In News 
National coverage of DNF data available from November
Ordnance Survey's Digital National Framework - which will radically enhance the quality and versatility of the most detailed British geographical data - will go live on schedule in November this year. The national mapping agency's Director General and Chief Executive, Vanessa Lawrence at the Commonwealth Institute in London on Friday (18 May) confirmed that from November the new data would offer complete seamless coverage of the whole of Britain. In addition, it will give users the ability to select not only the precise geographical area of coverage they needed but also only those themes - such as roads or buildings - they require from the data. Initially the data will be layered into nine themes: buildings; structures; roads, tracks and paths; land; administrative boundaries; water; heritage; height; and rail. The data will be issued in geography mark-up language (GML) format - the new international standard for storing and transporting geographical information.
Visit : http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/
|
Top Stories
|
Quake rocks northern Pakistan, no damage reported
A moderate earthquake in northeastern Afghanistan rocked parts of northern Pakistan on Tuesday, May 22, but there were no immediate reports of damage, official media said. The APP news agency quoted a meteorological station in the north-western town of Peshawar as saying the tremor registered 5.2 on the Richter scale, powerful enough to cause heavy damage in a populated area, and was centred 300 km (187 miles) north of there in the Hindukush mountain ranges in Afghanistan. The tremor, at 2:14 p.m. (0914 GMT), was felt in Peshawar and the northwestern district of Chitral bordering the northeastern Afghan provinces of Kunar and Badakhshan, it said.
FGDC releases draft Remote Sensing Metadata Extensions for Public Review
The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is requesting comment on the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata: Extensions for Remote Sensing Metadata, which it has released for public review. These extensions define content standards for additional metadata needed to describe data obtained from remote sensing. They include metadata describing the sensor, the platform, the method and process of deriving geospatial information from the raw telemetry, and the information needed to determine the geographical location of the remotely sensed data. The FGDC invites software vendors and data users and producers in public and private sectors to comment on Extensions for Remote Sensing Metadata to ensure that the standard meets the needs of their communities.
Visit: http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/standards.html
IntelliWhere, Duke Energy, and EWTS create energy technology alliance
IntelliWhere, a division of Intergraph Mapping and GIS Solutions, has announced an agreement between Duke Energy and Enterprise Wide Technical Services (EWTS) to create an Energy Technology Alliance. The Alliance will address how the energy community crosses the
technology chasm to exploit their geographic information systems (GIS) and back office systems to achieve the next level of enterprise wide data sharing and communication. The goal of the Alliance is to build on industry knowledge, industry standards, and open geospatial software technologies and services to facilitate the rapid deployment of location-based services (LBS), wireless, and Web-based solutions in the energy industry.
Visit: http://www.intelliwhere.com
TeleType GPS to provide real-time navigation services using GDT data
Geographic Data Technology, Inc., a developer of premier map databases, has announced that TeleType, Inc. has incorporated GDT street and address data into its TeleType GPS product to provide real-time personal navigation services for mobile devices via the Windows CE operating system, which includes the popular Pocket PC products. GDT's Dynamap(R)/Transportation database provides the U.S. street and address foundation that allows TeleType GPS to track a user's position in real-time and provide turn-by-turn routes and map display with GPS integration. With TeleType GPS, users can find addresses, zoom in and out of a specified geography, and import routes into Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and other mobile devices.
Visit: http://www.teletype.com/, http://www.geographic.com/
Intuicom Expands Product Line with SmartGPS Tracker Wireless Transceiver
Intuicom, Inc., a Global Positioning (GPS)-enhanced wireless data networks firm, has announced the release of its SmartGPS Tracker(TM), an advanced transceiver that combines real-time GPS positioning with wireless data transmission in a small, dependable, cost-effective unit. Specifically developed for critical tracking applications, SmartGPS Tracker(TM) provides a higher-capability alternative to cellular for "always on" transportation, automation, precision monitoring and other remote or mobile data applications. Intuicom provides an "always on" private wireless network that enables real-time bi-directional data flows and is never held up by the busy problems typical to cellular communications. Intuicom provides an "always on" private wireless network that enables real-time bi-directional data flows and is never held up by the busy problems typical to cellular communications. In addition to its superior performance capabilities, the SmartGPS Tracker provides higher bandwidth and requires no activation or ongoing monthly fees -- making it more cost effective as well.
