DOCSLIB.ORG

20 Most Promising GIS Solution Providers 2014

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
20 Most Promising GIS Solution Providers 2014 The Navigator for Enterprise Solutions GIS TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL JULY - 2014 CIOREVIEW.COM 20 Most Promising GIS Solution Providers 2014 he traditional methods of acquiring, storing, In such a situation, the capacity to innovate is generally and analyzing spatial referenced data has a perceived to be crucial to organizational survival. There is great importance in everyday work of both also an increased awareness among organization about Tpublic and private organizations. The increased critical decision-making capability of GIS. Moreover, it is understanding of the value of spatial data has led to implicit within such views that the adoption and use of a huge increase in GIS providers. Companies offering technological innovations, such as GIS, will help top-level anything from base map data through spatially-enabled management to deliver the novel approaches, which will database management systems and enterprise solutions, enhance economic and administrative competitiveness. to analytical applications and providers of location-based To help CIOs and CEO’s in this endeavor, CIO Review software and services–all of these are finding their presents “20 Most Promising GIS Solution Providers advantage with GIS technologies. However, despite the 2014.” immense popularity garnered over the past few years, Our editorial team evaluated over hundreds of certain issues continue to hinder the market growth of solution providers and selected a handful to be profiled GIS technology. Integration of the technology with cloud in the GIS Special, so that you can gain a comprehensive technologies remains one of the major challenges. Other understanding of what technologies are available, which challenges include limited possibility of data evaluation and are right for you, and how do they shape up against data combination, redundant data sets, lack of actuality the competition. The solution providers featured in this and consistency, dissemination and transformation of magazine provide a look into how their products work in information, increasing government regulations and the real world. We believe this information will help you to expensive labor. Although, prices have declined in the market your company in a much more effective manner. recent past, the technology is still considered expensive We present to you CIO Review’s 20 Most Promising for smaller companies. GIS Solution Providers 2014. Oculus Info Inc. Company: Description: Oculus Info Inc A software services consulting recognized by magazine as group that designs and develops innovative business visualization solutions for clients An annual listing of the top 20 companies that are in the forefront of tackling Key Person: Website: challenges in the GIS industry and impacting the marketplace Curtis Garton, Director & www.oculusinfo.com Senior Product Manager Pradeep Shankar Christo Jacob Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor CIOReview|20 | JULY 2014 Oculus Info Inc. Solving Complex Geospatial Challenges through Visualization eographical Information Oculus as a company is primarily a “Most of our GIS projects are delivered Systems (GIS) of today have research and development organization, via web services to deliver results to users grown considerably from which puts it in the unique position of being fast. This has paid big dividends in terms the once niche and technical able to devote the majority of our resources of efficiency and flexibility,” says Garton, Gofferings of the past. Holding experience towards researching new methods of solving “As for now, we are most excited about the in 3D design, Curtis Garton, Director and complex geospatial challenges through growing momentum behind WebGL and the Senior Product Manager at Oculus Info, visualization. They then take what they have performance capabilities that it will unlock, is a man who clearly understands this learned through this research and use it to as it is essential for the proliferation of 3D transformation. “Unlike early GIS systems, visualization tools across both the web and today’s GIS tools and services are designed handheld devices.” for non-specialists, giving almost anyone Most of our GIS Having worked with clients ranging the opportunity to use them,” he says. from local law enforcement entities to Along with the general IT industry, the projects are delivered federal government agencies, Oculus’ GIS space has “big data” growing pains, efficiency can be well traced from the story which represent opportunities for company via web services and of a Philadelphia homicide trial, where the such as Oculus to innovate and deliver new this has paid big company’s product GeoTime helped a small ways of helping their clients visualize and police agency in creating video evidence analyze large volumes of location rich data. dividends in terms linking several suspects to the murder of a Dealing with terabytes of geographical data Pennsylvania musician. Videos produced presents many challenges for organizations of efficiency and using GeoTime displayed animated today, many of which are visualization and flexibility graphics showing the suspects’ movement analysis related. With customers in the U.S., and proximity to the crime scene during Europe and Canada, Oculus Info answers drive their COTS products forward, which the homicide and ultimately helped jurors these challenges through designing and provide a broad set of users with powerful convict the perpetrators. “Having GeoTime developing innovative