|
|
|
| |
| |
|
January 2013, Vol.
2 Issue 8 |
|
|
| |
 |
Geomedicine: Mapping a new era for healthcare
Alicia Kouparitsas
Media & Communications, Esri Australia
Whether it is in areas of medical research and epidemiology, or service provision
and policy making – health professionals worldwide are increasingly using GIS
to deliver greater insight into their data and analysis. The growing field of
geomedicine uses GIS to examine the link between environmental factors and the
geographical distribution of health issues. But while it is a fast growing area,
geomedicine has actually held a very long and compelling history in the health
sector.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Server-based GIS for epidemic disease management
As air travel becomes more affordable today, increased overseas travel is also
increasing instances of spread of infectious diseases. Centers for Disease Control,
Taiwan has developed an epidemic situation management system to avoid delay in
reporting of dengue
|
|
Managing plantations with UAVs
From tagging individual saplings online to providing tools for precision farming
to surveying land banks, a plantation in Thailand is finding a number of benefits
of high resolution images of the plantations captured with UAVs in a cost-effective
way
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
AUSTRALIA
|
 |
3D mapping
reveals seafloor collapse near Great Barrier Reef
An area of the seafloor
near Australia's Great Barrier Reef is in the early stages of collapse and could
trigger a tsunami. 3D mapping techniques have revealed a slab of seafloor a quarter
of a cubic mile in size - is perched on the continental shelf off the coast
of Queensland.
|
|
Open data
portal unveiled for Queensland
Taking forward its commitment
to an 'open data revolution', the state government of Queensland launched an
open data portal. The portal currently gives the public free access to 73 datasets
under categories such as government, public safety, education, transportation
and health.
|
|
Joint research
centre for BIM
A new international
research centre aimed at improving the productivity of energy, minerals, infrastructure
and construction projects was recently launched at Curtin University. It will
focus on developing the capability of Building Information Modelling.
|
|
New 3D mapping
technology to preserve delicate structures
Commonwealth Scientific
and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) scientists have invented a new 3D
mapping technology, Zebedee that consists of a lightweight laser scanner mounted
on a simple spring mechanism. Researchers used the new technology to explore
the Koonalda Cave in South Australia for a museum.
|
|
New telescope
to warn of solar flares that damage GPS signals
Australia has unveiled
a new radio telescope in the remote outback that will give the world a vastly
improved view of the sun and much faster warnings on massive solar storms. It
will detect flares on the sun's surface that could damage communication satellites,
electricity power grids and GPS navigation systems.
|
|
Apple redraws
maps after drivers led astray
Apple has updated its
new maps system after police in Mildura, Australia, said a number of people trying
to find the town of 30,000 people became hopelessly lost in the bush in scorching
temperatures. The iPhone maker updated the given location following widespread
coverage of the problem.
|
|
CHINA
|
|
China concerned
over US satellite export control
Commerce Ministry has
expressed concern over US policy concerning the export of satellites and related
items to China as outlined in the newly-passed National Defense Authorisation
Act. Although the US has loosened its restrictions on satellite exports, China
remains restricted according to the Act.
|
|
Researchers
prepare GIS-based bird database
Researchers have prepared
‘China Bird Watching Database’ with geographic coordinates. They have also developed
the spherical GIS software ‘Global Analyst’ to create the point-based database,
which contains accurate spatial-temporal information.
|
|
First 3D
mapping satellite begins transmission
China's first transmission-type
three-dimensional surveying and mapping satellite, Space Mapping-I system, formally
started the networking operation. The satellites can greatly improve the surveying
and mapping efficiency and geometric control capability.
|
|
Beidou extends
services beyond China
China launched global
positioning services in the Asia-Pacific from its Beidou satellite network, saying
it aimed to win up to 20 per cent of global market share by 2015. The state-run
Beidou Navigation Satellite System would initially provide positioning, navigation,
timing and short-message services in China and the Asia Pacific region.
|
|
First geo-information
survey soon
China will launch its
first national survey that will examine the country's geographic conditions next
year. The survey, with investment of about CNY 1.1 billion, will take three years
to monitor China's nature and geographic conditions relating to humans.
|
|
'GIS industry
to reach CNY 400 bn by 2015'
The output value of
China's geographic information industry may exceed CNY 400 billion by the end
of 2015.Moreover, domestic geographic information software take up 70 per cent
of the country's relevant market share and the market share of indigenous digital
photogrammetry software in China has reached 90 per cent.
|
|
FIJI
|
|
Water authority
implements open spatial asset decision support
Water Authority of Fiji
has completed a successful six month implementation of the Open Spatial Asset
Decision Support Solution. The solution is tailored to meet the business needs
of water and wastewater businesses and specifically bridges the gap between CAD,
GIS and BIM.
|
|
INDIA
|
|
MoU with
Russia on GLONASS
India may soon roll
out satellite-assisted navigation services in collaboration with Russia's NIS-GLONASS.
