Applications Contest

THE BEST APPS OF 2006

Partners in Achievement
Readers Share Their Geospatial Applications

F
or the seventh consecutive year, fare, and more. An expert panel of judges The top three entries received a Trimble
Geospatial Solutions has chosen evaluated the entries based on innovation GeoXT handheld, LizardTech’s GeoExpress
to honor readers’ innovative use (Was the application creative or new?), Tools software, or DeLorme’s XMap 4.5
of spatial technologies to meet technology (How cutting-edge was the with a Blue Logger GPS.
a wide range of challenges in entry’s system design?), and importance Many thanks to our judges, prize donors,
a variety of industries. (What was the application’s potential for and contest entrants! We were truly
What struck me most about this year’s saving time, money, labor, or lives?). impressed with this year’s entries!
submissions was how they underscore the The following pages highlight the best — Amy Stankiewicz, editor in chief,
importance of partnerships. From cities to submissions as determined by our judges. Geospatial Solutions
disaster relief organizations to utilities to
commercial vendors, individuals worldwide
are coming together to share their expertise
I was very impressed with the standard of entries this year.I thought we
and resources as they develop GIS solutions
that help us to better understand — and
saw a good representation of many of the overall trends we are seeing
manage — our world.
To participate in the Geospatial Solutions
in the industry:use of sensors,real-time applications,mobility,wireless
Applications Contest, readers submitted
500-word descriptions showcasing their
networks,video integration,3D modeling,and use of systems from
use of geospatial tools in projects involving
decision support, sustainability, public wel-
non-traditional geospatial vendors such as Google Earth. — Peter Batty

THE JUDGES: Some of this industry’s top
individuals agreed to evaluate our Applica-
tions Contest, with all identifying information
about the entrants, companies, and products
removed. Judges ranked entries on a 1–10
scale for innovation, technology, and impor-
tance. Geospatial Solutions wishes to thank
our judges for their time and expertise.
SAM A. BACHARACH is program PETER BATTY is vice-president
manager of the Open Geo- and chief technology officer
spatial Consortium’s (OGC, for Intergraph Corporation
www.opengeospatial.org) (www.intergraph.com). Batty
Outreach and Community has more than 17 years of
Adoption Program. OGC experience in the spatial
is an industry consortium developing interface software industry.
specification standards.

ROBERT SAMBORSKI has been executive

director of the Geospatial Applications Contest sponsored
Information & Technology by and many thanks to:
Association (GITA, www.
gita.org) since 1988. GITA
is a nonprofit educational
association serving the
global geospatial community.