business visualiza- visualization and analysis tools. was a great benefit. It can potentially push tion solutions. Founded in 2001, Oculus One of the company’s most recognized an investigation further by exploring the Info works on big data projects ranging products, GeoTime is a software application data in greater detail and finding things from visualizing massive amounts of geo- for visual analysis and presentation of which may have been overlooked,” said located social media data geo-temporal data. The product suite of Detective Joseph Coffman, Falls Township to intuitive opera- Oculus also includes Influent, a web based Police Department who used GeoTime to tions dashboards application for visually and interactively help investigate his homicide case. with easy to following transaction flow; Aperture tiles, Going forward, Garton envisions 3D use analytical a tile-based visual analytics that provides data visualization to provide users with the capabilities for browser-based interactive visualization power to instantaneously spot patterns and client-compa- of billions of data points leveraging big trends hidden within dynamic datasets. “Our ny executives. data, and nSpace, a visual analytics system products have helped users from different for document discovery and visual sense industries to not only gain insight from their making. data but also provide them with the tools to Oculus differentiates itself with their share this insight with others. Our vision for capability to solve complex geospatial the future is to create innovative tools for challenges through visualization visual analysis of geospatial data that can be by putting its resources towards used in a wide variety of markets by users Curtis Garton researching new and innovative ranging from senior executives to entry level methods for solving data problems. analysts,” he concludes. CIOReview|4321 | JULY 2014.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Geotime As an Adjunct Analysis Tool for Social Media Threat Analysis and Investigations for the Boston Police Department Offeror: Uncharted Software Inc
    GeoTime as an Adjunct Analysis Tool for Social Media Threat Analysis and Investigations for the Boston Police Department Offeror: Uncharted Software Inc. 2 Berkeley St, Suite 600 Toronto ON M5A 4J5 Canada Business Type: Canadian Small Business Jurisdiction: Federally incorporated in Canada Date of Incorporation: October 8, 2001 Federal Tax Identification Number: 98-0691013 ATTN: Jenny Prosser, Contract Manager, [email protected] Subject: Acquiring Technology and Services of Social Media Threats for the Boston Police Department Uncharted Software Inc. (formerly Oculus Info Inc.) respectfully submits the following response to the Technology and Services of Social Media Threats RFP. Uncharted accepts all conditions and requirements contained in the RFP. Uncharted designs, develops and deploys innovative visual analytics systems and products for analysis and decision-making in complex information environments. Please direct any questions about this response to our point of contact for this response, Adeel Khamisa at 416-203-3003 x250 or [email protected]. Sincerely, Adeel Khamisa Law Enforcement Industry Manager, GeoTime® Uncharted Software Inc. [email protected] 416-203-3003 x250 416-708-6677 Company Proprietary Notice: This proposal includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed – in whole or in part – for any purpose other than to evaluate this proposal. If, however, a contract is awarded to this offeror as a result of – or in connection with – the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting contract. GeoTime as an Adjunct Analysis Tool for Social Media Threat Analysis and Investigations 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Arcgis® + Geotime®: GIS Technology to Support the Analysis Of
    ® ® In many application areas, this is not enough: Geo- spatial and temporal correlations between the data ArcGIS + GeoTime : GIS technology should be studied, so that, on the basis of this insight, the available data - more and more numerous - can to support the analysis of telephone be translated into knowledge and therefore in appropriate decisions . In the area of ​​security, to name an example, all this results in the predictive traffic data analysis of the spatial-temporal occurrence of crimes. Lastly, a technologically advanced GIS platform must Giorgio Forti, Miriam Marta, Fabrizio Pauri ® ensure data sharing and enable the world of mobile devices (system of engagement). ® There are several ways to share data / information, all supported by ArcGIS, such as: sharing within a single Historical mobile phone traffic billboards analysis is organization, according to the profiles assigned becoming increasingly important in investigative Figure 2: Sample data representation of two (identity); the sharing of multiple organizations that activities of public security organizations around the cellphone users in GeoTime may / should share confidential data (a very common world, and leading technology companies have been situation in both Public Security and Emergency trying to respond to the strong demand for the most Other predefined analysis features are already Management); public communication, open to all (for suitable tools for supporting such activities. available (automatic cluster search, who attends sites example, to report investigative success, or to of investigation interest, mobility compatibility with communicate to citizens unsafe areas for the Originally developed as a project funded in the United participation in events, etc.), allowing considerable frequency of criminal offenses).
