatory's of interest so that the webpage will and facilities vulnerable to earthquake lightening location information serv- automatically provide audio and visu- damage, thus facilitating rescue and ice provided to the public over Inter- al alerts when lightning strokes are rehabilitation work. Figure 3 is a sam- net, freely. The service is well received, detected within a pre-set distance ple screenshot of the earthquake moni- with millions of webpage hits per year. from the specified location (Figure 5). toring system. Locations of lightening strokes detect- Besides the above, the lightning serv-

Fig 3: The earthquake monitoring system displays Fig 5: Alarm is triggered when lightning activities earthquake locations using symbols of different come close to the user (The "+" symbol in the cen- Fig 4: Forecast weather chart for the public size and colour in accordance with the magnitude tre denotes the location specified by user, and the and time of earthquakes. circle denotes the pre-set 15 km-radius alert area.)

Fig 8: Display of in situ wind and temperature Fig 6: Lightning information overlaid with weather Fig 7: display of in situ radiological data measured measurement from the portable automatic radar image by the survey vehicle weather station (denoted by CBRN in the map)

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 49 ice also provides spa- decision maker, with the aid of sophis- weather warning to the public, espe- tial data analysis ticated GIS tool as shown by the exam- cially when there is no territory-wide tools, so that user ple in Figure 7. warning in force but localised hazard can retrieve the Besides the above, the measurement may exist. For example, when there is number of lightning of weather information in the event of a tropical cyclone in the vicinity of strokes occurring in a nuclear, chemical or biological attack Hong Kong but winds generally over a selected area of is another example of the Observato- Hong Kong are not strong except for a interest over a period ry's location-specific service. Since the certain region of the territory. If people of time. For data attack can take place at any part of the in that region can obtain alert of the Fig 9: Combined GIS sharing the same GIS territory, a portable automatic weather strong winds through mobile devices and mobile technology platform, the devel- station is deployed to the affected site (Figure 10), it would on the one hand providing in situ weather service opment of new val- so that in situ wind and temperature ensure safety of the public and at the ue-added products is information can be collected for identi- same time minimises disruption to much simplified. A good example is fying the area of downwind hazard. normal life caused by the issuance of the overlaying of radar images onto With the combination of mobile, GPS warnings of higher winds. lightning data which enables user to and GIS technology, weather informa- Information technologies such as GIS appreciate which rain area bears light- tion of the affected location can be dis- and LBS advance rapidly and give us a ning activities and which does not played together with data of other lot of convenience in service delivery. (Figure 6). Moreover, a film loop can be fixed weather stations on a map (Fig- Nowadays, many commercial GIS and activated to track the movement of ure 8) for analysis by the emergency LBS platforms are increasingly afford- lightning alongside rain areas for response personnel of the Observatory able. With the development of interop- assessing how the lightning develops and other operation departments. erability standards, software with GIS or decays as the rain progresses. and LBS features conforming to these LOOKING AHEAD standards is now highly portable. All USE OF GIS AND LBS IN If we would just imagine, there are these serve to expedite the Observato- EMERGENCY RESPONSE even more possibilities of using GIS ry's development of GIS and LBS appli- In the event of a radiological emer- and LBS to enhance public weather cations for the public. The Observatory gency, a custom-fitted van with radio- services. Once numerical weather pre- will continue to make good use of the logical measuring equipment on board diction becomes more and more reli- technologies and at the same time is deployed to measure the back- able, location-specific weather fore- enhance the content of the service ground radiation level over the territo- casts with fine time resolution, say less itself, in terms of accuracy, diversity ry. To allow the decision maker at the than an hour, may be provided to and usefulness of the weather infor- Observatory headquarters to make an members of the public, facilitating mation. There is no doubt therefore overall assessment of the situation and them to make intelligent weather- that GIS and LBS will become more and give appropriate commands to the sur- related and location-specific decisions more widely used and will increasing- vey team on the van, he/she has to be for themselves. For example, imagine ly aid the mitigation of disasters kept informed of the radiation level at someone caught in a rainstorm while caused by severe weather. every point along the survey route travelling. If this person could use a instantly. This is achieved mobile device to obtain REFERENCES by transmitting realtime information on when the Lam, C.Y. &Lee, L.S. (2006), "GIS Applications in Weather and Geophysical Services in Hong Kong", Atmospheric radiological data measured rain will stop (Figure 9), he Front (November), ESRI, pp. 8-10.

en route automatically to could make a decision as to Lee, L.S. (2007), "GIS and LBS Applications in the Delivery of Weather and Geophysical Services in Hong Kong". Pre- the headquarters using whether he should proceed sented at the th4 International Symposium on LBS and wireless communication or seek a temporary shelter. TeleCartography, Hong Kong, China, 8-10 November 2007. (Available at www.weather.gov.hk/publica/reprint/r733.pdf) and displaying the track of Another possibility of the van and the measure- applying LBS is the provi- LEE Lap-shun ment results in front of the sion of location-specific Scientific Officer, Hong Kong Observatory [email protected]

Fig 10: Alert of local strong winds to individuals

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www.aamhatch.com | [email protected] Interview I don’t think many LBS users can adopt Open Source directly

“With your Web 2.0 LBS software on the GPS mobile phone that allows photo capture with a Geo-tag, your son will post online the picture, plus a 5 star mark, of a full dish chocolate ice cream and share with his friend who is Stanley Wing Fai Ng around the next street corner, and reminds him that he will get a 50% discount CEO, MapAsia.com, MapKing group of coupon by pressing "12 and 3" and buy the ice cream from the same shop companies, Hong Kong [email protected] within 2 hours.” is the vision that Stanley sets for the LBS indutry. He shares his views with GIS Development.

