ASPRS Announces 2012 Award Winners

The Photogrammetric Award (Fairchild) was awarded to Dean W. Merchant, PhD, PE. at the 2012 Annual ASPRS Conference in Sacramento in March. This award, the essence of which is practicability, is designed to stimulate the development of the art of aerial photogrammetry in the United States. The selection committee makes its choice based on an outstanding invention or design involving any type of equipment that applies to the art of aerial photogrammetry; any outstanding method developed for the general use of aerial photographs and/or imagery; outstanding research for study along aerial photogrammetric lines and outstanding effort for the general advancement of the art of photogrammetry. Lockheed Martin donates funding for the award, which consists of a silver presentation plaque.

One of the pioneers in incorporating GPS with photogrammetric cameras, Merchant was awarded the Photogrammetric (Fairchild) Award for his activity in the in-situ calibration of GPS-assisted photogrammetric systems as well as other excellent and far reaching achievements. Merchant has been Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University since 1988.

Additional awards made during the ASPRS 78th Annual Conference and administered by the ASPRS Foundation were:

Robert N. Colwell Memorial Fellowship
Winner: Meghan Graham MacLean, PhD candidate in Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science-Remote Sensing/GIS at the University of New Hampshire

Boeing Award for Best Paper in Image Analysis and Interpretation
Winners: Joe Fortier, John Rogan, Curtis E. Woodcock, and Daniel Miller Runfola for “Utilizing Temporally Invariant Calibration Sites to Classify Multiple Dates and Types of Satellite Imagery,” PE&RS, 77 (2), 181–189.

John I. Davidson President’s Award for Practical Papers
First Place Winners: Kass Green, Mark Tukman, and Mark Finkbeiner, for “Comparison of DMC, UltraCam, and ADS40 Imagery for Benthic Habitat and Propeller Scar Mapping.” PE&RS, 77 (6), 589-599.

ERDAS Award for Best Scientific Paper in Remote Sensing
First Place Winners: Jungho Im, Zhenyu Lu, and John R. Jensen for “A Genetic Algorithm Approach to Moving Threshold Optimization for Binary Change Detection,” PE&RS, 77 (2), 167–180.

ESRI Award for Best Scientific Paper in GIS
First Place Winners: Fayek A. Farag, Christopher M.U. Neale, Roger K. Kjelgren, and Joanna Endter-Wada for "Quantifying Urban Landscape Water Conservation Potential Using High Resolution Remote Sensing and GIS," PE&RS, 77 (11), 1113-1122.

Talbert Abrams Award
Grand Award Winners: Christopher E. Parrish, Inseong Jeong, Robert D. Nowak, and R. Brent Smith for "Empirical Comparison of Full-Waveform Lidar Algorithms: Range Extraction and Discrimination Performance," PE&RS, 77 (8), 825-838.

William A. Fischer Memorial Scholarship
Winner: Baojun Zheng, PhD student in the Department of Geography at the Virginia Tech University

Robert E. Altenhofen Memorial Scholarship
Winner: Ivan D. Detchev, doctoral candidate at the University of Calgary, Canada, Department of Geomatics Engineering

Ta Liang Memorial Award
Winner: Matthew Fagan, a PhD student in Environmental Biology at Columbia University, New York

Abraham Anson Memorial Scholarship
Winner: Bradley Scott Henning, South Dakota State University (SDSU), Brookings, South Dakota

John O. Behrens Institute for Land Information Memorial Scholarship
Winner: Tiffany Tatum, California State University, Fresno

Kenneth J. Osborn Memorial Scholarship
Winner: Andreas Torsvik, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Geomatics Engineering from the California State University at Fresno

GeoEye Award
Winner: Katie Ann Corcoran, PhD student in Biological Anthropology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville

Z/I Imaging Award
Winner: Jacky Chow, pursuing his PhD in Geomatics Engineering at the University of Calgary, Canada

International Educational Literature Award (IELA)
Winner: Mzuzu University, Department of Land Management, Mzuzu, Malawi

Francis H. Moffitt Memorial Scholarship
Winner: Ana Paula Baungarten Kersting, a PhD student in the Department of Geomatics Engineering at the University of Calgary, Canada

Paul R. Wolf Memorial Scholarship
Winner: Allan Ng, a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering-Geotechnical Engineering at the University of California-Los Angeles

BAE Systems Award
Winner: Nima Pahlevan, PhD Candidate, Rochester Institute of Technology for “Integrating Landsat-7 Imagery with Physics-based Models for Quantitative Mapping of Coastal Waters near River Discharges”

Ford Barlett Membership Award
Recipients: Steven P. Lennartz

Outstanding Workshop Instructor Award
Winner: Qassim Abdullah

Conference Management Awards
Recipients: Conference Co-Directors, Alan Mikuni and George Hepner and Conference Technical Program Co-Directors Maggi Kelly and Ryan Jensen

Presidential Citations
Recipients: Lewis Graham, Bobbi Lenczowski, Ekaterina Fitos, Devin Bourland, Thomas Holm, Brian Murphy, Kim Tilley, Carolyn Merry, Matthew Austin, Russell Congalton, Jeanie Congalton, Rae Kelley, Dave Kreighbaum, Jerry Lenczowski, Naresh Pai, James Plasker, Heather Staverman

Complete information on all of the above awards can be found at http://digitaleditions.walsworthprintgroup.com/publication/?i=103484&p=9.

