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24 May 2016. The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC®) and the Spatial Industries Business Association (SIBA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will further the missions of both organizations by collaborating as partners in the development and conduct of outreach and education program activities to advance standards-based, interoperable modelling approaches to address the needs of each organization’s membership.
Further, SIBA will assist with local promotion and education regarding OGC standards in the Asia Pacific region, including advocating the use of OGC standards by the Australian and New Zealand governments.
The collaboration will build upon the significant and successful relationship seen in the mid 2000s between OGC and SIBA’s previous incarnation, ASIBA.
“OGC’s success in advancing our mission is greatly enhanced through the many alliances and partnerships we have forged with leading standards organizations and associations worldwide,” said Mark Reichardt, President and CEO of OGC. “We are excited about our alliance with Spatial Industries Business Association, which will enable OGC to further extend our reach and impact in Australia and New Zealand while providing SIBA an international platform for articulating and advancing its industry association mission.”
“SIBA is pleased to be working together with the OGC to contribute to supporting and unifying the industry on an international platform where there is common ground and cause to do so,” said Kellee Ireland, Executive Director of SIBA. “We are excited to be working with the OGC to establish broader international relationships and raise awareness and understanding of international standards throughout the Asia Pacific region.”
About SIBA
SIBA is the leading association representing the Spatial Industry in Australia and New Zealand. SIBA focuses on four core areas: networking, growth, support and influence at a government level. SIBA is a not-for-profit organization and seeks to inform, assist, and grow private enterprise within the spatial industry. Visit the SIBA website at www.siba.com.au.
About the OGC
The OGC is an international consortium of more than 515 companies, government agencies, research organizations, and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available geospatial standards. OGC standards support interoperable solutions that “geo-enable” the Web, wireless and location based services, and mainstream IT. OGC standards empower technology developers to make geospatial information and services accessible and useful with any application that needs to be geospatially enabled. Visit the OGC website at www.opengeospatial.org.
From http://www.directionsmag.com/pressreleases/ogc-and-siba-sign-memorandum-of-understanding/469190
Editor’s note: Welcome to the third installment of our 2016 monthly series, Geospatial on a Budget. Today we’re going to take a look at one of the GIS software tools that comes highly recommended by a throng of our readers, so many recommendations that it earned its own moment in the spotlight!
“After 25 years in the geospatial industry, one of the things I’ve learned about “Geospatial on a Budget” is that first cost isn’t always total cost. There are low cost entry points to GIS, but they often lack advanced features that will eventually require a change in software, which is painful,” Directions Magazine(DM) reader Jim Stone told us.
I bet many of you can relate! All too often we start hobbling together free or low-cost GIS solutions and end up with a mish mash of software that still doesn’t really do what we need—especially as our needs evolve over time. If you’re staring down an overwhelming stack of data, wishing for a magic wand to wave and get powerful analysis and great maps in a tool that is: simple to use, grows with your needs, easy to learn and a low entry-level price; then, according to the many readers that wrote in, Maptitude’s your sparkling solution.
Maptitude from Caliper costs just $695 for a single-user license, which includes a one country data package of maps and demographic data. For GIS beginners, the software couldn’t be easier to use: just select the Create-a-Map Wizard™ to create “a map at any scale, from all of the countries of the world, to streets around an address, landmark, or intersection.” Answer a few questions and end up with “color and pattern maps, dot-density maps, scaled-symbol maps, and maps with integrated pie or bar charts” that can be saved in a variety of formats and dropped into your presentations and handouts with little muss and fuss.
But what if you’re well beyond the beginner stage, and need to crunch big data sets to perform more in-depth analysis? Maptitude still meets the challenge.
Stone added, “I’ve used many GIS software tools and I’ve never hit a wall with functionality [with Maptitude], even when doing advanced analytics and visualization… I’ve been using Maptitude since 1995 and it’s very mature and stable. It comes bundled with a huge amount of cartography and data (including demographics) and can be used right out of the box to generate insights and visualization that will have an immediate impact on your organization.”