The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding for conducting the proof
of concept through pilot project for providing the satellite-based navigation
services.
|
|
Indian city
to map ground water to ensure sustainability
The Central Ground Water
Board of the Indian city of Jaipur will map water table five times deeper, even
to village level, to stop water table depletion in areas that are in the danger
zones. It will inform quality and quantity of water in a particular village.
|
|
|
|
GIS mapping
of health centres
The Indian Institute
of Public Health which had been asked by the government to do GIS mapping of
all primary health centres (PHC) and suggest locations for new PHCs to cater
to increasing population, has recommended that every industrial cluster should
have primary health centres with special focus on occupational health.
|
|
Call for
national geospatial policy
An advanced information
system, technologies with matrix and measurement of disparity, data mining and
spatial technology of managing databases will be extremely important to become
leader in this global arena, said Dr K. Kasturirangan, Member (Science), Planning
Commission, at the National Spatial Data Infrastructure conference.
|
|
JAPAN
|
|
International
space station might launch satellites
In a bid to reduce costs
of satellite launches from earth, the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency
has designed a small satellite launcher which was installed recently on the International
Space Station.
|
|
Programme
with UN on nano-satellite technologies
The United Nations Office
for Outer Space Affairs and the Government of Japan have established a United
Nations/Japan long-term fellowship programme on nano-satellite technologies for
nationals of developing countries or countries with economy in transition.
|
|
MALAYSIA
|
|
eKadaster
project completed
The Department of Survey
and Mapping (JUPEM) in Malaysia completed its eKadaster project. eKadaster integrates
various systems such as the Land Office’s eTanah, the Land Surveyor’s Board’s
eLJT and JUPEM’s Geoportal and MaCGDI (Malaysia Geospatial Data Infrastructure).
|
|
NEW
ZEALAND
|
|
G-tech for
rebuilding Christchurch after earthquake
More than a year since
a devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch, the New Zealand government
is swiftly moving to rebuild the city to its former glory. GIS technology is
being used for this purpose.
|
|
NSDI for
New Zealand, Australia gets a boost
Work in New Zealand
and Australia to develop national spatial data infrastructures has been given
a boost by the announcement from the Australia New Zealand Land Information Councils’
vision for an Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) Foundation Spatial Data Framework.
|
|
PHILIPPINES
|
|
Geohazard
mapping of eight more regions
The Department of Environment
and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau is set to expand by next
year its continuing detailed geohazard mapping programme to eight more municipalities
in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region to enhance the region’s preparedness
and implementation of various mitigation measures against possible disasters.
|
|
RUSSIA
|
|
Space spending
gets a boost after setbacks
Russia will spend RUB
2.1 trillion under a state programme for the development of the national space
industry in 2013-2020. The programme is designed to ensure that the country retains
its position as a leading global space power, while also supporting its defence
capability and boosting economic and social development.
|
|
Military
refuses to use GLONASS over technical shortcomings
The Russian Defense
Ministry has reportedly refused to adopt GLONASS due to its technical shortcomings.
One of the system’s 24 satellites has malfunctioned, and besides, GLONASS is
still in its testing phase.
|
|
President
urges for more partners in GLONASS project
President Vladimir Putin called on the members of the Commonwealth of Independent
States to join GLONASS, saying that the system has the capability to provide
considerable benefits in the economic sphere, since it reduces cargo transportation
costs on all transportation systems.
|
|
SOUTH
KOREA
|
|
Hyundai,
Kia tie up with Google for in-car navigation
South Korean carmakers
Hyundai and Kia will integrate Google's Maps and Places with cars due to be released
later this year. The news was announced in a Google blog post that the two car-makers
have partnered with the internet giant, joining a line of other well-known auto
brands which have adopted the technology.
|
|
Researchers
improve indoor navigation system
A research team has
developed a new method to build a WiFi radio map that does not require GPS signals.
WiFi fingerprints are a set of WiFi signals captured by a mobile device and the
measurements of received WiFi signal strengths from surrounding access points
at the device.
|
|
THAILAND
|
|
USD 65 mn
budget for digitising land parcels
Department of Lands
will continue its ongoing ‘Cadastral Information Systems project’ for digitising
title deeds of 14 million land parcels of 32 provinces from paper-based documents,
with approved fiscal budget of THB 2 billion in 2013 by leveraging and integrating
ICT, MIS and GIS technology.
|
|
|
|
|
  |
|
|
|
Supergeo unveils new corporate logo
Supergeo Technologies has unveiled its new brand logo and name pattern as part
of the ongoing evolution of Supergeo brand. The company decided to create a new
logo with a more earth-kind look that heads in their future direction for helping
users better understand the Earth and encourage the uses of GIS in day-to-day
navigation.
|
|
Arianespace to launch Vietnam’s EO satellite
Arianespace
and Astrium have signed the launch contract for the VNREDSat-1A earth observation
satellite, on behalf of the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology. VNREDSat-1A
will be launched during the second quarter of 2013 by the second Vega launcher,
VERTA 1, performed by Arianespace at the Guiana Space Center, French Guiana.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Tapping into the third dimension
The world around us is three-dimensional, and even though 3D data has been collected
and used for about 100 years, it has undergone a sea change in recent times.
Key to this phenomenon is the growing ability to collect and present vast quantities
of 3D data with advances in instrumentation and software, the recent launch of
3D
mapping satellite being one such example. Tapping into the information contained
in the third dimension and visualising the real world, both land and water, in
virtual environment can unleash unlimited opportunities in areas like emergency
preparedness and disaster management, urban planning, business practices, engineering,
and even preserving heritage, all of which are real needs of countries in the
Asia Pacific region which are not only some of the fastest growing economies
of the world but are also prone to vagaries of nature. While 3D mapping can help
explore
a piece of history dating back 30,000 years, underwater 3D mapping is also raising alarm about a likely
tsunami that may have otherwise gone unnoticed, giving time to be prepared.
Even as it offers exciting possibilities, there is still some way to go in realising
the full potential of the 3D data. There is a whole lot of geospatial information
out there yet to be captured even in two dimensions. However, as geospatial technology
continues to evolve, the availability of 3D geospatial data will evolve too,
and one hopes that its benefits are utilised to the maximum for a smart society
of tomorrow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Formerly GIS Development)
|
|
|
|
|
In case of problem in viewing this newsletter
Click Here
|
© Geospatial Media and Communications Pvt.
Ltd. All right reserved.
|
|
|
|
