INTERGEO 2008 opened under rainy skies
in the northern city of Bremen, Germany with the theme ‘Knowledge
and action for planet earth’. With 478 exhibitors from 29 countries
in attendance, presentations included reference to the changing
world, climatic threats and the need for authoritative data to meet
these challenges - a theme V1 Magazine has also been promoting over
the last year.
Hagen Graeff, President of the DVW (German Society for
Geodesy, Geoinformation and Land Management) said, “Geoinformation
facilitates knowledge and action for planet earth.” The first day
of the INTERGEO Congress focused on environmental issues including
renewable energies, coastal management, risk and geodata management.
Prof. Heinz-Otto Peitgen, scientist and
mathematician spoke on the topic of 'Order in chaos, chaos in order –
man's self perception in the 21st century.” The DVW .V
awarded the GIS Best Practice Award, for the first time. The
Osnabruck University of Applied Sciences received the award for its
project SUN-AREA that provides a quick and easy method for
determining if a rooftop can be be used for solar panels effectively.
Basis Software, Inc. has developed the
Surphaser, a 3D laser scanner that is capable of scanning up to
800,000 points per second. The scanner;s resolution is so high that
it provides images of weld joints, cracks and can show the threads of
a bolt. Used for indoor and outdoor use it is useful for engineering,
dimensional control, preservation and architecture applications.
Cyclomedia has developed 'cycloramas' or large-scale images derived
from their visualisation technology. Capable of travelling at 80 kmh
while collecting data, this technology, based on their Digital
Cyclorama Recorder (DCR-7), enables faster collection while also
including the software to geometrically mosaic and edit the images.
Bremen Old City Centre
On the imaging front, I spoke with
Klaus J. Neumann, product manager hardware for Intergraph about their
new RMK D digital airborne camera, which is a significant milestone
in the aerial imaging business. Neumann explained that last year
Intergraph sold 26 DMC aerial camera's last year, but the new RMK D
is designed for smaller projects. In effect the new camera is half
the cost, yet offering medium format precision and metrics. Priced at
around $500,000 USD the RMK D enables smaller businesses and cities,
for example, to enter into the digital market where they were
previously unable to do so. The camera has 50% less footprint than a
DMC its unique 3D feature data collection capabilities , including
NIR (RGB + NIR – 14 Bit), enable a transition path. Intergraph also
provides image processing software and Flight Management Software for
the camera, although these can be purchased from other
manufacturer's.
Infotech is providing Geospatial Data
Management Services and is increasingly focusing upon SMART GRIDS
that connect utility information and operations, along with
intelligence. The company meets industry standards for CMMi Level 5,
ISO 9001:2000
GPS guided lawnmover for slopes
and ISO 27001 while also what Infotech calls – Global
Delivery Model (GDM). Recent projects have included e.on Bayern AG
and the Project DEEF where Infotech delivered data management
services.
Dal Pont Luca of VIRTUALGEO gave me one
of the best demonstrations of a product I have had in along time. He
is passionate about his product and excited, which is good to see.
Cloud Cube 2009 is an add-in for handling point cloud information.
With the product, running in AutoCAD 2008 in this demonstration, Luca
was able to process point cloud information in a multitude of ways,
not only editing the information, but slicing it across axis and
regenerating information. Capable of handling GPS, point clouds,
lidar and other data, the software handles up to 700 million points.
Now if I could only get him to show me how to put together the cloud
cube box he gave me in the marketing material...
Jerry Huang explained SuperGeo's
SuperGIS product. The software consists of a full GIS line based on
the core SuperGIS Desktop. Different modules can be purchased and
used through the Desktop GIS including Spatial Analyst, Spatial
Statistical
Analyst, Biodiversity Analyst, Network Analyst, Tracking
and Topology Analyst. There are also add-ons to extend the range of
data sources that can be consumed. A developer kit and Mobile GIS
offering are also available. The SuperGIS 3 lineup is oriented toward
web services and server architectures. Based in Taiwan, Huang tells
me that SuperGIS is attempting to enter the European and other
markets at the present time.
