GEO: connexion articles from July 2002

GEO: connexion archives from July 2002

Head in the clouds? (Up Front).(Editorial)
July 1, 2002... The world is a fascinating place from 36,000 feet - at least on a clear day - and it begs the question: why do airlines conspicuously fail to acquaint passengers about the geography unfolding below, often in tantalising detail. Did those...

Parliamentary committee opposes changes to OS. (News).(Ordnance Survey)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... "The Committee urges the Government not to proceed with the transition of Ordnance Survey from a Trading Fund to a Government Owned Public Limited Company. This would be a step towards privatisation and would be pushing Ordnance Survey down the...

New release of idrisi 32. (News).(Clark Labs )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Clark Labs has released a major service upgrade to Idrisi32 Release 2 that includes an HDF reader and import/export routines for ERDAS Imagine .img and Earth Resource Mapping's ER Mapper .ers files. Users can now take full advantage of the data...

Cyra sees through the point clouds. (News).(Cyra Technologies Inc.'s Cloudworx)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... CloudWorx' software from Cyra Technologies, Inc. now enables AutoCAD or MicroStation users to use full 3D point cloud data sets directly to create highly accurate, complete, as-built drawings. With CloudWorx', the user accesses the point cloud...

New inspiration for EC commissioners. (News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Three EC Commissioners (Wallstroim, Environment; Solbes, Eurostat; Busquin, JRC) have signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding that will provide the basis for continued co-operation between the services of DG Environment, EUROSTAT and the JRC...

Safe again. (News).(Safe Software Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Safe Software Inc., of Vancouver, has launched FME 2002 SR-1. With this release, GIS professionals can take advantage of system-level enhancements that ensure the highest-quality results while providing for more efficient data translation and...

Amazing! (News).(Trimble ProXR GPS unit used for maze design)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... On Tuesday 4 May, at Millets Farm Centre, near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, a team from Survey Supplies, Trimble, and Adrian Fisher Mazes Ltd used a Trimble ProXR CPS unit to create a massive 8 acre maze in the shape of a butterfly in a cornfield...

OS adds transport and address to MasterMap. (News).(Ordnance Survey)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Ordnance Survey has announced a new series of digital map layers for its MasterMap product as part of a multi-million pound investment. Addresses and an integrated transport network will be the first to come on stream this year. * The...

New crimage manager for cities revealed. (News).(GeoInformation[R] Group)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The GeoInformation[R] Group has released the new enhanced version 3.0 of its image management software, CRImage Manager, currently used by over 10,000 customers worldwide. Bundled free with all Cities Revealed[TM] aerial photography, CRImage...

GeoConcept goes skiing. (News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... GeoConcept has been chosen by the Development Committee for the region of La Plagne to provide a novel information service on ski slopes in the area. GeoStation was developed in collaboration with Orodia, a company specialising in digital use...

Landata and IBM team for Romania. (News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Landata Group Inc. (Landata), a wholly owned subsidiary of Stewart Information Services Corp., has joined with IBM Romania to modernise public land records for the Romanian government. Landata is a single source for real estate information...

Lothian buses use VR route trainer. (News).(VideoRoute)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Lothian Buses is currently installing the innovative new VR Route Trainer system developed by Larbert based software company, VideoRoute. Lothian Buses plc is the first UK based operator to install the system, which has been assessed as having...

ISMAP and Motorola team with geos. (LBS News in Brief).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... ISMAP of Marseilles, is collaborating with Motorola on the new Innovative Convergence (2.5 and 3G) platforms, powered by DragonBall MX1 microprocessors, to realise true value-added cartographic applications. This will give next generation...

Champagne from Smartnav. (LBS News in Brief).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Trafficmaster, a leading supplier of live traffic information in the UK, and Motorola, has launched Smartnav. This combines navigation and mobile telephony technologies from Motorola, with Trafficmaster's predictive, historical, live, and...

Geocoding from Sicad Geomatics. (LBS News in Brief).(SICAD Geomatics GmbH and Co.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... SICAD GEOMATICS has released its new Geocoding Server for LBS services, It is internet-capable, has an open data model and standard interfaces for complete independence from data providers and GIS suppliers. Companies can use the Geocoding...

Navigation Technologies woos LBS providers. (Business Xtra).(Renault and t-info GmbH)(Location Based Services )
July 1, 2002... Companies in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden with Location Based Services (LBS) needs in mind have sign up for the NAVTECH real-time mapping service from Navigation Technologies. Car giant Renault and Germany's t-info GmbH, a...

