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Transcript of geoinformatics 2010 vol04
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GIS and Imagery Real World Gaming
GeoSAR NEXTMap USA
M a g a z i n e f o r S u r v e y i n g , M a p p i n g & G I S P r o f e s s i o n a l sJune 2010 Volume 13
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A Magical Mystery Augmented Reality Tour
Recently I had the opportunity of visiting the Location Business Summit in Amsterdam.During this two-day conference there were some interesting reflections on the developmentof location based services. Of particular interest was a presentation by Gary Gale from Yahoo!Geo Technologies, called Taking the hype out of location based services.
He came up with some interesting thoughts. Not only did he mention that smoke signalscould be regarded as location based services avant-la-lettre, he showed that since we aregathering information all the time, we lose perspective. In his own words: we lose the whenin order to get the now. The history of maps is lost by mapping the present, that changesall the time. Also, he used the term Geobabel to point out how people think they are talk-ing about the same location, but in fact they are not without realizing it. The same placemay mean something else to everyone.
In short, with new technologies such as location based services, the concept of location andplace is redefined. Context is important here. A point of interest or location could be any-thing, depending on the context. Manhoods relation with place is complex and geographersuse psychological theories to understand this relation. Social media in combination withlocation will surely pave the way for redefining place, both virtual and physical. A MagicalMystery Augmented Reality Tour for instance. Layar created one and Im excited about it,even though Im not a Beatles fan myself.
Enjoy your reading!
Eric van [email protected]
June 20103
GeoInformatics provides coverage, analysis and commentary with respect to the international surveying,mapping and GIS industry.
PublisherRuud Groothuis [email protected]
Editor-in-chiefEric van Rees [email protected]
EditorsFrank Arts [email protected] Fischer [email protected] van Haaften [email protected] [email protected] Takken [email protected] Triglav [email protected]
Contributing WritersAngus W. StockingLawry JordanKarel SukupFlorian FischerKen GoeringPhilip Cheng Chuck ChaapelKevin P. CorbleyMatthew DeMeritt
Account ManagerWilfred Westerhof [email protected]
SubscriptionsGeoInformatics is available against a yearly subscription rate (8 issues) of 89,00.To subscribe, fill in and return the electronic replycard on our website or contact Janneke Bijleveld [email protected]
Advertising/ReprintsAll enquiries should be submitted to Ruud Groothuis [email protected]
World Wide WebGeoInformatics can be found at: www.geoinformatics.com
Graphic DesignSander van der [email protected]
ISSN 13870858
Copyright 2010. GeoInformatics: no material maybe reproduced without written permission.
GeoInformatics is published by CMedia Productions BVPostal address:P.O. Box 2318300 AEEmmeloordThe NetherlandsTel.: +31 (0) 527 619 000 Fax: +31 (0) 527 620 989 E-mail: [email protected]
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Building a Modern GISFounded by Romans in 34 BC and with a current population of 92,000,
Cceres is one of Europes oldest cities. Recently, a team of three city
planners working with a modest budget were able to implement a world-
class municipal GIS using existing digital cartography and a variety of
existing databases. Many tasks that were slow and tedious are now
automated, freeing professionals for more productive activities.
C o n t e n t
June 2010
ArticlesBuilding a Modern GIS For an Ancient City 6
GIS and ImageryHow They Became Pals 10
Moving ForwardImage Data Acquisition and Processing of Clustered Cameras 14
Real World Gaming with GPS-MissionBusiness Perspectives of Location Based Entertainment 20
NEXTMap USAA GPS Coordinate for Everything in the United States 26
Pan-sharpening and Geometric CorrectionWorldView-2 Satellite 30
A Collaborative ProjectThe Archaeological Potential for Shipwrecks 42
Making Mapping the Impossible PossibleGeoSAR 44
InterviewsSpatial Technology For Utilities, Public Safety and Security Solutions 24
The Data Exchange CompanySnowflake Software 36
Translate, Transform, Integrate and Deliver DataMoving Data with FME 40
President of ERDASJoel Campbell 50
Conferences and MeetingsThriving on Energy of Shared Innovation2010 ESRI Developer Summit 46
Are We There Yet? The Location Business Summit 34
Page 6
GIS and Imagery: How They Became PalsHistorically, imagery and GIS have occupied two separate worlds.
Imagery had its own methodologies, its own language, and its own set
of distinct instruments. In the same way, GIS had its own tools,
technicians, and geek speak. Although ESRI added support for
imagery and rasters into its software as early as 1982, everyone on
both sides knew technology had to evolve before GIS and imagery could
converge in a completely unified environment.
4
Page 10
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Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com5
June 2010
On the Cover:
GeoSAR P-band DEM and orthorectified radar image highlight intricate
geomorphological and textural details on the Galeras volcano (Colombia)
and adjacent agricultural features on the fertile slopes of the active volcano
and surrounding the city of Pasto definition. See article at page 44.
Business Perspectives of Location BasedEntertainmentLocation-Based Entertainment seems to come of age slow but surely.
Smartphones and reasonable mobile internet fares establish a framework
to enable a broad public for gaming. The International Mobile Gaming
Award just introduced the category of real world games last year and
experts await good business perspectives for location-based games in
marketing, tourism and education.
GeoSARIn less than a decade of commercial operations, Fugro EarthDatas GeoSAR
system has earned a reputation for mapping the impossible. GeoSAR is a
dual-band airborne interferometric radar system that is capable of rapidly
mapping large areas in any weather conditions. In 2009 Fugro EarthData,
which integrated and operates the system commercially, used GeoSAR to
complete one of the most challenging terrestrial mapping projects the firm
had ever attempted.
Page 44
Calendar 54
Advertisers Index 54
Page 20
Page 44
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Building a Modern GIS
For an Ancient CityFounded by Romans in 34 BC and with a current population of 92,000, Cceres is one of Europes oldest cities. Recently,
a team of three city planners working with a modest budget were able to implement a world-class municipal GIS using
existing digital cartography and a variety of existing databases. Many tasks that were slow and tedious are now
automated, freeing professionals for more productive activities.
By Angus W. Stocking, L.S.
Cceres, Spain, is a UNESCO World HeritageCity renowned for its blend of Roman, Islamic,
Jewish, and Christian cultures and medieval
architecture, all of which have left their traces
on the city. Founded by Romans in 34 BC and
with a current population of 92,000, Cceres
is one of Europes oldest cities.
But Cceres is a modern city as well, and its
city servantslike their counterparts around
the worldstruggle to serve citizens efficient-
ly. Recently, a team of three city planners work-
ing with a modest budget were able to imple-
ment a world-class municipal GIS using existing
digital cartography and a variety of existing
databases. The GIS was quickly adopted by
the public and has become a daily timesaver
for city offices, said GIS Department Director
Luis Antonio lvarez Llorente.
Since there was no budget for outside con-
sultants, the citys planning staff had to devel-
op the GIS on their own. And the databases
and cartography that existed had not been
designed with a GIS in mind.
lvarez continued, Everything we hadmap-
ping and alphanumeric informationwas pre-
pared internally. When the project started in
1999, we had some digital cartography that
was inconveniently formatted, a lot of paper
maps and documentation, and databases in
different formats scattered across several city
departments. Also, were very busy so we
couldnt assign a lot of staff to thisthere
were only two technical staff assigned to the
project permanently, and occasionally wed
form small, temporary teams for particular
phases.
Accessible via the InternetBut if the projects challenges were big, so were
its goals. Planners wanted to give all city
employees access to the GIS, they wanted it to
incorporate all existing databasesalong with
information from utilities, railways, and high-
way departmentsand they wanted the GIS to
be easily accessible to the public via the
Internet. To accomplish all this, they broke the
project down into phases.