Founded in 1934, ASPRS is an international professional organization of 6,000 geospatial data professionals. ASPRS is devoted to advancing knowledge and improving understanding of the mapping sciences to promote responsible application of photogrammetry, remote sensing, geographic information systems and supporting technologies.

Founded in 1979, The ASPRS Foundation, Inc. is an independent 501 (c) 3 organization established to provide grants, scholarships, loans and other forms of aid to individuals or organizations pursuing knowledge of imaging and geospatial information science and technology, and their applications across the scientific, governmental, and commercial sectors. The Foundation is the primary funding source for all non-sponsored awards and scholarships recognized by the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.

Geosoft 2012 Software Release Now Available

Geosoft has announced the availability of its 2012 Software Release, including updates to Oasis montaj, Target, Target for ArcGIS and GM-SYS Modelling software, and the new release of Geosoft VOXI Earth Modelling, a geophysical inversion software service that generates 3D voxel models from airborne or ground gravity and magnetic data. The 2012 release includes major 2D and 3D workflow enhancements and new capabilities that deliver greater efficiency and flexibility for resource explorers and earth scientists exploring the earth’s subsurface.

"Each year Geosoft has continued to make improvements in developing our software technology to support explorers challenged to visualize and analyze more complex structures, deeper under cover, within integrated interpretations," says Louis Racic, Geosoft Product Director. "The 2D to 3D workflow is an important one to get right, and a particular challenge for geoscientists working across GIS and exploration software platforms. Bridging the gap between 2D and 3D is a key improvement area within our 2012 Software Release.”

Release highlights

New capabilities and workflow improvements in the Geosoft 2012 Software Release help save time and provide greater flexibility when visualizing multidisciplinary geoscience data in 2D and 3D.

Improved 2D to 3D workflows in Target for ArcGIS: The 2D to 3D workflow enhancements, include new display capabilities, and new section import and export options. Layers, such as interpretation layers from sections or plans can now be easily displayed in their correct geospatial orientation within your 3D view. 2D section interpretations can be exported to a 3D georeferenced file, such as shapefiles or DXF files, to be shared with other 3D applications. 3D vector files, such as open pit outlines, and wire frames can now be easily imported to multiple section and plan maps.

3D Viewer improvements: Geosoft 3D gridding methods have been expanded to include IDW and direct gridding; these new methods better support the 3D gridding of a broad range of data types. Angled clipping of objects in 3D views provides the ability to clip parallel or perpendicular to dataset orientation or geological strike. Geoscientists can set a clipping plane that aligns with any direction chosen.

Expanded GM-SYS 3D density model support: Voxels can be used to define the 3D density variation within GM-SYS 3D model layers. This provides more direct integration with 3D seismic data as the generated density cubes may be used directly in the GM-SYS model.

BING Maps imagery: Geoscientists can now add satellite imagery to their basemaps by connecting to the Bing Maps online data source. This is a useful, additional data layer which provides geographic context to maps.

VOXI Earth Modelling

Geosoft VOXI Earth Modelling is a new geophysical inversion software service that generates 3D voxel models from airborne, ground gravity and magnetic data. VOXI Earth Modelling is accessible within Geosoft Oasis montaj and uses the power of cloud computing to rapidly invert large exploration datasets. More information on VOXI Earth Modelling is available at www.geosoft.com/voxi.

Release availability

Online installation of the Geosoft 2012 Software Release is available within Geosoft software and from the Downloads page within the Geosoft online support centre - www.geosoft.com/support. Information on how to request an update DVD is available in the Geosoft Support Knowledge Base.

Visit www.geosoft.com/whats-newfor detailed information on what’s included in the 2012 Software Release. For general Geosoft software enquiries and local representation, please contact explore@geosoft.com.

Since 1986, Geosoft has helped earth explorers make discoveries through data. Geosoft technology is industry-standard for 3D mapping and modelling of the Earth's subsurface, and for managing large geoscience data. With offices across five continents, and a network of international business partners, Geosoft serves thousands of clients within resource exploration industries, government and the earth sciences, including the most successful mineral and oil explorers in the world. Geosoft has been ranked as a Top 150 Technology Company, and one of the Ten Best Workplaces in Canada. For more information, visit www.geosoft.com.