Chancellor reiterates EMU entry requirements. (Business Xtra).(european monetary union)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... In his annual Mansion House address to top business leaders in London at the end of June, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown reiterated the five tests that will govern Britain's membership of the euro zone: Whether there can be...

GEO tools and data help make the desert bloom. (GEO: Middle East).(geographic information systems useage in Saudi Arabia)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... GIS usage in Saudi Arabia is on the increase, with geophysical applications being the most prominent hardly surprising when the Kingdom manages more than a quarter of global oil reserves and is the world's leading exporter of crude oil...

Going mobile in the UAE. (GEO: Middle East).(United Arab Emirates; cell phone use)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The United Arab Emirates (UAE)currently has the largest number of cellphone users in the Middle East, with annual subscriptions rising by 60 per cent. Consumer and business demand throughout the region saw users, as a percentage of the...

Agreement promises curbs on illegal logging. (GEO: Africa).(World Resources Institute and Cameroon)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The World Resources Institute's Global Forest Watch programme and the Cameroon government last month signed an agreement to share data and maps in a bid to stamp out illegal logging. "Widespread illegal logging contributes to the...

Monitoring the 'Charcoal Web'. (Africa).(International Energy Agency sponsors Radar Technologies France to research Africa's deforestation)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... A project sponsored by the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) and undertaken by Radar Technologies France (RTF) is exploiting remote sensing to assess the impact of deforestation in Africa. The image below, acquired in 1996 by...

High-speed terrain mapper for ALS. (Africa).(Airborne Laser Solutions purchases Optech 3033 Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Airborne Laser Solutions (ALS) of South Africa has purchased a model 3033 Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper (ALTM) from Canada-based Optech. This Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) device will be deployed alongside colour digital cameras for...

On with the show! (Official Preview).(GIS2002 )(geographic information systems)
July 1, 2002... Following-on from last months preview of the AGI 2002 Conference, we turn our gaze on the parallel exhibition which, if not already in your diary, is being staged at Earls Court 2 in London, 17-19 September. GIS2002 (the 11th such event to...

MLS2002: a timely event.(Mobile Location Services)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The third annual Mobile Location Services gets underway at London's Harrington Hall on September 30. Organised by EF telecoms and with GEO:connexion as a media partner, this industry-leading event will be of interest to all seeking first-hand...

Irlogi: Irish organisation for geographic information eagraoicht urn eclais gheografaigh na hEireann. (EUROGI Member Profile).
July 1, 2002... Date of foundation: 1995 Status: Non-profit umbrella association, registered as a company with liability limited by guarantee President & Executive Committee Chairman: Tony O'Hara (2001-2003) Executive Director: Ron Cox ...

Informed solutions extends its board. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Informed Solutions has appointed Robert Durrell to its board as Director of Client Services. Bob has over 30 years experience within the telecoms and utilities sectors and was previously Engineering and Information Technology Director at Your...

Helping hand for Navigation Technologies. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Tony Hand has been appointed Senior Account Manager by Navigation Technologies to expand its LBS business in the UK. Tony launched Cellnet's first consumer proposition 'Lifetime' and was also responsible for developing business with service...

New human resource director at OS. (People).(Ordnance Survey)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Jan Hutchinson is the new Director of Human Resources at Ordnance Survey. Hutchinson was Customer Services Director with Goldfish the banking business of Centrica plc. Before joining Centrica she had spells with OASiS Consultants, Deloitte and...

Adams is laser project manager for LGIH. (People).(Local Government Information House)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Local Government Information House (LGIH), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Improvement and Development Agency (IdeA), has appointed Tim Adams to manage the Local Authority Secure Electoral Register (LASER) project. He has been Director of...

Gordon joins InfoTech for Europe. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Nick Gordon has joined InfoTech Enterprises Europe as European Sales and Marketing Director. He brings many years experience of selling IT and end to end outsourcing solutions, using both onshore and offshore resources. Gordon has worked in a...

Goodwin heads Planning Portal. (People).(Planning Inspectorate appoints Richard Goodwin)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Planning Inspectorate, has now appointed a complete operational management team for its Planning Portal. Headed by GIS expert Richard Goodwin, the team has a mainly commercial background to reflect the Planning Portal's objectives to become...

