Satellite-based sprinkler system
Faced with historic droughts, the governments of Georgia, California and Idaho are turning to GIS maps and satellite-based computerised sprinklers for drought recovery and to prepare for a future of less water. The sprinkler has a satellite that tracks weather patterns and automatically adjusts water schedules based on an environment’s needs. www.governmentnews.com.au

Scanning the Heritage
In a unique project aimed at preserving the country’s rich heritage, the 16th century Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi, India will become the first monument in the country to be measured to sub centimeter accuracy. Each stone will be measured using a high-density laser scan, colour images and 3D visualisation. Leica Geosystems High-Defi nition Survey (HDS) technology will assist archaeologists and conservationists in getting near accurate data and records of the entire Humayun’s Tomb complex within weeks. The technology developed by Leica Geosystems has been widely used at heritage sites across the globe, including the Blue Mosque in Turkey and Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. This project is being undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture as part of the ongoing partnership project with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The process of HDS requires a 3D high defi nition laser scanner which scans the entire monument. While scanning depends on the size of the structure and takes only a few days’ time, documenting all the details can take a few weeks with 99% accuracy. This is a significant leap from the traditional method of using a measuring tape and other such tools which takes several months. According to offi cials, this technology will give the ASI an opportunity to document the 5,000 monuments in its charge in a short span of fi ve to six years.
Following are the excerpts of the interview conducted with Mr. Faheem Khan, Regional Segment Manager, GIS and Scanning, ISAK Region, Leica Geosystem about the HDS technology.

1. What are key the points about the procedure for scanning and documentation that will be used on the Humayun’s Tomb?
Leica Geosystems’ (HDS) High-Defi nition Surveying technology presents a quantum leap in technology offering users the ability to document sites and facilities, from crime scenes to oil platforms, in speeds, accuracy and quality that is not possible using traditional methods. This technology will allow site managers at Humayun’s Tomb to use the automatic data collection capabilities offered by the ScanStation and capture complete and accurate data in minutes and stream the results over the internet using the free and easy-to-use Leica TruView webpublishing solution.

2. How does ScanStation manage to give such high accuracies?
As indicated in various independent studies carried out around the world the Leica ScanStation features some of the lowest data noise levels and ultra-fi ne laser spot size in the industry. This coupled with our heritage in optics and distance measurement technology and manufacturing quality allow our customers to enjoy unprecedented quality and accuracies in measurement results.

3. What all other kind of application can a Scan Station is useful for?
The ScanStation is actively used by the Forensic community for anti-terrorist and forensic mapping activities. In addition, various engineering users deploy ScanStation to carry out accurate plant as-builts to support the design, installation, operations and documentation process. Mining users are also taking full advantage of the speed and completeness in which the data is captured to calculate accurate volumes, monitoring excavation and support in engineering efforts. Higher education community are today educating students across the departments – Civil Engineering, Geomatics, Geography etc. to train them in HDS technology.
One last example comes from the Survey fraternity where traditional topographic/civil survey is completed faster, cheaper and safer than traditional methods.

U-blox supplying GPSS for Longcheer chinese handsets
Chinese mobile phone designer Longcheer Holdings Ltd will integrate Swiss chip maker u-blox’ single chip UBX-G5010 GPS receiver into a series of handsets. The models built incorporating the device, the G600, G800, and G630 have just become available while the G801 and G900 are expected to begin shipments to the Chinese market later in this quarter. www.u-blox.com

Magellan News
Real-Time Data Server software
Magellan is also introducing new PC software called Real-Time Data Server (RTDS) that allows GPRS communication between one base and several rovers. The base could be a fixed base (with a direct/local connection to the RTDS) or a mobile base (connected to RTDS through GPRS)

Trimble to acquire RolleiMetric. Introduces Multi-GNSS CORS Receiver
Trimble Navigation has agreed to acquire RolleiMetric from Rollei GmbH, Germany. RolleiMetric is a provider of metric camera systems for aerial imaging and terrestrial close range photogrammetry.
Trimble has introduced the Trimble® NetR8™ GNSS reference receiver. It can operate as a campaign receiver for post processing, as a Continuously Operating Reference Station receiver, portable base station for RTK applications or as a scientific reference station collecting information for specialized studies.
Specific applications include high-accuracy positioning as part of a Trimble VRS™ network, support for DGPS MSK beacons, and integrity monitoring of networks and physical infrastructure such as bridges, dams and mines. It has 76 channels and supports GPS L1, L2, L2C and L5 signals as well as GLONASS L1/L2 signals. There are also four channels dedicated to tracking SBAS.http://www.trimble.com

Honeywell selects Spirent GPS simulator for NASA’s Orion project
Honeywell has selected a Spirent GPS/ Inertial simulator to develop, integrate, and verify the navigation system for NASA’s Orion project. The simulator includes comprehensive modeling of the space environment and will provide multiple radio frequency outputs. It will include multiple SimINERTIAL units Spirent Inertial interfaces that provide Honeywell engineers the capability of emulating Inertial sensor output while simultaneously simulating GPS RF signals.

Leica GNSS QC and Spider V3.1
Leica Geosystems introduces GNSS QC V2.1, the latest version of the GNSS quality control and data analysis software. It includes an interface to geodetic processing packages such as Bernese by adding support for the SINEX format. It provides a convenient way of displaying and monitoring site displacements and troposphere estimates computed using high-end scientific software packages that are ideal for wide area or seismic GNSS monitoring and crustal deformation studies.

Leica has also released GNSS Spider V3.1. New are a Network based DGPS service and a unique User Location Service, providing secure external online access to user location information. www.leica-geosystems.com

Carlson Software to give users CAD platform choice

Bruce Carlson, president and founder of Carlson Software Inc., announced the addition of the ability to run on IntelliCAD (ICAD) to the 2009 releases of Carlson Software. These include Carlson Civil 2009, Carlson Survey 2009, Carlson Hydrology 2009, Carlson Mining 2009, Carlson Takeoff 2009 and Carlson GIS 2009. www.carlsonsw.com

RMSI ranked the ‘Best Workplace’ across all industries in India

RMSI has been ranked first in the Top 25 Great Places to Work in India by a study conducted by the Great Place to Work® Institute, US, along with The Economic Times, a financial daily in India. RMSI provides geospatial services, consulting to application development to spatial analysis and modeling to remote sensing and data conversion. www.rmsi.com

Spirent delivers 3 carrier solution, launches GSS8000

The architecture of Spirent’s systems is designed to support coherent simulation of multiple GNSS signals together. The SimGEN for Windows® software enables control and flexibility over multiple satellite constellations as well as interference sources and augmentation systems such as EGNOS and WAAS. It operates in real time to generate simulated RF signals across all GNSS and interference signals. Spirent Communications has also recently launched new Spirent GSS8000 simulation system, a signal generator unit for GPS, Galileo and GLONASS testing. It tests advanced satellite navigation technologies and offers enhanced capability, increased flexibility and improved signal fidelity.This new solution supports processing rates as low as 4 ms with pseudorange accuracy at 1 mm for many scenarios. Its new design allows for a wide variety of configurations from GPS L1 right up to comprehensive multi-RF output and/or multi-constellation test systems. http://www.spirent.com