applications contest

8 Geospatial Solutions August 2006 www.geospatial-online.com

Applications Contest

For the seventh consecutive year,Geospatial Solutions has chosento honor readers’ innovative useof spatial technologies to meeta wide range of challenges in

a variety of industries.What struck me most about this year’s

submissions was how they underscore theimportance of partnerships. From cities todisaster relief organizations to utilities tocommercial vendors, individuals worldwideare coming together to share their expertiseand resources as they develop GIS solutionsthat help us to better understand — andmanage — our world.

To participate in the Geospatial SolutionsApplications Contest, readers submitted500-word descriptions showcasing theiruse of geospatial tools in projects involvingdecision support, sustainability, public wel-

fare, and more. An expert panel of judgesevaluated the entries based on innovation(Was the application creative or new?),technology (How cutting-edge was theentry’s system design?), and importance(What was the application’s potential forsaving time, money, labor, or lives?).

The following pages highlight the bestsubmissions as determined by our judges.

The top three entries received a TrimbleGeoXT handheld, LizardTech’s GeoExpressTools software, or DeLorme’s XMap 4.5with a Blue Logger GPS.

Many thanks to our judges, prize donors,and contest entrants! We were trulyimpressed with this year’s entries! — Amy Stankiewicz, editor in chief,Geospatial Solutions

THE JUDGES: Some of this industry’s topindividuals agreed to evaluate our Applica-tions Contest, with all identifying informationabout the entrants, companies, and productsremoved. Judges ranked entries on a 1–10scale for innovation, technology, and impor-tance. Geospatial Solutions wishes to thankour judges for their time and expertise.

ROBERT SAMBORSKI has been executivedirector of the GeospatialInformation & TechnologyAssociation (GITA, www.gita.org) since 1988. GITAis a nonprofit educationalassociation serving theglobal geospatial community.

SAM A. BACHARACH is programmanager of the Open Geo-spatial Consortium’s (OGC,www.opengeospatial.org)Outreach and CommunityAdoption Program. OGCis an industry consortium developing interfacespecification standards.

PETER BATTY is vice-presidentand chief technology officerfor Intergraph Corporation(www.intergraph.com). Battyhas more than 17 years ofexperience in the spatialsoftware industry.

I was very impressed with the standard of entries this year. I thought we

saw a good representation of many of the overall trends we are seeing

in the industry:use of sensors, real-time applications, mobility, wireless

networks, video integration, 3D modeling, and use of systems from

non-traditional geospatial vendors such as Google Earth. — Peter Batty

Partners in AchievementReaders Share Their Geospatial ApplicationsPartners in AchievementReaders Share Their Geospatial Applications

THE BEST APPS OF 2006

Applications Contest sponsored by and many thanks to:

www.geospatial-online.com August 2006 Geospatial Solutions 9

Nestled in the rolling hills ofNorthern California alongthe banks of Clear Lake,you’ll find the Ceago Vine-garden, a 220-acre family-

run agro-eco-tourism business owned andoperated by Jim Fetzer.

The Ceago Vinegarden produces certifiedbiodynamic wines using traditional farmingpractices that predate organic methods by20 years. The goal is to create a working farmthat uses sustainable agricultural practices thatare in harmony with the local ecosystem, andthen share the experience with the public.

According to Fetzer, biodynamic farmingemphasizes plant health and soil fertilitythrough crop rotation and diversity, compost-

ing, integration of plant and animal life, andthe scheduling of farm operations with a bio-dynamic calendar to maximize plant growth(through seasonal rhythms and universal lifeforces). Synthetic chemicals, herbicides, pesti-cides, and fertilizers are avoided.

The Ceago Vinegarden uses geospatialtechnologies to facilitate and document themanagement of day-to-day activities so thatmodels of ideal growing conditions and prac-tices can be developed. The company thatimplements these spatial tools is Geovine,a geospatial technology firm that aims “toblend new information technologies andsustainable farming practices to improve cropquality, operating efficiency, and environmen-tal performance of viticulture operations.”