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

 1st Place
Monitoring Crop Yields with Spatial Tools
N
estled in the rolling hills of
Northern California along
the banks of Clear Lake,
you’ll find the Ceago Vine-
garden, a 220-acre family-
run agro-eco-tourism business owned and
operated by Jim Fetzer.
The Ceago Vinegarden produces certified
biodynamic wines using traditional farming
practices that predate organic methods by
20 years. The goal is to create a working farm
that uses sustainable agricultural practices that
are in harmony with the local ecosystem, and
then share the experience with the public.
According to Fetzer, biodynamic farming
emphasizes plant health and soil fertility
through crop rotation and diversity, compost-
www.geospatial-online.com
ing, integration of plant and animal life, and
the scheduling of farm operations with a bio-
dynamic calendar to maximize plant growth
(through seasonal rhythms and universal life
forces). Synthetic chemicals, herbicides, pesti-
cides, and fertilizers are avoided.
The Ceago Vinegarden uses geospatial
technologies to facilitate and document the
management of day-to-day activities so that
models of ideal growing conditions and prac-
tices can be developed. The company that
implements these spatial tools is Geovine,
a geospatial technology firm that aims “to
blend new information technologies and
sustainable farming practices to improve crop
quality, operating efficiency, and environmen-
tal performance of viticulture operations.”
In an effort to tie all of Ceago’s geospatial
practices together, as well as facilitate the
ongoing monitoring of grape yield and vine
quality while reducing production costs,
GeoVine partnered with a global employee-
owned environmental engineering firm
specializing in geospatial planning, develop-
ment, and implementation. At the outset of
the initiative, Ceago provided project specifi-
cations, all relevant Ceago data layers (such
as field, row, roads, etc.), prototype National
Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA)/Jet Propulsion Laboratory sensor
equipment, and commercial weather feeds
that monitor microclimatic parameters. The
environmental engineering firm compiled a
team of experts specializing in GPS survey,
August 2006 Geospatial Solutions 9
 Applications Contest
1st Place
Monitoring Crop Yields ... (continued)
Web services, wireless architecture, GIS,
environmental science, and mobile application
development for this effort.
Tracking growing methods, weather con-
ditions, and times to harvest were important
components of this initiative. Ultimately, the
components led to the development of six
project requirements: a detailed survey of all
relevant vineyard assets; field data collection
using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
tags; installation of the real-time microclimatic
solar sensors (sensorware pods); integration
of Web services with the real-time climatic
sensors; Google Earth visualization; and
ongoing attribute maintenance through
mobile data collection.
The project team used a GPS receiver with
a Bluetooth-enabled handheld data collector
to map the ranch’s infrastructure at approxi-
mately 1-foot accuracy. The information was of critical values such as frost, heat, and mold field notes). The GPS receiver provides the
collected using a customizable data dictionary warnings. E-mail “pulls” were achieved via cell subfoot accuracy required for this project.
and proprietary field software. This approach phone PDAs that included pod readings for Future initiatives may include microclimate
allowed for a detailed microclimatic picture of times when Web browsers were not available. soil mapping, which would allow for the preci-
the entire vineyard. RFID tags were attached In the future, the predictive push notification sion application of organic fertilizers. Precision
to vine rows and scanned using a compact is expected to reduce water use and irrigation guidance of tractors through GPS and on-
flash RFID scanner that was inserted (along costs by allowing for a more detailed represen- board chart plotters may also serve to reduce
with a Bluetooth card) in the top of the hand- tation of vine-moisture requirements. A more fuel and wear-and-tear costs while concentra-
held data collectors. The winemaker uses this accurately managed water supply may result ting fertilizer application to areas that are in
same data-collection configuration for the in reduction of mold as well. most need of nutrients.
customized data-maintenance application. To date, visualization capabilities and
To determine optimal harvest times, in- Internet accessibility are achieved through Ceago Vinegarden, Geovine, and CH2M HILL
field chemistry results were logged by vine the use of the Google Earth enterprise client. used temperature and moisture feeds from
and synchronized at the desktop. Resulting High-resolution aerial photos of the vineyard SensorWare Systems. The team conducted
graphs show sugar level and pH lines converg- and the detailed GPS asset survey of relevant field surveys using Trimble GPS Pathfinder
ing prior to frost, ultimately providing a history GIS layers can be queried at the click of a ProXH receivers with Bluetooth-enabled
of season variation. The mobile application mouse to pull up information about a vine Trimble Recon handheld data collectors that
also provided reminders for irrigation intervals row or individual vine, including information ran Trimble’s TerraSync data collection soft-
and calculation of irrigation costs. The radio about vine varietals, plant dates, rootstocks, ware and Socket Compact Flash RFID readers.
frequency wireless mesh network of NASA clone numbers, and overall vine vigor. ESRI’s ArcGIS software was used for all GIS
sensorware pods were placed throughout the Once data for several seasons are compiled, data layer creation and editing. Google’s
vineyard in areas of high variability to monitor the project team expects that trends indicating Google Earth Enterprise Edition and enterprise
air temperature, humidity, soil temperature, the climatic conditions favored by specific vari- servers were used to fuse and host higher-
and moisture at depths of 12 inches and 24 etals will emerge. The handheld data collection accuracy data for the project Web site.
inches, as well as ambient light and battery and maintenance approach allows for the quick
charge state. The near–real-time readings were and continuous update of attribute information Shannon McElvaney, information solutions
provided as Web services with algorithms to during the course of typical fieldwork (also consultant, and Blair Adams, director of oper-
provide predictive e-mail “push” notifications reducing labor costs associated with re-keying ations, CH2M HILL
10 Geospatial Solutions August 2006 www.geospatial-online.com
 2nd Place
Collecting Data for a Multi-Hazard Situation

