Archived GIS Snippets
Published in 2013
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Trakdot Uses GPS to Make Sure You Never Lose Your Suitcase Again
by emily price
Whenever you fly and check a bag, you always have to wonder whether your bag will arrive when you do, especially if you have a new stops and layovers along the way.
Trakdot is designed to help you keep track of your suitcase when you travel. The pint-sized device is placed in your checked luggage, and then reports its location in real time to any mobile phone or SMS-capable device.
For instance, if you land in San Francisco and your luggage doesn't, you can easily pinpoint where you and your suitcase became separated during your travels, and hopefully retrieve your bag a little quicker.
In addition to sending your luggage's location to your phone, your bag's location can be sent to you via email. Bags can also be tracked on Trakdot's website, as well as with Trakdot's free application.
Trakdot is expected to be available in March of this year for a suggested retail price of $49.95. Activating the device will cost an additional $8.99, plus an annual service free of $12.99.
first published week of: 01/14/2013
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Transit data visualizations show urban pulse
The Urban Data Challenge invited entrants to use transportation data from three cities — San Francisco, Zurich, and Geneva — to create visualizations that offered meaningful insights into the heartbeat of their cities. The three winning entries highlighted ridership, equity, and frustration.
Dots on the Bus, which won the grand prize, lets users select a bus route from each of the cities and watch the ons and offs over the course of the day, minute by minute. ”Sometimes riding transit can seem intimidating, but this visualization proves it: everybody’s doing it,” according to the challenge website. “Buses speed by, passengers jumping on and off. Some lines are slow, some are hopping, and rush hour is often hilarious.”
Transit Quality + Equity, which received one of two second prizes, mashes up data on transit density and income to measure service quality in different parts of a city. FastCo.Exist writes, “This is not only informative for the general public, it’s something that could be used by local governments to measure transit effectiveness.”
Finally, the other second prize winner, Frustration Index is exactly what it sounds like. The visualization maps “frustration factors” — which the developers defined as capacity, delay, and speed — for one day in October 2012 for the three cities.
first published week of: 04/22/2013
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Trimble Announces New TerraFlex Software and Cloud Services for GIS Applications
Trimble introduced TerraFlex™, a new software and services platform to manage data collection activities for everyday geospatial projects. Trimble® TerraFlex helps managers maintain control of the flow of geo-enabled field data.
Two essential components comprise the TerraFlex platform—cloud services and a mobile app. With an online data repository and streamlined toolset for creating custom form templates, TerraFlex Cloud services provide managers and team leaders with a centralized system to configure and manage the data collection process. In the field, the TerraFlex Mobile app provides a common interface for users of a range of common mobile and smart devices. The result is more flexibility in the field and streamlined integration of data into the office environment.
Trimble TerraFlex brings diverse field work together. Regardless of the type of mobile device preferred—iOS, Android or Windows Mobile—the TerraFlex interface provides a consistent experience. For dedicated data collection activities, a user can choose a professional field device such as a Trimble Juno® GPS handheld. For ad-hoc fieldwork, the user can also use a standard smartphone to access the same flexible form templates. Managers responsible for integrating field data can now be confident that all users, regardless of field hardware platform are following trusted field workflows. continued…
first published week of: 06/24/2013
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U.S. Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin Contract to Complete Two More GPS III Satellites
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] more than $200 million in contract options to complete production of its fifth and sixth next-generation Global Positioning System satellites, known as GPS III.
In February, the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a fixed price $120 million contract to procure long lead parts for a second set of four GPS III space vehicles (SV 05-08). This new award provides funding to complete the first two satellites (SV 05-06) in this order. Full production funding for the next two space vehicles (SV 07-08) is expected in 2014.
Lockheed Martin is already under contract to produce four GPS III space vehicles (SV 01-04). The first two GPS III satellites are currently on the production floor at Lockheed Martin’s GPS III Processing Facility (GPF) in Denver, Colo.
“Lockheed Martin’s GPS III program has a rigorous testing plan and mission success focus aligned with the Air Force’s back-to-basics approach, and is specifically designed to enable predictable and affordable recurring production through disciplined development and early risk reduction,” said Mark Stewart, vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Navigation Systems mission area.
GPS III is a critically important program for the Air Force, affordably replacing aging GPS satellites in orbit, while improving capability to meet the evolving demands of military, commercial and civilian users. GPS III satellites will deliver three times better accuracy; provide up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities; and include enhancements which extend spacecraft life 25 percent further than the prior GPS block. It will be the first GPS satellite with a new L1C civil signal designed to make it interoperable with other international global navigation satellite systems.
first published week of: 12/16/2013
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U.S. Department of Energy Launches New Website for Asset Revitalization Initiative(ARI)
The U.S.Department of Energy (DOE) launched a website for the Asset Revitalization Initiative (ARI), a DOE-wide effort to advance the beneficial reuse of its unique and diverse mix of assets, including land, facilities, infrastructure, equipment, technologies, natural resources and a highly skilled workforce.
ARI promotes a more efficient business environment to encourage collaboration between public and private resources. ARI efforts will maximize benefits to achieve energy and environmental goals as well as to stimulate and diversify regional economies. ARI helps communities to transition existing assets to future beneficial uses thus enhancing their local and regional communities and economies.
The key to success of ARI is effective communication and cross-functional coordination that includes both field and headquarters components. The ARI Task Force is organized into five teams led by a steering committee which identifies, prioritizes, and resolves issues for effective site revitalization, addresses crosscutting issues, and incorporates ARI’s mission into programmatic business practices. The five teams include diversification, real property and assets, modernization, energy, and communications.
first published week of: 07/08/2013
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U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation CEO to Keynote GEO Huntsville Workshop
Mr. Keith Masback, CEO, U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF – www.usgif.org) will provide the keynote address at GEO Huntsville’s geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) workshop at 8:15 a.m on August 14, 2013. . Masback joined the USGIF in March 2008 after more than 20 years of military and government service and formerly served as the organizations president. Masback came to USGIF from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) where he was a Senior Executive. He began his professional career in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer in the Berlin Brigade, later transitioning to military intelligence, serving at XVIII Airborne Corps and on the Army Staff.
GEO Huntsville is one of Huntsville, Alabama Mayor Tommy Battle’s three technology-oriented economic development initiatives, along with Energy Huntsville and Cyber Huntsville. GEO Huntsville is a collaborative effort among over 60 businesses, 20 government entities, and three universities in our region to support workforce growth and economic development in geospatial technology. GEOINT is a critical tool in supporting our national security and an area where Huntsville is building a base of expertise.
Learn more about Geo Huntsvile here.
first published week of: 08/12/2013