Who's in charge? In setting his gaze on the leadership qualities needed in GI, Robert Barr notes some distinct trans-Atlantic differences. (Dangling Segment).(geographic information; who are Europe's Jack Dangermond and Michael Goodchild?)
July 1, 2002... The GI community is seldom short of spokespersons. The national representative organisations; standards bodies; those who give advice or seek to influence governments; industry 'leaders'; regulators (both official and self-appointed), and any...

Winners and losers as investment flows mirror demographic shift: Wolfgang Steinborn looks at how Germany's changing population pattern is affecting the economic fortunes of its constituent states. (Central European Eye).
July 1, 2002... What has an ageing population to do with GIS? Quite a lot, if they need to buy commodities such as high back chairs, denture dips, heating pads and all the other paraphernalia targeted at the not-so-young. That much was made clear by...

Marks the spot: Kevin Corbley reports on a fast track flying programme that is collecting one-meter z values across the nation. (United Kingdom).
July 1, 2002... NEXTMap Britain, an ambitious program to map England, Wales and parts of Scotland with high-resolution imagery and accurate elevation data, commenced in December last year and is on track to deliver its first products.. "The project marks...

GIS: North Norfolk grows its own; connexion went to find out why (and how) on District Council does its own thing when most opt for standardised, off-the-shelf solutions. (United Kingdom).
July 1, 2002... Famed for its broadlands, scenic coastline, prolific wildlife and bracing climate, Norfolk remains one of England's more tranquil counties, at least out of season. That said, it has its fair share of challenges in meeting the needs of residents...

Health & Safety Executive (HSE). (News Round: United Kingdom).(publishes a research report)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has published a research report that evaluates sources of population data for major hazard accident modelling and quantified risk assessment. As a guide to these sources, the research--undertaken by John...

QinetiQ. (News Round: United Kingdom).
July 1, 2002... QinetiQ (formerly part of DERA) has reached a major milestone in TopSat, the UK's first small, low-cost high resolution EQ satellite. The key phase entailed vibration testing of the spacecraft structure. The next stage, scheduled for this...

GIS make-over for statistics web site. (News Round: United Kingdom).(the Neighbourhood Statistics Service launches 'live' GIS on its Web site)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... NeSS, the Neighbourhood Statistics Service provided by National Statistics has a new-look Web site, thanks to the addition of a 'live' GIS to support its existing rich seam of data from government and other reliable sources. The...

MAPS help keep the peace, man! (News Round: United Kingdom).
July 1, 2002... It wasn't exactly pretty, but then, security fences are seldom great works of art. But it was big (7km in length and 4m high) and it did its job of keeping gatecrashers out and 1 00,000 ticket holders happy. It was just part of a [pounds...

Innovative, intelligent, inexpensive... India! Robert Barr continues his travels by taking a closer look at one of India's premier geoprocessing organisations. (Geodata Processing).(Company Profile)
July 1, 2002... Part 2 Automating its processes figures large in RMSI's ethos... a policy that is extended to workflow management and where staff are used to having their performance monitored by software tools. Tasks are also allocated automatically to...

New privacy rules for electronic communications: Sally Annereau explains the EU data protection directive...and its ramifications. (Data Privacy).
July 1, 2002... GIS companies, like other businesses using electronic and wireless services, will soon need to take account of updated EU privacy protections for individual information. An approved position of the European Parliament on a "Directive...

Mind the gap in location: Johan Othalius says mobile operators have every incentive to close the privacy. (Data Privacy).
July 1, 2002... Where is the nearest...?" closely followed by "Where are you?" are killer questions for a society increasingly on the move. Many cellular subscribers wish to receive personalised information based on their whereabouts, e.g., the nearest ATM, or...

Moving with the times: to maintain its navigable roads data base, Navigation Technologies has equipped itself to achieve gain without pain. (Data Collection).
July 1, 2002... Imagine it: a whole day's work goes literally out of the window as you drive down the motorway. And more than one geographic researcher has watched a precious map fly out of the car window and disappear in the slipstream! In the last 18...

In perfect control at schiphol. (Surveying Applications).(Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport launches a major runway project)
July 1, 2002... Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport has embarked on a major runway project to handle an ever-increasing volume of traffic. E.N Korpershoek explains how advanced 3-d machine control is helping to perfect and speed the construction process For the...

Portable devices for field data capture: Mike Bedford reviews a selection of workhorses that will keep the data flowing. (Hardware).
July 1, 2002... It might be stating the obvious, but the mobile revolution is now well underway. As a result, there's no shortage of portable computing devices ranging from budget PDAs to 'desktop replacement" laptops. These fulfil the needs of the majority of...