Q. How in your view is GIS cessful LBS application. Tak- show accurate position of the providers provide the base instrumental in LBS? ing our example, our company user and his surrounding. The map data to render manmade GIS is a fundamental element began as a GIS company, and scalability, performance and structures like road network, of LBS. As the "L" indicates, our "MapKing" range of prod- reliability of network and well- geo-coded customer address- Location comes first. GIS ucts employed traditional GIS thought out data architecture es and buildings and terrains contributes basic location technologies along with our is necessary for a large scale like mountains and rivers. It information to enable interac- expertise in mobile applica- LBS provider since the data also manages point-of-inter- tive operations and decisions tion. traffic is huge compared to est data such as location of of users. Further, features of any departmental convention- ATMs, restaurants, gas sta- "BS" depends on the richness Q. How different is GIS al GIS needs. tions, schools etc. Traffic of information and features of data management for information such as the road GIS systems, to make or help LBS as compared to conven- Q. What is the difference in network with turn restrictions making intelligent choices. tional GIS? characteristics of data are also important for routing GIS functionality such as geo- Compared with a conventional for LBS? and car navigation. These GIS coding, routing, spatial search GIS, LBS need fast, frequent Part of data in LBS, say "real data needed should be updat- and analysis are commonly and sometimes real-time time traffic information", are ed and processed to be able employed in LBS. But tradi- updates of its data (such as collected from various to cater to various demands tional GIS system needs to be real-time traffic information). sources without the need of of LBS. updated/ fine-tuned for Location information in the human interaction, and main- applying LBS due to differ- LBS always reflects the True tained by the system but GIS Q. How has LBS evolved ences in database structure World environment to the data depends on human input. with changing data and algorithm that it uses. users. Data management for Like any conventional GIS, needs? Is there a growth in LBS always needs to pick up LBS deal with location and a demand for attribute data with I would describe GIS as the its pace to catch-up with the specific theme. In order to increased usage of LBS? cornerstone of building a suc- ever-changing world and to facilitate LBS, service Yes, the demand for attribute

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Now you can also subscribe the magazine online visit: http://www.gisdevelopment.net/magazine/subs/index.asp Now, with the help of more look at the ice cream cup and reluctant to adopt new tech- the coupon of the above nologies. They prefer to work advanced and convenient tools, we example as two Point of Inter- in old fashion as their forefa- ests, you are closer to the thers used to do. may not need to send out survey challenge. teams, and process is more cost Q. What according to you Q. What role of Open are the factors that will effective. But the fundamental data Source Software do you drive the LBS industry in the see in LBS? times to come? requirements haven't changed a lot As usual, Open Source Soft- At this stage of development, ware helps the industry to the wide coverage of GPRS grow more rapidly. But I don't and 3G in many countries in think many users can adopt Asia, the down pricing of data is definitely going up. 3" and buy ice cream from Open Source directly - just mobile data charges of tele- LBS is, say, like a house. the same shop within 2 hours. like open sources are not coms, the wide spreading of When different people move replacing Microsoft Window low cost or free WiFi in many in to this house, they decorate Q. How big is the chal- or Excel or Word that you are cities and its transition to it differently. The house then lenge of availability of using. WiMax (that enables WiFi will end up looking completely large-scale map data and become "Movable"), the main- different. As a data driven points of interest (POIs)? Q. What do you think is the stream positioning of GPS process that has to provide This is a question that I ask scope of LBS in Asia smart phones and GPS PDA necessary functions to users, myself occasionally. The chal- vis-à-vis Europe and North phones in major brands in LBS has to accommodate lenge here is "large-scale". America? middle and upper price range sufficient quantity of properly Conventionally, the process of Europe and North America phone market, the availability defined data. The users, acquiring map data is - send- are quite different in LBS and of digital map data navigation meanwhile, are ever-growing ing out survey teams to each high-end mobile phone taking software on PDAs and PNDs, and changing. Their needs spot, making measurements, up rate. In terms of smart and the availability of more affect either the functionality recording information and phone, especially on Windows applications, are all driving or the data definition of the then compiling the data. Now, Mobile platform, Europe and forces that are giving momen- system. 'Attribute' is important with the help of more Asia are heading in terms of tum to the LBS industry. but not only in the form of the advanced and convenient popularity and North America classic "attribute" on data- tools, we may not need to is picking up sharp in 2008, And there are two more deci- base text book . send out survey teams, and as reported by market sive elements in the further process is more cost effective. researchers. development of the LBS The following scenario is not But the fundamental data Most countries in Asia are industry; firstly, the willingness far from us. With your Web requirements haven't changed developing countries. We have of telecom operators in loos- 2.0 LBS software on the GPS a lot. Worse, we are not mak- huge number of university ening the partnership exclu- mobile phone that allows pho- ing just landscapes, but students and young execu- sivity restrictions in the start- to capture with a Geo-tag, inhabited areas as cities and tives who are willing to adopt up stage of many applications your son will post online the people are now looking for advanced technologies includ- in the region that are lacking picture, plus a 5 star mark, of greater and greater details. As ing GPS, 3G phones, personal a critical mass of users; sec- a full dish chocolate ice cream is well-known such details navigation devices (PNDs), ondly, how financial con- and share with his friend who change rapidly. So local WiFi games, etc. And hence trollers invest in LBS applica- is around the next street cor- knowledge and local opera- we can expect a rise in tions/ projects. In case the ner, and reminds him that he tions are very important and demand of LBS too. But there total cost of ownership (TCO) will get a 50% discount we cannot completely give up are many business sectors is acceptable to operators, coupon by pressing "12 and the traditional ways. When you and executives who still are LBS would grow quickly.