Esri Experts Earn TM Forum Certification

Redlands, California - April 17, 2012 - Randy Frantz, Esri’s telecommunications and location-based services industry manager, and Mark Reddick, technical marketing analyst on Esri’s telecom solutions team, recently received certification in TM Forum’s Business Process Framework and Information Framework.

"Esri is embracing the standards adopted by the TM Forum in an effort to help meet the telecommunications industry’s need for spatial analytics and visualization," said Frantz. "Esri recognizes that the integration of GIS into existing business processes using industry-accepted standards reduces the cost and risk of deploying spatial technology."

As Esri incorporates TM Forum standards and terminology, it will become easier for telecommunications companies to integrate ArcGIS into existing platforms and business processes that adhere to the standards.

TM Forum standards allow vendors and suppliers to build platforms that meet telecommunications industry standards and enable service providers to deploy solutions that can be integrated into business processes with reduced implementation cost and risk. TM Forum estimates that 90 percent of the world’s largest telecommunications service providers have adopted TM Forum’s Frameworx suite of standards.

TGS Signs Agreement to Provide Access to Canadian Well Data via Geo Webworks

Calgary, Alberta - 19 April 2012 - TGS has entered into an agreement with Geo Webworks of Calgary to provide access to TGS’ online library of digital well log data across Western Canada. TGS currently has data available for 450,000 Canadian wells.

“We feel that our database is a natural addition to the content of Geo Webworks, especially since the challenging resource plays in Canada demand the improved accuracy provided by our LAS Plus and Directional Survey Plus data types,” commented John Adamick, Senior Vice President of Geological Products and Services at TGS.

Geo Webworks contains multiple GIS layers and includes a Frac Knowledge database, Well Spacing Module and an Acquisition and Divestment solution. TGS’ global well data library includes 6.6 million well logs from 32 countries that are available online via LOG-LINE Plus!®

TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company (TGS) provides multi-client geoscience data and services to oil and gas Exploration and Production companies around the globe. TGS’ geophysical and geological data products include multi-client seismic libraries, permanent reservoir monitoring, magnetic and gravity data, the industry’s largest global database of digital well logs and regional interpretive products. TGS also provides high-end depth imaging services to help resolve complex seismic imaging problems

SuperGIS Desktop Aids American University of Sharjah in Civil Engineering Programs

SuperGeo Technologies, the leading global provider of complete GIS software and solutions, announced that American University of Sharjah, UAE adopted SuperGIS Desktop Lab Kit and GIS Learning CD. The procurement is recommended by Evolving GeoSystems, SuperGeo’s distributor in UAE, to enhance the academic service quality and create a positive learning environment for the users.

Established in 1997 and located in Sharjah, UAE, American University of Sharjah is established with an American model of higher education and ground in the Arabic culture. The university provides various degrees programs through the collages of Architecture, Art and Design, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and the School of Business and Management.

In order to develop individuals as leaders in their respective fields, the Civil Engineering Department of American University of Sharjah adopted SuperGIS Desktop 3 Lab Kit and GIS Learning CD as the multi-purpose GIS tools for educators and students to integrate a variety of geospatial data and consequently apply these spatial analyses to related applications such as public safety, pipeline management, environment analysis, construction planning, and so on.

To constantly heighten the brand awareness in the Gulf Region, SuperGeo exhibited at Middle East Geospatial Forum in early April. The company worked in collaborationwith Evolving GeoSystems to present the idealGIS solutionsto the local visitors who are looking for appropriate solving ways to their businesses.

For more information about Evolving GeoSystems Technologies, please visit http://www.evolving-geosystems.com/

For more information about SuperGIS Desktop 3, please visit http://www.supergeotek.com/productpage_SG3.aspx

About SuperGeo

SuperGeo Technologies Inc. is a leading global provider of GIS software and solutions. Since the establishment, SuperGeo has dedicated to providing state-of-the-art geospatial technologies and comprehensive services for customers around the world. It is our vision to help users utilize geospatial technologies to create a better world.

SuperGeo software and applications have been spread over the world to be the backbone of the world’s mapping and spatial analysis. SuperGeo is the professional GIS vendor, providing GIS-related users with complete GIS solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms.

More information about SuperGeo is available at www.supergeotek.com

Intergraph Geospatial Roadshow Brings Dynamic GIS to Australia

Huntsville, AL - April 17, 2012 - Intergraph announces a roadshow across Australia, engaging customers locally from April 16 to May 1, 2012. Each event features a series of presentations from Intergraph personnel, partners and key customers showcasing the comprehensive portfolio and featuring implementations and workflows that highlight the Dynamic GIS story.

