Top Stories
NASA grant heartens satellite farming
Call it ``Star Trek: The Next Harvest'': An agriculture extension agent strides into a field and, guided by a hand-held computer and global-positioning device, walks right to the middle of the most productive plot in the county. There, he pulls up a series of overlaying computer maps and examines crop yield histories, soil and crop conditions - even the closest pest activity.
The details help farmers answer the question, ``If it's good here, why isn't it good somewhere else?'' said John Nowatzki, a North Dakota State University Extension Service specialist.
The scenario should become more common in the next three years, thanks to a $742,000 grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as part of a program to find practical applications for data NASA can provide, Nowatzki said. Nowatzki is using the money to organize a state project that encourages farmers to use satellite images and data in their operations. Scientists and farmers also will be able to study images of fields down to 1 square meter - enough detail to detect crop diseases and pest damage.
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http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011219/bs/farm_scene_14.html
Unitronix's Geo-Sleuth to be ready for use by late January 2002
Unitronix Corporation is pleased to report that Geo-Sleuth, its mineral potential assessment software tool, is expected to be functional and ready for use by late January 2002. Product launch will occur early in the 2nd quarter of 2002 and directed toward exploration companies and government agencies. Geo-Sleuth, which has been in development and testing for the last two years, analyzes the available geoscience data by utilizing a deposit model, commercial GIS components, remote sensing techniques, geo-technical data and a series of proprietary algorithms to select and prioritize areas for exploration. Today, exploration programs are heavily dependent on geophysical, geological, and geochemical field methods as well as diamond core drilling, which are all costly processes. Geo-Sleuth significantly reduces the size and number of the areas over which these surveys must be run by pinpointing the areas with the most potential from within the much larger region examined; resulting in substantial cost savings. Tests to date have shown that Geo-Sleuth can reduce the area of inquiry by up to 90%.
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http://www.unitronix.com/
Lockheed Martin team delivers proposal for Landsat Data Continuity Mission
A team headed by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Missiles & Space Operations, has delivered a proposal to formulate and implement the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The LDCM will be a data specification-based procurement for seasonal, global, highly calibrated, multi-spectral imaging of the Earth's land surface. The data must provide continuity with the government's Landsat data archives beyond Landsat 7 and enable continuation of multi-decadal land use/land cover change measurements. The LDCM will meet both NASA research needs and USGS operational requirements for a period of five years beginning with an initial operational capability in March 2006. The Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992 requires U.S. government Landsat program management to ``assess options for a successor land remote sensing system to Landsat 7.'' The act further requires that the assessment of options consider the ability to ``maintain data continuity with the Landsat system'' and to ``incorporate system enhancements ... which may potentially yield a system that is less expensive to build and operate, and more responsive to data users.'' The LDCM will be required to provide multispectral digital image data for global coverage of the Earth's landmass on a seasonal basis and in a manner that ensures continuity of the Landsat 7 mission. Landsat images provide information applicable to the broad and diverse needs of business, science, education and government.
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http://lmms.external.lmco.com/newsbureau/pressreleases/01.93.html
PlanGraphics develops an enterprise information technology strategy for the State of Oregon
PlanGraphics, Inc., a provider of information technology services, has been awarded a contract to assist a subcommittee of the Governor's Information Technology Roundtable develop an Enterprise Information Technology Strategy and Action Plan for the State of Oregon. As part of this government-wide initiative, PlanGraphics will conduct focus groups and develop recommendations intended to structure and implement an Enterprise IT Strategy. The goal of the enterprise system is to provide long-term management of information resources and technology in the State of Oregon that addresses the business needs of the enterprise and provides a basis for efficient sharing of IT resources and effective system implementation and operation across the enterprise at a time of rapidly changing technology and constrained financial resources.