In an effort to tie all of Ceago’s geospatialpractices together, as well as facilitate theongoing monitoring of grape yield and vinequality while reducing production costs,GeoVine partnered with a global employee-owned environmental engineering firmspecializing in geospatial planning, develop-ment, and implementation. At the outset ofthe initiative, Ceago provided project specifi-cations, all relevant Ceago data layers (suchas field, row, roads, etc.), prototype NationalAeronautics and Space Administration(NASA)/Jet Propulsion Laboratory sensorequipment, and commercial weather feedsthat monitor microclimatic parameters. Theenvironmental engineering firm compiled ateam of experts specializing in GPS survey,

1st PlaceMonitoring Crop Yields with Spatial Tools


Web services, wireless architecture, GIS,environmental science, and mobile applicationdevelopment for this effort.

Tracking growing methods, weather con-ditions, and times to harvest were importantcomponents of this initiative. Ultimately, thecomponents led to the development of sixproject requirements: a detailed survey of allrelevant vineyard assets; field data collectionusing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)tags; installation of the real-time microclimaticsolar sensors (sensorware pods); integrationof Web services with the real-time climaticsensors; Google Earth visualization; andongoing attribute maintenance throughmobile data collection.

The project team used a GPS receiver witha Bluetooth-enabled handheld data collectorto map the ranch’s infrastructure at approxi-mately 1-foot accuracy. The information wascollected using a customizable data dictionaryand proprietary field software. This approachallowed for a detailed microclimatic picture ofthe entire vineyard. RFID tags were attachedto vine rows and scanned using a compactflash RFID scanner that was inserted (alongwith a Bluetooth card) in the top of the hand-held data collectors. The winemaker uses thissame data-collection configuration for thecustomized data-maintenance application.

To determine optimal harvest times, in-field chemistry results were logged by vineand synchronized at the desktop. Resultinggraphs show sugar level and pH lines converg-ing prior to frost, ultimately providing a historyof season variation. The mobile applicationalso provided reminders for irrigation intervalsand calculation of irrigation costs. The radiofrequency wireless mesh network of NASAsensorware pods were placed throughout thevineyard in areas of high variability to monitorair temperature, humidity, soil temperature,and moisture at depths of 12 inches and 24inches, as well as ambient light and batterycharge state. The near–real-time readings wereprovided as Web services with algorithms toprovide predictive e-mail “push” notifications

of critical values such as frost, heat, and moldwarnings. E-mail “pulls” were achieved via cellphone PDAs that included pod readings fortimes when Web browsers were not available.In the future, the predictive push notificationis expected to reduce water use and irrigationcosts by allowing for a more detailed represen-tation of vine-moisture requirements. A moreaccurately managed water supply may resultin reduction of mold as well.

To date, visualization capabilities andInternet accessibility are achieved throughthe use of the Google Earth enterprise client.High-resolution aerial photos of the vineyardand the detailed GPS asset survey of relevantGIS layers can be queried at the click of amouse to pull up information about a vinerow or individual vine, including informationabout vine varietals, plant dates, rootstocks,clone numbers, and overall vine vigor.

Once data for several seasons are compiled,the project team expects that trends indicatingthe climatic conditions favored by specific vari-etals will emerge. The handheld data collectionand maintenance approach allows for the quickand continuous update of attribute informationduring the course of typical fieldwork (alsoreducing labor costs associated with re-keying

field notes). The GPS receiver provides thesubfoot accuracy required for this project.

Future initiatives may include microclimatesoil mapping, which would allow for the preci-sion application of organic fertilizers. Precisionguidance of tractors through GPS and on-board chart plotters may also serve to reducefuel and wear-and-tear costs while concentra-ting fertilizer application to areas that are inmost need of nutrients.

Ceago Vinegarden, Geovine, and CH2M HILLused temperature and moisture feeds fromSensorWare Systems. The team conductedfield surveys using Trimble GPS PathfinderProXH receivers with Bluetooth-enabledTrimble Recon handheld data collectors thatran Trimble’s TerraSync data collection soft-ware and Socket Compact Flash RFID readers.ESRI’s ArcGIS software was used for all GISdata layer creation and editing. Google’sGoogle Earth Enterprise Edition and enterpriseservers were used to fuse and host higher-accuracy data for the project Web site.