Current and prospective users will be able to experience the vision of the Dynamic GIS and how it integrates sensors, software and solutions into a streamlined workflow that addresses all aspects of the geospatial information life cycle. Products featured include GeoMedia, ERDAS IMAGINE and GeoMedia Smart Client.

"Our geospatial portfolio includes the industry's richest set of products, supporting key vertical market workflows," said Kaushik Chakraborty, Asia Pacific Vice President – Geospatial, Intergraph. "This roadshow brings together our community across Australia. We believe the Dynamic GIS concept will transform our industry, providing truly connected geospatial capabilities to solve real business and government challenges."

Below are the dates and locations for the roadshow:

April 17: The Rydges Capital Hill Canberra in Canberra, Australia
April 18: The Rydges World Square in Sydney, Australia
April 19: The Hilton Brisbane in Brisbane, Australia
April 23: The Parmelia Hilton Perth in Perth, Australia
The roadshow is the latest in a series of customer-focused efforts throughout Asia-Pacific. Recently, Intergraph was also a gold sponsor at the Malaysia Geospatial Forum in Melaka, Malaysia, showcasing demonstrations of GeoMedia Smart Client and Motion Video Analyst. In addition, Intergraph held its 2012 India Users' Conference on February 6 at Epicentre, Gurgaon, India.

To register for one of the roadshow events listed above, please visit our website.

About Intergraph

Intergraph is the leading global provider of engineering and geospatial software that enables customers to visualize complex data. Businesses and governments in more than 60 countries rely on Intergraph’s industry-specific software to organize vast amounts of data to make processes and infrastructure better, safer and smarter. The company’s software and services empower customers to build and operate more efficient plants and ships, create intelligent maps, and protect critical infrastructure and millions of people around the world.

Intergraph operates through two divisions: Process, Power & Marine (PP&M) and Security, Government & Infrastructure (SG&I). Intergraph PP&M provides enterprise engineering software for the design, construction, operation and data management of plants, ships and offshore facilities. Intergraph SG&I provides geospatially powered solutions including ERDAS technologies to the public safety and security, defense and intelligence, government, transportation, photogrammetry, and utilities and communications industries. Intergraph Government Solutions (IGS) is an independent subsidiary for SG&I’s U.S. federal and classified business.

Intergraph is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hexagon AB, (Nordic exchange: HEXA B). For more information, visit www.intergraph.com and www.hexagon.com.

Millions Saved by UK Councils Sharing Services Using Geographic Data

London - 18 April 2012 - The award winning partnership between Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council in Sussex, England, is proving to be a nationally significant model for collaboration. It has achieved millions of pounds worth of savings by working together to create a single officer structure and deliver services to both communities by amalgamating services employed across the two councils including; Planning, Environmental Health, Electoral Registration, Waste Services, Land Charges, Concessionary Fares, Allotments and Park, Non Domestic Rates, Council Tax and Customer Relationship Management (CRM).

Of key importance was the creation of a single Corporate Information Team with responsibility for the Local Land and Property Gazetteers (LLPG), Geographical Information System (GIS), Street Naming and Numbering (SNN) and the Public Sector Mapping Agreement (PSMA).

Gill Van-Eetvelt, Corporate Information Manager, Adur District and Worthing Borough Councils, said: “By working in partnership Adur and Worthing Councils have successfully managed to achieve unprecedented levels of integration. As a result we have realised significant financial savings and instigated more efficient ways of working. Underpinning this success is an integrated address database that has been developed and maintained to the highest standards providing location intelligence across the partnership.”

The partnership has initiated the development of systems and processes to integrate the data across both organisations. As a result most service areas are now actively using the same address data resulting in a more joined-up and efficient service delivery plan.

The Adur and Worthing partnership has successfully managed to achieve large scale integration making significant financial savings and instigating more efficient ways of working whilst still producing excellent quality LLPG data for both local authorities, used throughout the partnership and the wider public sector.

The Adur Worthing Partnership has been recognised with a ‘2011 National Gazetteers Integration Exemplar Best Practice Award’ at the ‘Everything Happens Somewhere conference’. The award, sponsored by SOCITM (the membership association for ICT professionals working in Local Authorities), recognised the linking of the LLPG to council services or local partnerships.

The 2011 Exemplar Awards were presented by GeoPlace and aim to share, reward and celebrate best practice, which brings service improvements and efficiencies through the effective management of address and street information.

National Address Gazetteer Database

The National Address Gazetteer database is managed by GeoPlace. It brings together data from local authorities’ Local Land and Property Gazetteers (LLPGs) Ordnance Survey, Valuation Office Agency and Royal Mail. AddressBase™ products are produced from the National Address Gazetteer Database and made available by Ordnance Survey. To find out how the National Address Gazetteer Database can make substantial savings for your organisation, please visit www.geoplace.co.uk

GeoPlace

GeoPlace is a public sector limited liability partnership between the Local Government Association and Ordnance Survey. GeoPlace’s role is to create and maintain the National Address Gazetteer Database and the National Street Gazetteer for England and Wales, the definitive sources of publicly-owned spatial address and street data. Through agreement with Scotland’s Improvement Service Company, the plan is to extend coverage to Scotland.