“Maptitude’s greatest strength is the software’s ability to crunch through ‘big data’ sets, and display that spatial data in just a few steps,” another DM reader, Brett Lucas, commented. “Maptitude is a great alternative to [other mapping software]. Using Maptitude, I can easily create 3-D maps, heat/hot spot mapping, Thiessen Polygons (Areas of Influence), drive-time rings, flow maps (desire lines and spider maps), territory mapping, and spatial overlays (tagging features from one layer to another), trade area/site selection and much more. I can also easily bring in shape files, imagery and terrain data from a variety of sources. Maptitude has a robust geocoder built-in, that can instantly locate data that you have stored in Excel, Google Sheets, Access or other SQL formats. Maps can be exported in a variety of formats and interacts nicely with the Microsoft Office Suite environment.”.
Maptitude’s website primarily focuses on its ability to wrangle customer, employee, sales, facility and territory data into new visualizations, allowing a company to:
- Know exactly where its customers are,
- See where sales are highest,
- Find hidden opportunities,
- Spot geographic patterns and trends that cannot be seen in database tables and spreadsheets,
- Answer geographic questions that impact operations
Reader Michael LaVigne of Ribbon Demographics urges first-time users to contact the company directly to find out more about what it can do for your specific projects. He told us,” Maptitude is capable of many more functions that can be utilized than are immediately apparent from looking at their website.”
“If you need more power, you can upgrade to TransCAD, which is a ‘superset’ of Maptitude, and everything you have learned and built can be used without change,” according to Stone.
The software’s user-friendly interface is also perfect for students, who often have limited time to learn their GIS software before they need to begin mapping and analyzing data — and Caliper is very supportive of student efforts.
Grant Thrall of the University of Florida shared, “Caliper has been very supportive of my and the Miller Center’s GeoSpatial initiative by providing, at no cost, current versions of Maptitude for students [to] use during the semester or year that the student is working with me. A clear benefit to those students is that when they enter the job market, they come equipped with the technology and knowledge that 21st Century employers look for that differentiate employee prospects.” Thrall has created several instructional videos on Maptitude for his students that are available on YouTube®.
Maptitude has no subscription fees and supports secure off-line data storage. Wave that magic wand and wrangle your data sets into shape!
By Rebeckah Flowers
http://www.directionsmag.com/entry/geospatial-on-a-budget-3-the-magic-of-maptitude/467970
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Nominations for the 2016 Women In Industry Awards are now open. Entries close on Tuesday 31 May 2016 which is fast approaching so get your nominations in now! The categories are…
Business Development Manager of the Year
Women In Industry are looking for nominations from exceptional female business development managers working in any Australian industrial sector.
Mentor of the Year
This award recognises talented managers within organisations who have actively and successfully shaped the careers of others within the mining, engineering, manufacturing and process control and construction industries. Any team leader is eligible for this award.
Social Leader of the Year
Community work and social leadership is one of the distinguishing and admirable features of our industry. This award calls for nominations from women who have completed significant initiatives that have delivered a positive contribution to the community, or provided a positive social benefit over the past 12 months.
Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award is open to all females who are in their first five years of working within their industry. Judges will be looking for personal achievement and a meaningful contribution to the industry in a manner that sets them apart.
Industry Advocacy Award
This award recognises women who have worked tirelessly to improve the image of their industry in the eyes of the public. The judges will be looking for involvement in specific programs or initiatives aimed at
promoting their industry. Furthermore, the panel will also look at nominees who liaise closely with industry organisations to create better outcomes for those working in the sector on a policy level.
Marketing/Communications Award
Our industries are home to some of the biggest corporations in the country and thus some of the most
creative marketing departments. This award calls for nominations for women who have spearheaded a
marketing campaign for a company, organisation, or association.