INTERMAP was present at INTERGEO 2008
and I had the chance to sit down with Kevin Thomas. He explained that
NEXTMap Europe will be completed March 31, 2009 and that France will
be finished end of November with Italy end of January. The completed
product will provide a continuous DTM for the entire of Europe for
the first time at high resolution. The key point about this product
is the fact that it includes rigorous error checking and maintains
accuracy and precision. The company is offering a series of
educational web services online now. Other work involves risk
management, consumer electronics and in-car driver assistance systems
that are based on DTM data. Also included is work in the heavy
transport industry and Thomas explained that considerable work
involves what he referred to as 'ECO-routing' – based on fuel
efficiency and routing distances and carbon credits.
New Intergraph RMK D digital airborne camera
PCI Geomatics manufacture and
distribute Geomatica 10 – an image centric software. The product
includes advanced processing and transformation of spatial data, an
ortho-engine for mosaicking and DEM extraction, over 250 processing
functions for raster and vector operations and supports ORACLE 10g.
Craig Alleva explained that customers for the product include mining
and earth sciences, agriculture, forestry, utilities and intelligence
agencies among others. The product features a graphic Modeler as part
of the engine that allows user's to connect operations in a visual
manner. I saw this in action and was able to connect different
processing algorithms into the workflow simply by connecting them
graphically. Users can watch the model perform and small bars change
colour as the workflow progresses.
REDUCT Pipeline Mapping Systems
presented their pipeline mapping system DR-HDD-4.2, which includes a
flexible wheeled device that fits into almost any size pipeline and
travels its length mapping the inclination, position, bend radius and
other features found. The system comes with software that enables
users to export data directly to AutoCAD, MicroStation and Excel. In
pactice the system would be able to compare pipeline locations and
inspections between instances of running the wheel. Jenoptik of Jena,
Germany manufacturers and presents a number of different spaceborne
scanners in the VIS/NIR and SWIR wavelength ranges including the JSS
S4, S6 and JSS95. Swath width exceeds 70 km with 6.5 m pixel size.
ESRI Geoinformatik GmbH is based in
Kranzberg near Munich and the company is the official distributor of
ESRI products in Germany and Switzerland. Although these two
locations are separate legal entities, they operate together,
providing services with offices also in Hannover, Leipzig, Bonn, and
Wiesbaden as well as Zurich and Nyon near Geneva. At INTERGEO the
REDUCT Pipe Mapping System
company exhibited its full products line including the latest ArcGIS
9.3 software. A new market branding was in effect for the first time,
that I saw, under the title 'Think 360'. Think 360 is an initiative
based on the integrated nature of the ESRI product line as it mixes
and crosses with OGC standards, CAD, Google, Virtual Earth,
JavaScript, PostgreSQL etc. and meeting the needs of a large number
of industry sectors. Finally, ESRI Geoinformatik partners with
conterra who were exhibiting their sdi suite including -
terraCatalog, mapClient, securityManager, serviceMonitor and
terrainServer. ESRI Geoinformatik publishes arcAKTUELL magazine,
which often contains interesting articles from across Deutsche
speaking countries.
The Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural
Landscape Research was present and is heavily involved in modeling
landscape agricultural processes using GIS tools. NEWAL-NET is an
effort to integrate geodata for numerical modeling including
geometry, topology and semantics. The centre has numerous projects
running, and I noticed their reference to openLandscapes – the
knowledge collection for landscape science. Governance of landscapes
and ecological frameworks for sustainability are also included.
Several tools have been developed for landscape assessments including
SAMT - a tool for spatial analysis and modeling.
Alberding GmbH produces the NtripS 05
GNSS Box, a GNSS box for a continuously operating GNSS reference
station. Based on Linux, the manufacturer suggests the system has
higher security. Various models of hardware can be integrated with
the product including Javad, Novatel, Leica Geosystems and so on.
Ntrip protocol is included for use on the internet. CosiFan
Computersysteme introduces the ST5111WP tablet PC that is used for
field data work and includes GPS handling capability. GIS data can be
readily handled in wireless mode and the model is completely
waterproof.
I met with Peter Rummel of Autodesk
Deutschland as well as Geoff Zeiss and Doug Eberhard of Autodesk who
are based in North America. Along with Josef Strobl of the Centre for
Geoinformatics in Salzburg, Austria, they gave a media presentation
on
FARO laser scanner
the topic of 'Digital Cities' explaining how the integration of
GIS, CAD and 3D models are coming together to drive the development
of 3D Digital Cities. More recently Autodesk has acquired the company
3D Geo GmbH based in Potsdam who have developed a series of products
useful for the production of 3D city geospatial solutions. These
models enable users to participate in and understand city planning
prior to development, thereby saving cost and increasing efficiency
through pre-planning and enhanced communication.