Local Government Association

The Local Government Association is here to support, promote and improve local government. The LGA is an organisation that is run by its members and covers every part of England and Wales and includes county and district councils, metropolitan and unitary councils, London boroughs, Welsh unitary councils, fire, police, national park and passenger transport authorities.

Ordnance Survey

Ordnance Survey is Great Britain’s national mapping agency, providing the most accurate and up-to-date geographic data, relied on by government, business and individuals. Ordnance Survey utilises the National Address Gazetteer Database to create the AddressBase range of products which are available for use in both the public and commercial sectors.

Peoria County Parcel Data Now an iOS App

Redlands, California  - April 17, 2012 - Real estate professionals, residents, and other consumers can now download a free iTunes application, Parcel Value GIS, to check the assessed value of properties in Peoria County, Illinois. The app was created using the Parcel Value for iPhone template from Esri.

Micah Williamson, GIS manager for Peoria County, said it took less than two days to get a testable beta app up and running on its servers. Since the app went live, there have been more than 435 downloads and plenty of positive feedback.

"People appreciate the convenience of being able to walk the neighborhood and learn about the area—to immediately see home values and nearby sales, instead of researching that back in the office," said Williamson. "We chose to build this app with Esri technology because of the ArcGIS for Local Government template, which comes preloaded with data and made development so easy."

The preloaded demo data from Esri includes centerlines, parking lots, vegetation, terrain, aerial photos, parcel data, and home values.

The app allows users to search by address or parcel identification number (PIN) or, using the iPhone's GPS technology, search by current location. Users can turn on or off layers that show home sales for 2010 and 2011, including information about assessed value and home details such as style, square footage, and number of bedrooms.

Since 1969, Esri has been giving customers around the world the power to think and plan geographically. The market leader in GIS technology, Esri software is used in more than 300,000 organizations worldwide including each of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments, more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, and more than 7,000 colleges and universities. Esri applications, running on more than one million desktops and thousands of web and enterprise servers, provide the backbone for the world's mapping and spatial analysis. Esri is the only vendor that provides complete technical solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms. Visit us at esri.com/news

Countries of Congo Basin Using Geospatial Technologies

The partnership established in 2010 between the AFD and Astrium aims, in the long term, to freely distribute SPOT satellite images to governments, public institutions and NGOs that work for the sustainable management of forests in Central Africa.

This programmefor the provision of SPOT satellite images, which is financed by the AFD for a total sum of 8.5 million Euros, is now entering its second phase. It is piloted by Frenchinstitutions specialising in the field of spatial observation united as aconsortium led by IGN France International (IGN FI) and made up of the National Centre for Spatial Studies (CNES), the National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information (IGN) and the Institute of Research for Development (IRD).

Spatial observation has long been used by professionals in the forestry field as a decision-support tool for the planning and management of forests, inventory work and forest cartography. SPOT satellite imagery combines a large coverage capacity with resolutions spanning from 20 to 2.5 metres, allowing for accurate monitoring of forest coverage. The archiveimages (from 1990 to 2011)serve as reference data in order to assess the commitments related to REDD+. The acquisition of new images allows for the updating ofinformation over time in order to follow the evolution of deforestation and adapt environmental policies.

Vincent Kasulu Seya Makonga, Director of Sustainable Development and representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo for the framework convention of the United Nations on Climate Change (UNFCCC) welcomes the deployment of this project in his country: “The SPOT data is an essential information source and its provision provides real added value, especially for the Measurement, Reporting & Verification (MRV) system that we are implementing in the context ofREDD+ (Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and the Degradation of forests), as well as for the development of our National Forest Inventory.”

The processing of the satellite images will allow the beneficiaries to be able to more easily analyse these data and to better use them in order to shape their strategic choices. The second phase will also contribute to the preparation of reference scenarios in terms of deforestation and the degradation of forests that are helpful for establishing national climate plans in the context of goals for the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases.

Indeed, the forests of the Congo Basin represent 22% of forestry coverage worldwide and form a carbon reservoir of more than 56 gigatonnes. Their sustainable development is essential in preventing climate change.

Thanks to this initiative, the countries of the Congo Basin are reinforcing their commitment to the prevention of climate change.