    [Show full text]
  • Stories in Geotime
    Stories in GeoTime Ryan Eccles, Thomas Kapler, Robert Harper, William Wright Information Visualization ( 2008 ) © Stefan John 2008 Summer term 2008 1 Introduction • Story a powerful abstraction − Used by intelligence analysts to conceptualize threats and understand patterns − Part of the analytical process • Oculus Info’s GeoTime™ − Geo-temporal event visualization tool − Augmented with story system − Narratives, hypertext-linked visualizations, visual annotations, and pattern detection − Environment for analytic exploration and communication − Detects geo-temporal patterns − Integrates story narration to increase analytic sense-making cohesion Summer term 2008 2 1 Introduction • Assisting the analyst in: − Identifying, − Extracting, − Arranging, and − Presenting stories within the data • Story system − Lets analysts operate at story level − Higher level abstractions of data (behaviors and events) − Staying connected to the evidence − Developed in collaboration with analysts • Formal evaluation showed high utility and usability Summer term 2008 3 Overview • Storytelling • Related Work • Geo-Temporal Visualization in GeoTime • Stories in GeoTime • Evaluation Summer term 2008 4 2 Storytelling • First described in Aristotle’s Poetics − Objects of a tragedy (story): - Plot -> arrangements of incidents -Character - Thought -> processes of reasoning leading characters to their respective behavior • Narrative theory suggests: − People are essentially storytellers − Implicit ability to evaluate a story for: - Consistency -Detail - Structure Summer
    [Show full text]
  • Harvard University Center for Geographic Analysis Newsletter November 2009
    Harvard University Center for Geographic Analysis Newsletter November 2009 CENTER FOR GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS NEWSLETTER November 2009 ******************************************************************************** HIGHLIGHTS • CGA 2010 Conference Announcement: Research on Religion • Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names available for Harvard Use • GeoTime Software Available for Trial • Harvard University Web Map • HealthMap on the iPhone • UCGIS 2010 Winter Meeting • Call for Papers: GIScience Research Track • 2010 GeoDesign Summit • Geography of a Recession • WorldView-2 Satellite Launch • Cartography 2.0 • Reverse Geocoding • Whatever Map • Satellite Image Search Tool • ScanEx Oil Spill Monitoring Project • Diversitydata.org • Google’s Free Navigation Service for Cellphones More... ******************************************************************************** CGA NEWS *CGA 2010 Conference Announcement: Research on Religion* The CGA is pleased to announce our co-sponsored 2010 conference: “New Technologies and Interdisciplinary Research on Religion” to be held March 12-13, 2010. The conference is organized by the Political Economy of Religion Program, Taubman Center, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and co- sponsored by the Center for Geographic Analysis, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, as well as the Sigma Xi Harvard Chapter. Conference presentations will focus on combining the content of research on religion with database design, geo-referencing, social network analysis, text-mining, remote-sensing,
    [Show full text]
  • Poster Summary
    Grand Challenge Award 2008: Support for Diverse Analytic Techniques - nSpace2 and GeoTime Visual Analytics Lynn Chien, Annie Tat, Pascale Proulx, Adeel Khamisa, William Wright* Oculus Info Inc. ABSTRACT nSpace2 allows analysts to share TRIST and Sandbox files in a GeoTime and nSpace2 are interactive visual analytics tools that web environment. Multiple Sandboxes can be made and opened were used to examine and interpret all four of the 2008 VAST in different browser windows so the analyst can interact with Challenge datasets. GeoTime excels in visualizing event patterns different facets of information at the same time, as shown in in time and space, or in time and any abstract landscape, while Figure 2. The Sandbox is an integrating analytic tool. Results nSpace2 is a web-based analytical tool designed to support every from each of the quite different mini-challenges were combined in step of the analytical process. nSpace2 is an integrating analytic the Sandbox environment. environment. This paper highlights the VAST analytical experience with these tools that contributed to the success of these The Sandbox is a flexible and expressive thinking environment tools and this team for the third consecutive year. where ideas are unrestricted and thoughts can flow freely and be recorded by pointing and typing anywhere [3]. The Pasteboard CR Categories: H.5.2 [Information Interfaces & Presentations]: sits at the bottom panel of the browser and relevant information User Interfaces – Graphical User Interfaces (GUI); I.3.6 such as entities, evidence and an analyst’s hypotheses can be [Methodology and Techniques]: Interaction Techniques. copied to it and then transferred to other Sandboxes to be assembled according to a different perspective for example.
