Multimedia Mapping - Now Works with Remote GPS Receivers -- with Red Hen Systems'

Multimedia Mapping - Now Works with Remote GPS Receivers -- with Red Hen Systems'

Red Hen Systems announced that its MediaMapper multimedia mapping software now maps digital still images via a wireless method, by linking them with data from remote GPS receivers.

Clients such as the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Defense, and GIS consulting firms use Red Hen Systems' multimedia mapping systems for mapping real-time, geo-indexed video or digital still images with differential GPS accuracy. MediaMapper's new wireless capability marks a critical development milestone: it expands the multimedia mapping field to include GIS users who already own a digital still camera and a handheld GPS receiver.

``The wireless capability makes image mapping literally as easy as taking a picture,'' explains Ken Burgess, Vice President of R&D. ``No special modes to set on the camera or scripts to run, absolutely nothing special to do in the field, just snap images. In addition, the wide compatibility of the wireless solution makes it possible to use virtually any digital still camera on the market. Users don't have to settle for a specific camera's features; they can make the decision about what kind of camera to get, depending on their particular needs or preferences.''

MediaMapper is a unique Windows-based mapping program that unites real-time video or digital still imagery with GIS maps. The software enhances the capabilities of a GIS by adding multimedia components to the database. In other words, it imports both GPS information and video or digital still images, building an interactive ``media map'' of the location where the images were recorded. Traditionally, the imagery and GPS data have been merged by connecting the GPS receiver to the camera. The new wireless method, while not providing differential GPS capability, requires very little setup and eliminates cables in the field.

The multimedia mapping phenomenon is Red Hen Systems' answer to data review limitations that have faced GIS users for years. When GIS users are able to actually view locations, they have a better ability to make realistic analyses of the available data. MediaMapper affords a higher level of interactivity between the GIS and the user, in a way the user understands. It adds the visual element by incorporating spatially indexed digital imagery from mapped locations.

Multimedia mapping can be as simple as taking a picture, then downloading it and a GPS log to your computer. Clicking on the mapped location recalls the image and GPS data. The system can support much more, including video clips, audio clips, files of any kind, or even external programs. The idea behind MediaMapper is that linking these data stores to maps should be a simple, automated process. For example, you could take a digital picture of a scenic area on a forest trail, then download it to your computer, already linked to its precise GPS location on a map. Hyperlinks for other sites of interest along the trail, such as campsites, could be created automatically. A click on the map would let you review the multimedia files or GPS data at any point on the trail. MediaMapper outputs interactive maps in .tab, .shp, or .html formats, and includes multimedia tool extensions for ArcView GIS and MapInfo Professional.

Red Hen Systems, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the development of innovative GPS/GIS software and hardware. Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, Red Hen Systems is actively involved in shaping the future of multimedia mapping, spatial analysis, and precision agriculture. Find out more at www.redhensystems.com . Contact the company by e-mail at info@redhensystems.com , or call 970/493-3952.