About the French Agency of Development

The French Agency of Development (AFD) is a public institution that has been working for seventy years to fight poverty and favour development in Southern and overseas countries. It implements policies defined by the French government. With offices in over 50 countries and 9 overseas departments and territories, the AFD finances and supports projects that improve populations’ living conditions, boost economic growth and protect the planet: education, maternal health, support for farmers and small companies, water supply, preservation of tropical rain forests, prevention of global warming… In 2010, the AFD devoted more than 6.8 billion Euros to the financing of actions in developing countries and in favour of the overseas territories. They will contribute to the education of 13 million children, the improvement of the drinking water supply for 33 million people and the granting of micro-loans for a little over 700,000 people. Energy efficiency projects over the same period will save nearly 5 million tons of CO² per year.

IGN France International was created in 1986 and is the international subsidiary of the French IGN (National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information). Over the years, the company has shown itself to be an indispensable player in both of its sectors of intervention: geographic information (acquisition, processing, modelling) and geographic information systems (implementation and integration). It works on all types of projects in the following fields: Cadastre and land administration, urban planning, energy, environment, risk management, water, security/precision work, agriculture.

Sparx Systems Releases Profile for Esri® ArcGIS in Enterprise Architect

Sparx Systems, a leading vendor of visual modeling tools, has included the official release of a UML profile for ArcGIS in its launch of Enterprise Architect 9.3. The new Enterprise Architect profile for the ArcGIS 10 suite of tools by Esri Inc. enhances the way that architects and analysts work with geospatial databases.

The Sparx Systems' UML profile for ArcGIS is a new technology built on UML to design, build and share geodatabase schemas. Enterprise Architect provides a comprehensive toolset to build the ArcGIS models along with commonly used ArcGIS Workspace model templates. Models can be forward engineered to create the Workspace XML which is typically imported into ArcCatalog(TM). Legacy geodatabase schemas can be reverse engineered into Enterprise Architect to understand and document existing systems.

"This development reflects Sparx Systems' commitment to facilitating interoperability within the geospatial domain and is a practical extension of the strong relationship that the company enjoys with the global geospatial standards community through ISO/TC 211, OGC and CEN/TC 287," said Sparx Systems Business Development Manager, Ken Harkin.

In addition to the immediate benefits of modeling geospatial databases, this release helps to bridge the information gap between different domains, allowing geospatial components to be linked to requirements, system and business models. By bringing geospatial database design into a UML driven modeling repository, geodatabase designs can be created in a scalable environment based on open standards, linking to models and components in other domains and disciplines.

With the introduction of the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect ArcGIS profile, geospatial experts are equipped with modeling tools to create and work with geodatabases as well as share and integrate their work with others.

SuperGIS Network Analyst Extension 3.0 Released Officially

SuperGeo Technologies, the leading global provider of complete GIS software and solutions, officially launched the latest SuperGIS Network Analyst 3.0. Utilizing SuperNetObjects 3.0 as the development core, SuperGIS Network Analyst 3.0 adds hierarchy settings and greatly improves its performance in operation and analysis.

SuperGIS Network Analyst 3.0 effectively helps users in all fields to perform different network analyses, such as transportation planning, shortest path for scenic spots, pipeline configuration planning, convenience store location, logistics, etc. Users can easily find the superior route planning or best site location according to the network analysis results.

Supporting the hierarchy setting, time window setting, and direction window, SuperGIS Network Analyst 3.0 allows users to accomplish their route planning more efficiently and find the satisfying results. In aspect of network analysis types, location-allocation analysis is added to SuperGIS Network Analyst 3.0, which enables you to allocate the facility to each stop with the minimum cost.

For manipulation, SuperGIS Network Analyst 3.0 requires SuperGIS Desktop 3.1, the whole new desktop GIS software developed by SuperGeo. The key features of newly-released Network Analyst 3.0 are available on www.supergeotek.com; please refer to the document, ‘What's New in SuperGIS Network Analyst 3.0’ for more details.

SuperGeo Technologies Inc. is a leading global provider of GIS software and solutions. Since the establishment, SuperGeo has been dedicated to providing state-of-the-art geospatial technologies and comprehensive services for customers around the world. It is our vision to help users utilize geospatial technologies to create a better world.

SuperGeo software and applications have been spread over the world to be the backbone of the world’s mapping and spatial analysis. SuperGeo is the professional GIS vendor, providing GIS-related users with complete GIS solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms.

Bluesky Streams 3D Aerial Maps Over Web

Leicestershire, UK - 17 April 2012 -  Aerial mapping company Bluesky has launched a new service streaming 3D aerial photos via the Internet. The Stereo Web Map (SWM) allows high resolution aerial images to be viewed in 3D and enables users to take height measurements from the images and digitise 3D mapping, all online. Applications of the SWM are expected to include insurance risk assessment, cartography, urban planning, construction and design, real estate and emergency response planning.

Overlapping stereo photographs from Bluesky’s own national archive of aerial imagery can be streamed directly to a user’s desktop where they can be viewed on a normal screen using anaglyph glasses, available to buy for a few pence, or, for more advanced applications, a 3D screen. The images can also be viewed on mobile devices. The 3D aerial photos can be viewed directly in a web browser or in most WMS compatible software.

