Welcome to GISWeekly! On Monday, November 29, I will be attending Autodesk University 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada and will report on that event via GISCafe Today blog as well as full reports appearing in AECWeekly on December 6 and GISWeekly on December 13. I hope to see many of you there. In the meantime, have a happy and nourishing Thanksgiving Day.

GISWeekly examines select top news each week, picks out worthwhile reading from around the web, and special interest items you might not find elsewhere. This issue will feature Industry News, Top News of the Week, Acquisitions/Agreements/Alliances, Announcements, New Products, Around the Web and Events Calendar.

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Best wishes,
Susan Smith, Managing Editor

Industry News
Workflows and Integration Characterize ERDAS 2011 Release
By Susan Smith

Applications for the defense industry are obviously vital to the nation's security, however, many of those applications may find their way into the mainstream geospatial lexicon in years to come. By the same token, technology developed for commercial usage such as the cloud, cell phones and handheld tablets open up possibilities to the defense industry, whose users need to access servers from devices with low compute power -- without the worry of lack of bandwidth.

That need for processing power is part of the new soon-to-be-released ERDAS 2011 family of products, announced at GEOINT in New Orleans. The new 2011 family includes new versions of ERDAS IMAGINE, LPS, ERDAS Extensions for ArcGIS 10, ERDAS APOLLO and other leading desktop and server products. Press materials report that ERDAS Engine is a solution that boosts processing power for ERDAS IMAGINE and LPS, leveraging existing hardware resources for increased production needs or situations requiring faster workflow throughput.
According to ERDAS president Joel Campbell, the company has spent a lot of time improving their Image Analyst workflows. Most of their customers of this type of technology are in defense and other areas of security. Campbell is hopeful that others “in some areas of just traditional image analysis where they need to ingest, manage and organize imagery and are looking for features of some kind or intelligence” will be interested in the product as well. ERDAS has attempted to build tools to streamline that process for them to make it more wizard-like, adding some features to support that workflow, such as one-button push to PowerPoint, even publishing downline as KML so it can be readily viewed in Google Earth.

“While the biggest user community of that type of technology is defense, we also find people in port security and forestry who are looking at particular forest stands, who go through a similar process,” said Campbell.

These enhancement in Image Analyst workflows are a part of the IMAGINE product, and Campbell said they have not raised prices significantly in many years. “The defense guys are getting a real bargain.”

Among ERDAS' clients in Europe are the Dutch Cadastre, a big user of IMAGINE, as well as ERDAS' objective feature extraction capabilities. “They are doing lots of prototyping and they have a little of everything -- different software from different companies and some open source,” said Campbell.





The Port of Rotterdam is another Dutch customer, primarily an APOLLO user that employs the product to manage all the imagery around the port.

LPS 2011 is a workflow-oriented photogrammetry system for production mapping, including full analytical triangulation, the generation of digital terrain models, orthophoto production, mosaicking, and 3D feature extraction. In the LPS 2011 release is distributed processing, which enables users to leverage multi-core CPUs and multiple networked servers to increase production throughput and decrease the amount of time taken in processes that have been time-intensive until now.

Another major enhancement this year, to the LPS 2011 with the eATE add-on is the ability to collect terrain data. The new technology includes new terrain preparation tools as well as some enhancements to the automated terrain extraction tools.”

“This is opening up a new set of customers for us,” claimed Campbell. “In the space of engineering companies, photogrammetric shops, aerial survey companies, and even national mapping entities who are heavily engaged in production of terrain and constantly looking for more efficient ways to collect it. These may not have been customers historically.”

The new enhancement has the speed and accuracy of automatically creating terrain, shortening the time to do large areas into hours instead of days. Coupled with the ArcGIS extensions released in the weeks prior to the ERDAS 2011 release that has been updated to support ArcGIS 10, there are a few new features in the Stereo Analyst extension.

The Image Analyst workflow is inside IMAGINE. What crosses all ERDAS products n the new release is Bing Maps integration.
“We have entered into an agreement with Microsoft to allow us to provide access to Bing Maps to our customers,” explained Campbell. “In some cases that will be a product extension that a customer would acquire from us, in others like in the case of APOLLO access to the Bing extension is included as part of the product offering, but it gives access in a fully integrated way to the full width and breadth of the Bing Maps API. We treated it as any other data source, allowing you to perform functions against it, just like you would if you had a local image.”

Bing Maps integration gives customers a base map to start with, and a reference point if they are trying to align some data, or if they have imagery and want to see and align features. Bing Maps API offers layer control so users can look at just the roads, or point features or the imagery, giving a lot of opportunity to fill out a customers' working environment.