SATEL develops wireless radios and
their products connect energy systems, water utilities, vehicles and
other IT related connects across wireless space. Included are VHF and
UHF modems as well as satellite based modems. Network Management
Systems (NMS) monitor communications and diagnostics are included.
The company also manufacturers 'license free' modems that can be used
by anyone, anywhere, anytime. The public transport system for
Helsinki, Finland is using SATEL modems for delivering data across
the network. This includes signal control and GPS data. Paul
Verhaere of East View Cartographic explained to me what that company
is involved in. I've assumed they are map resellers, but learnt they
are far more than that. With a military background, he was able to
explain how the company is involved in creating new maps around the
world and operates its own cartographic publishing capability.
Carlson Survey 2009 is now available
for AutoCAD, IntelliCAD and Embedded into AutoCAD. New features
include area labels, ability to place buildings within lots, more
closely able to work with ESRI, a drawing explorer as well as a new
EDM calibration function. Meanwhile, Carlson Civil includes RoadNET,
SiteNET and LotNET. If you run these products atop AutoCAD Map3D then
you effectively couple GIS into them.
Richard Zambuni and Ana Blanco of
Bentley explained all of the activity happening at that company. With
its recent re-organisation, Bentley has solidified its message around
'Sustaining Infrastructure' and has been coordinating activity across
sectors to unify the message presented. The recent changes to the
company branding are an indication of those changes. A
Jena Optronik digital airborne camera
considerable
amount of activity is focused on issues relating to water loss.
Bentley has considerable expertise in the area of water management
and the understanding of water networks and has developed predictive
capability for estimating water loss across city networks. There is
considerable activity relating to the new MicroStation V8 XM edition.
Bentley has been accumulating other companies for the last many
years, quietly building a portfolio that spans the engineering
industry, offering expertise and a number of solutions – all
sitting atop the MicroStation platform. This is a powerful
combination of flexibility to meet infrastructure needs and worth
investigating. Land management and cadastral information handling are
also effectively handled by Bentley.
Cadcorp has re-branded and Julia Smith
of the company points out that we can expect the company to be
venturing into mainland European markets more aggressively. Their
newly developed ALKIS functions for GIS are indicative of this and
the Cadcorp SIS product can handle upward of 150 formats.
GeognoSIS.NET can move data to a fat or thin client and development
kits for the software are also available. GML and coordinate
transformations are also handled within the products.
Data Grid manufactures the Cameleon
GNSS receiver. This receiver is uniquely styled, and is suitable for
machine guidance and GIS work. The Monitor model is WAAS/EGNOS
enabled and competitively priced. It can be used for personal use or
vehicle tracking and navigation. The GEOID is processed within the
GNSS and centimeter accuracy is easily attainable. The marketing
material from this company is interesting to read. They base their
products on animals behavior.
Summary: All in all INTERGEO remains as
one of the largest geo-related conferences in the world. It is heavy
on surveying related devices and software, and therefore data capture
and activities surrounding the processing of data (lidar, laser and
measurement). By developing a theme focused on sustainability for
this year's event, data users and manufacturers are further exploring
'what' they are doing with the data they are capturing and 'why' they
are doing it – connecting the dots. I was surprised this year to
see few new products announced at INTERGEO as represented by the lack
of press releases in the Press Room for the event. INTERGEO remains
the largest German language event and is the largest in Europe in
terms of surveying, geodesy and geoinformation. It is hard to go to
INTERGEO and not come away with new ideas, awareness and appreciation
for this industry.
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INTERGEO 2008 opened under rainy skies
in the northern city of Bremen, Germany with the theme ‘Knowledge
and action for planet earth’. With 478 exhibitors from 29 countries
in attendance, presentations included reference to the changing
world, climatic threats and the need for authoritative data to meet
these challenges - a theme V1 Magazine has also been promoting over
the last year.
Bremen Old City Centre
GPS guided lawnmover for slopes
New Intergraph RMK D digital airborne camera
REDUCT Pipe Mapping System
FARO laser scanner
Jena Optronik digital airborne camera