    [Show full text]
  • Geotime Product Evaluation Lex Berman, CGA 12 Dec 09 Abstract
    GeoTime Product Evaluation Lex Berman, CGA 12 Dec 09 Abstract: GeoTime is a stand-alone spatio-temporal browser with built-in queries for analyzing imported datasets containing events with defined spatial and temporal footprints. Events can be viewed as discrete points in a 3D space- time cube (with the the z-value representing the time axis), or can be viewed as entities (which are comprised of multiple location-events). The current version of GeoTime can directly load tables and flat files (including KML), but must be used together with ESRI ArcGIS to load from shapefiles and layers. Installation : The installation package for GeoTime includes an executable installer (for Windows only), a license file, and a third-party map library application, called MapMan. For GeoTime to run with ESRI files, both ArcGIS 9.2 or 9.3 must be installed, along with .NET, and Excel. Installation on ArcGIS 9.3 worked as expected during testing, but failed to completely integrate with ArcGIS 9.2 (due to an error with ESRI .NET assemblies). On the ArcGIS 9.3 install, the application worked for the administrator user profile only. It was not clear how to install the application for all user profiles. There are some options for installing the application with a license server, presumably to run as a keyed application over a limited subnet group of machines. However, since we are using the trial-period stand-alone client we don't know the level of difficulty in getting the license server (third-party software) to run. The MapMan package, included with GeoTime, takes considerably longer than GeoTime to install.
    [Show full text]
  • Visual Analytics for Maritime Domain Awareness
    Visual Analytics for Maritime Domain Awareness Valérie Lavigne, Denis Gouin Michael Davenport Defence R&D Canada - Valcartier Salience Analytics Inc. Québec (QC), Canada Vancouver (BC), Canada Abstract—Maintaining situation awareness in the maritime domain is a challenging mandate. Task analysis activities were III. VISUAL ANALYTICS conducted to identify where visual analytics science and Thomas and Cook define VA as “the science of analytical technology could improve maritime domain awareness and reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces” [3]. The reduce information overload. Three promising opportunities goal of VA is to facilitate high-quality human judgement with a were identified: the visualization of normal maritime behaviour, limited investment of the analyst’s time. According to them, anomaly detection, and the collaborative analysis of a vessel of people use VA tools and techniques to: interest. In this paper, we describe the result of our user studies along with potential visual analytics solutions and features • “synthesize information and derive insight from considered for a maritime analytics prototype. massive, dynamic, ambiguous and often conflicting data; Keywords-visual analytics; maritime domain awareness; anomaly detection; situation analysis; collaborative work. • detect the expected and discover the unexpected; • provide timely, defensible, and understandable I. INTRODUCTION assessments; In this paper, we report on the results of work conducted by • Defence R&D Canada (DRDC) in the exploration of Visual communicate assessment effectively for action.” [3] Analytics (VA) solutions to real world maritime challenges and VA can help analyze entity behaviour, known patterns, and describe the design of a Maritime Analytics Prototype (MAP) the links between them. implementing VA features that will enable better situation understanding.
