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CAST, University of Arkansas and Definiens Imaging sign agreement

Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) at the University of Arkansas and Definiens Imaging GmbH have signed an agreement to establish a center of excellence in object-oriented image analysis. Definiens Imaging will grant CAST licenses and training of its innovative object oriented remote sensing analysis system eCognition and CAST will use this award-winning software for evaluation, research and graduate training. eCognition software provides object oriented multi-scale satellite image analysis capabilities, and classifies an image based on attributes of the image objects rather than on the attributes of individual pixels. This classification process allows users to collect a large range of statistical parameters and detailed information from any earth-observation data and any raster or vector based information tailored specifically to their information needs. Definiens just released its new eCognition 2.0.

Visit: www.cast.uark.edu & www.definiens-imaging.com

Group 1 Software alliances with ESRI to enhance data visualization & analysis capabilities

Group 1 Software, a provider of customer relationship management (CRM)-enabling software solutions, has announced that is has joined the Business Partner Program of Redlands, California-based ESRI, the world leader in GIS software. With this agreement, ArcIMS, ESRI's GIS for the Internet, will be integrated into Group 1's DM1 enterprise marketing automation system. The integration of ArcIMS with Group 1's DM1 enterprise marketing automation solution provides a gateway to increased customer understanding, service and retention through powerful mapping, data visualization, site location, and routing capabilities. ArcIMS enables users to integrate local data sources with Internet data sources for display, query, and analysis in an easy-to-use Web browser. DM1 offers essential data hygiene and enhancement capabilities by integrating Group 1's leading data quality solutions and provides analysis through ad hoc query and OLAP (on-line analytical processing) tools, data visualization, modeling and reporting, and campaign management. With this new and robust mapping functionality, DM1 users can develop a profile of best customers by physical address, measure store performance by geography, or conduct drive-time analyses to guide site location.

Visit: http://www.g1.com/

Meet Europe's gigantic Environment Satellite

Early in 2002 an Ariane 5 rocket will launch the largest and most advanced Earth observation satellite ever built in Europe from the European Spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana. From an altitude of 800 kilometres Envisat will deliver images and data that will help us better understand and more effectively protect the Earth. This gigantic Earth observation satellite, the size of an articulated lorry, was developed under the supervision of ESA experts from the European space research and technology centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, at a cost of 2.3 billion euros. In 1988 the "Polar Platform" project, as it was then called, was agreed upon; at the beginning of the 1990s the satellite, which every hour will gather as much data as can be stored on a dozen PC hard disks, became ENVISAT (ENVIronmental SATellite). The spacecraft can monitor and show the status of the Earth, including the complex life cycle of algae blooms, or give advance warning of natural catastrophes. Envisat, with its 14 x 4.5 m solar array which delivers 6.6 kilowatts of electrical power, was ferried to its launch pad in Kourou by a Russian Antonov and two Boeing 707 freighters. The space laboratory will send its gigabytes of data to ESA's ground station in Kiruna, Sweden, the Italian ground station in Fucino or the geostationary Artemis satellite orbiting the Earth at a distance of 36000 km. The 'super satellite' will register the tiniest surface movement and give advance warning of floods, mud and snow avalanches and storms; it will observe polar ice and the level of the oceans; recognise El NiÒo before it builds its treacherous waves in the Pacific ocean; measure the ozone layer; identify bush and forests fires and pinpoint water sources in deserts. Read complete Article at: http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/13envisat/
(Note: the Picture is an artist's concept of the Envisat satellite in orbit. Photo: NASA)

Wherify Wireless selects Intrado to provide emergency services for GPS personal locator

Wherify Wireless, Inc., developers of nationwide wireless location-based technologies and services, has announced it has selected Intrado's (Nasdaq: TRDO) Emergency Call Relay Center (ECRC) to answer, process and route Wherify's GPS Personal Locator emergency call traffic to the nearest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Under the terms of this three-year service level agreement, Intrado will handle all Wherify customer emergency calls and immediately route them to the appropriate PSAP, ensuring rapid and reliable access to emergency help for Wherify customers at all times and from all locations. Scheduled to hit the market by the end of the year, Wherify's GPS Personal Locator is unlike any location-based service available today. Through the convergence of Global Positioning System (GPS) and digital wireless technologies, the miniaturized, wrist-worn locator offers a patented, tested and proven safety solution that gives parents peace of mind knowing they can locate their children 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Parents, whether at work, home, or traveling, can quickly identify their child's exact location within several feet. The location process typically takes less than a minute as parents access Wherify's Location Service Center through the Internet or by any phone.