Excellence in Manufacturing
This award is open to all females working within the manufacturing industry. Judges will be
looking for personal achievement and a meaningful contribution to the industry in a manner that
sets them apart.
Excellence in Engineering
This award is open to all females working within the engineering industry. Judges will be
looking for personal achievement and a meaningful contribution to the industry in a manner that
sets them apart.
Excellence in Mining
This award is open to all females working within the mining industry. Judges will be looking for
personal achievement and a meaningful contribution to the industry in a manner that sets them
apart.
Excellence in Commercial Road Transport
This award is open to all females working within the commercial road transport industry. Judges will be
looking for personal achievement and a meaningful contribution to the industry in a manner that sets
them apart.
Why should you enter?
- Nominating for the Women in Industry Awards is an excellent way of recognising the efforts and achievements of women working in the industries to celebrate their success.
- All finalists will receive two complimentary tickets (valued at $150 each) to the prestigious
Awards presentation gala dinner to be held on Thursday 14th July 2016 in Melbourne - Finalists and winners will receive publicity in Prime Creative Media’s publications, and/or on the magazine websites, as well as through other media channels.
- Finalists and winners will be also be able to use the Women in Industry awards logo in a wide range of promotional activities including advertising, trade show graphics, product literature, on your website, etc.
- You’ll be joining a prestigious group of leading women of the industry, working to achieve best practice and excel in an ever competitive global market.
- Major vendors and government bodies are behind the Women in Industry Awards as sponsors.
Who is eligible?
- The Awards are open to all women who have a significant industry presence in Australia and meet the criteria set by the relevant Award.
- The nominee must work in Australia to be nominated.
- Nominations may be submitted by anyone representing a industrial company in Australia; however that person must be in a position to properly evaluate the submission.
Who can nominate a project?
- Nominations may be submitted by anyone representing a group or company in Australia who is in a position to evaluate the entry. Each company may submit a maximum of three nominations.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there an entry fee?
There is no entry fee for submitting nominations for the Women In Industry Awards. - What is the deadline?
Entry deadline for the 2016 Women In Industry Awards is Tuesday 31 May 2016. However, if you require an extension, please contact the Awards Co-ordinator at cole.latimer@primecreative.com.au to discuss the options. - When will I know if I am a finalist?
Finalists will be announced in the June 2016 edition of Australian Mining, Manufacturers’ Monthly, PACE, Prime Mover, Trailer and Diesel magazines, and on the corresponding websites. Our staff will contact you to coordinate your attendance at the ceremony, where the winners will be revealed. - Where do I send my nomination?
Completed nomination forms and supporting documents and images can be emailed to cole.latimer@primecreative.com.au (max attachment size is 7MB).
Alternatively, a hard copy may be sent in by mail or courier to the following address:Women in Industry Awards
Attn: Cole Latimer
Level 13, Tower 1
475 Victoria Avenue
Chatswood NSW 2067
For entry forms and further information, please go to http://womeninindustry.com.au/nominate/
From https://australianmining.com.au/tag/hunter-valley/
– See more at: http://jobsonthecoast.com.au/hunter/301391/2016-women-in-industry-awards-nominations-now-open/#sthash.uwQhP77v.dpuf
A new tool from APSEA award winning team at NGIS have released a first of its kind tool to allow Australians to visualise how sea level rise driven by climate change will impact their areas.
A BETA version of the Coastal Risk Australia interactive webmap has been made openly available and charts the majority of Australia’s enormous coastline to show how sea level rise could impact Australia under a number of different climate scenarios. Coastal Risk Australia incorporates 3D LiDAR, Google Engine and local tidal data to accurately map how rising sea levels could encroach on cities, towns and beaches under three scientific scenarios.
The interactive tool clearly shows that iconic beaches like the Gold Coast and famous coastal spots such as Cairns in Queensland and Queenscliff in Victoria will be among the most vulnerable places to rising sea levels, and will help individuals, communities and all levels of government prepare in the decades to come.