54 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008

A new dimension for navigation services

STANDARDS FOR MOBILE shall be made open source soon. Sever- y combining the growing NAVIGATION al enhanced versions of the route serv- amount of user generated The most relevant OGC standard with ice have been applied as spin-offs in a geo-content, 3D visualisa- respect to LBS is the OpenGIS Location number of scenarios: B • Emergency Route Service (ERS) - tions and open standards, new vistas can be Services specification, a series of imple- The ERS is a special OpenLS Route opened up for mobile navigation services. mentation specifications initially cov- Service, that considers specified areas The possibilities are there, now it is time to ering five core services: to be avoided (e.g. flooded or blocked integrate these resources into innovative • Directory Service roads, landslides, poisoned areas) while mobile products. This convergence of 3D, • Gateway Service calculating the requested route. (Neis et al. 2007). mobile and Web2.0 approaches is the first • Location Utility Service • Accessibility Analysis Service (AAS) - sign that the dream of Ubiquitous GI Ser- • Presentation Service This is a service that calculates a poly- vices (UbiGIS)is finally materialising. • Route Service gon around a certain start location (e.g.: When considering "openness" in the city, point of interest, address). That polygon represents the area that that is context of mobile navigation services, While the Utility Service (GeoCoder reachable from the start location within there are a few technologies, standards and Reverse GeoCoder) is moving to the a certain time or a defined distance. and institutions one cannot ignore. OGC mass market initiative, only (Neis & Zipf 2007). Specifically the Open Geospatial Con- recently a sixth service - the Tracking • Further the Route Service 3D (RS3D) sortium (OGC) standards for the inter- Service - has been defined, that opens and Route Service with Landmarks and Focus Maps will be explained later, see operable management, processing and the way for a wealth of new interesting also Neis et al (2007). It combines both visualisation of spatial data has to be LBS applications. A further draft specifi- approaches, by integrating 3D Land- covered. For these standards we nowa- cation - the Navigation Service - has marks in a 3D scene and delivered from an OGC W3DS instead of a WMS. days have very usable and stable open been in discussion since long. In the source libraries as well as commercial forthcoming version 1.3 of the OpenLS FREE, COLLABORATIVELY products. By combining and enhancing specification it is planned to add it as COLLECTED DATA these, innovative new concepts and an enhancement of the Route Service. With the recent boom in Web 2.0 and solutions can be achieved also in the Most of these OpenLS core services the emergence of user generated geo- domain of Location Based Services (LBS). have been implemented by us and data, some noticeable projects have

56 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 showed up on the web. Well known, their local but especially noteworthy is Open- knowledge StreetMap.org, a project that provides about construc- geodata collected by their user via GPS. tion sites and This data is not only accessible through suchlike into their web interface - you can also their routes. In a download their street network and next step, this thus employ it for your own applica- can be developed tion. The amount of free data provided into Web 2.0 by OpenStreetMap is already huge and application of its Fig. 2: OGC Services in the Heidelberg 3D-SDI (www.gdi-3d.de) continuously growing. own, by enabling It is time to use this large quantity users to share of free information for more than their knowledge about areas best on mobile navigation with 3D city just simple web mapping. The avoided with others. Figure 1 shows models (www.MoNa3D.de). project OpenRouteService.org provides how one bridge has been declared Some approaches and results from free routing based on OpenStreetMap impassable (red polygon) and the route the latter will be presented in the fol- data through our implementation now uses the northern bridge. lowing sections. The conceptual archi- of the OpenLS Route Service (Neis & tecture of GDI-3D.de is presented in fig- Zipf 2008). It also will be made avail- INTEROPERABLE SDI - ure 2. able as Open Source soon. Through the A FUNDAMENTAL integration with the Geocoder func- REQUIREMENT FOR LBS ADDING THE THIRD tionality of the Location Utility Service Interoperability achieved through open DIMENSION also an interoperable solution for specifications is of particular impor- In those 3D projects we use the Web 3D searching for addresses will be offered. tance in the mobile world of LBS, where Service (W3DS), another pending OGC An interesting feature that stems users roam through different regions specification. It offers the possibility to from our work on disaster manage- with different providers using an generate interactive 3D scenes of city ment is the possibility to avoid areas extremely heterogeneous set of devices models and digital elevation models that are not passable. Originally those and clients. In order to keep everything (DEM) from distributed data sources in areas were defined by the emergency as open and interoperable as possible, various 3D formats. In order to realise a service staff, but we are currently we use the specifications of the OGC. functional 3D routing service it is not implementing the functionality that The most relevant OGC web services enough to intersect the geometry of a lets the user interactively digitise areas next to the OpenLS initiative for our route with a DEM, but we need also to to be excluded from the routing algo- work are: consider bridges, tunnels, over- and rithm. Thus users are able integrate • Web Catalogue Service underpasses etc. This has been success- • Web Map Service fully realised in a web-based environ- • Web Feature Service ment. (see figure 3). • Web 3D Service Any appropriate client can now • Web Processing Service access this SDI and get a route calculat- ed as well as visualised in a 3D environ- These are used to set up domain spe- ment. In our own client, we have addi- cific SDIs, e.g. in the area of disaster tional features like a flight along the management (see www.okgis.de for a route or highlighted decision points for project on open source and open SDI- an optimised result (see figure 4). based disaster management) or on 3D- SDI in projects like www.gdi-3d.de UPGRADED WAYFINDING (Schilling et al 2006, 2007). A similar Extensive research has shown that the Fig. 1: Extended Route Version of Open- approach is taken in our current project navigation experience can be enhanced RouteService.org: user defined areas are avoided