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www.plangraphics.com
Neogenerations, Devices & Technologies Inc. joins the CARIS Strategic Alliance Program
CARIS has announced that it has formed a Strategic Alliance with Neogenerations, Devices and Technologies Inc. of New York. "Neogenerations brings a very professional and varied background to our CARIS Authorized Strategic Alliance Program (CASAP) and we know that this relationship will be truly beneficial not only to each party, but to our clients", says Heather MacLean, Division Manager Corporate Marketing. "Working with Neogenerations, we will be able to focus on new markets within the US and abroad. With a strong background in information technology, Neogenerations is positioned to work with CARIS clients to provide the best solution for their needs." "The beginning of partnership with CARIS has filled Neogenerations team with enthusiasm. We are confident that the synergy will help develop interactive GIS solutions that facilitate effective communication between our clients and their audiences," says Jatin Maru, Business Development Manager, Neogenerations. "We will promote CARIS' advanced technology to our clients in several domains...for example, to fight forest fires, to support optimal land use planning, monitor oil spills...the applications are limitless".
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www.caris.com
SiGEM strengthens European Sales Channels
SiGEM Inc., a leading provider of location-aware application platforms for fleet and asset management, today announced that leading European distributor Broadband Technology will exclusively represent SiGEM's line of GPS and telematics products, including OEM receivers, antennas, and wireless tracking devices, in the UK and Ireland. Under an earlier non-exclusive distribution arrangement, SiGEM's sales to Broadband Technology in 2001 year to date have totaled CDN$3.5 million. According to the terms of the new agreement, Broadband will serve as a stocking, full service distributor and representative for SiGEM's products. With satellite sales offices throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland, combined with their expertise in the area of GPS, wireless, and high-speed communications, Broadband is uniquely positioned to address the rich systems integrator market servicing the highly developed transportation sector in the UK. SiGEM's advanced GPS receivers and antennas serve as the core technology platform for the Company's wireless tracking devices. Designed specifically for SiGEM's products, these receivers and antennas also appeal to system integrators for their ease of programmability, low-power capability and processing power.
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www.sigem.com
Thales Navigation fortifies strategic marketing and communications efforts with key hires
Thales Navigation, a world leader in the development and manufacturing of GPS equipment for its popular Magellan and Ashtech product lines, has appointed Lonnie Arima and Karen Carbonnet as vice president of worldwide consumer sales and marketing and vice president of corporate communications, respectively. The appointments signify the next phase of the GPS company's market growth strategy. Arima is charged with the marketing and sales of the Magellan line of consumer GPS solutions, creating new business opportunities and expanding current markets. Carbonnet will focus on the company's worldwide corporate strategy, strengthening corporate and product brands and driving complementary communications across both consumer and professional operations. Arima's more than 20 years of leadership in the computer software, hardware, storage and consumer products industries have given him the necessary expertise to lead the Magellan sales and marketing effort to success. Arima has built and expanded distribution channels, driven revenue growth and business model change, lead new business efforts, and executed award-winning marketing programs for leading technology and consumer companies, including Iomega, Claris, Apple Computer, Polaroid, and Procter & Gamble. Carbonnet brings to Thales Navigation more than 12 years of experience leading a broad range of marketing programs for both consumer and business-to- business high tech companies, including Infoseek/Go Network, Novell, and Freshwater Software.
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www.thalesnavigation.com
GPS vendors search for their bearings
In a suburban town in northern New Jersey, grade school students soon will carry smart cards that will enable parents and school administrators to locate them as they make their way to and from school. In Des Moines, IA, a rental car provides a salesman with the most efficient route to complete his sales calls, while avoiding downtown construction. As the United States commences its bombing in Afghanistan in October, missiles launched by planes flying at speeds of greater than 500 mph hit within 10 meters of their targets. These applications, and many others, are enabled by the global positioning system (GPS). The GPS uses satellite information to locate earthbound objects precisely. And while there are a plethora of applications for GPS, from the military to the mundane, no single market yet seems poised to bring GPS into the mainstream and drive high-volume sales. The market for GPS is so diffuse that it's difficult to track at the semiconductor level, but Allied Business Intelligence Inc., Oyster Bay, NY, predicts that the global market for GPS equipment will grow from about $20 billion this year to $60 billion by 2005. Companies selling GPS products figure that between 1% and 10% of that amount may come from the sale of GPS chips.
