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SVG based internet GIS for environment information

Locus Technologies (Locus), a global leader in environmental information management, has announced it has released the first version of a web-based GIS for its award-winning LocusFocus suite of Internet technologies. The system allows users to see a map of a site, click on a well on the map, and obtain chemical and water level information for that well, including a log, if one exists. Data can be displayed in tables or graphs, posted on the map, or downloaded. Such capabilities and features represent only a starting point. Locus also intends to expand capabilities into contouring, animation, and 3D visualization. What is exciting about this new development is that it is entirely based on a new Web graphics format and XML-based language called Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG). SVG offers many benefits. Foremost among these is that it is not a proprietary technology. Rather, it has been developed as an open, vendor-neutral specification by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Because SVG is a vector format, images download faster, and users can zoom in on a section of a map or graphic without any loss of resolution and without having to reload the image. This is of particular importance for the environmental industry that deals with large amounts of information. Lastly, because it is entirely text-based, users can search for text (such as a well ID or a contaminant name) within the SVG image itself.

Visit: www.locustec.com

Augsburg's uniform base map on the intranet "Brings data to the user, not the other way round"

Since Fall 2001 all departments of Augsburg city council have had direct access to the city's Digital Base Map (DISTA). The Municipal Surveyor's Office is using SICAD Internet Map Service (SICAD-IMS) to put this uniform spatial reference data onto the local authority's intranet. Now all departments have a dynamic, geo-referenced database, which also forms the basis for a comprehensive local authority spatial information system. Augsburg's Digital Base Map, covering all 147 square kilometers of the urban district of Augsburg, has been generally available since the end of 2000. Once it was complete, the next logical step was to make it accessible to everyone in the city council. To introduce e-government as rapidly and effectively as possible, the decision was made in Spring 2001 to use SICAD Internet Map Service. This technology allows geo-information to be posted and presented on the web, so DISTA can now be accessed from all the 1200 or so standard networked PCs. This online service provided by the Municipal Surveyor's Office is easy and up-to-date and can be used with a standard browser. Users can take the official digital street map, the address or the cadastral number and plot as the starting point for their query.

Visit: www.sicad.com

PocketCAD PRO on rugged colour Ranger handheld

At Work Computers, a leading provider of ruggedized mobile computing solutions, and Arc Second, Inc., the leading provider of mobile CAD software solutions, have announced the availability of PocketCAD PRO 4.0 for the Ranger Series ruggedised handheld computers. This combination extends the capability to create, view and edit design drawings into harsh outdoor and industrial environments. The Ranger 200C, from At Work Computers, is the first ultra-rugged-class handheld device to feature the same high-performance Reflective Color TFT display technology found in popular consumer-grade handheld devices, making it a perfect fit for Arc Second's comprehensive mobile CAD application. PocketCAD Pro, which reads DWG, DXF and DGN files, is the only fully functional CAD software for Windows®-powered mobile devices like the Ranger Series.

Visit: http://www.pocketcad.com/

Meteorlogix introduces MxInsight GIS For Geography Network

Meteorlogix, a commercial weather services provider, has introduced MxInsight GIS For Geography Network(SM) -- a new Geographic Information Systems (GIS) weather data service that facilitates the sharing of GIS weather data over the Internet. With MxInsight GIS For Geography Network, subscribers can display geo-registered weather maps or stream weather feature data directly from the Internet to their PC, thereby eliminating the internal costs of supporting, storing and maintaining a database of GIS weather information. MxInsight GIS For Geography Network supplies weather information through the Geography Network(SM) -- a Web site where people can go to publish, share and use geographic mapping data and services. ESRI(R), the world's leading GIS software developer, builds technology to support the Geography Network and maintains the network's portal, metadata catalogue, digital marketplace and search engine. The Geography Network provides a direct link between the user and service providers, offering maps, value-added data, and industry-specific applications and solutions. Meteorlogix weather data services have been part of the Geography Network since its inception 18 months ago. Now MxVision GIS For Geography Network is available as a subscription service for commercial and operational GIS users. Meteorlogix will also offer free trial subscriptions for evaluation, demonstration and application development purposes. Industries that would benefit from this Internet-based GIS information include public safety, transportation, utilities and environmental management.

Visit: www.meteorlogix.com

Numerex to Supply Chaperone GPS Satellite Tracking System Deployment

Numerex Corp. has announced that its subsidiary, Numerex Solutions LLC, has reached an agreement with AVL Information Systems, Ltd. to supply Cellemetry(R)-enabled wireless product and services for the deployment of AVL's Chaperone GPS Satellite Tracking System throughout North America and the Caribbean. Numerex was chosen by AVL because of the unparalleled network coverage provided by Cellemetry, a Numerex wireless data service. AVL subsidiary, "I Track" Inc., serves as its worldwide distributor, and has this week secured purchase orders from three new Chaperone(TM) distributors for an initial production run totaling more than 10,000 units.

Visit: www.nmrx.com & www.avlinfosys.com

InHand's New 'Fingertip' Handheld Platform Integrates GPS and Bluetooth

InHand Electronics, Inc., a leader in creating ultra-portable handheld device platforms for OEMs, has announced the immediate availability of its new Fingertip platform. This new version is based on Intel's StrongARM CPU and builds on the original high-performance, low-power Fingertip platform by adding an integrated Bluetooth wireless network interface, an integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and support for additional color and monochrome LCD displays. The new Fingertip platform incorporates all of the features of InHand's BatterySmart system software suite for StrongARM and XScale CPUs, including dynamic clock-scaling, reduced power peripheral software drivers, and advanced measurement and analysis tools. Both the Bluetooth and GPS peripherals interface with the main CPU through BatterySmart's power-optimized software drivers. Using BatterySmart, Fingertip's power consumption is kept below one watt, even with StrongARM's core clock frequency at 206MHz and with Bluetooth, GPS, and QVGA LCD peripherals in operational mode.