From myth to reality: Eingana's world of surprises. (New Product Focus).
July 1, 2002... Just imagine you could fly over the Tenere desert, explore remote corners of the Breton coast, go on a jaunt over the Rocky Mountains, and populate your world with every conceivable creature, real or mythical - all in 3-D, and from the...

New scanner targets GIS data capture needs. (New Product Focus).(geographic information systems)(Contex)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Two new large format scanners with the high level of precision control over colour and detail needed for GIS data capture have been launched by Contex and specialist large format distributor ArtSystems. The new Chroma TX (pictured below)...

ABB's. (Business Briefs: Aware).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Nova Naturgas AB, Sweden has ordered ABB's new asset documentation system, facilplus, for its gas transmission pipelines. Nova users will be connected to a central server, supporting them in their daily work of planning, preparation, and...

BlueGlen Technology. (Business Briefs: Aware).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... BlueGlen Technology of Ireland has released V1.2 of it's video/GPS integration tool Camnav Mapper. Designed to work with the wallet-sized Camnav video/GPS labeling device from Navtech Systems of England, Camnav Mapper enables users to view...

Cadcorp. (Business Briefs: Aware).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Kiama Municipal Council in New South Wales, Australia, has selected Cadcorp SIS to meet its corporate GIS needs. This is the fifth council in New South Wales to select Cadcorp. They system will be provided and supported by Sydney-based...

Definiens Imaging. (Business Briefs: Aware).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Definiens Imaging GmbH and Silvatech Consulting Ltd (Canada) have successfully developed a strategy enabling the British Columbian Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (MSRM) to automate its forest inventory creation and update process....

eMapSite. (Business Briefs: Aware).(offers digital aerial photography service)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... eMapSite is now offering to lease or rent digital aerial photography. eMapSite will provide this convenient service for some Getmapping plc products and eMapSite's own photomap combining aerial photography with OS 1:50000 scale maps....

Sicad Geomatics. (Business Briefs: Aware).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The City of Leipzig and SICAD GEOMATICS have agreed contact terms for future cooperation. The existing SIS enables integration of the city's administration and performs specialist tasks in land registry, surveying, city planning, development...

Getmapping.com. (Business Briefs: Aware).(newspaper promotion)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Getmapping.com (Hampshire, England) has been running a promotion with London's Evening Standard newspaper. By sending in tokens from the paper, readers have been able to get A3 sized aerial photos of their own localities for only 50p each...

GGP Systems. (Business Briefs: Aware).(sells NLPG system to Tandridge District Council)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Tandridge District Council (Surrey, England) has purchased a NLPG system from GGP Systems to manage Its corporate property database. The GGP NGz system provides facilities for editing and accessing land and property records compliant with the...

IME UK Ltd. (Business Briefs: Aware).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Central Scotland GIS company IME UK Ltd were awarded "Most Innovative Application 2001- 2002" by Autodesk at their annual GIS Camp 2002 held in Sitges, Barcelona for ME's work on Internet/Intranet GIS solutions. www.ime-gis.co.uk

InfoTech Enterprises Europe. (Business Briefs: Aware).(signs distribution agreement with Environmental Criminology Reseach Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... InfoTech Enterprises Europe has signed an agreement with Environmental Criminology Research Inc. (ECRI) to distribute the RIGEL Analyst[TM] geographic profiling software. InfoTech will become the master distributor of RIGEL Analyst [TM] and...

Intergraph Team GeoMedia(R). (Business Briefs: Aware).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Intergraph Team GeoMedia(R) now has more than 100 members for the Registered Solutions Provider (RSP) and Registered Solutions Center (RSC) programmes. The international scope for the programme has expanded to include Bulgaria, China, Croatia,...

Lorienne. (Business Briefs: Aware).(signs partnership agreement with Tele Atlas)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Lorienne, (France) creator of the Cirrus system from the Lorik[TM] line of software products, has signed a partnership agreement with Tele Atlas (Belgium). This cooperation will enable the exploitation of Lorik's computer engineering...

Multimap.com. (Business Briefs: Aware).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Ford of Britain has selected Multimap.com to provide the 'dealer locator' service on its UK website (www.ford.co.uk) and on that of Mazda Motors UK (www.mazda.co.uk). Visitors to the Ford and Mazda websites can search by postcode, town or...

Navigation Technologies. (Business Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Navigation Technologies, provider of digital maps for vehicle navigation, Internet/ wireless applications and business solutions, has announced that its NAVTECH(R) map data will be the preferred digital map for Motorola's location-based...