Visit: http://www.wherify.com/

Orbital Imaging Corporation Announces Management Restructuring

ORBITAL IMAGING CORPORATION has announced a corporate management restructuring today. Lt. General (Ret.) James A. Abrahamson, a member of the ORBIMAGE board of directors since 1998, was named Chairman of the Board. General Abrahamson directed the Air Force's Strategic Defense Initiative for many years and, after retiring from the Air Force, served as a senior executive at Hughes Aircraft Corporation and served as Chairman of Oracle Corporation. Gilbert D. Rye, who was promoted from President and CEO to Vice Chairman, will work closely with General Abrahamson on strategic initiatives for the company. Matthew O'Connell, General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer of Crest Communications Holdings, New York City, was named Acting President and CEO. Mr. O'Connell, who also sits on the Board of Directors, has over 20 years experience in media mergers, acquisitions and corporate finance. He has also held senior positions at Sony Warner Network, a joint venture of Sony and Time-Warner, Cablevision Systems Corporation, a publicly-held cable television company, and Osborn Communications Corporation, a publicly-held radio and television station operator. In connection with the restructuring, Armand A. Mancini was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Visit: http://www.orbimage.com/

Call for papers for International Workshop on Visualization & Animation of Landscape

The International Workshop on Visualization & Animation of Landscape is to be held at Harbor Plaza Hotel, Kunming, China from 26 February - 1 March 2002. The work shop is being jointly organised by ISPRS Commission V, WG V/6 (Visualization and Animation). The objective of this workshop is to present advanced technologies in the field of visualization and animation and to exchange information among scientists in photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences with focus on landscape aspects. The workshop also celebrates the International Year of Mountains 2002. It provides a platform for sharing experiences and results of scientific research in Asian market. Papers are invited for the workshop on Three dimensional modeling of landscape, Technologies for VR/VE and animation, Visualization and animation of Digital Terrain Models, Integration of DTM and built-up structures, Airborne laser scanners and three line scanners for data acquisition, High resolution satellite imagery and its application to DTM modeling and animation, Ground-based laser scanners and its application to landscape analysis, Data fusion for landscape modeling, visualization and animation and Sensibility engineering for visualization of landscape. For further details mail to: honda@ait.ac.th

Asia News

Information System to Facilitate Data Analysis of "Oriental Danube"

KUNMING, November 17 -- An information administration and policy-making support system for the development of the Lancang-Mekong valley has been assessed and was approved Friday by Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Department.

The 4,661-km Lancang-Mekong River, better known as the "Oriental Danube", runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The 2,160-km section in China is known as the Lancang River, and traverses southwest China's Yunnan Province for more than 1,000 km.

The system, jointly developed by Qinghua University and Yunnan Geographic Research Institute, is composed of five data banks mainly focusing on topography, pictures, and social development information, a web-based information exchange system, a supporting system for policy-making, and eight subsystems specializing in analysis of population growth, biological conditions, industrial crops, tourism, traffic communication, trade, disaster prevention and water resources.

The newly-developed system, the first of its kind for resource analysis and management of China's trunk rivers, will offer various categories of reference materials to policy makers for the sustainable development in the Lancang-Mekong River valley.

Trial operation of the system in the middle and lower reaches of the Lancang River has been considered successful, according to experts who were in charge of the testing program.

It is expected that the system will be applied to the whole Lancang-Mekong River.

Visit: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2001-11/17/content_121413.htm

China, Russia to Enhance Technology Cooperation

China will import Russian expertise and technology while speeding up cooperation in exploring natural resources in Russia.

According to sources with the Heilongjiang provincial government, the northeastern province is mapping out a plan to send Chinese people to explore oil, natural gas and other minerals in Russia.

Powerful Chinese enterprises are also encouraged to carry out the program in forestry, agriculture, animal husbandry and real estate, the officials said.

Heilongjiang, sharing 3,045 kilometers of border lines with Russia, spearheads China's cooperation with Russia.

The province is training more translators and establishing more economic zones to reach its goal.

Visit: http://www.china.org.cn/english/22263.htm

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