NEWSBRIEFS – GIS

Oct 2008 | Comments Off

INDUSTRY | LBS | GPS | GIS | REMOTE SENSING | GALILEO UPDATE

India map in 3D satellite imagery

A new project to map all areas in the country using a three-dimensional satellite imagery would be launched soon, Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal said. http://www.hindu.com/

DLR mapping provides relief after flooding in Nepal and north India

After an embankment on the Koshi river in eastern Nepal was breached on 18 August 2008, there was extensive flooding, particularly in Bihar which is situated downstream in India. The German Aerospace Center (DLR); with the help of radar images from space, mapped the flood areas in detail. The Center for Satellite-Based Crisis Information (ZKI) of DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich used data from the German radar satellite TerraSAR-X. The analysis is based on TerraSAR-X StripMap and ScanSAR data acquired on 30 August and 1 September 2008. The ZKI is a service of the German Remote Sensing Data Centre of DLR, its task is the rapid acquisition, processing and analysis of satellite data in the event of natural and environmental disasters, in humanitarian relief activities and for civil security. www.dlr.de

Brunei Street Directory launched

The Survey Department under the Ministry of Development in collaboration with Dr Kazimierz Becek of UBD and Brunei Press Sdn Bhd launched the new Brunei Darussalam Street Directory – a 144-page book which includes the latest street maps and essential tourist information, and is targeted at locals, tourists and expatriates http://www.brunei-online.com

SLA invites tenderers to bid for an Intelligent Map System

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) is inviting tenderers to bid for a project to design, develop and maintain a government-wide intelligent map system. SLA is embarking on an initiative to give the public and private sector a onestop access to government geospatial content. SLA is inviting industry partners to participate in this tender and propose innovative solutions. The deadline for proposals is 12 noon on 17 Nov 2008. For more information, or to download the tender documents, please visit http://www. gebiz.gov.sg/ and search for ITT Ref No IDA(T)-728. Contact Mr Lee Wei Choong, Manager, iServices, Land Information Centre lee_wei_choong@sla.gov.sg

Google launches Google Map Maker in India

Google launched its web tool Google Map Maker in India, which was conceived and developed by the Indian engineering team. Google Map Maker allows users to add or edit features, such as roads, businesses, parks, schools, apartment buildings and localities among others. Users can also add detailed information about these locations and this user- created geographical content is updated and made visible immediately to all other users.Other than India, Google Map Maker is available in 57 countries in Asia, the Island Nations, and the Caribbean.
www.business-standard.com

GST to set up National Geo-technical facility

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India is setting up a new state-of-the-art National Geo-technical Facility (NGF) with a cost of Rs 15 crore. After Norway, this will be the world’s second facility where both the government agencies and private companies from home and abroad can get their various tests done related to big projects like drilling, hydel projects, tunnels, bridges, expressways and highways. Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg will inaugurate the new facility during the forthcoming visit to India, early next year. http://business-standard.com/

OGC SDI security framework demonstrated

The Carbon Project in collaboration with CubeWerx demonstrated the security framework for Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC) Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). Secure SDI extensions for The Carbon Project’s CarbonArc PRO on ArcGIS desktop and the free Gaia 3.2 geospatial viewer provide feature-level security, rolebased access control and security by geographic areas in coordination with distributed security frameworks from CubeWerx. www.thecarbonproject.com

University of Bonn releases Heidelberg-3D

Recently a first version of the interactive 3D city information system Heidelberg- 3D.de has been made available online. Its free. The core of the system is one of the first implementations of the OpenGIS Web 3D Service (OGC W3DS) discussion paper. It comes with a free 3D-Client called <XNavigator>, which is a Java WebStart-Application and will be installed automatically if you follow the respective URL and if Java 6 is already installed on the computer. XNavigator allows to explore and analyse the 3D city and landscape models which are streamed by the W3DS server.

Web Enable Ground Water Information System in India

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is developing a “Web Enabled Ground Water Information System (GWIS)”, an internet based GIS system which will provide a platform for accessing the ground water related data/maps/ information policy planning and management. GWIS will comprise the spatial data base infrastructure and a well established communication system connected through Internet/Intranet along with security measures. The data from GWIS will be disseminated as per the Map Restriction Policy of the Government of India. http://pib.nic.in/

Use of geospatial techniques to protect wildlife in Gujarat, India

The Gujarat state forest department has decided to add a fifth zone for effective monitoring of wild life sanctuaries in the state – the north Gujarat zone. Wild life sanctuaries like the Wild Ass Sanctuary, Nal Sarovar and Thol will come under this zone. Officials said that a provision of Rs 4.61 crore has been made for the use of modern technology for the conservation of wildlife in sanctuaries. It includes the cost of engaging a consultant for the development of specifications, system requirement study, development of GIS database, and control room applications along with hardware and software http:// timesofindia.indiatimes.com/