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 57 allowing a context. An example of this are 3D client applica- focus maps, as shown in figure 5. This is tion or end user an extension of the original 2D focus to define the maps (Zipf & Richter 2002). When cal- style of a map, culating routes or maps for navigation, more impor- it includes and distinguishes automati- tantly it makes cally relevant objects in order to assist it possible to the user to focus on the most signifi- integrate cant parts of the map. Fig. 3: Dynamic OpenLS 3D routing supporting bridges, underpasses diverse data etc. (Schlling et al. 2008) sources into one GETTING MOBILE WMS map and The combination of mobile clients and significantly by including landmarks to style them consistently within that spatial data infrastructures should pro- into the route instruction. We currently map. For the same reasons it would be vide a means to direct to clients to the are developing another extension to very beneficial if this mechanism could right data providing service depending the OpenLS Route Service, which will also be applied to 3D data representing on its location. This can be handled by a support the usage of fixed Points of DEMs, 3D landscape and city models. Web Catalogue Service where all the Interest as landmarks as well as more Therefore we have developed necessary data sources are listed and dynamic approaches. For greater effec- (Neubauer & Zipf 2006) an extension to the client gets directed to the appropri- tiveness, the visibility as well as inher- the current OGC Symbology Encoding ate server. ent properties of the objects shall be specification, that is implemented into Mobile navigation systems also need considered during the selection of suit- our W3DS (Neubauer et al. 2007). This to synchronise the time and/or place a able landmarks. These functionalities can be used to define the appearance of route instruction has to be delivered. To will be realised using the new OGC the 3D scene directly from the client achieve this, we are currently planning Web Processing Service (WPS). side, such as it is the case with 2D WMS. to advance our Route Service towards a In particular this allows further to use Navigation Service, so mobile naviga- 3D VISUALISATION RULES the OGC Filter Encoding functionalities tion can be fully supported. FOR NAVIGATION for thematic filtering, to select 3D Now we need to visualise the 3D scenes objects like buildings based on attrib- EFFICIENT LOOKS in an appropriate and interoperable ute values. The selected buildings than When working with large scale, manner. Typically, within GIS there is a receive their specific visualisation detailed datasets in combination with clean division between the raw geoda- properties through the SE too. It is also mobile applications, the data transfer ta and the visualisation properties. This possible to include external 3D graphics to the client always constitutes a bot- is an advantage because the same data (e.g.in form of VRML mod- can be used and displayed in multiple els) for point-objects. This ways according to the specific needs. allows to change the repre- This division should also apply to 3D sentation of objects on the city models and mobile applications. In fly. One example for that is order to allow a clean cut between raw the 3D representation of data and visualisation, a separate open landmarks can be charged format for the visualisation rules needs dynamically. This can, for to be defined. This is already done for example, be used to provide 2D (web) maps through the OGC Styled different user groups with Layer Descriptor (SLD) specification - or different visualisations or more precisely the newer OGC Symbol- to adapt the visualisation ogy Encoding specification (SE). This according to traffic modali- offers many opportunities. Apart from ties or order changes of the

Fig. 4: Visualising a route in a 3D SDI environment

58 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 ular in the area of mobile maps (e.g. for service chain of OGC services through tourism, Zipf 2002), but now we see the Web Processing Service (WPS) speci- that more and more dynamic data fication in general, there is still a lot of sources are becoming available that research about how to deal with WPS allow to realise this in a wider context functionalities in detail (see Stollberg & to the point of Ubiquitous Computing Zipf 2007,2008, Goebel & Zipf 2008). (UbiComp). A term that may be defined These service chains can be also Fig. 5: 3D focus map along an inner city as: Pervasive services based on Ubi- realised in the area of navigation and route Comp technology and devices, support- 3D-GIS (Zipf et al. 2007), but earlier we ing context-dependent (i.e. adaptive) have identified some technical chal- tleneck. A large part of the data that interaction, realised by information lenges for dynamic web service orches- needs to be transferred consists of tex- and functions of geographic informa- tration based on the Business Process tures for the 3D models, slowing down tion services based on interoperable SDI Execution Language (BPEL) (Weiser & the performance decidedly - but dis- (Reuter & Zipf 2008). It has been point- Zipf 2007) in a different, but compara- playing only mono-colored buildings is ed out earlier, that the adaptivity of GI ble application domain. These problems not satisfactory either. In order to solve services to context can be seen as one of should disappear soon, as technologies this dilemma, our partners at the Uni- the next steps for GIScience research in mature and OGC services will support versity of Technology Stuttgart are order to achieve more intuitively further industry-standards such as developing a smart algorithm to usable GI systems (Zipf 1998). A few WSDL (Web Service Description Lan- decompose building textures into ideas of which adaptive services might guage). It is our belief and motivation, essential parts. Then these parts are be suitable within the context of GI that in combination the introduced transferred to the client along with a so services: technologies can lead to more perva- called pulse function, determining how • adaptation of the visual presentation sive GI services and so can contribute to of the contents offered - both textual they are to be assembled so as to form a the development of the next genera- and graphical (pictures, maps, video, VR synthetic texture that appears realistic. models); tion of mobile navigation systems. (Coors & Zipf 2007). • adaptation of route planning (by indi- Maybe they even show the way to vidual weighting and restrictions); something for which the term Ubiqui- PERSONALISED AND • adaptation of queries (combined loca- tous Geographic Information = UbiGIS CONTEXT AWARE LBS tion- and interest-based tips; could be applicable. A further set of new specifications (or • adaptation of the offered contents Some of these ideas are yet to be eval- drafts) we are working with deal with (e.g. concerning details, topic). uated and empirically proven, an the integration of sensor data: the so undertaking for which we are prepar- called Sensor Web. Dynamic data about CONCLUSION ing tests and empirical studies. a lot of information on the environ- It has been shown that the extensive ment (weather, floodings, etc.) or the suite of OGC specifications (or draft References can be found at http://www.geographie.uni-bonn.de/ karto traffic situation (traffic jams, accidents, specifications) available today is quite construction works etc.) or even surveil- rich and enables the development of lance cameras can be sensed and dis- interesting LBS or mobile and web- tributed in near real time now. The based GI applications in general. Of need of integration of these extremely course there are open issues, in particu- Prof. Dr. Alexander Zipf* heterogeneous data sources through lar when it comes to more fine grained Chair of Cartography [email protected] open standards is becoming more visualisation rules for 3D maps as well pressing. The variety of new sensor as thematic maps, where the current data will allow us to develop adaptive SLD/SE approach is too limited and Michael Bauer* PhD Student services that offer personalised and sit- needs extensions (Dietze & Zipf 2007). [email protected] uation aware information. This has While processing and analysis of spa- been proposed for a few years in partic- tial data can now be integrated into a *Department of Geography, University of Bonn, Germany