ERDAS has added support for the Microsoft SQL Server to APOLLO, and enhanced ECW support. Also they have launched a new SDK for ECW, and built in clustering support into the APOLLO server. This makes it possible for users to do clustered server configurations, manage some load balancing if you have a large implementation, enhanced cataloguing, increased ability and optimized the ability to deliver in tile formats through the Web Mapping Tile Service (WMTS), and built some new metadata editing tools that work in bulk instead of one record at a time.

Features continue to be added to the APOLLO server to make its management more effective, such as the ability to log in remotely and act as a full administrator, and configure services and the system. The catalogs between IMAGINE and APOLLO are also very tightly integrated in the new release. There is a “shoebox” in IMAGINE and one in APOLLO when retrieved.

“We have also enhanced the ability to be able to do some spatial modeling in IMAGINE and create a spatial model that does a flood zone analysis, and then publish that model as a web processing service in APOLLO,” Campbell said. “So someone can go to your APOLLO server and say, 'well I'd like to use this data and this service to find a flood zone area and it would do that processing on the fly.'

As the APOLLO and IMAGINE products continue to evolve independently they also work hand in hand with tighter integration.

Currently, just APOLLO is available on the cloud. ERDAS is working on how to leverage the cloud for remote processing for technologies such as eATE that might need access to many processors in order create terrain.

“There is this whole class of people that need access to lots of computing power but they only need it every now and then,” said Campbell. “Instead of buying a lot of infrastructure, we can leverage what they need it for in our context by leveraging the cloud.”

Campbell said the defense and military industry is interested in what might be termed a “private cloud” where data is hosted inside their environment but works the same way as the public cloud. The NGA is pursuing this alternative. There are many remote users who may have low compute power on handheld tablets or mobile phones, who want to ask questions on a server with the ability to have the answers delivered back to their devices, which translates to the need for simpler processing.

“I think the military clearly see a vision where they want to put that querying into the hands of users, and have very smart systems standing on servers in the Cloud with all the buzzwords you want to use, SaaS, data as a service, cloud computing, all available so that whoever's in the field can just ask a question and get an answer,” Campbell explained.

Campbell summarized the release by saying that for a general audience their most important announcement is the Bing Maps integration. For the defense or intelligence audience, it is the Image Analyst workflow.

“There are a lot of people who visually inspect imagery looking for specific features in order to report them through a traditional process,” said Campbell. “The majority of these people are in the defense community or international atomic energy agency, human rights watchdog groups, but that app is appropriate in agriculture and forestry as well. This workflow is geared towards them.”

Top News of the Week

Intermap Technologies announced its NEXTMap USA IFSAR-derived digital elevation dataset is a potential source of data to satisfy the recently released FEMA guidelines for accuracy and density for low and medium risk specification levels withinwatersheds.NEXTMap USA data, which provides coverage for the contiguous United States and Hawaii, is available immediately and is less expensive than many higher-accuracy datasets on the market.

Michael Baker Jr., Inc. has been selected as the Grand Award winner in the 4th Annual MAPPS Geospatial Products and Services Excellence Awards competition presented November 17 in Kissimmee, FL. Baker's project, "U.S. Bureau of Census - Accurate Coordinate Datasets Collection", generated spatial ground control for 1,018 counties/municipalities, spanning 37 different U.S. States and five U.S. territories in support of the Census Bureau's MAF/TIGER Accuracy Improvement Project (MTAIP). The project spanned over four and a half years and was delivered ahead of schedule, and $2.4 million under budgeted allocation.

TechnoCom Corporation is teaming with SpatialPoint, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner specializing in solving problems where location is critical and provides a real competitive advantage. SpatialPoint will offer its premier enterprise customers enhanced location and communication solutions built on the TechnoCom Location Platform, a cross-carrier, device independent web services location and messaging platform.

Acquisitions,Agreements,Alliances

ESRI Canada announced that APOS Systems, a provider of SAP BusinessObjects solutions, has signed an agreement to become a gold-tier partner under the new ESRI Partner Network Program. The partnership will allow APOS to offer enhanced solutions that integrate ESRI's geographic information system (GIS) technology with SAP business intelligence (BI) solutions.

OpenGeo, producer of the OpenGeo Suite, announced a reseller agreement with Athens-based Geospatial Enabling Technologies Ltd. (GET), to bring the first Enterprise FOSS stack offering to the Greek and Cyprian markets. GET is a dominant provider of geoinformatic marketing and service solutions in Greece and Cyprus. This new relationship enables GET to expand its capabilities and offer clients solutions based upon the OpenGeo Suite, a fully integrated open source geospatial platform.