W
hen Hurricane Katrina
struck the Gulf Coast
in 2005, a company
specializing in risk
assessment and man-
agement solutions was ready to offer help
by using its portable reconnaissance and
visualization system, which integrates pre-
and post-disaster remote sensing data with
field observations to map and assess damage
in the aftermath of major natural disasters.
However, the convergence of multiple
hazards within a single event (windstorm,
storm surge, flooding, and levee breach)
created challenges for the company and its
emergency response team. Physical access
to the area was limited by evacuation orders
or obstruction of roads by fallen trees and
floodwaters. Because location information
provides decision support to guide fast
response and long-term recovery, gather- came from DigitalGlobe, RADARSAT, aerial sance and visualization solution allowed
ing this type of data was a priority. providers, and others. the gathering of damage data because the
Ultimately, a Post-disaster Damage Verifi- Georeferenced high-definition video system was always on. Used for systemati-
cation (PDV) team found the use of remote and photos recorded initial storm flooding cally collecting data by foot, car, or airplane,
sensing technologies (and the reconnais- and overtopping of the levees around New it eased the strain of having to manually
sance and visualization system) to be the Orleans and provided the earliest known catalogue and analyze data. What’s more,
perfect match for Katrina. The technologies indication of damage in New Orleans. In the through Internet applications like Google
were invaluable for measuring and mapping days following the hurricane, remote sensing Earth, the public had access to more than
pre- and post-disaster damage quickly. One data were analyzed in detail, providing teams 18,000 images illustrating Katrina’s damage
day after Katrina made landfall in Louisiana, with a rapid, synoptic view of the region. The and more than 27,000 images of New
the team (which consisted of staff from the complementary nature of different remote Orleans within days of the storm.
company that developed the reconnaissance sensing tools (optical, radar, and LIDAR, all of
and visualization system and researchers which offered a variety of spatial resolutions ImageCat, Inc. used its portable VIEWS
from the Multidisciplinary Center for Earth- and spectral qualities) allowed the team to reconnaissance and visualization system
quake Engineering Research) performed view the damage from many vantage points. during this project. The system integrates
rapid, widespread assessments of damage The different datasets provided a complete GPS-registered digital video footage, digital
at a per-building scale, all while preserving picture, leading to the rapid assessment of photographs, and observations with satellite
the perishable damage characteristics of the damaged landscape and yielding infor- imagery collected before and after a disaster.
this unique multi-hazard event. mation for disaster managers concerning Risk Management Solutions (RMS) aided in
Within 48 hours of Katrina’s landfall, GPS- the nature and extent of building damage. the effort, providing the initial loss estimates.
referenced, 5- to 15-centimeter-resolution While post-disaster imagery accurately
imagery was acquired by airborne deploy- captured damage caused by Katrina, pre- Beverley Adams, remote sensing technical
ment of the field data collection and visuali- disaster coverage was useful for providing director, ImageCat; J. Arn Womble, wind engi-
zation system and transmitted to a provider a benchmark baseline of the undamaged neer, ImageCat; Shubharoop Ghosh, project
of catastrophe risk-assessment and quantifi- areas, thus facilitating change-detection manager, ImageCat; Carol J. Friedland, grad-
cation services to help provide initial loss esti- operations at the regional, neighborhood, uate research assistant for the Louisiana
mates. Additional satellite and aerial imagery and individual building levels. The reconnais- State University Hurricane Center
www.geospatial-online.com August 2006 Geospatial Solutions 11
 Applications Contest
3rd Place
Geoimmersive Video for Pipeline Routing

W
hat if you could visit
remote sites at any
time, in any location,
without leaving your
desk? Imagine being
able to capture sites in their entirety to sup-
port decision making and provide perma-
nent documentation throughout the life of
a project. Want to move through the area
of a major initiative beforehand to plan exe-
cution, analyze progress, or manage post-
construction assets with detailed views? It’s
simple with georeferenced spherical video
technology that captures an omnidirectional
view of the world.
This technology places the viewer in the
middle of an environment and within context
so that precise information is available to
manage projects. The video’s omnidirectional
nature allows users to look at the same fea-
ture, location, or object from all angles (front,
back, side, top) live or in recorded format. The
ArcGIS extension allows them to embed video
imagery for access at specific locations.
The patented geodesic design allows 11
cameras to function simultaneously and
provides a dataset for planning. Perhaps
the most interesting aspect of this imagery
is that it removes the traditional concept of
the frame. The photographer no longer
chooses what to film or photograph: The
camera is capturing everything, regardless
of direction.
In the fall of 2005, U.S.I. Project Services,
Inc. (USI), a survey company responsible for
pipeline selection for one of Calgary, Alber-
ta’s leaders in energy infrastructure and
pipeline transport, hired the company that
developed the immersive video technology
to film proposed routes and alternates for
three projects involving land-based assets.
Pipeline routes were filmed at low altitude
from a helicopter, and the resulting footage
was tied to GPS coordinates so that each
frame of video knows exactly where it is.
While the video was originally intended
to be a support tool in pipeline-route selec-
12 Geospatial Solutions August 2006
tion, it continues to be of value through ously use the
other stages of the project, both in support footage to assess
of decision making and in permanent docu- situations.
mentation. During the planning stages, it has There are cost
supported environmental impact assessment savings to be had
by providing detailed views and multiple per- as expenses to
spectives of areas of interest, groundtruthing revisit remote loca-
of features, a documentation trail of site con- tions are reduced,
ditions, and timber-salvage calculations. The informational accuracy
same footage has also been included as part is increased, and time is
of construction bids so vendors can benefit saved as the entire envi-
from a site visit without spending time and ronment is captured
money to actually go there. In addition, post- with one simple fly-
construction and post-incident reclamation through (thus justifying the
efforts can be documented and the initial initial cost of filming). The intangible benefits
state of the site clearly seen. of working with the video are harder
The video provides an added level of to quantify, but, over the long term, they
clarity to non-technical presentations and are probably even more valuable. The ability
public consultation. Stakeholders not accus- to transport oneself to any point on the site,
tomed to interpreting traditional map and at any time, is a first that can change the way
imagery data can more easily understand that we work.
the decisions made based on terrain and
environment. At any stage of a project, the The georeferenced spherical video technol-
video provides a common knowledge of the ogy discussed here is GeoImmersive video
site, whether or not the parties have actually from Immersive Media.
been there. Whatever the topic, all parties
are discussing it from the same perspective. Sue Watson, marketing manager, Immersive
Various engineers and environmental con- Media
sultants can, from their desktop, simultane-
www.geospatial-online.com
 Applications Contest
1st Runner-Up
A New Data Community