The first phase was to design and organize the
GIS. One early decision was to build the new
system with Bentley software to take advan-
tage of staffs familiarity with it. MicroStation,
MicroStation GeoGraphics, and Descartes were
heavily used to assemble the cartographic lay-
ers. We had a lot of our urban planning infor-
mation on paper so we scanned that for a raster
layer and then compared that to digital map-
ping that were able to import. We adapted and
drafted as needed to create base mapping,
which gave us a high-quality end product,
explained Faustino Cordero, GIS department
assistant.
The Cceres team also turned to dozens of out-
side sources for cartographic information,
including the National Geographic Institute, the
Geographic Army Service, historic maps on file
at the Cceres Library, and existing street maps.
Most of these were paper-based and required
digitizing.
Utility CompaniesThis base mapping was made available to city
staff, and immediately proved useful. The suc-
cess of this phase encouraged planners and
work continued on base layers. Urban and rural
cadastral mapping was imported to aid asses-
sors, and orthophotos were adapted and tied
to the GIS coordinate scheme.
The next phase involved consolidating alphanu-
meric informationon paper and in databas-
esin the GIS. Bentley tools were able to work
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Art ic le
June 2010
A sampling of infrastructure maps managed by the GIS of Cceres (Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Cceres)
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with the various data formats, and staff was
able to import paper-based info. Once again,
work at this phase was made available as com-
pleted and immediately found eager users.
Thanks to the versatility of the software, the
available maps and data were easy to consoli-
date and weve seen a big return on our invest-
ment, noted lvarez.
With the basic format created and most avail-
able city information included, the GIS planners
turned to outside sources to increase useful-
ness. Cceres was able to reach data-sharing
agreements with all the utility companies that
serve Cceres, including water, wastewater, gas,
and electrical. Cceres was also able to get dig-
ital information about the road and rail net-
works, which consisted of a total length of
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com7
June 2010
A sampling of infrastructure maps managed by the GIS of Cceres (Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Cceres)
Wireframe 3D model of the old Cceres city
(Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Cceres)
Art ic le
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3,000 kilometers of unpaved roads, and have
integrated everything into the GIS.
Seeking the most complete and useful informa-
tion possible, planners continued to add to the
GIS, and found ways to import and reference
historical cartography, livestock paths, public
transportation routes, tourist-oriented street
maps, and other information resources. All city
buildings are identified, with addresses, useful
information like hours of operation, and more
than 15,000 total pictures of buildings. Other
buildings available for search include pharma-
cies, health centers, and schools.
Internet PublicationTo get this resource on the Internet, the Cceres
team used Geo Web Publisher. Geo Web
Publisher made Internet publication very easy,
because we didnt have to transform or adapt
anythingwe could just use it as we created
it, explained lvarez. But the team did put con-
siderable work into the web interface. VBA and
Javascript were used to add functionalities like
parcel shading and annotation localizing.
Button bars were also created to make the
interface readily useable by the public and city
employees. In all, 30 VBA modules with a total
of more than 5,000 lines of code were built.
Designers have consistently updated, expand-
ed, and improved the Cceres GIS. lvarez
explained that its a living thing, currently man-
aging 42,000 archives with more than 50 giga-
bytes of data and 50 workstations for city use
distributed throughout the citys departments.
All the information is centralized and accessi-
ble to all departments, noted Cordero. That
way, the changes, updates, or improvements
we make are immediately available, not only
for the use of public servants, but for the pub-
lic as well. The power and versatility of this tool
is evident from the large volume of data were
able to manage and make accessible.
lvarez is effusive when speaking to the bene-
fits of the GIS. We have better control of tax
collection and much more ability to answer
planning questions. Our census information is
much more accurate, and were able to do more
with it. And we can do a lot more for the citi-
zens of Cceresfor example, weve easily pro-
duced more than 50,000 street maps, tourist
maps, and public transportation maps, said
lvarez. He added that many tasks that were
slow and tedious are now automated, freeing
public servants for more productive activities.
The system is also a hit with the public, and
more than 150 Cceres residents use it each
day.
Cceres spent 10 years and 1.3 million euros on
the GIS project, when all the staff hours, soft-
ware, workstations, and training hours are
taken into account. Several constituencies agree
that it was money well spentthe city can
accomplish vital tasks more quickly and effec-
tively and take on some chores that were pre-
viously impossible, and residents have a
resource they can turn to again and again for
information.
Angus W. Stocking, L.S. is a licensed land surveyor
who writes about infrastructure projects around
the world. He can be contacted at
8June 2010
Mainface of the street map printed on paper (Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Cceres)
Art ic le
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GIS and Imagery
How They Became Pals
Historically, imagery and GIS have occupied two separate worlds. Imagery had its own methodologies, its own language,
and its own set of distinct instruments. In the same way, GIS had its own tools, technicians, and geek speak.
Although ESRI added support for imagery and rasters into its software as early as 1982, everyone on both sides knew
technology had to evolve before GIS and imagery could converge in a completely unified environment.
By Lawrie Jordan
Moores LawToday, thanks in large part to enabling technologies and Moore's law,
GIS and imagery have combined on the desktop. The result is that the
long-imagined symbiosis between imagery and GIS is here. The challenge
is to demonstrate that symbiosis to those who can most benefit from it.
Thankfully, this job is easy. IT is filled with examples of technological
symbiosis. It's not hard, for example, to explain how weather satellite
technology informs meteorological science and, conversely, how meteo-
rological science informs weather satellite technology. The imagery from
sensors complements atmospheric science because it contains valuable
data. That's similar to how GIS and imagery inform each other.
Photographs of the earth are inherently spatial. GIS extracts the spatial
data inherent in the photographs then processes it, analyzes it, and man-
ages it all on the same platform. That's easy to convey to this audience
because it is common sense.
Universally Understood PrincipleUsers of spatial information all have a common
objective: they all want to produce successful pro-
jects in increasingly shorter time frames. At some
point in the evolution of software, almost every-
body in the software business realized that meet-
ing that objective requires the consolidation of
tasks in a workflow. Complicated processes could
be automated. Moores law enabled CPUs to per-
form a number of concurrent operations without
frying circuits. The software suite was born from
that novel development. The creation of ArcGIS
exemplifies that bundling of functionality. It could-
nt do everything at first, but it did a lot.
10
Art ic le
June 2010
GeoEye 1 high resolution satellite imagery over
Queenstown, New Zealand, with local government par-
cel basemap.
Lawrie Jordan
-
Killing two birds with one stone is an age-old, universally understood prin-
ciple. If dinner can be had with the least expenditure of energy, that con-
serves time and calories for other equally important tasks. Companies and
governments operate the same way on a macro scale. Only in their case,
time and calories represent their goal to always run at optimal efficiency.
So what does this have to do with earth views and cartography? With
imagery and geoprocessing tools in a single interface, GIS technicians no
longer have to open an image-processing package to modify imagery data,
nor do they have to deal with separate licensing. At 9.3.1, ArcGIS combined
imagery and GIS analysis in one integrated environment that immediately
improved workflow. By availing themselves of that merger, organizations
maximized the value of their imagery data. Many other benefits loom on
the horizon with ArcGIS 10.
The next release of ArcGIS includes a new Image Analysis window in the
user interface, which enables quick access to a range of tools that those
who work with imagery typically require. That integration paves a more
direct path to results. Users can also now create catalogs of all the rasters
in their organization as well as define metadata and processing to be per-
formed. Access has been beefed up, as well. Image services open the door
to huge imagery holdings like ArcGIS Online, Bing, and the forthcoming
ArcGIS.com. The surplus of quality imagery data is ever-growing.
On-the-Fly ProcessingMoore's law told us one day these two disciplines would marry, and indeed
they have. That is evident in ESRI's on-the-fly processing and dynamic
mosaicking. These entail going back to the original source pixels to ren-
der hundreds of thousands of images that instantly display on the screen.