    [Show full text]
  • Geotime for a Patrol
    GeoTime Visualization for Peace Support Operations William Wright and Thomas Kapler Oculus Info Inc. Toronto, Canada [email protected] 1. INTRODUCTION Visualization display techniques allow people to see, use and interact with large amounts of multi- dimensional data in a natural and easy manner, particularly in complex, time sensitive situations. Information visualization techniques amplify cognition by increasing human mental resources, reducing search times, improving recognition of patterns, increasing inference making, and increasing monitoring scope [1, 6]. These benefits translate into significant system and task related performance objectives [7]. As more information is available, from more sources, commanders with advanced visualization capabilities will be able to make the most of this data without being overwhelmed. Operational and planning tasks are both amenable to visualization support. Previous work with DARPA’s Command Post of the Future program has shown the importance of multiple, shared, tailored views rather than one common operational picture, and has demonstrated significant progress for Force-on-Force scenarios [3, 7]. There is an opportunity to explore potential high payoff, leap ahead tailored visualization techniques suitable for the unique demands of Peace Support Operations (PSO) and that build on the success to date. This paper reports on one new concept for geo-temporal visualization conceived during a research project sponsored by DRDC in 2002. The term Operations Other than War (OOTW) covers a wide range of activities, for example domestic operations in Canada (Ice Storm 98), humanitarian assistance abroad (Honduran earthquake), or peace support operations (Bosnia). In order to focus the initial work, the investigation and analysis was confined to peace support operations.
    [Show full text]
  • The Radiation Challenge
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space Faring The Radiation Challenge An Interdisciplinary Guide on Radiation Biology for grades 9 through 12 Module 4: Applications to Life on Earth Educational Product Educators Grades and Students 9 – 12 EP-2007-11-139-MSFC Radiation Educator Guide Module 4: Applications to Life on Earth Prepared by: Jon Rask, M.S., ARC Education Specialist Wenonah Vercoutere, Ph.D., NASA ARC Subject Matter Expert Al Krause, MSFC Education Specialist BJ Navarro, NASA ARC Project Manager Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge i Table of Contents Module 4: Module 4: Applications to Life on Earth: Radiation as a Tool …………………………………………1 The Discovery of X-rays ……………………………………………………………………………1 Fluoroscopy ………………………………………………………………………………………1 CT Scanners ………………………………………………………………………………………2 Nuclear Medicine …………………………………………………………………………………3 Magnetic Resonance Imaging ………………………………………………………………………4 Radiation Therapy …………………………………………………………………………………4 Brachytherapy ………………………………………………………………………………………5 Side Effects of Radiation Therapy …………………………………………………………………5 Biotechnical and Chemical Uses ……………………………………………………………………6 Radiometric Dating ………………………………………………………………………………6 Consumer Products ………………………………………………………………………………7 Power Sources ………………………………………………………………………………………7 Sterilization and Food Irradiation …………………………………………………………………7 Activity IVa: Researching Radiation as a Useful Tool …………………………………………………… 8 Activity IVb: Investigating Nuclear Medicine Imagery ………………………………………………… 9 Appendix 1: Additional Websites ……………………………………………………………………
    [Show full text]
  • Here Was Not Enough Officers in the Streets, the People Knew That Those Involved Were in the Necessary Place an the Necessary Time
    Maps of the Future - a modern crime-analysis- and crime-prediction-based tool to increase the effectiveness and quality of public administration performance in crime prevention Beneficiary: The Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, Security Policy and Crime Prevention Department, Prevention Programmes, Volunteer Services and Human Rights Unit Supplier: For the project purposes, the association of ACCENDO – Science and Research Centre, and PROCES – Regional and Municipal Development Centre has been created Science and research institute ACCENDO – Science and Research Centre Address: Švabinského 1749/19, Ostrava Tel.: +420 596 112 649 Web: http://accendo.cz E-mail: [email protected] PROCES – Regional and Municipal Development Centre Address: Švabinského 1749/19, Ostrava Phone: +420 595 136 023 Web: http://rozvoj-obce.cz E-mail: [email protected] Authors: Doc. Ing. Lubor Hruška, Ph.D. Ing. Ivana Foldynová, Ph.D. RNDr. Ivan Šotkovský, Ph.D. PhDr. Ladislava Zapletalová Mgr. Bc. Tomáš Václavík Mgr. Bc. Ivan Žurovec Ing. Radek Fujak Ing. Jiří Ševčík Submitted as of August 24th 2015 2 Maps of the Future - a modern crime-analysis- and crime-prediction-based tool to increase the effectiveness and quality of public administration performance in crime prevention CONTENTS 1. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................. 7 2. PREFACE ...................................................................................................... 11 3. ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Leveraging Text-Chart Links to Support Authoring of Data-Driven