The map has highlighted that if waters around Australia rise by 0.74 metres by the end of this century, some of the most vulnerable sites around Australia will include:
- Queensland: The Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Port Douglas
- Victoria: Brighton Beach, St Kilda Beach, Queenscliff
- New South Wales: Narrabeen, Byron Bay
- South Australia: Port Adelaide, Hindmarsh Island
- Western Australia: Cottesloe Beach, Mandura
- Northern Territory: Kakadu National Park
The data was captured using airborne LiDAR technology to create detailed digital elevation models (DEM), which are then combined with ‘bucket-fill’ inundation modelling to create the map-based visualisations.
The calculated inundation is based on high tide, the Australian Height Datum and various sea level scenarios based on findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report, as shown in the below calculation.
Inundation = Sea Level Rise Scenarios (Low, Medium and High) + High Tide + Water-Land (MSL-AHD) Offset
The underlying DEMs have been mapped in great detail using airborne LiDAR at a resolution of 5 metres along Australia’s coast.
NGIS Australia Principal Consultant Nathan Eaton said it was difficult for people to appreciate what rising sea levels in decades to come could mean for their homes, community and the places they love.
“Maps are a universal language that everyone can understand. This website allows every Australian to visualise our climate change future with pinpoint accuracy, and gain a better understanding of how rising sea levels will affect our coastline, neighbourhoods and favourite places.”
NGIS Australia built the website based on an earlier model used to map sea-level rise in the Pacific Islands.
“Our main goal is to raise awareness of how sea-level rise will affect the places we live, but this will also help all Australians prepare for change, from all levels of government, in policy, conservation and community engagement.”
Across the globe, sea levels have risen an average of 17cm over the course of the 20th century and the average sea level rise around Australia has been at a similar level. Scientists are forecasting sea levels will rise between 0.4–1.1m over the remainder of this century depending on how rapidly the world reduces emissions of greenhouse gases. More than 80 percent of Australians live near the coast and a Climate Council report has already warned that future sea level rises could put more than $200 billion of infrastructure at risk.
By Anthony Wallace http://www.spatialsource.com.au/ngis-highlight-sea-level-rise-risk-sites-across-australia/
Brisbane-based spatial technology start-up Ozius Spatial has taken out an award at the 2016 National Planning Institute of Australia Awards for its contribution to Logan City Council’s Environmental Offset Estimator tool.
In partnership with project lead Logan City Council and global consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff, Ozius Spatial won the award for Improving Planning Processes and Practices for the innovative on-line tool. The Environmental Offset Estimator allows residents, developers, and councils to accurately and easily estimate the environmental costs of planning and development decisions.
According to Logan City Council and the Planning Institute of Australia, the tool will allow for a real-world assessment of costs and assist developments in reducing their environmental footprint.
Founder and Spatial Scientist, Alisa Starkey, said this innovative tool fuses advanced spatial technology and environmental science, and will ultimately assist in reducing environmental impacts and hopefully reduce the overall costs of housing developments.
“The tool will help accurately determine the funds required from development which can then be re-invested by Council back into environmental projects”, she said.
Until now it was a complex process to accurately identify the environmental offset fees, this online tool is available on Logan City Council’s website for all residents and customers.
Ozius Spatial specialises in using imagery from RPAS (also known as drones), aircraft and satellites combined with advanced algorithms and technology to deliver land management and environmental monitoring solutions for clients. These solutions have been implemented by customers across multiple markets including infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and government. Ozius Spatial has also provided expert training services to users in New Zealand and Australia.
“We have only been operating for just over two years, and in that time we have used this innovative approach to environmental monitoring and assessment to analyse almost one million square kilometres of the Australian landscape.”
“We’re hoping this National award for Logan City Council really highlights the economic and environmental benefits our solutions and spatial technology in general can have for all businesses.” Ms Starkey said.