This is tremendously powerful, and ESRI's use of it is unique in the indus-
try. It means if theres an organization that wants to host a datasetsay,
an image mosaic of the world (or any other dataset) it could easily
accommodate tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of users who
want to view it at the same time. Tiled caches are invaluable for that scale
of image delivery.
Many common business needs are easily met thanks to this performance
gain. Not only can pre-processing and dynamic mosaicking save terabytes
of intermediate file storage, the results return accurately and instantly.
Mosaic Datasets and Multiple Sensor ModelsAt ArcGIS 10, ESRI decided to combine GIS and imagery into a single com-
prehensive data model stored within the geodatabase called the Mosaic
Dataset. The enhanced scalability enables massive volumes of imagery to
be quickly and easily cataloged from within ArcGIS Desktop or automated
using the geoprocessing tools. Mosaic datasets not only catalog the data;
they enable definition of extensive metadata and processing to be per-
formed on the imagery. This processing can include simple aspects, such
as clipping and enhancement, to more detailed orthorectification, pan-
sharpening, pixel-based classification, and color correction.
Additionally, Mosaic Datasets can be deployed as image services, making
them quickly accessible to a large number of different users both over
local networks and the Web. The Mosaic Dataset is the implementation of
image serving technology directly into the core of GIS. Soon, Mosaic
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Art ic le
11June 2010
GeoEye 1 image of Queenstown Airport, on-the-fly sharpening applied.
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Datasets will become the de facto method of managing and using large
collections of imagery and other raster datasets that our users continue
to acquire.
GIS also handles new higher-resolution, higher-precision data types. In
version ArcGIS 10, a start has been made to integrate rigorous sensor
models into the software. A sensor model is a precise way to get 3D coor-
dinate positions on the ground. Traditionally, simple approaches just to
make an approximation of exactly where a pixel is on the ground use a
very low-level of mathematical equation. Sensor models are more sophis-
ticated. A sensor model implementation knows all about the optics of the
system and calculates a precise math model that locates the pixel in three-
dimensional coordinate space. ESRI implements several sensor models
into ArcGIS in full cooperation with all of our partners.
Inevitable Transition These groundbreaking developments in GIS and imagery are exciting
to watch. Granted, Moores Law will always create such partnerships,
but that doesnt make it any less gratifying to witness. Anyone inter-
ested in these fields is encouraged to investigate the merger of GIS
and imagery. See what it can do for your organization.
Lawrie Jordan, Director of
Imagery Enterprise Solutions, ESRI.
12
Art ic le
June 2010
Keynote speaker David Chappell
explains why cloud computing is a
golden opportunity for developers
GeoEye 1 image of Queenstown Airport, on-the-fly terrain hillshade processing
Interactive supervised classification of a DigitalGlobe WorldView
2 8-band image.
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Moving Forward
Image Data Acquisition and Processing of Clustered Cameras
GEODIS is a European company in the fields of geodesy, photogrammetry and
remote sensing. The following article focuses on how the company is involved
in image data acquisition and processing of clustered cameras. Topics discussed
are development of the digital technology usage, application of clustered cam-
eras data, image processing using automatic aerotriangulation, among others.
The article concludes with a look into the future of digital photogrammetry.
By Karel Sukup
IntroductionContinuously increasing the resolution of com-
mercially-produced large-format digital cam-
eras or standalone medium-format digital
camera backs has brought a number of
changes in technological methods. One of the
application areas of these digital sensors is
in the field of applied photogrammetry and
image interpretation. GEODIS purchased its
first digital camera with a resolution of 6
megapixels about 10 years ago. The company
was excited about its features, image quality
and PC connectivity support, offering astound-
ing image processing options compared to
classic aerial film cameras. The only flaw in
this type of technology was the relatively low
resolution of its sensors. Compared to an RMK
TOP, the camera used by the company at that
time, the area captured in a single digital
image was negligible. However, the digital
cameras flexibility, its ability to capture quali-
ty images, even in rather poor lighting condi-
tions, and the versatility of its use was
remarkable (the camera could be held in
hand, with vertical or horizontal image axis
orientation, could be used in an aircraft or
car). Amazingly this first digital toy cost the
same as a current 39-megapixel digital cam-
era. And this is not the largest resolution
available on the market there are now 50-
megapixel and 60-megapixel solutions com-
mercially available as standard.
Development of the Digital Technology Usage
The versatility and easy-to-use characteristics
of digital sensors for photogrammetric pur-
poses caused a wide range of camera systems
to appear on the market. The problem of low
individual chip resolution led developers,
through necessity, to combine the chips into
larger units, resulting in a bigger image size.
Todays digital camera image sizes are there-
fore close to the classic large-format film
cameras. Although GEODIS, as a specialized
digital photogrammetry processing company,
was linked to the technologies of Intergraph,
they had to migrate to Vexcel solutions when
facing the decision of which digital camera to
purchase. Sensors from this company were
being developed dynamically and it is worth
noting that efforts at Vexcel have not
dropped. UltraCamD, criticized by many pro-
fessionals for its construction,
instability etc., was relatively
close to GEODIS because the
construction philosophy was
similar to the kit used for build-
ing the companys own camera
systems.
Although GEODIS bought the
first UltraCam back in 2007 and
now have three cameras in total,
they purchased the first 39-
megapixel camera in 2005 and
started experimenting with it,
developing their own solution,
the GbCam digital camera. Their
activities first involved the use
of a single camera but a digital
twin followed in 2006, a three-camera set in
2007 and since 2008 this system has been
used as the five-camera GbCam system (Fig.
1) for capturing vertical and oblique images.
The system is suitable for both aerial and ter-
restrial digital image data acquisition applica-
tions.
Over the years, GEODIS managed to fine-tune
the controlling electronics and software of the
14
Art ic le
June 2010
Fig. 1 Five-camera GbCam
Fig. 2 Orientation system of a cluster camera with two strips
captured with opposite flight heading.
-
system. However, there was also development
in the digital image processing field, with soft-
ware for stitching generally oriented images,
calculating interior and exterior orientation
parameters, dependent and independent ori-
entation of image pairs, triples, and quintu-
ples, right up to bundle adjustment of whole
image sets. The solution included develop-
ment of software for simple viewing and mea-
suring of images in a single-image mode and
the transition to GEODIS own stereo-viewing
and stereoplotting solution this past year.
Several other specialized companies engaged
solely in image capture hardware develop-
ment followed a similar scenario. Through
development of various versions of dual and
quarto systems, the technology reached the
stage recently when four- or five-camera sys-
tems were developed for capturing generally
oriented images, with one camera usually
pointed vertically and the remaining four cam-
eras tiltable as needed.
Application of Clustered Cameras DataClustered cameras are developed mainly for the
purpose of acquiring area survey/recon -
naissance images. At the beginning this mainly
involved development for military purposes but
civil applications have since followed. Images
are usually visualized using special software
developed specifically for their processing. This
software enables basic measuring information
within the images such as lengths, widths,
heights, surface areas, point coordinates, etc.
There is relatively little discussion about options
for using these generally oriented images for
further photogrammetric applications such as
mapping, orthophotomap production, genera-
tion of better 3D models based on data textur-
ing and others.
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com15
June 2010
Fig. 3 PixoView Application Workspace
Fig. 4 Options for generating DTM and DSM using clustered cameras
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The primary problem in processing of generally
oriented images from clustered cameras is their
correct geo-referencing. Since there are a high
number of image files generated during the
photographic mission, perfect data manage-
ment is needed. Compared to large-scale digi-
tal cameras, commonly used medium-format
cameras generate many more images even if
vertical capture only is performed. If there are
five such cameras mounted to the holder, sev-
eral hours of imaging can result in tens or even
hundreds of thousands of images. Proper orga-
nization of this data and simultaneous assign-
ment of appropriate meta-information during
the flight is a relatively difficult task, the suc-
cessful performance of which significantly ben-
efits subsequent data post-processing. If every
image has at least the information on GPS time
and/or basic GPS/INS image orientation infor-
mation assigned, a considerable amount of
effort can be saved later when organizing these
data sets for further production.