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 59 Trends

networking platform and service for mobile, web and set-top box devices. GyPSii is a UGC (User generated-content), social networking, search and location- based suite of integrated mobile and web solutions for users to APP TRENDS share, view and upload pictures,

video, text and POI (points of Fig. 1: interest) with a geo-tag (location data) place and track each other in their select communities.

The main features of this application are its User Generated Co tent (UGC), Real Time Friend Finder, Mobile Proximity Search of UGC and Maps & Navigation that is the heart of the application.

www.gypsii.com

1ST RUNNER UP

Senda Location aware APPLICATIONS Solution: Chronomove Category: Content

Senda is a provider of travel-time management information services This application allows user to dedicated to companies in a vari- ocation is increas- The EMEA challenge interact with people through ety of industries including media, ingly making to The Global LBS Challenge groups depending on the inter- transport, warless and the web. ests, create locations of interest, Chronomove is an always-on trav- the centrestage. Awards Ceremony for the EMEA L region was held during the 3GSM attach photos/videos to the loca- el-time management solution that One can take a sneak peek Conference, Barcelona, Spain, tion, share the locations etc. lets commuters: choose their Esti- February 12, 2008 at Poble mated Time of Arrival (ETA) and at trends the way LBS www.cometogethr.com Espanyol de Montjuic. Out of traffic events, and communicate applications are emerging the12 applicationts - Navteq their ETA to persons awaiting their by going through the win- announced 3 runner up prizes and 2ND RUNNER UP arrival. a grand prize. ners at various competi- tions being organised. We GyPSii GRAND PRIZE WINNER take a look at few partici- 3RD RUNNER UP Solution: GyPSii pants of the following con- UbiEst Category: Social Networking tests AtlasCT Solution: UbiSafe Solution: cometogethr GyPSii is a geo-location and social • Navteq Global LBS Challenge Category: Social Networking • where Developer Contest • Tele Atlas LBS Innovators Series Category: Social Networking According to ABI Research, UbiSafe is a location based service for personal security, cometogethr is a location-based user generated content will contact locating and emergency social networking application that become a key component of NAVTEQ GLOBAL needs. UbiSafe is targeted to the lets user join and create groups of LBS as it permits compa- consumers' market. It can be used LBS CHALLENGE people with mutual interests, view for monitoring elder or invalid per- The Navteq Global LBS challenge their location on the map, contact nies to enhance their servic- sons in need of attendance, for is organised in Americas; Europe, or meet them and share content. es with real-time information personal safety (at night, in walk- the Middle East and Africa in a cost effective way...and ing risk zones, etc.) or for children (EMEA) and this year Navteq has The system consists of a GPS- Initiatives like GyPSii may security. introduced a challenge for Asia enabled mobile phone or a mobile Pacific. And the 2008 Global LBS phone with an external Bluetooth reach the status of the Families can use their own cell Challenge features a global prize GPS receiver, an installed cometo- existing social apps like phone to: verify and track family pool valued at almost $4.5 million gethr application, a website with a Facebook and MySpace. members' positions on map, in cash and prizes. map client and backend servers.