Visit: http://www.intuicom.com/
Promotion Drive to Popularise Meteorological Science
The China Central Meteorological Station (CMS) staged activities in Beijing Saturday to raise public awareness of meteorological science. The activities were part of a national drive, known as Science Week, to increase people's understanding of modern science and technology. The activities included consultations by experts, films on meteorology, and visits to the station and the national satellite weather forecast center, said Zheng Guoguang, deputy director of China Meteorological Administration. China has set up 2,600 meteorological stations across the country, and its accuracy rating for various kinds of weather forecasts have reached or got close to those of the United States and Japan, he said. At present, 19 of the meteorological stations are open to the public regularly, becoming bases of meteorological education for young people.
Visit: http://www.china.org.cn/
|
India News
|
Goa to introduce GIS, but without geographic data
Goa's Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar while presenting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) first budget in the Goa Assembly, declared 2001 as the "year of infrastructure, education and tourism" for Goa. Among the proposals put forward by him included global information system (GIS)-based tourist information kiosks at strategic points inside and outside Goa, development of virtual walkthroughs at important monuments and creation of an interactive Web site.
Indian Railway Planning to move into telecom sector
THE Expanded Railway Board (ERB) today cleared a proposal to divest 49 per cent of the Railway's equity in Railtel to joint venture partners including telecom PSUs Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). A final view will be taken by the Group of Ministers (GoM) which will meet here on Tuesday under the Chairmanship of the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha.
The Board which met here today also cleared the detailed project report (DPR) for Railtel which is currently a 100 per cent Railway owned company. Officials said that the Expanded Board has essentially concurred with the Railway Ministry's stance that it should be allowed to retain 51 per cent equity in the new telecom venture in order to have management control. The proposed tie-up with two telecom PSUs -- VSNL and MTNL -- is expected to bring in synergy as these companies want to be domestic long distance players. The tie-up would also provide a customer base for the Railways' new telecom venture as these players would be in a position to utilise the Railways' right of way and their bandwidth. The suggestion to have a strategic tie-up for Railtel was given by McKinsey, which said that the Railways lacked marketing expertise to go alone in the venture. Based on the recommendations made by McKinsey, the Railways piloted a proposal to the Union Cabinet. The issue was, however, referred to the GoM in view of inter-Ministerial differences over whether the Railways should hold a 51 per cent stake or a 26 per cent stake in the venture.
Business Line 21 May
Web site on seed certification
MADURAI: Farmers, seed producers, distributors and dealers can henceforth keep themselves abreast of the latest certification procedures by accessing the Web site, www.seedtamilnadu.com , said Mr P.Venkatesan, Director of Seed Certification, Coimbatore, while addressing a seed health training programme here recently. Mr R.Rajaram, Deputy Director, of Seed certification, Madurai, said efforts had been taken in Madurai region to achieve a target seed production of 10,057 tonnes in paddy, cotton, oilseeds and vegetables.-- Our Bureau
Business Line 23 may
India signs MoU with Russian regions on S&T
MOSCOW, MAY 22. In a new effort to tap the scientific and technological potential of Russia's regions, the Department of Science and Technology has established direct ties with the scientific and industrial centres of Siberia and Bashkortastan.
The visiting Minister of State for Science and Technology, Mr. B.S. Rawat, this week signed memoranda of understanding (MoU) on bilateral cooperation in Novosibirsk, seat of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Bashkortastan, a leading oil and gas producing region. Mr. Rawat became the first Indian Minister to visit the two regions. Even though India and Russia have a long history of wide-ranging and highly successful cooperation in science and technology under the Integrated Long- Term Programme (ILTP), India feels the need to reach out to Russia's regions sprawling across 11 time zones.
The MoUs will provide additional mechanisms for cooperation with Russian scientists in Siberia and Bashkortastan, with the emphasis placed on commercialisation of Russian high technologies, Mr. Rawat told. In the first spinoff of the visit, India may soon get cheap power generators, ecology-friendly buses and high-tech room heaters. In Bashkortastan, which apart from oil and gas is famous for its helicopter and aircraft engine plants, the Indian delegation reached agreement to set up a joint venture to convert jet engines for power production. The technology will enable India to use both new and hundreds of old plane engines to provide electricity to remote localities. One such engine can produce 10 mw per hour, which can be increased to 18 mw/h if the heat released by jet engines is put through a reverse cycle to generate more electricity at a cost of just Rs. 3 per kw, or less than half the price charged by thermal stations. The power plant can be modified to use whatever fuel is available locally - natural gas, kerosene or diesel fuel. Two pilot units are to be set up immediately under the Department of Science.
The Hindu 23 May
|
|
|
|