If images are only used for monitoring an area
from several different perspectives, the directly
registered GPS/INS data is usually sufficient to
determine orientation of the images with suffi-
cient accuracy. In fact, with these tasks it is only
necessary to download a set of matching gen-
erally oriented images that see the selected
ground objects from various directions after a
viewpoint is selected on a vertical image or
map. If the directly measured image orientation
elements are merely approximate or determined
with lower accuracy, this often poses no prob-
lem for this type of application.
If more accurate image orientation is required,
there are usually two methods available, in
addition to the more accurate GPS/INS system.
The first method is to make a cluster adjust-
ment based on GPS/INS measurement only
without ground control points supplied, which
considerably increases the relative ties of
images. The second option is to perform full
cluster adjustment by means of classic aerotri-
angulation (AT).
Image Processing Using AutomaticAerotriangulation
16
Art ic le
June 2010
Fig. 5 Example of a color orthophotomap generated using images
acquired with the GbCam camera
-
When processing oblique imagery using soft-
ware solutions that are currently available,
serious issues occur in the functionality of
these systems when processing non-standard
configurations and orientations. It is usually
necessary therefore to process blocks of
images in several passes so that the existing
software can handle these images. At GEODIS
BRNO, there are three types of automatic
aerotriangulation processing software avail-
able: a solution from Intergraph (ISAT), Inpho
(Match AT) and Vexcel (Ultramap AT with
adjustment in Bingo). For processing oblique
images there were two applications under
test, ISAT and Match AT, and our experiences
in 2009 varied. The company was able to use
both applications for calculation with differ-
ent results, relating mainly to the degree of
oblique image used. The problems the com-
pany encountered were discussed with both
software producers. AT input involved individ-
ual images with interior orientation parame-
ters determined by field calibration while exte-
rior orientation parameter calculations were
carried out mostly using Orient software
developed at TU Vienna (adjustment was
done at the Brno University of Technology)
and later using the Bingo system.
The automatic correlation had difficulties tying
appropriate images together. The software
was more stable if overlapping of vertical
strips was ensured. Oblique images correlat-
ed only if taken in the same direction. Images
from strips captured by cameras oriented in
different directions did not produce correla-
tion and considerable dropouts occurred in
mutual ties of the strips. Later, the triangula-
tion blocks were divided into sub-blocks with
the same camera orientation, which substan-
tially increased the stability of the calcula-
tions. The correlated sub-blocks were again
merged into a single block and the final
adjustment was performed using the least
squares method. The complexity of the mutu-
al position of images in strips with opposite
orientation is illustrated in Fig. 2.
Figure 2 shows that when performing image
capture it is better to set up the flight in such
a way that mutual overlapping of central ver-
tical images is ensured (preferably large). This
is given by the current automatic AT process-
ing development level. Although the overlap
between the strips can be selected as need-
ed, at least 40% overlap proved to be useful.
In urban areas, it is better to ensure at least
50% or 60% overlap due to the relating tech-
nologies, e.g. possibility to perform higher
quality DSM correlation, while maintaining the
overlap of 60% between the images in a par-
ticular strip.
Examples of issues bound to automatic AT
processing using current software systems:
Serious correlation problem in ISAT cor-
relation sequences are selected chaotically
especially if multiple overlapping exists;
often there is no connection achieved
ISAT cannot handle correlation of oblique
images if not oriented in the same direc-
tion
Solution: per partes ISAT correlation
standalone correlation for various combi-
nations of strips and cameras with subse-
quent merging into a single block and final
adjustment. It is not possible to determine
in advance which combinations will deliv-
er the best result. However, we know for
sure that the following camera combina-
tions are required (see Fig. 2): 1+3, 2+3, 3
and 3+4+5. If problems persist, additional
special combinations are needed, such as
3+ all images facing south (north, west,
east).
Computing times needed for the ISAT cor-
relation in individual combinations is rela-
tively low (20-35 seconds per image). In
total the times range from 45 to 60 sec-
onds per image depending on the number
of strip combinations.
Inpho Match AT correlates all with all,
which results in longer correlation times
(3.5 minutes per image). If the number of
observations is optimized for a single
point and the maximum number of points
is limited for a single image, the times are
lower, comparable (or even shorter) than
times in the ISAT software. In some cases,
however, images suffer from unacceptable
decrease in the number of automatically
generated points and the optimizing set-
tings need to be re-adjusted, which often
leads to higher correlation times again.
Options for Using Clustered Camerasfor Mapping and 3D MeasurementsThe use of clustered cameras is most fre-
quently discussed in connection with image
acquisition for area documentation purposes,
e.g. for construction, traffic, urban planning,
police, integrated rescue system etc.
However, the oblique images acquired can be
used for mapping too. The procedure suitable
for this purpose is single-image mapping. This
can be applied when obtaining location-spe-
cific details of public areas or performing sim-
ple mapping of buildings and other objects
(see Fig. 3). This kind of mapping can be per-
formed using specialized software, such as
PixoView developed for these applications by
GEODIS BRNO.
However, using oblique images for stereo-
scopic measurements can be far more inter-
esting. The well-known problem of handling
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June 2010
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roof overlaps could also be solved using this
image acquisition method. The stereoscopic
shadow issue, occurring commonly when
using vertical images, could be considerably
eliminated as well. Although the current AT
results are not optimal for use in accurate
mapping, it is merely a matter of better sys-
tem calibration (field conditions are not per-
fect for most types of clustered cameras) and
proper AT adjustment of the entire set of
images to receive accurately geo-referenced
stereo pairs for all directions. For stereo resti-
tution the company has tested the Intergraph
and Inpho systems and our own stereo work-
station. All systems delivered great stereo-
scopic perception with vertical and oblique
images. When using oblique images acquired
in multiple directions, it will be necessary
however, to develop an image manager to
support stereo plotting that will enable
instant replacement of the oblique stereo pair
needed for measuring a situation covered in
one direction.
Options for Using Clustered Camerasfor DTM and DSM PreparationCurrent experiences indicate the option of
using clustered cameras for generating DTM
and DSM. For example, Match-T DSM from
Inpho can be used to create a higher-quality
DSM on the assumption that there is at least
60% overlap of images and strips. Such an
overlap results in a high-quality DSM when
digital images are used. Despite this, even
these calculations have to deal with the issue
of hidden image areas or problems with deter-
mining real terrain, especially close to large
objects, such as buildings. Although these
problems have been minimized in recent
years, the use of oblique images still provides
considerably greater options for obtaining cor-
rect correlation of images and calculating DSM
in locations that proved problematic before.
For now, existing software cannot be fully
used for DSM calculations using oblique
images but it is possible to assume that a
combination of vertical and oblique images
will be beneficial for these calculations.
Available information also suggests that Inpho
has been working intensively on this issue,
also using GbCam data. If one takes into
account the option to calculate surface points
on building faades, the company could gen-
erate a high-accuracy surface model, includ-
ing various types of faade details. Usability
of the above methods for processing oblique
images acquired from an aircraft or mobile
mapping system would certainly represent an
excellent opportunity to calculate accurate
surface models of all buildings around com-
munications for example. Fig. 4 provides sam-
ples of DTM and DSM data generated using
GbCam imagery.