60 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 APP TRENDS

2004 Naviigatiion 2005 Busiiness & Enterpriise 2006 Sociiall Networkiing 2007 LBS Games 2008 User Generated Content Fig. 1:

send/receive emergency mes- designed to fill critical gaps in the real-time scientific information on support from its Navteq Network sages, set up personalised "safe" nation's emergency communica- their mobile devices. Users enter 4 Developers (NN4D) partners, zones (geo-fencing) and related tions system. AEN was designed "HotSpots" from which they make shows that Location is the next notification rules, create a "virtual by CBS News Hurricane Analyst, observations containing location, big thing in terms of consumer leash" for preventing children to Bryan Norcross, and former time and the species sighted. The applications and its worth keeping move out of sight and be warned National Hurricane Center direc- WildLab uses Where & Navteq a note on this. about teens' speed-limits breaks. tor, Max Mayfield, with knowledge maps to provide and collect POI gained from the front lines of (points of interest) information. dealing with large-scale disasters. Out of all wildlife-watching Navteq Network for Developers After the www.aen911.com announcement activities, birding dominates: in a 2006 study, the U.S. Fish and of UbiSafe as • 10,000 developers 2nd runner up Wildlife Service (USFWS) the grand prize • 1000 companies Company: HeyWhatsThat estimated that nearly 50 million winner, they people participated in some • 5 Technology Partners were immediate- Application: HeyWhatsThat birdwatching activity during the # deCarta # Autodesk # ly surrounded by year in the U.S. alone. buyers from ADCi # PTV # ESRI # device making Category: Navigation www.thewildlab.com and service providing compa- The Navteq Network for nies that wanted to discuss You hike to the top of a mountain GRAND PRIZE WINNER business opportunities. or pull over at a scenic overlook. Developers (NN4D) pro- Company: Ten23 You see mountains in the dis- vides to the developers a tance. HeyWhatsThat will tell you Source: NN4D Blog post pool of resources like "The Most Innovative Euro- what you're looking at, providing a Application: SpotJots pean Applications with LBS" 360 panaromic sketch labelled technical resources and with the names of those peaks on Category: Social Networking tools, sample map data, your mobile phone from just about anywhere in the world. HeyWhat- technical support, and the sThat technology takes a location 'Social Blogging with Latitude!' is industry-leading LBS Chal- www.ubisafe.it the idead behind SpotJots. It is and delivers mountain names, lenge today. elevation profiles, contours, view- dedicated to help users in telling The Americas challenge sheds and even views of the their stories, and it does so in such night sky. a way that lets one discover, and Navteq announced one Grand be discovered, through location. The site offers additional Prize Winner and three runners-up This application allows the users resources like webinars from a group of 15 semi finalists. You can access it with web browsers and desktop applications to place stories and enrich them and added advantage The following applications are the with photos, video or audio - any- ones that won the runner-up and and via email and mobile phones. through its partners and There is also a version for the where in the world. Jot experi- grand prizes at the Americas chal- ences as they happen using their networks. lenge for 2008. Google Android platform, and an API (Application Programming mobile, and your subscribers will Interface) for low-volume non- be updated instantly via the web, RSS, or text message alerts. Other offerings include 3RD RUNNER UP commercial use. numerous supports to Company: America's Emergency www.heywhatsthat.com www.spotjots.com Network developers like Technical Since 2003, many applications FAQ, Discussion forums, 1ST RUNNER UP have been submitted for the Chal- Application: AEN Mobile lenge. There has been a trend Knowledge base, Trouble Company: Mediated Spaces associated with the categories. Ticketing System (for one- Category: Content Figure 1depicts a broad trend. on-one assistance for Application: WildLab While talking about the future of developers) and Map AEN Mobile GPS Editon alerts Mobile/LBS, a Navteq official individuals about natural or man- Category: Entertainment & commented "Mobile space is the Reporter process (to report made disiasters within range of Leisure future and there is an opportunity potential issues with galore that awaits geo-technology their devices by tapping into the Navteq map data). AEN Central Database of emer- companies, programmers and The WildLab enables citizen scien- developers. And Navteq investing gency bulletins. America's Emer- tists, like birdwatchers, to collect www.NN4D.com gency Network (AEN) is a system in to this challenge through the

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 61 an accessory device connected via Voicemap.mobi Bluetooth technology. It is a mobile and web based sys- www.i-spatialtech.com/ tem for leaving voice notes tied to ipointer.htm a particular location. Users can record private or public location RayGun voice notes on their cell phone then listen to them on the web Planet 9 Studios has developed and/or publish them on twitter. RayGun, the 3D navigation, friend finding and social networking http://www.voicemap.mobi application, enabling users to share their mobile position, see their friends as 3D avatars and communicate with them via SMS or VOIP. The application combines these social networking features with GPS. The application runs on cell phones, personal navigation devices, in-car navigation systems, and PCs. There is also a 2D version that runs on Google Earth and on Google Maps.