W
ashoe County, Nev- Benefits to users include significant stations, improve data quality control, and
ada, entered New reduction of high-accuracy RTK GPS field minimize the learning curve for those with
Year’s Day 1997 with data-collection costs because this technol- little high-accuracy surveying experience.
a flood that resulted ogy eliminates the need for additional Initiated in 2003, the network is free
in damages estimated basestations. User set up time and person- to the entire community. And now the
between $167 and $619 million — the nel resources (most users pay someone Nevada Department of Transportation is
most costly flood in this area’s history. The to watch the costly basestation) are also installing its own reference stations to tie into
importance of accurate and accessible geo- reduced. In addition, such networks expand the system. The county’s vision includes dou-
spatial information became obvious and a network area and use fewer reference bling the network area by the end of 2006.
critical. In fact, the floods became a water-
shed in the county’s approach to what is
now a standard-setting drive toward a data
community that involves high-accuracy GIS
data, cross-jurisdictional data-exchange
agreements, and the vision of an even
larger regional data community.
Prior to the floods, the region had maps,
but they were patched together with differ-
ing scales and accuracies. When emergency
response teams needed maps, there was no
common mapping system. County adminis-
trators realized they needed to be able to
provide disaster assistance agencies with
maps of their respective jurisdictions and/
or maps that accurately aligned with neigh-
boring jurisdictions. Enter the Regional
Basemap Committee.
Initially composed of three jurisdictions
— Washoe County and the cities of Reno
and Sparks (today it also includes Sierra
Pacific Power Company) — the committee
spearheaded an overhaul of the county’s
20-year-old GIS. The GIS was upgraded
from mapping-grade or Real-Time Differ-
ential GPS data (submeter or subfoot, i.e.,
30 cm) to survey-grade or Real-Time
Kinematic (RTK) GPS data accuracy in an
effort to provide highly accurate data to
constituents.
To facilitate the accuracy upgrade,
the committee set up a regional RTK GPS
network that today covers approximately
1,200 square miles in northwestern Nevada,
including Washoe, Carson City, Douglas,
Storey, and parts of Lyon County. The
network currently includes nine reference
stations with cellular capabilities.
14 Geospatial Solutions August 2006 www.geospatial-online.com
 1st Runner-Up
A New Data Community (continued)
Not only is the service free, its imple-
mentation and upgrades don’t cost tax-
payers anything. The original group set
up a technical committee aimed at main-
taining regional accuracy: Any new maps
developed in the region must be checked
by the technical committee for a fee. The
service provides a quality check to the
region’s GIS data, ensuring that its high
accuracy remains. Income from the service
provides the GPS infrastructure. With the
agreements between the jurisdictions to
share data, the new network makes it
possible for all GIS data to be on the same
coordinate system, allowing free exchange
between jurisdictions and users.
Led by Washoe County GIS Manager
Thomas Lo, the development of the high-
accuracy database has allowed the differ-
ent jurisdictions seamless access to GIS
data across jurisdiction boundaries. Not
only are all jurisdictions on the same page
geospatially; the majority of the areas are
also modifying all recorded maps to the
current system.
In addition, senior management and
elected officials have a fully supported
geospatial approach, realizing that the pre-
cise and sophisticated data allow officials
to address jurisdictional concerns with a
high degree of accuracy. Washoe County
Manager Katy Singlaub sees the online
zoning, land, census, and utility data as
helping the region to do balanced planning
as well as market itself for development.
Just as critical, the region has used the
GIS tools for emergency mapping. New
Year’s Day 2006 opened with a flood fore-
cast. At the region’s emergency operating
center, the GIS team and hydrologists used
the accurate GIS data to predict potential The RTK GPS network uses Trimble’s VRS software. Some jurisdictions use Autodesk’s
flood areas, expected flood levels, and first- (Virtual Reference Station) system. System AutoCAD software. Douglas County is using
response areas. The maps all included flood components include: Trimble NetRS or 5700 Genesis and ESRI ArcInfo software.
plains, contours, structures, sandbag loca- CORS GPS receivers, Zephyr Geodetic anten-
tions, and maintenance needs. Unlike in nas, Trimble GPSNet software, and Trimble Jack M. Holmes, Washoe County surveyor,
1997, the region was ready, thanks to RTKNet software. All jurisdictions (except Washoe County, Nevada
today’s advanced geospatial technology. Douglas County) are using ESRI ArcGIS
www.geospatial-online.com August 2006 Geospatial Solutions 15
 Applications Contest
2nd Runner-Up
Port Operations Decision-Support Tool