OpenGeo announced that they will enter a reseller agreement with terrestris GmbH & Co. KG, a geoinformatics provider from Bonn, Germany. The company terrestris specializes in spatial data infrastructures as well as open source geoportals, and will now be able to expand their capabilities and offer clients solutions based upon the OpenGeo Suite, a fully integrated open source geospatial platform. They will then provide support for OpenGeo Suite Enterprise Edition to users in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and receive privileged access to OpenGeo for second line support.

MWH Global, the global wet infrastructure sector provider of environmental engineering, construction and strategic consulting services announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with Biwater Holdings Limited (“Biwater Holdings”) to acquire its U.K. based subsidiary Biwater Services Limited (“Biwater Services”). Biwater Services is a leading U.K. water construction and engineering firm, acting as the holding company for Biwater Treatment, Farrer Consulting and BiProduct Recovery. The company has 675 employees.

Environics Analytics, a marketing and analytical services company, announced partnerships with five leading companies that provide digital marketing services. The agreements integrate PRIZMC2 segmentation with some of North America's leaders in mobile marketing, social network marketing, eCRM and digital out-of-home media. For companies and not-for-profits, the partnerships enable marketers to get a consistent view of customers across multiple media in order to better target their messages and offers.

ERIS Technologies, LLC, announced that it has entered into a public-private partnership with Virginia Tech and L-3 STRATIS to co-develop an integrated security and incident management center of excellence at Virginia Tech's campus in Blacksburg, Va. This landmark initiative establishes a new infrastructure for fostering continuous development and advancement in the field of campus and facility security and management. The center will enable Virginia Tech to showcase the partnership's advanced platform that integrates applications for campus security, incident management and response, facility management, energy monitoring, and cyber security.

JiWire, a location-based mobile media company, announced that it has purchased NearbyNow. The acquisition accelerates the expansion of JiWire's extensive location-based media channel across Wi-Fi and mobile with the addition of industry-leading location technology. The combination of JiWire's broad location-based audience, which gives advertisers access to over 35 million monthly uniques, and NearbyNow's sophisticated mobile location technology and deep expertise in retail and mobile merchandising will create a new set of location-based advertising opportunities for major brands. This complements JiWire's client roster of leading Fortune 500 brands such as Buick, Hyatt Place, Jeep, Microsoft and Virgin America.

IDV Solutions announced a partnership with TrafficLand, the largest authorized distributor of live traffic video in the U.S. IDV is the maker of Visual Fusion, innovative business intelligence software that unites data sources in a web-based, visual context for better insight and understanding. Under this partnership, IDV customers can incorporate traffic video from than 200 cities into solutions built with Visual Fusion.

Announcements

The Dealmap, a source for consumers to find and share local deals, announced it has categorized and mapped more than 165,000 unique Black Friday product offers at more than 52,000 retail locations so that consumers can easily find nearby holiday sales. The Dealmap's Android and iPhone apps are the first and only mobile applications that make use of location awareness to display nearby Black Friday deals on a map.

WeatherBug, provider of consumer and professional weather products and services and operator of the largest weather observing and lightning network, announced its selection by SESCAM (Servicio de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha), a regional healthcare organization in central Spain that serves more than two million living throughout the region of Castilla-La Mancha. With the agreement, WeatherBug Professional is providing real-time weather stations with integrated total lightning detection technology, web-based weather visualization tools, and alerts during severe weather events. Together, these solutions form an advanced nowcasting weather solution that will help SESCAM monitor live, local weather conditions and use that information to more safely deploy emergency helicopters 24/7 and better serve its constituents when urgent medical response is required.

Borders announced its participation in Google's Local Availability feature, a national service that provides customers with a fast, easy and convenient way to search for books and other products at participating retailers. The company also announced it's teamed with Meetup to enable consumers to discover enriching family-friendly events in their communities. In the coming weeks, Borders will have a dedicated page on Meetup Everywhere accessible via Borders.com, enabling customers to find Borders' kids parties, storytime events, musical performances, national author readings and book signings as well as other activities happening in their communities. Customers will also be able to use Meetup to organize book clubs and other meetings at Borders locations during regular store hours at no charge.

The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC), the Economic Development Foundation of Rhode Island (EDFRI), the Rhode Island State Planning Office and GIS Planning Inc. announced the launch of a website, http://www.RISiteLocator.com that provides free, comprehensive and accurate information to businesses looking to relocate or expand in the Ocean State.

Financial


HP announced financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2010, with net revenue of $33.3 billion, up 8% from the prior-year period including a slight negative currency impact of about one percentage point.