Bluesky are also able to create a 3D image stream for other types of data including their own archive of historically important aerial photographs dating back to the early 1900’s, or a client’s own images, and combined with existing mapping and GIS layers.

“The Stereo Web Map takes aerial photography to the next level,” commented James Eddy, Technical Director of Bluesky International. “We are all used to being able to access 2D aerial maps through online services such as Google Earth however when you go to the next dimension a wealth of previously unavailable information becomes apparent. After all, we live in a 3D world, so we should view it that way”

“Stereo photogrammetry has been around for a long time and has been traditionally been reserved for high end applications with expensive equipment and software,” he continued. “Our Stereo Web Map service combined with the prevalence of 3D viewing devices will open up the world of 3D making it accessible to all.”

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies.

Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

Bluesky is now leading the way developing innovative solutions for environmental applications including the UK’s first nationwide map of solar potential, citywide ‘heat loss’ maps, 3D maps of trees and their proximity to buildings and historical imagery.

URISA Announces LiDAR Webinar Series

Des Plaines, IL - April 16, 2012 - URISA, the Association for GIS Professionals, is offering a three part LiDAR webinar series for all members of the geospatial community.

The first session, LiDAR 101, is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25th at 1 PM ET/ 10 AM PT. Followed by part two, Project Planning, on Wednesday, May 23rd and part three, Data Quality Control, on Wednesday, June 27th.

The purpose of this webinar series is to review concepts involving light detection and ranging (LiDAR), its real-world applications, current visualization, data processing and quality control approaches. The target audience of this webinar is at the beginner to intermediate level, including GIS managers, geospatial analysts, survey professionals, scientists and students.

Series presenter, Mark Stucky, currently serves as the MARS® Technical Support Specialist for the GeoSpatial Solutions division of Merrick & Company, a professional engineering services firm based in Aurora, Colorado (USA). In this position, Mark is responsible for technical support and software maintenance of MARS®, Merrick’s LiDAR visualization and data processing software solution. Mark is extensively involved in MARS® design, testing, and documentation.

URISA Connect is an effective way to develop your professional skills and even work towards GISCI Certification Education Hours. URISA Webinars count towards the EDU-2 section of the application.

MundoGEO#Connect LatinAmerica Fair Free Admission

In addition to lectures, courses and workshops, MundoGEO#Connect LatinAmerica 2012, the largest event of geospatial industry in Latin America, held from May 29 thru 31 at the Frei Caneca Convention Center in Sao Paulo (SP), Brazil, will feature an exhibition of products and services with free admission. The registration must be made in advance (http://mundogeoconnect.com/2012/credenciamento/), so that people can compete for daily prizes to be raffled during the event, and avoid queues at the time to validate access at the door.

Additionally, MundoGEO#Connect LatinAmerica fair awaits with the presence of multinational companies – through local representatives – such as Google Enterprise, products division of global giant corporate; Trimble and Hexagon, groups working in various sectors of the geospatial industry; and DigitalGlobe and GeoEye, providers of satellite images of high resolution. Take a tour of the fair plant and get to know who will exhibit their products and services: http://mundogeoconnect.com/2012/menu-superior/feira/planta-da-feira/.

In the first edition of the event, held in June 2011, the fair had an attendance of over 1,800 participants and 30 exhibitors. Iara Musse Felix, Director of Santiago & Cintra Consulting, said in an interview with MundoGEO, the innovations that the company brought to the event. “The big news [for a wide range of sectors] is what we call ‘Brazil Atual’: for the first time you can take images in a period of 12 months, covering the whole country with a resolution of five meters,” states Iara Musse. See the full interview at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1mDdGF4Kec.

Also, executives from some of these companies will attend the International Forum on Geospatial Trends, which will get going on the first day of MundoGEO#Connect LatinAmerica 2012, with simultaneous translation in English and Spanish. May 29 looks forward to welcoming hundreds of experts, users and decision makers of the geospatial industry, to hear the opinion and discuss trends in geospatial technologies for the years to come. This is one of the forums that can be found during MundoGEO#Connect LatinAmerica 2012.

New Rugged Trimble Pro Series GNSS Receivers Provide Total Flexibility for GIS and Mobile Mapping

Sunnyvale, CA - April 17, 2012 - Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) introduced today the next generation of its Trimble® GPS Pathfinder® family—the Trimble Pro 6H and Pro 6T receivers for GIS and mobile mapping. The Trimble Pro series with advanced features allows mobile workers to configure a solution for a wide range of applications, delivering unparalleled flexibility in professional GIS data collection. The series offers a new streamlined form-factor and dramatic productivity improvements in difficult GNSS environments with Trimble Floodlight™ technology.

