GIS

ONS creates single source of open data using Esri

The Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK has used open source tools and GIS mapping software from Esri to create a single source of statistical data that can be easily accessed by staff and the public. The ONS’ Open Geography Portal (OGP) was created in response to the UK government’s push for open data, the most recent census in 2011, which required a large amount of data to be put online, and the European INSPIRE Directive. www.computerworlduk.com

The Unlikely History of the Origins of Modern Maps

GIS technology has opened up new channels of understanding how the world works. But where did it begin?

Efforts to explain what GIS actually is almost invariably wax philosophical. At its most essential, GIS is a system for marrying data sets with geography. But it can better be understood as the product of a specific historic moment whose fruit is just coming to bear – a moment arising from the spontaneous amalgam of diverse technologies reaching their apparent apotheosis. And it began when a young Roger Tomlinson—and others—wanted to geographically assess more information than ever before. While the rise of digital culture has served to erode countless boundaries in traditional disciplines, that corrosion partially began in an airplane in 1962 with the predicament of getting gobs of information into one little map. Source: Smithsonian.com

Proteus completes satellite-derived forest inventory pilot in Abu Dhabi

Proteus has completed a demonstration project using satellite imagery to inventory tree plantations in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The tree mapping pilot is a spin-off of a larger Emirate-wide habitat and land use/land cover (LULC) project now being spearheaded by Proteus. In the pilot, the Proteus team processed multispectral data collected by DigitalGlobe’s WorldView-2 commercial imaging satellite to identify the species and conditions of individual trees within the pilot area. It managed the project in which GMV of Spain performed image processing and automatic tree extraction with local ground-truthing support from Nautica Environmental Associates in Abu Dhabi. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) requested the pilot as it seeks to find an efficient and cost-effective way to monitor the forest stands. www.proteusgeo.com

12 schools integrate GIS in Abu Dhabi

A new system to incorporate GIS in maths and science curricula across 12 schools in the capital has made students more interested in environmental conservation and engineering. During the programme’s first roll-out phase, grade six and 12 students used GIS to study and explore the various uses of this technology in collecting, analysing and comparing data. The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) delegated a number of activities for the various schools to carry out in order to put the GIS into practice. http://gulfnews.com/

Qatar selects IBM for smarter road and drainage infrastructure

Qatar Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has selected enterprise IT vendor IBM to provide better road and drainage infrastructure in Qatar. It will will supply the new system to enhance the quality of services, safety and green efforts in Qatar. Ashghal and IBM will deploy an Enterprise Asset Management Solution (EAMS) to manage the operation and maintenance of roads and drainage networks and multiple effluent and water treatment plants. The project is in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030. www.infotechlead.com

Orbit launches SpyMeSat iPhone app

Orbit Logic has launched iPhone version of its SpyMeSat mobile app that will offer in-app purchase of recent high resolution satellite imagery. For providing this image, it has recently signed an agreement with DigitalGlobe, which maintains high resolution satellite imagery archive, which SpyMeSat users will now be able to tap into