Progis. (Business Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Supported by the World Bank, forest management institutions in Bosnia-Herzegovina have been equipped with PROGIS WinGIS systems. PROGIS (Villach, Austria) won the international tender with its local partner GAUSS (Tuzia). The system is also...

COMEXCO JSC., the biggest IT Holding in Bulgaria, has signed an exclusive partnership contract with SICAD GEOMATICS. (Business Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... COMEXCO JSC., the biggest IT Holding in Bulgaria, has signed an exclusive partnership contract with SICAD GEOMATICS. A co-operation agreement has also been signed between COMEXCO and STALKER K.M. Ltd. of Sofia (SICAD GIS software distributor in...

STAR Informatic. (Business Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... The City of Besancon and Amiens Metropole have both chosen the STAR Informatic (Liege, Belgium) NeXt solution to provide all their departments with access to CIS. These cities have had STAR systems but access has been limited to authorised...

ALLM Systems and Marketing. (Software and Data Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... The Global Gazetteer from ALLM Systems and Marketing has recently been improved to include over 4.5 million records of populated places worldwide, most of which now have heights. In addition ALLM have carried out an analysis of the ambiguity of...

CARIS. (Software and Data Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... CARIS has released its HOM AML software for Additional Military Layer (AML) production in the HO S-57 format. AML, from the Ad Hoc Hydrographic Working Group of the NATO Geographic Conference will deliver non-navigational hydrographic and...

Getmapping.com. (Software and Data Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Snowdonia National Park has purchased aerial photography from Getmapping.com to help with policy and land management. Displayed on computer screens in conjunction with digital OS maps, the imagery provides a 'real life' view. Counting caravans...

Inpho GmbH. (Software and Data Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Inpho GmbH, Stuttgart, has announced a new release of OrthoMaster, for fast and rigorous ortho-rectification of digital imagery. Vi .2.0 comes with extended support for exchange of orientation parameters from other systems, as well as new image...

Leica Geosystems. (Software and Data Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Leica Geosystems is now selling and supporting IIT Ltd.'s EROS imagery import module as part of SOCET SET". This enables users to access EROS-A1 satellite data to triangulate the imagery, extract data in stereo including DTMs and features, and...

Luciad. (Software and Data Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Luciad, (Leuven, Belgium), a developer of open GIS will participate in the BRIDGE-IT (Bringing Innovative Developments for Geographic Information Technology) project. Luciad will extend its core product, LuciadMap, by incorporating geo-server...

STAR INFORMATIC (Liege, Belgium) has announced that all of its WinSTAR suite of software products are now available on LINUX. (Software and Data Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... STAR INFORMATIC (Liege, Belgium) has announced that all of its WinSTAR suite of software products are now available on LINUX. This shows how significant this operating system is becoming for STARs clients and partners. www.star.be

Softcover. (Software and Data Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Softcover of Cambridge, England has released CAD2View, a low cost CAD drawing viewer that enables users to view CAD format drawings without having to own the CAD programs themselves. CAD2 View displays drawings from standard .PLT (plot), .DXF...

Allied Images Ltd. (Hardware Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Allied Images Ltd., [Northampton, England] the UK Distributor for VIDAR Systems Corporations' range of wide-format scanning solutions, has announced a new and innovative wide-format scanner - the TruScan Titan IV. This scanner almost doubles...

Contex Scanning Technology. (Hardware Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Contex Scanning Technology, has introduced 6 new high performance wide format colour and monochrome scanners. The Chroma Tx and Crystal Tx introduce the industry's first 42-bit color capture technology and also have four-linear CCD cameras....

Fastrax Ltd. (Hardware Briefs: Aware).
July 1, 2002... Fastrax Ltd. (Helsinki), a developer of products for optimal utilisation of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), has signed a Representation and Distribution Agreement with GLYN GmbH & co., to represent Fastrax's GPS module in...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2002... Our apologise for an error in the news item in our May issue which stated that Abaco had 100 customers on six continents in fact the number of customers should have read 1,000 (one thousand). www.abacogroup.com/eng/dbcaddev/index.htm ...

Stuart Nixon: founder & CEO Earth Resource Mapping Perth, Western Australia.
July 1, 2002... Being a typical Australian, most of my 'normal' working life has been spent outside Australia. Earth Resource Mapping (ERM) is about as international as you can get, with clients, resellers and offices spread all over the world. I firmly...