Features

3D On The Wastewater Line - Failure Is Not an Option

Jeff Thurston — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:37:13 +0000

Joint venture partners Galliford Try, Costain, and Atkins have tackled numerous challenges to deliver assets for United Utilities’ £3 billion Asset Management Plan, running from 2005 to 2010. Adding tertiary treatment for ammonia removal at the Wigan wastewater treatment works located on United Kingdom’s Lancashire plains had more than its share: tight budget, fast-track schedule, constrained footprint, and environmental impact.

Pedestrian Simulation for the Sustainability of the Built Environment

Vector1Media — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:55:26 +0000

If sustainability means to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations, pedestrian simulation software can contribute to this aim in the field of building design and engineering. Simulation of human walking allows to identify planned or existing flaws regarding pedestrian comfort and security in buildings, urban areas or transport facilities that will threaten the current and future use of these facilities.

Geomatics: Research of Novel Applications in Heritage Management

Jeff Thurston — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:22:25 +0000

Geomatics for Heritage Management is strategic for sustainable development and cultural tourism, for economic development, cultural tourism, civil protection, for environmental monitoring and management of emergencies. The positive results of the work carried out convinced us to intensify the efforts and survey a wider area, aiming at covering European regions and worldwide.

Moving from 2D to 3D Design

Matt Ball — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:48:42 +0000

It used to be that good design was signified by form following function, but as we’ve moved through the first decade of the 21st century, it’s clear that good design requires so much more. While function is still primary, there are many other factors inherent to good design. Factors like sustainability, affordability, usability and reliability. And wrapped around those factors are ever-more subjective notions of beauty and emotional appeal. Guided by the ideal of good design, we introduced AutoCAD 2010, which helps those who shape the world around us take “design” further than ever before.

The Need to Monitor the Performance of GNSS

Jeff Thurston — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:53:53 +0000

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) technologies are now universally regarded as critical elements within modern transport, energy and communications infrastructures. However, GNSS is also vulnerable to faults and failures at system, signal and service levels which can severely impact the service and degrade performance.

Cartography in Geomatics Curriculum – The Czech Example

Jeff Thurston — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:25:41 +0000

Cartography and geomatics are rapidly changing. These changes are impacting the needs for a highly trained and capable workforce. Education is attempting to adapt and to provide a solution to these demanding and changing circumstances. Education professionals in the Czech Republic have developed a unique geomatics curriculum on themes related to “the relation of cartography and geomatics” and “the content of cartographic courses and its update”.

Luanda Bay Initiative To Revive Angolan Seaport

Jeff Thurston — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:25:59 +0000

As the chief seaport and capital city of Angola, Luanda is undergoing major reconstruction with the development of infrastructure projects that include new public housing, highways, and business and commercial space. The African nation was ravaged by 27 years of civil war before a cease fire was reached in 2002, and the Angolan government has since looked to the private sector to help rebuild the country’s center of commerce.

GIS Puts Culver City Sewer Maps in their Place

Matt Ball — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:42:14 +0000

Like a lot of small towns, the effects of time and growth compromised Culver City’s public works data, especially the city sewer system. In 2007, a committed collaboration between the Public Works Department and the Culver City Information Technology Department began to update citywide sewer maps. The redevelopment of the sewer data is ongoing using geographic information system (GIS) technology from ESRI.

World Forestry At The Crossroads - Going It Alone or Joining With Others?

Jeff Thurston — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 05:40:53 +0000

The World Forestry Congress (WFC) took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 18 to 23 October 2009. In this paper, we will set out some of the results and findings. We have attempted to identify a number of trends and to indicate what their significance may be for us as forestry specialists. We have had valuable input from a number of Dutch colleagues who also attended the congress.

Ten Predictions for 2010

Vector1Media — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Much time is spent this time of year looking forward. Vector1 Media editors Jeff Thurston and Matt Ball spent some time reflecting on emerging stories and growing trends to come up with the following predictions for 2010. On the list are technology advancements, policy initiatives and the continued evolution of model-based design. Read the full list and please add your own observations in the comments.

Building Back Better: Aceh Province, Indonesia, Continues GIS Work Five Years after Tsunami

Matt Ball — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:00:00 +0000

December 2009 marks the fifth anniversary of the Boxing Day tsunami in Southeast Asia. Easily the largest natural disaster in recent history, the 9.1-magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami on December 26, 2004, brought incredible devastation to many coastal countries, particularly Indonesia. A wave 30 meters high hit the province of Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra. From the beginning, geographic information system (GIS) technology played an important role in relief efforts. GIS maps acted as guides to affected areas and were used to coordinate emergency services and rebuilding.

Top 10 of 2009

Vector1Media — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:00:00 +0000

In the spirit of end-of-year reflections, Vector1 Media editors Jeff Thurston and Matt Ball looked back over the past 12 months to come up with the top developments of 2009 that will have strong implications for geospatial industry growth and diversity in the coming years. Making the list are software updates, bold initiatives, mapping-oriented geopolitical wrangling, policy directives and imagery platforms. Read the full list and please add your own observations via comments.

GeoIntelligence Analysis

Jeff Thurston — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 04:48:56 +0000

The goal to perform 2D/3D surveys of preserved areas have been implemented in such a way to define an easily reproducible methodology, which could be easily applied to several survey sites for the implementation of a GIS based project. The analysis of thematic maps through the integration of Satellite Navigation Systems with Remote Sensing (RS) data in a Geographic Information System (GIS) offers improved insights in sustainable development (SD).

“Qua vado illic es”: A Quest for Spatial Literacy

Matt Ball — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:42:06 +0000

Sowing the seeds of geographic literacy often finds rocky, uncultivated soil. One need only review the findings of the latest study conducted by Roeper Public Affairs to appreciate the level of spatial ignorance among young Americans. The suitability of geographic information systems (GIS) as an effective tool to remediate this problem has been well-documented since the 1980’s. And yet, GIS is terra incognita for the vast majority of social science teachers, who rarely enroll in geography courses for certification. In 2001, I decided that if GIS was to work its magic in my school, I would need to take the lead.

Beyond Visualisation: Intelligent City Planning and Management

Jeff Thurston — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:52:19 +0000

3D visualisation models have a variety of applications in geography and urban studies, including site location analysis, emergency facilities planning, design review and marketing.

A pressing problem facing many of these models is their general inability to engage the vast majority of their users and the people whose lives they influence in a meaningful and intuitive fashion. Although today’s 3D models are generally used to simply visualise the built environment, there are early signs of them being used as 3D interfaces to more sophisticated modelling; for example, in the simulation of emergency response at the 2012 Olympics and in security operations at football matches.