New Products

NAVTEQ, global provider of maps, traffic and location data enabling navigation, location-based services and mobile advertising around the world, announced the launch of the next generation NAVTEQ TrafficOne, its web-based map, traffic, commuter and trip planning service widely used throughout the North American broadcast industry. New graphics such as satellite maps and hybrid views, together with new features that allow users to see only the traffic along the routes they care about, make NAVTEQ TrafficOne unique in the commute management services category.

GIS Tutorial for Humanitarian Assistance uses real-world scenarios as a practical guide for responding to crises, disasters, and relief efforts around the world. New from Esri Press, the tutorial will benefit both professionals and students as they apply geographic information system (GIS) skills and analysis to humanitarian efforts in ways that can help save lives and make the most of limited resources.

AT&T* business customers will now be able to manage their mobile resources - field employees, vehicles, inventory, and more - using Actsoft, now available directly from AT&T. The Actsoft solution utilizes the latest advances in GPS, mobile and web technologies to improve workforce productivity, better manage assets, control operating costs and mitigate risk, using various mobile devices AT&T offers for businesses.

SuccessEHS, a Birmingham-based company specializing in electronic health record (EHR / EMR) and physician practice management software systems, is pleased to announce the launch of Mobile EHR for the iPhone.

UK GIS company GGP Systems has launched a new look website. Packed full of new features www.ggpsystems.co.uk now includes customer case studies, white papers and videos as well as product literature, company information and of course the latest news and events from the world of GIS and Gazetteer Management. The site also includes business and technical blogs, a link to follow the company on Twitter and a 'customer only' section with new product downloads and user documentation.

Farm Market iD, a provider of farm-level U.S. agricultural data, announced it has made available for commercial use previously unavailable information on more than 26,000 agricultural producers in Florida derived from local ownership records, and enhanced by GIS (geospatial information system) data and satellite imagery. Crops included in the data represent 1.7 million planted acres, and cover orange, other citrus, sugarcane and peanut production.

NAVTEQ issued their experts' rankings of the Top 10 most congested cities and freeways in North America. NAVTEQ Traffic.com will help millions of on-the-go drivers dodge the worst of the worst traffic this holiday season via real-time traffic information available online and on their mobile phones.

Vufind, Inc., a mobile social gaming and networking company, launched its first mobile app for the iPhone. The Vufind app recognizes people's interests based on their photos and videos, and then entertains and connects them with friends and businesses that share similar interests. Vufind's mobile apps and games turn the user's iPhone into a visual robot that can be used for immersive gaming experiences that blend the virtual world with the physical world through object recognition. The Vufind app is part augmented reality game based on object recognition, part visual social network and part recommendation engine based on recognizing the user's visual profile.

TatukGIS announces version 9 of its GIS Internet Server introducing features including support for 3,000 pre-defined coordinate systems with on-the-fly map reprojection and rotation, additional 3rd-party spatial database server formats such as Microsoft Spatial Server and PostGIS, and the possibility for creating WMS servers. The TatukGIS Internet Server is an ASP.NET server component with an extensive object API for the development and deployment of web-based GIS mapping applications.

The GeoInformation Group, publishers of Cities Revealed and UKMap, are pleased to announce the release of Solar Energy Mapping, a brand new product that identifies buildings potentially suitable for solar panel installation.

Using highly accurate 3D building information and mapping techniques buildings are identified and graded by the amount of sun they receive to determine their appropriateness for photovoltaic panel installation. This procedure considers each property's roof height, position, size, location and any obstructions such as trees or other buildings that may impede sunlight.

SugarCRM, the world's fastest growing customer relationship management (CRM) company, extends its mobile CRM leadership position with its new native iPhone application, made generally available as part of the latest enhancement to Sugar 6 - CRM made simple. Bundled with the Sugar Enterprise edition, the iPhone application will also be available for a limited time at no additional charge for users of Sugar Professional edition. The Sugar Mobile for iPhone application can be downloaded today at the Apple iTunes AppStore. Free trials of SugarCRM Professional can be launched directly from Sugar Mobile for iPhone, as well as from the SugarCRM website.

Around the Web

GISCafe Today Blog

Pacific to promote development in GIS November 23, 2010, FBL. News

Kent to map all 1800 properties in town November 23, 2010, Waterbury Republican American

Town Talk: City ready to plow snow; GIS program to track snow crews; Bowersock project set for low-cost city lease; Presto convenience stores to change ownership November 22, 2010, LJWorld.com

Phone Apps to Navigate Traffic November 9 2010, The New York Times

Rwanda: GIS to Be Introduced in School Curriculum allAfrica.com

Events