Visit: www.inhandelectronics.com

Maps.com Selects Maporama's Geocentric Solutions

MAPS.COM, a leader in complete mapping solutions, and one of the 15 most visited travel sites on-line, has selected Maporama, the European leader in on-line cartography and geocentric information, to provide on-line dynamic mapping functionality (including driving directions) for its popular mapping and travel web site. Visitors to Maps.com, can now access, via a direct link on the homepage, an on-line form for locating addresses and generating one-click door-to-door driving directions anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. A user simply keys-in an address and Maporama provides its detailed street-level map. Maps and directions generated on the Maps.com web site can be easily exported onto any users PDA, sent by e-mail, and printed in specific printer-friendly format. With this new partnership, Maps.com offers quality and comprehensive United States and Canada geographic coverage, multi-platform support, and many exclusive features such as multi-mode directions (e.g. traveling on foot and subway) that combine different transportation modes within one trip route. The new, Maporama-powered version of Maps.com offers web users excellent geographic coverage available on the Internet. Included are detailed street maps of all US and Canadian cities (including Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska and other non-contiguous territories).

Visit: www.maps.com

Becky Morton promoted to Director of Marketing at Horizons, Inc.

Horizons, Inc. a recognized leader in the aerial photography and photogrammetric field has announced the appointment of Becky Morton to the position of Director of Marketing. Morton's appointment is effective immediately. Morton is responsible for the overall management of the company's marketing department including business development and sales strategy to include project development, government and private contract procurement, contract negotiations and project development. Morton joined Horizons in 1989 as a computer programmer and has worked as a GIS Specialist, Orthophoto Systems Manager and recently as a Technical Representative in the marketing department prior to her promotion. Ms. Morton is a Certified Mapping Scientist (#164) with over 12 years of experience in the photogrammetry field.

Visit: www.horizonsinc.com

Brazil Taps Satellites to Boost Soy, Corn Crops

Brazilian farmers have started an innovative but pricey experiment using satellite technology in a bid to bolster the production of soy and corn crops, government scientists said on Monday. At farms in Brazil's vast western state of Mato Grosso, a prime grain-growing region, agricultural researchers are testing out the satellite navigation system GPS to determine the soil characteristics and climate of crop plantations. The high-tech system, called precision agriculture, uses satellites and computers to determine how much fertilizer and pesticide is required by the soil, said researchers at Brazil's state-owned agricultural investigation firm Embrapa, the local equivalent of the U.S. Agriculture Research Service (ARS). ``With this, we are able to reduce the risk of contamination through the use of pesticides and eliminate fertilizer waste,'' Embrapa President Alberto Duque Portugal told reporters. Precision agriculture, however, remains out of reach for most Brazilian farmers, costing between $12,000 and $15,000 per year to implement. A joint venture between Embrapa and the ARS, the world's two largest state-run agricultural research firms, introduced the technology to Brazil. Researchers from both countries began on Monday a two-day workshop to discuss the partnership.

Visit: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011210/sc/brazil_agriculture_dc_1.html

Asia News

ACRS 2001 Proceedings now online

The 22^nd Asian Conference on Remote Sensing - ACRS 2001 was successfully held in Singapore from 5 - 9 November 2001, at the Singaapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Conference was jointly organised by the Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing (CRISP) of the National University of Singapore, Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers (SISV), and the Asian Association on Remote Sensing (AARS).

ACRS 2001 was well attended by 481 participants from 27 countries/regions, with 252 technical papers presented in the conference. The presentations of technical papers were scheduled in 29 technical sessions and 3 poster sessions.

The entire proceedings of ACRS 2001 is now online in at http://www.crisp.nus.edu.sg/~acrs2001/. The papers are available as PDF files, which are viewable using the Acrobat Reader plug-in for your web-browser.

The Asian Conference on Remote Sensing (ACRS) was initiated over twenty years ago, and has since evolved into an important annual event where national remote sensing agencies, leading remote sensing practitioners and researchers meet to exchange views and experiences. With remote sensing technology advancing into 1-m resolution and hyperspectral imaging, there is increased awareness and interest in remote sensing technology in Asia. The ACRS provides an opportunity for scientists, engineers, researchers and users of remote sensing technology to meet and deliberate on advances in remote sensing technology, to establish collaborative ties, and to forster friendship.

Visit: http://www.crisp.nus.edu.sg/~acrs2001/

Chinese Geologists Urged to Dig Harder

BEIJING, December 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Vice Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday urged Chinese geologists to contribute to the country's economic development by providing more valuable geological information for big construction projects like the Three Gorges Project, according to Wednesday's China Daily.

"We should focus our work on preventing geological disasters and making geological projects environmentally friendly," he said.

China has been involved in numerous large-scale development campaigns. Ongoing programmes include the West Development Campaign and the Three Gorges Project. The development blueprint for the country's vast western regions demands a clear view of the areas' resource reserves, which is essential for success, Wen said.

The success of the Three Gorges Project hinges on an accurate warning system of geological disasters, such as landslides and mud-rock flows, he said. Wen made the remarks at a ceremony for the Li Siguang Prize, the highest honour in geological studies in China. The prize is awarded once every two years. Seventeen geologists were awarded the prize yesterday.

Gong Zaisheng was selected for his work to increase the country's offshore oil reserve. Since he was appointed general geologist of the China National Offshore Oil Co-operation in 1987, the country's discovered offshore oil reserve increased from 1987's 677 million tons to 2.8 billion tons in 1999.

He said the country's need for resources to continuously fuel social and economic improvements is the foundation for further development in geological studies.

Visit: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2001-12/12/content_159287.htm

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