Shannon McElvaney, information solutionsconsultant, and Blair Adams, director of oper-ations, CH2M HILL


1st PlaceMonitoring Crop Yields . . . (continued)

When Hurricane Katrinastruck the Gulf Coastin 2005, a companyspecializing in riskassessment and man-

agement solutions was ready to offer helpby using its portable reconnaissance andvisualization system, which integrates pre-and post-disaster remote sensing data withfield observations to map and assess damagein the aftermath of major natural disasters.

However, the convergence of multiplehazards within a single event (windstorm,storm surge, flooding, and levee breach)created challenges for the company and itsemergency response team. Physical accessto the area was limited by evacuation ordersor obstruction of roads by fallen trees andfloodwaters. Because location informationprovides decision support to guide fastresponse and long-term recovery, gather-ing this type of data was a priority.

Ultimately, a Post-disaster Damage Verifi-cation (PDV) team found the use of remotesensing technologies (and the reconnais-sance and visualization system) to be theperfect match for Katrina. The technologieswere invaluable for measuring and mappingpre- and post-disaster damage quickly. Oneday after Katrina made landfall in Louisiana,the team (which consisted of staff from thecompany that developed the reconnaissanceand visualization system and researchersfrom the Multidisciplinary Center for Earth-quake Engineering Research) performedrapid, widespread assessments of damageat a per-building scale, all while preservingthe perishable damage characteristics ofthis unique multi-hazard event.

Within 48 hours of Katrina’s landfall, GPS-referenced, 5- to 15-centimeter-resolutionimagery was acquired by airborne deploy-ment of the field data collection and visuali-zation system and transmitted to a providerof catastrophe risk-assessment and quantifi-cation services to help provide initial loss esti-mates. Additional satellite and aerial imagery

came from DigitalGlobe, RADARSAT, aerialproviders, and others.

Georeferenced high-definition videoand photos recorded initial storm floodingand overtopping of the levees around NewOrleans and provided the earliest knownindication of damage in New Orleans. In thedays following the hurricane, remote sensingdata were analyzed in detail, providing teamswith a rapid, synoptic view of the region. Thecomplementary nature of different remotesensing tools (optical, radar, and LIDAR, all ofwhich offered a variety of spatial resolutionsand spectral qualities) allowed the team toview the damage from many vantage points.The different datasets provided a completepicture, leading to the rapid assessment ofthe damaged landscape and yielding infor-mation for disaster managers concerningthe nature and extent of building damage.

While post-disaster imagery accuratelycaptured damage caused by Katrina, pre-disaster coverage was useful for providinga benchmark baseline of the undamagedareas, thus facilitating change-detectionoperations at the regional, neighborhood,and individual building levels. The reconnais-

sance and visualization solution allowedthe gathering of damage data because thesystem was always on. Used for systemati-cally collecting data by foot, car, or airplane,it eased the strain of having to manuallycatalogue and analyze data. What’s more,through Internet applications like GoogleEarth, the public had access to more than18,000 images illustrating Katrina’s damageand more than 27,000 images of NewOrleans within days of the storm.

ImageCat, Inc. used its portable VIEWSreconnaissance and visualization systemduring this project. The system integratesGPS-registered digital video footage, digitalphotographs, and observations with satelliteimagery collected before and after a disaster.Risk Management Solutions (RMS) aided inthe effort, providing the initial loss estimates.

Beverley Adams, remote sensing technicaldirector, ImageCat; J.Arn Womble, wind engi-neer, ImageCat; Shubharoop Ghosh, projectmanager, ImageCat; Carol J. Friedland, grad-uate research assistant for the LouisianaState University Hurricane Center

2nd PlaceCollecting Data for a Multi-Hazard Situation



What if you could visitremote sites at anytime, in any location,without leaving yourdesk? Imagine being

able to capture sites in their entirety to sup-port decision making and provide perma-nent documentation throughout the life ofa project. Want to move through the areaof a major initiative beforehand to plan exe-cution, analyze progress, or manage post-construction assets with detailed views? It’ssimple with georeferenced spherical videotechnology that captures an omnidirectionalview of the world.

This technology places the viewer in themiddle of an environment and within contextso that precise information is available tomanage projects. The video’s omnidirectionalnature allows users to look at the same fea-ture, location, or object from all angles (front,back, side, top) live or in recorded format. TheArcGIS extension allows them to embed videoimagery for access at specific locations.