By Anthony Wallace http://www.spatialsource.com.au/ozius-wins-planning-award-for-environmental-innovation/
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Australia’s leading researchers of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) technology, also known as UAV or drones, have been recognised by Australia’s CSIRO with exclusive backing to oversee the development of collision avoidance technology over the next three months.
The Australian team behind perhaps the most innovative RPAS solutions for remote sensing, Hovermap, has been selected to take part in the next round of CSIRO’s ON Accelerator. The proposed collision avoidance technology is necessary to ensure safe, efficient and responsive navigation by RPAS. The ON Accelerator program aims to boost Australia’s innovation performance by accelerating big science and technology ideas into commercially viable opportunities over a period of three months.
The existing Hovermap system, developed by CSIRO researchers, is itself revolutionary for its combination of LiDAR technology and it’s 360×360 degree senor capabilities. The Hovermap payload gives a spherical view around the vehicle, and that sensor data can also be used in real-time for the vehicles navigation and safety. The sensor achieves this impressive spherical view by rotating relative to the vehicle (see below GIF and video), using similar algorithms as CSIRO’s Zebedee precise handheld scanner. This Hovermap sensor data will then be used to inform collision avoidance algorithms, and eventually, true autonomy.
Dr Stefan Hrabar, the Principal Research Scientist and Research Team Leader at Hovermap, said to Spatial Source that he envisages three distinct stages of development towards the evolution of autonomous detect and avoid algorithms.
- Warning systems
Much like existing reverse parking sensors or lane detection technology, this initial phase of the technology acts to provide notifications or warning systems to inform the RPAS operator of detected obstacles. The operator then reacts manually to the supplied information. There are obviously limitations to this in terms of human error and also the minute times and distances within which collisions may occur.
- Automatic avoidance
The next level of development will involve both operator and machine input. In the case that the operator attempts to fly the RPAS into an obstacle, the system will automatically refrain from navigating towards it. The operator can then resume navigation by choosing another alternative routing. The problem with this however are the problems involved with beyond visual line of sights (BVLOS) operations and incompatibility with dynamic.
- True autonomy
True autonomy will permit the system to navigate itself safely and efficiently in any environment, independent from human operation. Once made possible, it will be possible for systems to be given directions to investigate an entire cavern system and return once all features have been mapped to the desired level of resolution. The potential applications go well beyond mapping, to logistics, surveillance, arts and even to autonomous vehicles.
The Hovermap solution is unique in that it will operate independently form satellite navigation (or GNSS), meaning that it can be used underground, indoors or among large buildings.
Dr Hrabar points out that the mapping applications are in fact independent from the collision avoidance technology: “The collision avoidance algorithms that we have developed are not specifically tied to the mapping hardware that we currently have.”
“You can imagine in the future pretty much every UAV is going to need some form of collision avoidance.”
“In a few years time, pretty much every UAV you buy, off the shelf, will have these collision avoidance sensors on board and they will need the algorithms that we are developing right now.”
The three month ON Accelerator program is focussed on assessing the business opportunities and commercialisation of the system, so the Hovermap team are consulting with customers and potential investors to oversee the best way forward to develop and roll out the technology. Depending on their findings, after the three months we may see the establishment of a company called “Hovermap,” or the rollout of the technology more broadly.
The Hovermap team are looking to establish an early adopter program once they have prototypes ready in the coming 3-6 months. From there, Dr Hrabar expects that there will be approximately 12 months until a commercial Hovermap system is available, with true autonomy available within 2-3 years.
From July this year the ON Accelerator program will be expanded nationally to include all other publically funded research organisations, as well as Australian universities, as part of the Federal Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda.
For further information about Hovermap, please visit https://confluence.csiro.au/display/ASL/Hovermap.
By on 11 May, 2016 in Email Newsletter, Unmanned
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