Use of Clustered Cameras forCreating OrthophotomapsThe existing digital rectification technologies
enable the use of oblique mutually overlap-
ping images for creating orthophotomaps. The
modified true orthophotomap creation tech-
nology allows for the efficient patching of
shaded areas of vertical images. This is done
with image information obtained using math-
ematical searches to identify the missing sec-
tion in a suitable oblique image. A similar
method can be applied when performing
automatic building texturing. This is likely to
open a future path to 3D image databases
that will contain all information not only on
the terrain features but also the pixel image
information for all surfaces of the given 3D
object in database systems such as Oracle.
An example of a color orthophotomap pro-
duced using the GbCam system is provided
in Fig. 5 and an example of an automatically
textured building in Fig. 6.
ConclusionThe era of digital photogrammetry will bring
dynamic changes in acquisition and process-
ing of not only classic vertical images but also
oblique images. The software interconnection
of generally oriented images, captured from
an aircraft or ground-based mobile mapping
system, provides opportunities for the gradu-
al development of automated image data pro-
cessing in the sector of geo-informatics,
focused on applications related to image mea-
surement and semantic processing. Generally
oriented images will be stored in 3D databas-
es with the option of further use for various
types of 3D object measurement and surface
texturing. In connection with possible
improvement of image correlation options or
rotating laser scanners, it will be possible to
create extensive 3D databases of selected
areas comprising individual pixels with prop-
er geo-spatial and spectral information.
Karel Sukup Managing Director and CEO of
Geoinformatics Division of GEODIS BRNO, and
Patrik Meixner Production Manager of
Geoinformatics Division of GEODIS BRNO
Many thanks to Ing. Eva Pasekov,
Marketing &Sales Department
Geoinformatics Division
GEODIS BRNO, spol. s r.o.
Internet: www.geodis.cz
18
Art ic le
June 2010
Fig. 6 Example of building automatically
textured using images acquired with the
GbCam camera
-
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Real World Gaming with GPS-Mission
Business Perspectives of LocationBased Entertainment
Location-Based Entertainment seems to have slowly but surely come of age. Smartphones and reasonable mobile internet
fares have established a framework to enable a broad public market for gaming. The International Mobile Gaming Award
introduced the category of real world games last year and experts await good business perspectives for location-based
games in marketing, tourism and education. Florian Fischer talked with Georg Broxtermann from Orbster about the
promise and prospective of location-based gaming. Orbster is the location-based entertainment company that developed
the highly successful game GPS-Mission.
By Florian Fischer
From the Pursuit of Coordinates to Mixed-RealityMay 1st 2000 is a memorable date for many geo-cachers. It was the day
when the White House announced it was going to stop degrading the
Global Positioning System accuracy and GPS users received an instant
upgrade of their devices accuracy. It has been an enabler for the very
popular leisure activity of geo-caching, which today is widespread all over
the world. People use GPS devices to search for hidden treasures, often
among historical or nature-relevant places, that are only described by their
coordinates. It has become a popular representative for a new paradigm
of leisure and entertainment-based activities, characterised by the conver-
gence of mobile information, communication technology and location ser-
vices to link up material space with media-space. They connect space and
entertainment in a way that makes people discover their environment
beyond their ordinary action space, solve problems, compete with others
and learn about spatial phenomenon or history. It is often described by
terms such as pervasive, mixed-reality or augmented-reality and
mostly dedicated to location-based entertainment like gaming or story-
telling. In 2010 location-based gaming seems to be a rising star in the
entertainment market.
Linking Material and Media-Space with GeospatialTechnologyLinking physical and virtual space holds the possibility of reclaiming social
and physical aspects of space in a playful way, and creates new and revo-
lutionary forms of spatial experience. Location-based games require sensi-
tivity for spatial contexts and interaction during the course of play which
is established by the application of localisation and mapping technolo-
gies. A starting point of their success has been the recent development
and convergence of mobile internet and geospatial technology. Both the
Microsoft and Google geo-browsing platforms ensure a free availability of
maps even on mobile phones. Many communication providers offer fair
mobile internet rates and cell phone producers commonly integrate GPS
chips nowadays. Thus costs for play and provision of location-based games
are reduced, which helps them gain more and more attention in the enter-
tainment and leisure industries.
Up to now a great variety of different games exists, as the Location-Based
Games Database project of the Chair for Computing in the Cultural Sciences
at Bamberg University proves. It contains 135 entries on different games.
While most are prototypes from research institutions, some commercial
projects are listed as well. GPS-Mission (www.gpsmission.com) is one of
these and at the moment one of the most successful in the world.
GPS-Mission The World is Your PlaygroundGPS-Mission is a treasure hunt game that offers numerous missions world-
wide with each mission adapted to a specific urban environment. After
having downloaded the GPS-Mission client on a mobile phone, the player
can log-in and start playing. During the game a mobile internet connec-
tion is necessary to re-load maps and update the players position on the
20
Art ic le
June 2010
GPS-Mission - mixed-reality treasure hunt
-
server of GPS-Mission. That is to say, the course of the game is recorded
and can be reviewed later. In addition, other players in the community of
GPS-Mission can follow the game in real-time. After having selected a mis-
sion the players mobile phone shows checkpoints he has to reach and
challenges he has to fulfill. Checkpoints are points within walking dis-
tance. When reaching a checkpoint, sometimes a question related to the
place has to be answered. After reaching the last checkpoint the player
has solved the mission.
There is virtual gold everywhere in the world of GPS-Mission. All the gold
a player collects while playing a mission is available for him on his account.
Furthermore he is awarded gold for completing missions and can earn
gold for creating successful missions played by other players. Gold is the
in-game currency and can be used to buy trophies for every mission which
has been completed. The trophies are virtual collectibles similar to the
popular hiking-medals for alpine wanderers. Players can also buy power-
ups that improve the play.
Creating your own MissionsThe missions are created by the community of GPS-Mission which are
assumed to be the community of players of the game as well. Thus every
player in the GPS-Mission community is invited to create their own mis-
sions for the community and share their knowledge of interesting places,
challenge other players and make them walk. Thus a mission designer is
provided as an easy to use web-based tool to create missions online.
After publishing a mission, it is instantaneously available for all players in
the area. The creator of a mission will be rewarded with 50 Gold for every
user that completes his mission successfully. In addition to managing the
mission, the mission designer utilizes a geo-browser optionally Bing-
Maps, OSM or Google Maps to create checkpoints, add local riddles,
gold and photo spots. As soon as a newly designed mission is ready to
be played, it can be published online and is visible for everyone in the
community after just a few seconds.
Quality AssessmentGeorg Broxtermann believes, that the quality of the GPS-Mission largely
belongs to the activities in the community. This is also the reason why we
leave the quality management to the players mainly. However, a tool in
the mission designer checks every mission for its rough playability, and it
is up the players in the community to review the mission with stars and
comments. According to Broxtermann these players are aged mainly from
14yrs to 40yrs but sporadically up to 65yrs. He must smile while he admits
that the best mission on GPS-Mission has been created by a 66 year old
teacher from Amsterdam. This might indicate that the most active mem-
bers, in terms of high-quality contribution, are in the older age range, a
trend similarly observed on
OpenStreetMap and other popular plat-
forms for Volunteered Geographic
Information (VGI). In fact Broxtermann
argues that the authors of missions are
driven by a motivation similar to partici-
pating on YouTube. While he wanted to
focus on entertainment as motivation, I
rather believe in a whole bunch of moti-
vations for creating missions, ranging from
entertainment and education to earning
money, and developing a kind of profes-
sionalism in location-based entertainment.
A Multi-branched Business ModelStill the company Orbster wants to earn some money with GPS-Mission.
Georg Broxtermann explained the various branches of their business
model. Basically a premium client can be purchased on Apples App Store
or Nokias Ovi Store and advertisements on the website of GPS-Mission
generate some revenue for Orbster. But Broxtermann emphasizes that their
interest is in partner-events and the re-use of the GPS-Mission platform
for white-label productions and brand-marketing. There are three levels of
branding which can be incorporated in GPS-Mission. Firstly, the branding
of single missions, which reach from a special design for checkpoints and
a branded story, to the checkpoints that guide the player to points-of-
interest for that particular brand. Secondly, Orbster can build a new game
which is integrated on its platform, and thirdly, create a whole new and
independent game for its customers.