www.planet9.com/products _raygun.html

Smarter Agent receive information about Two interesting applications that FINALISTS NAMED selected buildings, landmarks, Smarter Agent, a location-trig- appeared in news recently have IN TELE ATLAS LBS and POIs; iPointer is a mobile gered real estate search is a serv- come from computer science stu- search and content delivery ice that combines mobile location dents of Massachusetts Institute INNOVATORS platform that allows mobile technology, such as GPS, with of Technology (MIT). SERIES EVENT users to access an unparalleled information about real estate, array of location-based services neighborhoods and interesting One project named GeoLife gives http://www.teleatlas.com and content. Pointing Based places around a given location. users a way to set to-do lists and /WhyTeleAtlas/Pressroom Search generally refers to a get reminders on their phones. /PressReleases/TA_CT017696 search technique that allows a www.smarteragent.com Walk by the market, and the user to input spatial data to a device might buzz with a message The event consists of three pro- computer by using a pointing WHERE DEVELOPER that you're supposed to pick up grammes, viz., Map in Apps, device to identify an object of milk. Another effort, named Flare, DowJones Venture Live Technolo- interest and then receive informa- CONTEST WINNERS was designed to help small busi- gy Summits and Attendee Choice tion related to that object. http://developer.where.com nesses like pizza shops cheaply Award. /jin/devcontest.jin track their drivers. To perform pointing based search The contest is organised by with the iPointer, the user first Then there was Locale, which lets Where, provider of GPS widgets iPointer activates an iPointer Client appli- users configure their phones to cation on a cell phone or PDA. that enable customisation of automatically adjust their settings iPointer is from Intelligent Spatial Once the application is running, mobile phone. when the devices detect them- Technologies (iST), developers of the user simply points the handset selves in certain zones. So you patented location-based services at a landmark, building, or POI, might set your phone to automati- and technologies that allow users SkyMap and clicks a selector button. cally go into vibrate mode in the to "point" their cell phones and This innovative application uses office and silent mode at the GPS-enabled mobile devices to movie theater, and ring every- The iPointer Client where else. then builds its display the current sky at the search criteria with user's current location. Skymap is input from a GPS a project of Mediated Spaces, Inc., Whether it is an institution as MIT or individual developers who want to receiver (position) an interactive design studio based in New York. showcase their talents and efforts in a and a digital mag- challenge that is financially rewarding, netic Compass the goal is same - Location. The future (orientation) and Mapicurious indicators may well be seen in the sends it to the words contained in the above-men- iPointer Server. Mapicurious allows users to create tioned news - "For these students at The GPS and their own maps with interesting least, cell phones should be all about compass can points nearby and share them with location, location, location". either be on board others. the handset or Harshavardhan Madiraju made available as www.mapicurious.com [email protected]

62 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 print_STANDING_TRUE(Edited).pdf 5/14/08 3:36:40 PM

CMY

K Perspective GPS in LBS: The future…

access points, traffic cameras and architecture is unique since it is both speed checking instruments have synchronous and router-free, making it made locating an object, without the distinct from the more typical TCP/IP- use of GPS, a much easier task than like network schemes. The architecture omebody asked me ever before. These networks of devices allows every pod to know what is - A one day, what is the communicating with each other have going on with every other pod - A future of GPS? With- been termed as "Wireless Sensor Net- throughout the Sensor Web at each - A Sout thinking twice, I said, it will go work (WSN)". Wikipedia defines WSN measurement cycle (Fig-2). back to where it belongs, i.e., into the as a wireless network consisting of spa- The novelty of the Sensor Web archi- realm of surveying! I do not know tially distributed autonomous devices tecture lies in the ability of the individ- why this answer came to my mind using sensors to cooperatively monitor ual pieces to act and coordinate with instantaneously, but when I started physical or environmental conditions, each other as a whole. This immediate- pondering on it, this increasingly such as temperature, sound, vibration, ly allows the system to be synchronous seemed to be the future. Let us look at pressure, motion or pollutants, at dif- throughout, unlike many other net- this more closely to understand why. ferent locations." works. In addition, the individual pods A sensor network (Fig-1) normally of a Sensor Web are all of equal status GPS owes its origin to the fact that constitutes a wireless ad-hoc network, and Sensor Web architecture does not mariners wanted to be able to locate meaning that each sensor supports a require special gateways or routing to themselves anywhere on the earth dur- multi-hop routing algorithm (several have each of the individual pieces coming troubled times, when everything nodes may forward data packets to the municate with one another or an end else has failed. Slowly it became the base station). user. By definition, a Sensor Web is an only device through which the location The above concept when extended to autonomous, stand-alone, sensing could be obtained easily, quickly and several such networks and sensors, entity that does not require the pres- accurately. The surveyors exploited communicating with each other ence of the World Wide Web to func- these features to the extent that today through the Internet (or "World Wide tion. The term "Sensor Web" is some- they cannot think of their surveying Web"), gives us the "Sensor Web". times used to refer to sensors connect- toolbox without this device. However, Wikipedia defines the Sensor Web as a ed to the Internet (or "World Wide miniaturisation of the GPS chipsets and type of sensor network or geographic Web"). Such terms are occasionally in turn the receivers and antennas, information system (GIS) that is espe- used in conjunction with projects of made this a favourite choice of compa- cially well suited for environmental the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) nies working in location based services. monitoring and control. The term or SensorNet (Fig-2). In this case, the This was the time when there were not describes a specific type of sensor net- network architecture requires the many choices of systems available, work: an amor- which could locate objects. However, phous network with current developments, apart from of spatially dis- Fig 1: Sensor Network (Credit: Wikipedia) GPS, there are now many other devices tributed sensor that could be used to obtain the loca- platforms (pods) tion of objects, whether moving or sta- that wirelessly tionary. The widespread deployment of communicate intercommunicating devices and sys- with each other. tems like mobiles, RFID tags, WiFi This amorphous