The modular Trimble Pro series receiver gives users the flexibility to choose their setup configurations:

Optimized for use with Trimble data collection devices such as the Trimble Juno® or Nomad® G series handhelds, or Yuma® tablet computer, the Trimble Pro series can also be used with other tablets and handhelds with NMEA output
Real-time or postprocessed GIS workflows
The receiver can be deployed in a backpack, on a pole or mounted on a vehicle
Two models are available—the Trimble Pro 6H delivers decimeter accuracy, while the Pro 6T is the submeter model for standard GIS applications
"With the availability of the new Pro series receivers, data collection professionals now have access to the productivity-enhancements of Floodlight technology in both integrated and modular configurations," said Daniel Wallace, general manager of Trimble's GIS Data Collection Division. "While some prefer the convenience of an integrated, all-in-one handheld, others will appreciate the Pro series' flexibility to choose from a range of data collection devices such as a high-resolution tablet or lightweight Trimble Juno."

Improved Performance in Tough GNSS Environments with Trimble Floodlight Technology

For maximum productivity in high-accuracy applications, Trimble Floodlight technology allows users to collect decimeter accuracy data in the toughest GNSS environments. Buildings and trees can cause satellite shadow and limit the environments where high-accuracy GNSS data collection can be performed. Unique to Trimble, Floodlight technology combines a range of innovative techniques to increase the availability of positions and boost accuracy in areas affected by satellite shadow. Using Floodlight technology, the Pro series can keep teams productive without compromising on accuracy. Users can work with fewer disruptions and ensure better data, faster data collection and higher field efficiency.

Built for Intensive Data Collection Campaigns

Trimble Pro series receivers are rugged and built to withstand the rigors of long hours in tough outdoor conditions, yet optimized for high-accuracy GIS data collection workflows. For applications such as utilities inspections and timber stand valuations, Trimble Pro receivers provide long battery life and tough construction for dependable service over the course of rigorous data collection projects.

With its IP65 rating, the receivers offer reliable operation, even after prolonged exposure to water and dust. An integrated antenna reduces the complexity of the system for fast setup and swift data collection campaigns. Field workers can be up and running with minimal training, saving time and money. Combined with a Trimble handheld solution and Trimble TerraSync™ software, the complete system provides dedicated field workflows to simplify data collection and improve integration with the GIS for total workflow improvements.

Availability

The new Trimble Pro 6H and 6T receivers are available now from Trimble's worldwide Mapping & GIS authorized distribution channel. For more information, visit: www.trimble.com/pro.

About Trimble

Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location--including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978, Trimble is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.

TomTom Delivers Broader and Richer Map Coverage for Business Customers

Amsterdam - 17 April 2012 - TomTom today announces the availability of its latest map product update for automotive, government, and enterprise customers. TomTom maps now cover more than 200 countries and territories globally, with navigable coverage for 109 countries or 36 million kilometres of roads.

"TomTom prides itself on being able to deliver a high quality map with industry leading coverage," said Charles Cautley, Managing Director of TomTom Automotive & Licensing. "In addition to superior coverage and high quality, TomTom continues to exceed customer needs for the most comprehensive map content."

Some of the enhancements include:

Continued expansion in India with the addition of over 2,000 km of roads in 47 cities.
In Brazil, 64,000 km of roads with navigable coverage were added.
A Mobile Mapping Van initiative in Mexico resulting in more than 5,000 improvements across 900,000 km.
Focus on the Mega Manila area of the Philippines with the addition of 22,000 km of navigable coverage.
Continued growth in Croatia resulting in navigable coverage for 100% of the population (140,000 km).
The introduction of a MultiNet map for Namibia and Botswana. This includes a significant number of topographic roads enabling off-road navigation.
In addition to extending coverage, TomTom also introduces new advanced features and enhanced content, including:

Points of Interest to improve search capability:
o 43,000 in Brazil.
o 34,000 in Vietnam.

Address Points enabling premium geocoding and navigation:
o 9.6 million in North America.
o 2.5 million in APAC.
o 10,000 in Europe.

Map Display products for advanced visualisation:
o 130 new 3D Landmarks in North America, including 17 stadiums.
o 88 new 3D Landmarks in India.
o 7 new 2D City Maps in APAC and Europe.
About TomTom

TomTom is a global supplier of location and navigation products and services. We provide consumers and enterprise, government and automotive industry customers with digital maps, traffic intelligence, navigation software, PNDs, automotive systems, fleet management services, smartphone apps, fitness devices, POIs and speedcam intelligence.

Headquartered in Amsterdam, TomTom has over 3,500 employees and operates from 50 locations in 35 countries.

TomTom is listed on NYSE Euronext. More information can be found at www.tomtom.com. For the most up-to-date route planner, including live traffic information please visit www.tomtom.com/livetraffic