Bright Prospects While location-based entertainment can be part of a branding-strategy in
the opinion of Orbster, it also has opportunities in the tourism and leisure
industries as well as in education. Location-based games are often
described as new leisure activities combining outdoor activities with gam-
ing experience as they generate a great post-work reward for the players.
As such they have strong connotations with life-style trends, self expres-
sion and fashion issues and compete with personal fashion items and
activities, such as having a coffee with friends rather than watching a
movie. Thus it might be assigned a valuable component in the tourism
and leisure industry in the future rather than in the entertainment domain.
Touristic performances are strongly concerned with play. They are about
taking on new roles and trying different patterns of action. The experi-
ence of difference aside from everyday lifes spaces is considered the
most driving force for leisure activities and travelling. Location-based
games provide a playful and different experience in everyday spaces, and
they help players transcend urban life by inscribing the game and their
interactions with it. While the game directs the player in space rather than
as his personal everyday habits do, he gains a new perspective on space
and a chance to reflect on daily spatial habits and configurations. At the
same time, he experiments with new tactics of space appropriation while
he moves through space by conducting the games rules, interacting with
other players and executing strategies to succeed in the game. The change
of perspectives is a basic principle to experience difference and gain an
awareness of other concepts of space. Other-awareness means an imagi-
native takeover of other points of perception while ones own points-of-
view are temporarily suspended. Perspective-taking is an important com-
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Art ic le
21June 2010
What the player can
do in GPS-Mission
-
ponent of a successful learning environment. Thus, loca-
tion-based games might be interesting components of
education-focussed leisure activities as well as for school
excursions and study trips. Affirmatively Georg
Broxtermann explains that education is a fascinating
domain for location-based entertainment. Teachers can
easily use the mission designer to create attractive mis-
sion for their students. There are already many exam-
ples of that. He also mentions a teacher in Munich,
Bavaria who has even been assigned to the municipal
school authority to create missions for learners.
The Future of Location-Based GamingIt seems that location-based entertainment has some
very bright prospects to be used for the branding of
products as well as becoming a popular leisure and
tourist activity or even utilized as a learning environ-
ment. The fusion of location-based gaming with local
search and geo-social networking is expanding. The ever
popular mobile applications like Foursquare and Gowalla unite mobile
gaming with local search. They reward their users with virtual commodi-
ties when they check-in at a place. Those commodities can be collected,
changed and dropped again. Furthermore, players are rewarded with spe-
cial badges if they create new places. Checking-in and the maintenance of
virtual places assure the reception of virtual commodities. In the local
search game MyTown, the player if he owns the virtual place can even
get rent from follow visitors of the place. Embedding
the community of players seems to be a central topic
of future location-based entertainment and its applica-
tion in the leisure, education and marketing domains.
However, we shall keep our eyes peeled to see what
fusions emerge with other kinds of mobile services.
Florian Fischer, GIS Editor and Research Assistant at the
Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute for GIScience in
Salzburg, Austria. He has a blog with small essays on the
Geographic Information Society, Locative Media,
Geobrowsers and the like: www.ThePointOfInterest.net.
Links
Orbster: www.orbster.com
GPS-Mission: www.gps-mission.com
Location-Based Games Database: www.kinf.wiai.uni-bam-
berg.de/lbgdb/
Gowalla: www.gowalla.com
Foursquare: www.foursquare.com
MyTown: www.booyah.com
22
Art ic le
June 2010
Game display in GPS-Mission
-
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-
Spatial Technology
For Utilities, Public Safety and
Security SolutionsDr. Horst Harbauer, SG&I Senior Vice President for EMEA at Intergraph, talks about the companys software solutions
for the utilities industry, public safety and security solutions. Also , the distinction between GIS and security is addressed
and how Intergraph is in a unique position to deliver critical infrastructure protection to different but related markets.
Lastly, Harbauer speaks about integration real-time sensor feeds with maps and how that experience leads towards
new innovations.
By the editors
How does Intergraph support the Smart Gridneeds of the utilitiesindustry?
The term smart
grid means the availability of
intelligent and flexible grids. More
and more power is being gener-
ated by decentralized power
sources (photovoltaics, wind
power). This leads to higher grid
structure requirements with regard
to load distribution and grid sta-
bility, which can be secured by
intelligent and flexible grids.
Contrary to regular power plants,
photovoltaic plants directly feed
into medium and low voltage net-
works creating significantly higher
effort to conduct networks analy-
sis. Wide area power generation
equally broadens the volume of
requests for network analysis soft-
ware solutions (e.g. voltage drop
and R&X-calculation) from not
only the headquarters and the
power plant, but also in some of
the subsidiaries of the regional
supplier and municipal utilities.
G/Technology is Intergraphs
focused application for utility and communications customers. It was
developed from the foundation of our GeoMedia technology to provide
advanced workflows that meet the data capture, maintenance, analysis
and reporting requirements of utility and communications companies. To
provide maximum openness, flexibility and scalability, both applications
support native Oracle Spatial. Previous versions of G/Technology initially
remained on Oracles relational spatial data model when GeoMedia
upgraded to the object data
model. Today, both G/Technology
and GeoMedia utilise Oracles
object data model. For earlier ver-
sions, customers made use of
Oracle stored procedures to simul-
taneously populate both geome-
try types, allowing both applica-
tions to access common records.
In Europe, when perform-ing disaster managementsimulations, the heavysecurity at governmentinstitutions impedes theexchange of (geo)data.The real problem seems tobe massive firewalls. Inwhat way can Intergraphhelp government agencieswith this issue?
This is really a
matter of approaching the require-
ment from the correct direction.
Major events (whether natural dis-
asters, acts of terrorism or sport-
ing events of the scale of the
Olympics) are unparalleled in their
operational and organisational
complexity. Their safe and effective
management requires timely and
well informed decision making coupled with the ability to communicate
and coordinate across geographically dispersed locations and a bewilder-
ing range of diverse organisations. These can involve critical responders
and resources from emergency services, national government, municipal
and regional government, the private sector (such as utility operators,
communications companies, transport operators, etc.), the military, securi-
ty services and the voluntary sector, amongst others.
24
Interv iew
June 2010
Dr. Horst Harbauer
-
To achieve this requires a significant degree of coordination, control and
resilience. In the absence of secure, reliable and predictable process and
access control, data sharing invariably becomes reduced to non-sensitive
themes that can be exploited by organisations downloading data from
portals for use in their local projects. The overheads, hinted to in the
question, and the lack of real-time interaction, tend to limit the applica-
tion of GIS to the planning and recovery phases of disaster management.
Intergraph has drawn on its experience as the leading provider of map-
based public safety and security solutions to develop a robust, collabo-
rative, process-driven emergency planning and response suite that fuses
workflow, real-time data integration, secure role-based access and
advanced geospatial functionality. The security and coordination provid-
ed by this platform enables users from different organisations to use
data directly from the source, avoiding the overhead and disconnect
caused by downloading datasets. This platform has already helped man-
age major events successfully, including the recent G8 Summit in LAquila,
Italy, and is being deployed for regional civil protection centres across
Europe.
The same questions as the one before, but with a focuson security and infrastructure? How can Intergraph useits knowledge of the energy and utilities infrastructureindustries to direct its expertise toward security concerns?And because security in government agencies and energycompanies is not in the same hands as GIS, is there anycontact at all between both divisions and what isIntergraphs strategy to enter these divisions?