64 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008 environmental monitoring, transporta- tion management, public safety, facility security, disaster management, Supervisory Control And Data Acquisi- tion (SCADA) operations of utilities, industrial controls, facilities management and many other domains of activity. The OGC voluntary consensus standards setting process coupled with strong international industry and government support in domains that - All sensors reporting position - All readable remotely - All connected to the Web - Some controllable remotely depend on sensors will result in SWE - All with metadata registered specifications that will quickly become Fig 2: Sensor Web (credit: OGC) established in all application areas where such standards are of use (Ref: Internet to link together the individual can be determined and sent through OGC White Paper - OGC® Sensor Web sensing elements. The OGC architec- the available network. Today, there is a Enablement: Overview And High Level ture is very different than that of a true need for a dedicated network, either Architecture by Carl Reed, Mike Botts, Sensor Web system and requires GSM/ CDMA or any other RF network, George Percivall and John Davidson, schemes to bring together vastly differ- through which the data can be made 2006). ent datasets, in the same way that available to the The OGC initia- TCP/IP is used to tie together vastly dif- network/ base tive has already ferent pieces of hardware and comput- station. However, There are cases resulted in formu- ing platforms. Note also that a single with the Sensor where GPS does lation of the Sensor Web may be an individual sens- Web, the network not work (under- OpenGIS Location ing element feeding into an OGC-type is already in place Services (OpenLS) network. through which ground, inside Implementation How is this Sensor Web going to be the location can buildings etc.) and specifications that useful for the location based services be transmitted to alternate method of includes a Track- companies or the users? For any kind of the Internet, to be locating the object ing Service that LBS, positional information is the key. used for different queries the posi- Till today GPS is the sensor which is purposes. has to be found. tion of wireless being used for locating the object and OGC has already With sensor net- devices from an then there has to be some medium made progress in work, there is no OpenLS tracking through which the location can be this regard and is server over the transmitted to a central location where working on the such need web, using the this information can be utilised. There initiative called OpenLS XML pro- are cases where GPS does not work "Sensor Web tocol. With the (underground, inside buildings etc.) Enablement" (SWE) where the mem- above developments, you actually and alternate method of locating the bers are building a unique and revolu- would not need GPS for locating the object has to be found. With sensor net- tionary framework of open standards object; there are many devices that can work, there is no such need. Also, in the for exploiting Web-connected sensors do the work for you. case of location through GPS, the device and sensor systems of all types. SWE This would lead the GPS to remain has to be equipped with a GPS receiver. presents many opportunities for where it actually belongs - to the sur- With Sensor network, in place, the adding a real-time sensor dimension to veyors - doing core surveying and help- existing device can be picked up by the the Internet and the Web. This has ing them in geodesy.

network and the location of the object extraordinary significance for science, Dr. Satyaprakash, [email protected]

JUNE 2008 GIS DEVELOPMENT 65 Planner

8 - 11 September July 2008 10th International Symposium High 1 - 4 July Mountain RS Cartography Geoinformatics Forum Salzburg Kathmandu, Nepal Salzburg, Austria www.icimod-gis.net/news/showDetail.php?id=193 www.gi-forum.org 22 - 24 September 3 - 11 July 1st International Conference on ISPRS 2008 RS Technology in Disaster Management & Beijing, China Emergency Response in the Mediterranean www.isprs2008-beijing.org Zadar, Croatia www.earsel.geosat.hr/index.shtml 13 - 20 July Committee on Space Research 26 - 27 September June 2008 37th COSPAR Scientific Assembly ASIA GIS 2008 Montreal, Canada Busna, Korea 2 - 3 June www.cospar-assembly.org www.asiagis2008.com geocamp 2008 Carleton University - Minto Centre 17 - 19 July 29 September - 3 October Ottawa, Canada Queensland Spatial Conference 2008 FOSS4G2008 www.osbootcamp.org/osbootcamp6.html Surfers Paradise, Australia Cape Town , South Africa www.qsc2008.com.au www.foss4g2008.org 2 - 5 June Intergraph 2008 19 - 23 July 30 September - 2 October Las Vegas, USA MAPPS 2008 Summer Conference INTERGEO www.intergraph2008.com Sun Valley , ID , USA Bremen, Germany www.mapps.org www.intergeo.de 10 - 12 June GIS/SIT 2008 21 - 24 July October 2008 Zurich, Switzerland Spatially Enabled Government 2008 1 - 3 October www.akm.ch/gis_sit2008 Canberra, Australia 4th Asian Space Conference www.iqpcevents.com:80/ShowEvent.aspx?id=82362 14 - 19 June Taipei FIG Working Week 2008 21 - 25 July www.nspo.org.tw/ASC2008/ Stockholm, Sweden GeoWeb 2008 28 - 30 October www.fig.net/fig2008 Vancouver, Canada 2008 ESRI Europe, Middle East & Africa User www.geowebconference.org 16 - 18 June Conference Geo-Environment 2008 London, United Kingdom Southampton, UK August 2008 www.esriuk.com/emea2008 www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2008/geoenv08/index.html 4 - 8 August ESRI User Conference November 2008 San Diego, USA GIS DEVELOPMENT EVENTS 2 - 4 November www.esri.com/events/uc 2008 China International Trade Fair for Geo- 11 - 12 June 25 - 27 August desy, Geo-Information and Land Manage- Location Asia 2.0 GITA 2008 ment Surveying Technology and Equipment Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sydney, Australia Shanghai, China http://location.net.in/asia www.gita.org.au www.chinageo-expo.com

25 - 26 June 25 - 29 August 10 - 14 November Geo Intelligence India 2008 URISA’s Fourth Caribbean GIS Conference 29th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing New Delhi, India Grand Cayman, USA Colombo, Sri Lanka www.gisdevelopment.net/geointelligence www.urisa.org http://220.247.235.243/acrs2008/index.html

18 - 20 August 12 - 14 November Map Asia 2008 September 2008 Digital Earth Summit on Geoinformatics Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Potsdam, Germany www.mapasia.org 8 - 10 September www.isde-summit-2008.org Canalys Navigation Forum - EMEA 25 - 26 August Budapest , Hungary 26 -28 November Map Africa 2008 http://emea.canalysnavigationforum.com SIDEREUS 2008 Cape Town, South Africa Bejing, China http://mapafrica.gisdevelopment.net

66 GIS DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2008