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www.e-insite.net
Asia News
Uttaranchal plans satellite eye on poachers
Fed up of being given the run-around by slippery poachers, who have swooped down on two of Uttaranchal's main national parks and killed eight elephants within a year, the State Forest Ministry is planning to get hi-tech satellite-based technology to give poachers a run for their money in the future.
Inspired by the Afghan war, where the US has successfully used satellite technology to monitor the movement of the Taliban, Al-Qaeda jehadis, the State Forest Ministry has figured that it can use the same kind of technology to nab poachers and their ilk.
The decision to go hi-tech came after an informal proposal was made by the Centre for Space Application (CSA), Ahemadabad, to Forest Secretary Dr R S Tolia a month back. The CSA offered to provide a geo-positioning satellite system to the Uttaranchal Government. At the moment the State has only a Remote Sensing Application Centre to assist it in procuring remote sensing imagery, which the Centre provides to every State.
Dr Tolia explained that if the Uttaranchal Government managed to bring in this technology, it would be easier to track down poachers, criminals and other undesirable characters who enter the State or try to intrude into the national parks. "The US has demonstrated the war-time application of geo-space application, we can utilise its peace time applications. It will also be extremely useful in education, road construction, forests, wildlife monitoring and a host of other things," the Forest Secretary said.
Following recent incidents of poaching at the Rajaji National Park just a week back, the Forest Ministry has come to the conclusion that the only way to nab poachers, who have made the existing security system look glaringly inadequate, is by tracking them via satellite. The Rajaji National Park, for instance, spans a staggering 820 sq kms which is twice the size of Corbett and has far more porous boundaries.
At the moment, there only 8 Range Officers manning the area with the aid of around 30 helpers recruited on daily wages from the surrounding villages. Following the poaching incident, 5 platoons of the PAC have been deployed in the National Park and Forest officials say that combing operations are still going on. But the fact remains that the Forest Department neither has adequate transport (a princely cavalcade of 8 vehicles) or firearms or manpower or even communication system to cope with any kind of menace that invades its jungles.
Under the circumstances, says Dr Tolia, the most sensible solution is the geo-positioning satellite system. "In an area where the terrain is huge and the manpower limited, this is the best way to keep tabs on what is happening inside our forests. I can just sit at my desk and monitor exactly where my staff is or whereto the poachers are heading." The idea obviously enchants the Forest Secretary.
Read complete article at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/
Qingdao to Build Itself into Software Industrial Base
This port city in east China's Shandong Province is striving to build itself into a state-level software industrial base in two years, according to Mayor Du Shicheng.
In the city's development plan recently mapped out, the software industry has been listed as one of the city's three major economic pillars in the future.
So far, Qingdao has set up two software industrial parks and several labs focused on software and industrial information, which are believed to have constituted a technological and personnel platform for its software development.
Statistics show that the city's software industry reaped a production value of 300 million yuan (about 36 million US dollars) in 2000, and the figure is expected to reach 600 million to 800 million yuan (about 72 million to 96 million US dollars) this year.
Source:
http://www.china.org.cn/english/23928.htm
Ordnance Survey could become a government-owned public limited company (plc), Parliament was told today (Wednesday 19 December). An independent review into the future status of Britain's national mapping agency has called for it to be given more freedom to develop commercial initiatives and more direct responsibility for its own affairs. Although best known for its paper maps, around three-quarters of Ordnance Survey's £100 million-a-year income now comes from computerised geographic data. This is used extensively in both the private and public sectors, with around £100 billion of Britain's GDP underpinned by it. The Minister responsible for Ordnance Survey, Sally Keeble MP, said she was "minded to accept the recommendation" to set up a government owned public limited company with government owning 100% of the shares, and is commissioning a further stage of the independent study to confirm the benefits and costs of such a move and its practical implications before coming to a final decision in the spring of 2002. Stage Two will also investigate how further public-private partnerships might benefit Ordnance Survey.