In a perfect world, the GIS/security distinction would not
exist. However, some GIS technologies are harder to integrate with real-
time information and operational business systems. Intergraph is in a
unique position, having experience and products in the three prerequisite
areas of capability necessary to deliver critical infrastructure protection.
Intergraph offers core geospatial technology, as well as integrated security
platforms and industry solutions for infrastructure design and manage-
ment.
Today, Intergraph solutions are providing integrated security for airports,
ports, mass transit systems, rail, national borders and nuclear power
plants. Besides SG&I (Security, Government & Infrastructure), Intergraph
Process, Power and Marine (PP&M) which is Intergraph Corporations sec-
ond division, is the worlds leading provider of enterprise engineering soft-
ware for the design, construction and operation of process and power
plants. Our close relationship with and insight into the energy sector means
we work with clients wishing to protect next generation nuclear, petro-
chemical plants and oil production facilities.
The utilities industry has quite a high pressure to reduceits operating cost. What solutions can Intergraph provideto achieve this goal?
The German Federal Grid Agency has requested the utility
industry to reduce its operating costs and at the same time to com-
pensate the power losses which occur during the transmission. To secure
this, many power suppliers focus on status oriented maintenance.
Intergraphs G!NIUS solution provides all necessary methods and functions
needed to collect and document the status of the production equipment.
This covers the full workflow of production equipment data into the grid,
graphical user interface for result entry in the field, and recirculation of
the collected data into the office. The funds allocation is then based on
the findings of the results of the status oriented maintenance plan.
Furthermore, Intergraph does return the result data back into the central
ERP-SAP system, where cost calculation can be done.
The placement of safety cameras with a known positionthat recognizes pixels is rapidly bringing digital cameratechnology into the spatial domain. What can be expectedfrom Intergraph in the field of cameras and location, pixelrecognition and the real-time monitoring of suspectedmovements with multiple cameras?
While this is bleeding edge technology for conven-
tional GIS vendors, Intergraph has a long history of working with video,
and the company holds a number of patents in this space. We first
integrated camera feeds with our emergency management environment
over a decade ago and also produce a forensic video enhancement and
analysis product. This experience has enabled us to lead innovation in
a number of directions.
The security and public safety markets have driven the need to inte-
grate real-time sensor feeds with maps to maintain a clear picture of
the situation on the ground and as a way to manage and make sense
of the ballooning and bewildering range of real time data feeds like
intelligent CCTV, radar, access control and UAVs.
The spatial framework also helps the operator understand situations
more quickly by showing the context of an alarm with clear links to
supplementary information that can help them determine whether action
is required. For example, when an alarm is raised by an access control
system or a sensor, the operator is shown its location along with CCTV
that covers the area in question and the location and status of nearby
personnel. Video footage 10 seconds from either side of the alarm can
be accessed by clicking a camera location. Similarly, a patrol can be
dispatched to investigate and CCTV cameras can be panned and
zoomed by simply clicking their icon within the map. Intelligent CCTV
enhances this process by continuously monitoring multiple feeds for
conditions that fall outside acceptable parameters. When an exception
is detected, an operator is shown the video sequence and location of
the event on a map display, providing direct access to all of the sup-
plementary information to assess the alarm and deploy the most effec-
tive response. These capabilities are used extensively in critical infras-
tructure protection and border security.
Intergraph also has just launched GeoMedia Motion Video Analyst to
enable wider and more effective exploitation of the terrabytes of data
that are produced by the hundreds of thousands of hours of video pro-
duced annually by UAV flights. . Motion Video Exploitation combines
video feeds from aerial platforms directly with mapping, enabling live
video to be viewed in its geographic context and in combination with
other data for enhanced situational awareness during operations. It
also unlocks valuable information in archived footage by providing a
simple and reliable means of searching by location as well as date and
time.
For more information, have a look
at www.intergraph.com
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Interv iew
25June 2010
-
NEXTMap USA
A GPS Coordinate for Everythingin the United States
The contiguous United States, comprising more than 8 million km2, extends westward from a Maine beach on the Atlantic
Ocean to the state of Washingtons Pacific coastline. With Canada on its northern border and Mexico on the south, the
countrys landforms range from deserts to mountaintops and from grassland prairies to marshland. Each of those 8 million
square kilometers of diverse terrain is now part of NEXTMap USA, a high-resolution 3D digital elevation dataset from
Intermap Technologies. NEXTMap USA, which also includes the island state of Hawaii, is a companion dataset to NEXTMap
Europe, Intermaps collection of 2.4 million km2 of digital elevation data for all of Western Europe that was made commer-
cially available in May 2009.
By Ken Goering
Like those in NEXTMap Europe, the datasetswithin NEXTMap USA which include digital
surface models, digital terrain models, and
orthorectified radar images are unprece-
dented in their uniform accuracy and have
already been put to use in extraordinarily
diverse markets and industries. County gov-
ernments use the elevation models and
images for projects such as water manage-
ment planning, and U.S. federal government
agencies have leveraged the countrywide uni-
formity of the data, which is of the same accu-
racy specification from coast to coast and
from border to border. In addition, the data
is used in an enormous array of geospatial-
enabled products and services; in the auto-
motive industry alone, NEXTMap data will be
used in 3D in-dash visualization applications,
while Intermaps 3D Roads product, derived
from NEXTMap data, supports energy man-
agement and safety/advanced driver assis-
tance systems (ADAS) applications.
NEXTMap USA is a remarkable database,
said Brian Bullock, Intermap president and
CEO. Every building, road, and even large
rock in the United States now has a GPS
address, if you will, and we know its position
within 2 meters horizontally and 1 meter ver-
tically. Each square kilometer in the database
includes 40,000 individual elevation postings
and 640,000 image pixels, equating to over
600 billion elevation measurements and five
trillion image pixels for the nation.
The privately funded NEXTMap program devel-
oped from Intermaps recognition that map-
ping resources for first-world countries could
be dramatically improved. In 1998, after ana-
lyzing the United Kingdom, Germany, and the
United States, we concluded that the first
world was not well-mapped, said Bullock.
Rather, what existed was an accumulation of
decades and decades of maps, with varying
degrees of accuracy, all cobbled together.
Britain Serves as PrototypeBy 2002, Intermap was ready to initiate its
first whole-country mapping project and chose
Great Britain as a prototype. Intermap collects
its data with interferometric synthetic aper-
ture radar (IFSAR) mounted on an aircraft fleet
which includes Learjets and King Airs that col-
lect data in swaths up to 10 kilometers wide.
The method results in digital elevation
databases with sub-meter vertical accuracy.
One particular advantage of IFSAR is the abil-
ity to collect data in cloudy or dark condi-
tions, which allows the jets to fly without wor-
rying about cloud belts or overcast days.
England and Wales were completed in 2002,
and Scotland was added to NEXTMap Britain
in 2003. We were able to meet the technical
26
Art ic le
June 2010
This is a NEXTMap USA colorized shaded-relief digital terrain model (DTM) of the Grand Canyon, which is
located in northern Arizona in the southwest United States. The canyon is 446 km long and varies in width
from 8 km to 29 km. Grand Canyon National Park was one of the first U.S. national parks; the Colorado River
began carving the canyon at least 17 million years ago.
-
specifications and also prove the business
model, Bullock said. The big challenge was
to scale that up 50 times and significantly
reduce the costs.
Bullock said that Intermap wanted to devel-
op a digital database for the United States
that was much more accurate than what was
available at the time. It took the U.S. gov-
ernment 60 years and $2 billion to map the
United States the first time, and we were set-
ting out to do it at a thousand times more
density, and at least ten times more accuracy,
and we were going to do it in four or five
years with private funding, he said.
NEXTMap USA Begins with CaliforniaBased on market demand, NEXTMap USA
began with remapping the state of California.