The patented geodesic design allows 11cameras to function simultaneously andprovides a dataset for planning. Perhapsthe most interesting aspect of this imageryis that it removes the traditional concept ofthe frame. The photographer no longerchooses what to film or photograph: Thecamera is capturing everything, regardlessof direction.

In the fall of 2005, U.S.I. Project Services,Inc. (USI), a survey company responsible forpipeline selection for one of Calgary, Alber-ta’s leaders in energy infrastructure andpipeline transport, hired the company thatdeveloped the immersive video technologyto film proposed routes and alternates forthree projects involving land-based assets.Pipeline routes were filmed at low altitudefrom a helicopter, and the resulting footagewas tied to GPS coordinates so that eachframe of video knows exactly where it is.

While the video was originally intendedto be a support tool in pipeline-route selec-

tion, it continues to be of value throughother stages of the project, both in supportof decision making and in permanent docu-mentation. During the planning stages, it hassupported environmental impact assessmentby providing detailed views and multiple per-spectives of areas of interest, groundtruthingof features, a documentation trail of site con-ditions, and timber-salvage calculations. Thesame footage has also been included as partof construction bids so vendors can benefitfrom a site visit without spending time andmoney to actually go there. In addition, post-construction and post-incident reclamationefforts can be documented and the initialstate of the site clearly seen.

The video provides an added level ofclarity to non-technical presentations andpublic consultation. Stakeholders not accus-tomed to interpreting traditional map andimagery data can more easily understandthe decisions made based on terrain andenvironment. At any stage of a project, thevideo provides a common knowledge of thesite, whether or not the parties have actuallybeen there. Whatever the topic, all partiesare discussing it from the same perspective.Various engineers and environmental con-sultants can, from their desktop, simultane-

ously use thefootage to assesssituations.

There are costsavings to be hadas expenses torevisit remote loca-tions are reduced,informational accuracyis increased, and time issaved as the entire envi-ronment is capturedwith one simple fly-through (thus justifying theinitial cost of filming). The intangible benefitsof working with the video are harderto quantify, but, over the long term, theyare probably even more valuable. The abilityto transport oneself to any point on the site,at any time, is a first that can change the waythat we work.

The georeferenced spherical video technol-ogy discussed here is GeoImmersive videofrom Immersive Media.

Sue Watson, marketing manager, ImmersiveMedia

3rd PlaceGeoimmersive Video for Pipeline Routing




Washoe County, Nev-ada, entered NewYear’s Day 1997 witha flood that resultedin damages estimated

between $167 and $619 million — themost costly flood in this area’s history. Theimportance of accurate and accessible geo-spatial information became obvious andcritical. In fact, the floods became a water-shed in the county’s approach to what isnow a standard-setting drive toward a datacommunity that involves high-accuracy GISdata, cross-jurisdictional data-exchangeagreements, and the vision of an evenlarger regional data community.

Prior to the floods, the region had maps,but they were patched together with differ-ing scales and accuracies. When emergencyresponse teams needed maps, there was nocommon mapping system. County adminis-trators realized they needed to be able toprovide disaster assistance agencies withmaps of their respective jurisdictions and/or maps that accurately aligned with neigh-boring jurisdictions. Enter the RegionalBasemap Committee.

Initially composed of three jurisdictions— Washoe County and the cities of Renoand Sparks (today it also includes SierraPacific Power Company) — the committeespearheaded an overhaul of the county’s20-year-old GIS. The GIS was upgradedfrom mapping-grade or Real-Time Differ-ential GPS data (submeter or subfoot, i.e.,30 cm) to survey-grade or Real-TimeKinematic (RTK) GPS data accuracy in aneffort to provide highly accurate data toconstituents.

To facilitate the accuracy upgrade,the committee set up a regional RTK GPSnetwork that today covers approximately1,200 square miles in northwestern Nevada,including Washoe, Carson City, Douglas,Storey, and parts of Lyon County. Thenetwork currently includes nine referencestations with cellular capabilities.

