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Intermap announces US $1.4 million contract addition for NASA Alaska Aviation Safety Project

Intermap Technologies and EarthWatch Incorporated, of Longmont, CO, have announced US $1.387 million (including channel costs) additional tasking in two new delivery order modifications to supply high-accuracy mapping data for aviation safety projects in Alaska sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Intermap previously contracted to gather highly precise digital elevation mapping data on heavily travelled air routes through mountain passes in Alaska. The additional tasking provides for the collection of elevation data for significantly larger area around each pass. As well, two of the original passes have been combined as one and an additional pass has been added to the task bringing the number of sites acquired to eleven. The Synthetic Vision Project is being conducted by NASA's Aviation Safety Program (AvSP). Intermap's high-resolution digital elevation data will be collected as part of an EarthWatch contract under NASA's Science Data Purchase project.

Visit:- www.intermaptechnologies.com

NovaLIS Technologies and Valcura International announce strategic partnership

NovaLIS Technologies and Valcura International announce the formation of a strategic partnership to deliver comprehensive land information systems solutions to appraisal agencies. "We can now offer solid turnkey property tax assessment solutions to our clients that cover all aspects of the NovaLIS product suite," says Tim Walker, President Valcura International. Working together, the two firms provide a complete solution to their customers - counties, provinces, cities and appraisal districts in the United States and Canada. This includes GIS and Computer-Aided Mass Appraisal Systems (CAMA) software, standard and custom valuation solutions, data conversion, systems integration services, project management, and a wide range of management consulting services such as assessment best practices.

Visit:- www.novalistech.com

Direct Sales of Paradigm's New Destinator Product Exceeds 1,000 Units

Paradigm Advanced Technologies, Inc., have confirmed that the orders for its Destinator(TM) GPS-based navigation system product have well exceeded 1,000 units in less than 30 days of the initial launch of the product. These direct sales have been part of the Company's pre-marketing launch Internet pilot program. The Company indicated it is extremely encouraged by initial demand for the product especially because most of the sales occurred prior to the recent string of impressive reviews of the Destinator(TM) product. The Destinator(TM) navigation system product provides navigation assistance to travelers throughout North America. The Destinator(TM) product allows the users to effortlessly navigate by providing real-time turn-by-turn voice instructions in either English, French or Spanish that guide the user to his or her destination without the distraction of having to glance at the Destinator's map readout. Visual guidance is also available in real-time on dynamically updated maps of the area. The Destinator's(TM) GPS unit keeps up with the user's changing speeds and varied terrain while continuously maintaining the system's accuracy to within 30 feet.

Visit:- www.destinator1.com

Asia News

Governor launches eSeva project

HYDERABAD, AUG. 25. The launching of eSeva project here on Saturday by the Governor, Dr. C. Rangarajan, marked yet another milestone in the march towards complete eGovernance in Andhra Pradesh. The eSeva centres, opened under the project, act as ``one-stop-shop'' for nearly 30 governmental and private services to the citizens of Hyderabad. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, who inaugurated the data centre and citizens services, announced that the project would be gradually extended to all the cities and towns and subsequently to the rural areas.

The Governor and the Chief Minister went round the eSeva centre at the RTA premises in Khairatabad and were apprised of the host of services provided under one-roof, which include payment of electricity, telephone and water bills, property taxes, reservation of RTC tickets, issue of birth/death certificates, receipt of passport applications, collection of cell phone bills and on-line filing of complaints.

The eSeva project, implemented on a public-private partnership model, is a rollout of the TWINS pilot project launched at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad in December, 1999.The Governor was all praise for the ``bold initiative'' in providing improved services to the people through a networking mechanism. The role of the State or the Government in providing social infrastructure facilities such as health, education and sanitation gained added importance. ``More market does not mean less Government but a different Government,'' he stressed.

The Chief Minister said eSeva was an important project in delivering Government information and services online to citizens. It would eventually be integrated with the AP portal being set up for rendering services to all citizens.

The Chief Minister said the eSeva project would be extended to all district headquarters and other towns in the next two to three years. The idea was that those having computers can avail themselves of the services from their homes over the net and those who cannot afford the PCs at home can avail of the services at eSeva centres.

Source: The Hindu, 26 August

Ministers Highlight Distance-learning

BEIJING,August 22 Xinhuanet-- Top education officials from nine countries that account for half the world's population gather this week in Beijing to discuss ways to improve schools through distance-learning methods,according to today's China Daily.

The focus on distance-learning is key because nations now hope to provide continuous education prospects for people in far-flung areas using new technologies, said John Sagar Daniel, assistant director-general for education of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ¨UNESCO".

The meeting is the fourth such meeting held by UNESCO. Participants sending officials include China, India, Bangladesh, Brazil,Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan. These nations account for 70 per cent of the world's illiterate population, officials said. Distance-learning provides classes and study materials via television, videotape, correspondence and the Internet.

The three-day meeting ends tomorrow.

China has listed distance-learning as an important part of its education development blueprint for the 10th Five-Year Plan period ¨2001-05", said Li Lianning, director of the Department for Basic Education under the Ministry of Education.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

Japanese rocket's delayed launch set for Wednesday

Japan has formally decided to launch its new H-2A rocket on Wednesday after repeated delays due to a probe into technical problems, a government agency said. The H-2A rocket, intended as a commercial satellite launch rival to Europe's Ariane V, is to blast off from Tanegashima island, about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) southwest of Tokyo.

Takeoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm (0400 GMT) on August 29, although the launch time could be put back to as late as 6:00 pm depending on weather conditions, the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) said Saturday.

Source: Space Daily(http://spacedaily.com/news/010825103808.l48ojecm.html )