    Leveraging Text-Chart Links to Support Authoring of Data-Driven Articles with VizFlow Nicole Sultanum Zoya Bylinskii Zhicheng Liu Fanny Chevalier Adobe Research University of Maryland University of Toronto Cambridge, MA, USA College Park, MD, USA {nicolebs,fanny}@cs.toronto.edu [email protected] [email protected] Source article: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2016/12/21/14-brits-think-they-are-santas-naughty-list Figure 1: Transforming (A) a static data-driven article (with text and supporting charts) into a dynamic article by leveraging text-chart links. Given (B) a text segment, authors can link it to (C) a related chart, and add related chart highlights (in pink); these links are then used by various (D) storytelling layouts that authors may use to generate (E) dynamic renditions of the text-chart content to be (F) displayed on various platforms. ABSTRACT VizFlow, and a reading study with 24 participants comparing ver- Data-driven articles—i.e., articles featuring text and supporting sions of the same article with different VizFlow intervention levels. charts—play a key role in communicating information to the pub- Assessments showed our approach enabled a rapid and expressive lic. New storytelling formats like scrollytelling apply compelling authoring experience, and informed key design recommendations dynamics to these articles to help walk readers through complex for future efforts in the space. insights, but are challenging to craft. In this work, we investigate ways to support authors of data-driven articles using such sto- CCS CONCEPTS rytelling forms via a text-chart linking strategy. From formative • Human-centered computing ! Information visualization; interviews with 6 authors and an assessment of 43 scrollytelling sto- Visualization systems and tools; Empirical studies in visual- ries, we built VizFlow, a prototype system that uses text-chart links ization; • Applied computing ! Publishing.
    [Show full text]
  • Geotime Visualization of RFID Providing Global Visibility of the Dod Supply Chain
    GeoTime Visualization of RFID Providing Global Visibility of the DoD Supply Chain David Shuping (FC Business Systems) and William Wright (Oculus Info, Inc.) Abstract thousands of electronic tag readers, can be quickly and easily comprehended by a human observer. When The use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) information is presented visually, efficient innate human technology is expanding rapidly in both commercial and capabilities can be used to perceive and process data. Department of Defense (DoD) supply chains. Many Orders of magnitude more information can be seen and resources within the RFID research and development understood in a few minutes. Information visualization community have been focused on hardware and firmware techniques amplify understanding by increasing human components, including active and passive RFID tags, tag mental resources, reducing search times, improving readers, and embedded software, yet fewer resources have recognition of patterns, increasing inference making, and been focused on exploiting the data collected by tag readers increasing monitoring scope [Card, 1999], [Ware, 2000]. and stored in electronic databases. GeoTime visualization These benefits translate into system and task-related exploits the collection and storage of RFID data, and performance factors which speed the completion of provides global in-transit visibility of the DoD supply chain analysis, decision-making, and communication tasks. The down to the last tactical mile. time, effort and number of work products required to do these types of tasks are reduced [Wright and Kapler, 2002]. Background 1.2 Visualization of Events in Time and Geography DoD recognizes the value of expanding their global RFID Many visualization techniques for analyzing complex event infrastructure and sees a RFID-capable supply chain as a interactions only display information along a single critical element of defense transformation [Wynne, 2004].
    [Show full text]