Benefits to users include significantreduction of high-accuracy RTK GPS fielddata-collection costs because this technol-ogy eliminates the need for additionalbasestations. User set up time and person-nel resources (most users pay someoneto watch the costly basestation) are alsoreduced. In addition, such networks expanda network area and use fewer reference

stations, improve data quality control, andminimize the learning curve for those withlittle high-accuracy surveying experience.

Initiated in 2003, the network is freeto the entire community. And now theNevada Department of Transportation isinstalling its own reference stations to tie intothe system. The county’s vision includes dou-bling the network area by the end of 2006.

1st Runner-UpA New Data Community


Not only is the service free, its imple-mentation and upgrades don’t cost tax-payers anything. The original group setup a technical committee aimed at main-taining regional accuracy: Any new mapsdeveloped in the region must be checkedby the technical committee for a fee. Theservice provides a quality check to theregion’s GIS data, ensuring that its highaccuracy remains. Income from the serviceprovides the GPS infrastructure. With theagreements between the jurisdictions toshare data, the new network makes itpossible for all GIS data to be on the samecoordinate system, allowing free exchangebetween jurisdictions and users.

Led by Washoe County GIS ManagerThomas Lo, the development of the high-accuracy database has allowed the differ-ent jurisdictions seamless access to GISdata across jurisdiction boundaries. Notonly are all jurisdictions on the same pagegeospatially; the majority of the areas arealso modifying all recorded maps to thecurrent system.

In addition, senior management andelected officials have a fully supportedgeospatial approach, realizing that the pre-cise and sophisticated data allow officialsto address jurisdictional concerns with ahigh degree of accuracy. Washoe CountyManager Katy Singlaub sees the onlinezoning, land, census, and utility data ashelping the region to do balanced planningas well as market itself for development.

Just as critical, the region has used theGIS tools for emergency mapping. NewYear’s Day 2006 opened with a flood fore-cast. At the region’s emergency operatingcenter, the GIS team and hydrologists usedthe accurate GIS data to predict potentialflood areas, expected flood levels, and first-response areas. The maps all included floodplains, contours, structures, sandbag loca-tions, and maintenance needs. Unlike in1997, the region was ready, thanks totoday’s advanced geospatial technology.

The RTK GPS network uses Trimble’s VRS(Virtual Reference Station) system. Systemcomponents include: Trimble NetRS or 5700CORS GPS receivers, Zephyr Geodetic anten-nas, Trimble GPSNet software, and TrimbleRTKNet software. All jurisdictions (exceptDouglas County) are using ESRI ArcGIS

software. Some jurisdictions use Autodesk’sAutoCAD software. Douglas County is usingGenesis and ESRI ArcInfo software.

Jack M. Holmes, Washoe County surveyor,Washoe County, Nevada

1st Runner-UpA New Data Community (continued)


Working in partnershipwith the NationalOceanic and Atmos-pheric Administration(NOAA) Coastal Ser-

vices Center, a commercial provider of remotesensing, mapping, and GIS solutions has dev-eloped a decision-support tool for improvedport operations. Based on the company’sspatial information management platform,analytical toolkit, and professional presenta-tion software package, the new tool offerstwo-dimensional (2D) GIS fully synchronizedwith 3D thematic mapping; query and analy-sis capabilities; and analytical modeling.

Context-driven queries and data viewshave been created for specific user groups,including environmental, property, and portoperations managers, as well as security,marine, and emergency response personnel.These custom queries and views allow usersfrom different disciplines to explore the samedata in ways specific to their applications.

Using database or spatial queries, userscan interactively create thematic maps in 2Dand 3D with the Web interface to performa host of management and planning scenar-ios, such as:

! The port real estate manager can locatewarehouse space of a certain size that isavailable on or after a specified date

! The port operations manager can det-ermine which berths are occupied in a giventime period and the contact person for each

! The environmental manager can iden-tify hazardous materials storage and thematerials’ proximity to environmentallysensitive shorelines

! A recreational boater can familiarizehim/herself with shipping channels, rest-ricted areas, and navigation markers

! The port security officer can identifytanks filled with hazardous materials

! An emergency manager can modelhow port infrastructure will likely be affectedby a Category 2 hurricane taking place athigh tide.

Analytical models that forecast or trackdynamic events over time can also be inte-grated into the same Web interface. Forexample, this prototype incorporates twoNOAA-supported analytical models: Storm,Lake, and Overland Surge from Hurricanes(SLOSH) model and the General NOAA OilModeling Environment (GNOME) model.