However, remapping this single state was a
significantly larger project than NEXTMap
Britain had been: At nearly 424,000 km2,
California is almost twice the size of England,
Wales, and Scotland combined.
Intermap developed a 150-page project plan
that guided the company through this
along the southern and northern borders of
the United States for the mutual benefit of the
North American governments to manage bor-
der and security issues.
With the northern and southern borders com-
pleted, the rest of the United States was com-
pleted with maximum efficiency as dictated
by cooperative weather patterns and the sea-
sons. Coordinating the flights, which could
change on a moments notice depending on
extreme weather, took a huge effort from
Intermap personnel. There were times, espe-
cially during the winter, when we couldnt fly
anywhere in the country, said Ivan Maddox,
Intermap director of data acquisition and
planning.
Coordinating governmental clearance for the
NEXTMap USA flights was, compared to data
collection for NEXTMap Europe, relatively
straightforward: there is only one civil air
authority for the country, instead of different
agencies for each of the European countries.
Still, the flight planning had to be thorough.
Each flight had a standard 12-page briefing
that included the precise times of every sin-
gle turn, said Maddox.
For NEXTMap USA, Intermap aircraft flew a
total of 2,530 sorties, equating to 10,324
hours of airtime or a total of nearly five years
working aloft.
Improving EfficienciesThroughout data collection operations for
NEXTMap USA and NEXTMap Europe,
Intermap was taking significant steps forward
in both its technology and methodology.
When data for NEXTMap Britain was collect-
ed, the aircraft flew in lines of only 200 km
in length. To maintain the absolutely straight
lines needed for accurate data collection, the
pilots must continuously adjust the aircraft
heading during the flight because of chang-
ing winds aloft which also reorients the
antennae mounted on the jets and changes
the look angle of the antennae. The radar
would have to be taken offline so that it could
be manually reoriented to correct the look
angle, and the aircraft would have to make a
turn in order to start collecting data where it
had left off before. During those periods, the
radar wasnt collecting data, but the aircraft
was still using fuel and time both of which
are expensive resources.
Through intense research and testing, the
companys engineers developed a method of
automatically reorienting the IFSAR antennae
pedestal to account for changing wind direc-
tions while continuing to collect data. This
advancement allowed the Learjets to fly ultra
long lines, 1,200km flightlines that were
restricted to that length only by the fuel
capacity of the aircraft. By the end, said
unprecedented project. The plan addressed,
in part, ways in which to ensure that the data
was collected as accurately as possible.
Intermaps aircraft collect data by flying abso-
lutely straight lines, and subsequently control
the data with reflective ground control points
(GCPs) placed by field staff using GPS coordi-
nates and, for a state the size of California,
GCP placement was no easy task. However,
as massive as California is, its only the sec-
ond-largest state in the contiguous United
States (Texas is nearly 7 million km2):
Intermap was definitely headed into new ter-
ritory with NEXTMap USA.
Data collection for California was completed
in September 2005. The early sales success-
es of the dataset including use for flood-
plain mapping, high-speed rail line planning,
and water resource planning, among many
other projects in the state convinced
Intermap to continue the initiative of remap-
ping the entire United States.
The expansion began with the states of
Mississippi and Florida in the southeastern
United States. Next, Intermap collected data
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Art ic le
27June 2010
AccuTerra by Intermap is one of the many applications enabled by NEXTMap data. The application, available
for Apples iPhone as well as dedicated GPS devices, allows users to plan, record, and share their outdoor
recreational experiences, like hiking and skiing.
-
agement and application interoperability.
Instead of storing and managing large
datasets locally, many users now prefer cost-
effective Internet-hosted solutions that are
compatible with both their existing appli-
cation environment and data access
requirements.
In response, Intermaps Web services por-
tal called TerrainOnDemand is an
Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)
data as a service platform that
natively supports the acquisition, anal-
ysis, and delivery of the companys
NEXTMap data.
Automotive ApplicationsAboundNEXTMap data is being evaluated
extensively in the automotive indus-
try: Intermaps 3D Roads product is an accu-
rate and homogeneous geometric representa-
tion of all roads in a country, based on
NEXTMap data. Key vehicle energy manage-
ment applications enabled by 3D Roads
include Eco-routing, which helps plan more
fuel-efficient routes (and reducing carbon
emissions), and Electric Vehicle Range
Prediction, which accurately informs electric
or hybrid electric vehicle drivers how far they
can proceed on their current charge. Also in
the automotive sphere, NEXTMap data is
enabling applications such as Predictive Front
Lighting, which automatically adjusts a vehi-
cles headlights to illuminate curves in the
road, and Curve Speed Warning, which alerts
a driver if the vehicle is traveling at an unsafe
speed for an approaching curve.
Recreational Uses As WellNEXTMap USA data is the foundation for
Intermaps AccuTerra product, which is a map
database for smartphones and dedicated GPS
units used by outdoor enthusiasts to plan,
record, and share their hiking, skiing, and
other outdoor recreational pursuits. Earlier
this year, The New York Times used NEXTMap
data to create highly detailed and interactive
maps of the Winter Olympic venues in British
Columbia, Canada, for its Web site.
Ken Goering, Senior Writer at
Intermap Technologies
For more information on NEXTMap USA and
NEXTMap Europe, visit www.intermap.com.
Maddox, we had collected an area about four
times the size of California in the same
amount of time it took to collect that state.
Collection of the data for NEXTMap USA was
completed on March 16, 2009, within its bud-
get by six percent and ahead of
schedule by nine months. The data
was continuously being processed
and verified in several of
Intermaps offices around the
world, necessitating tremendous
upgrades in computing power
and storage capabilities, as
well as significant additions
to staff.
NEXTMap USA required
1,300 GCPs, each placed by
an Intermap employee who
had to ask landowner per-
mission prior to its place-
ment. The field staff would
regularly drive up to 25,000
miles in one month. For
NEXTMap USA, to initially place
and then return to pick up the
reflectors, our GCP crew drove the
equivalent of two return trips to the
moon, said Maddox. A total of 160 field
staff from Intermap worked on the data
collection phase of NEXTMap USA. Various
project teams, including the GCP crews,
spent a total of 24,463 days (67.5 work-
ing years) in the field.
Perhaps most stunning of all of the numbers
regarding the NEXTMap program is: two. For
a significant length of time, data collection
(and all of the operations that occurred to
support it) and processing was taking place
on the two continents of America and Europe
simultaneously so that NEXTMap USA and
NEXTMap Europe could both be completed as
quickly as possible. The end result: more than
10 million square kilometers of datasets pro-
viding uniformly accurate coverage for the
contiguous United States and Western Europe.
Putting NEXTMap USA to WorkWhile Intermap continues to collect and pro-
cess data under its NEXTMap program around
the world, the company has also transformed
itself from a data collection and processing
entity into one that is creating geospatial
products and services based on the NEXTMap
database and driven by the varying needs of
its customers worldwide.
Beyond traditional GIS-based uses for digital
elevation data and images, NEXTMap is also
used in a wide variety of geospatial-enabled
products and services. This year, Intermap is
introducing an online risk assessment portal
with which insurance companies can accu-
rately gauge their property portfolios risk of
flood damage; the accuracy of NEXTMap data
will allow that to happen at the level of a spe-
cific property address.
The company is also launching an application
that supports online terrain profiles applica-
tion for microwave link planning, which allows
telecommunications companies in the plan-
ning phase of building or extending a network
to ensure that their transmission towers will
have a clear line of sight without expensive
field verifications. The application has exten-
sive benefits to industries that use transmis-
sion lines of any type, such as water, and oil
and natural gas.
On-demand Data DeliveryThe quality, resolution, size, and complexity
of geospatial data is increasing exponentially,
driving the need for more effective data man-
28
Art ic le
June 2010
This is a digital surface model (DSM) of Germany
from NEXTMap Europe, which