SLOSH model outputs show the extentof storm surge mapped over topography.Storm surge heights are transformed intoan elevated water surface, which is used toinundate the 3D model of the port. TheGNOME model allows resource managersand port operators to develop realistic oilspill scenarios for planning purposes. In theNOAA prototype, the 3D system architectureis also used to visualize dynamic datastreams,tracking changes in real time and communi-cating them to the user interface. Ocean-ographic conditions, monitored in real timeby NOAA’s Physical Oceanographic Real-TimeSystem, are accessible through 3D and 2Dgraphical objects. Simulated GPS coordinatedata demonstrate the ability to track a shipentering and docking at the port facility.

The system demonstrates the power of

Web-based GIS analysis and visualizationtechnologies for further situational aware-ness for day-to-operations, security monitor-ing, and emergency response. The systemanswers the call for an application-driven,geospatial decision-support system. By inte-grating 2D maps with 3D analysis and mod-eling capabilities, it helps users of varyingbackgrounds and skill levels to navigate andunderstand complex geospatial informationfor better solutions to real-world problems.With an Internet connection, the secure,Web-based approach provides decisionmakers with instant access to the systemanytime, anywhere.

The NOAA decision-support tool is basedon EarthData’s SIMmetry system, which ispowered by ESRI GIS Server and ArcSDEand includes EarthData’s integration of 3Drendering and time-series models.

Adam Cohen, SIMmetry business linemanager, EarthData – Solutions Division

2nd Runner-UpPort Operations Decision-Support Tool



ESM Web, a GIS application that providesgeneral city staff members with accessto a photogrammetric environment, wasdeveloped by the City of Toronto. It’s pow-ered by custom commercial photogram-

metric software, and it allows users to view and meas-ure aerial imagery in three dimensions (3D) and accessvolumes of information (including historical imageryfor 1939, 1954, and 1978) that is photogrammetricallygeoreferenced.

ESM Web facilitates the viewing of more than twoterabytes of high-resolution imagery and provides anaccurate 3D visualization and measuring tool that allowsusers to conduct accurate measurements of such structures as buildingsand fences. Before ESM Web, such information was available onlythrough on-site visits. By switching the view mode to 3D and wearing apair of 3D glasses, users can measure a structure’s height with an accuracyof +/- 15 centimeters (for 2003 images), providing a more complete setof information on which city business units can base decisions. For exam-ple, someone dealing with fence height bylaw enforcement can measurethe height of a fence in ESM Web, and if the fence measures more than+/- 15 centimeters above/below the maximum height allowed, there isno need to conduct a site inspection to determine whether the fenceowner is adhering to the bylaw.

Prior to ESM Web, city staff gathered historical land data from multi-ple sources of information with unknown origin and quality. Today, theycan access fully georeferenced historical imagery to accurately measurefeatures that have changed with time or that no longer exist. For exam-ple, users can measure erosion of the Scarborough Bluffs — whichstretch for approximately 14 kilometers along the Lake Ontario shore,from the Eastern Beaches of Toronto (in the west) to West Hill (in theeast) — analyze erosion trends, and predict future behavior. They canalso measure the dimensions (including height) of buildings that havebeen demolished or areas of prior land use (such as landfills) and com-pare these against present-day property boundaries.

ESM Web also allows users to reference their own georeferencedvector files onto the images across the Internet. When the referencevector file is 3D, ESM Web brings the data in natively; for a 2D referencefile, a drape over the underlying Digital Terrain Model is performed tocorrectly reference the data into the 3D coordinate system. The endresult is that, throughout the entire organization:

! Less time is spent researching where to find maps; they’re allavailable from the same source

! Less time and money are spent conducting preliminary site visits;users don’t leave their office to view and measure a site

! New user groups can benefit from accessing mapping informa-tion that was previously unavailable to them.

ESM Web is powered by custom photogrammetric software fromDVP-GS in Beauport, Canada.

Kevin Tierney, supervisor, Foundation Mapping, City of Toronto, Tech-nical Services, Survey & Mapping Services, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

3rd Runner-UpPhotogrammetric Measuring in Toronto

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