W
orking in partnership
with the National
Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration
(NOAA) Coastal Ser-
vices Center, a commercial provider of remote
sensing, mapping, and GIS solutions has dev-
eloped a decision-support tool for improved
port operations. Based on the company’s
spatial information management platform,
analytical toolkit, and professional presenta-
tion software package, the new tool offers
two-dimensional (2D) GIS fully synchronized
with 3D thematic mapping; query and analy-
sis capabilities; and analytical modeling.
Context-driven queries and data views
have been created for specific user groups,
including environmental, property, and port
operations managers, as well as security,
marine, and emergency response personnel.
These custom queries and views allow users Analytical models that forecast or track Web-based GIS analysis and visualization
from different disciplines to explore the same dynamic events over time can also be inte- technologies for further situational aware-
data in ways specific to their applications. grated into the same Web interface. For ness for day-to-operations, security monitor-
Using database or spatial queries, users example, this prototype incorporates two ing, and emergency response. The system
can interactively create thematic maps in 2D NOAA-supported analytical models: Storm, answers the call for an application-driven,
and 3D with the Web interface to perform Lake, and Overland Surge from Hurricanes geospatial decision-support system. By inte-
a host of management and planning scenar- (SLOSH) model and the General NOAA Oil grating 2D maps with 3D analysis and mod-
ios, such as: Modeling Environment (GNOME) model. eling capabilities, it helps users of varying
! The port real estate manager can locate SLOSH model outputs show the extent backgrounds and skill levels to navigate and
warehouse space of a certain size that is of storm surge mapped over topography. understand complex geospatial information
available on or after a specified date Storm surge heights are transformed into for better solutions to real-world problems.
! The port operations manager can det- an elevated water surface, which is used to With an Internet connection, the secure,
ermine which berths are occupied in a given inundate the 3D model of the port. The Web-based approach provides decision
time period and the contact person for each GNOME model allows resource managers makers with instant access to the system
! The environmental manager can iden- and port operators to develop realistic oil anytime, anywhere.
tify hazardous materials storage and the spill scenarios for planning purposes. In the
materials’ proximity to environmentally NOAA prototype, the 3D system architecture The NOAA decision-support tool is based
sensitive shorelines is also used to visualize dynamic datastreams, on EarthData’s SIMmetry system, which is
! A recreational boater can familiarize tracking changes in real time and communi- powered by ESRI GIS Server and ArcSDE
him/herself with shipping channels, rest- cating them to the user interface. Ocean- and includes EarthData’s integration of 3D
ricted areas, and navigation markers ographic conditions, monitored in real time rendering and time-series models.
! The port security officer can identify by NOAA’s Physical Oceanographic Real-Time
tanks filled with hazardous materials System, are accessible through 3D and 2D Adam Cohen, SIMmetry business line
! An emergency manager can model graphical objects. Simulated GPS coordinate manager, EarthData – Solutions Division
how port infrastructure will likely be affected data demonstrate the ability to track a ship
by a Category 2 hurricane taking place at entering and docking at the port facility.
high tide. The system demonstrates the power of
16 Geospatial Solutions August 2006 www.geospatial-online.com
 3rd Runner-Up
Photogrammetric Measuring in Toronto

E
SM Web, a GIS application that provides
general city staff members with access
to a photogrammetric environment, was
developed 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 access
volumes of information (including historical imagery
for 1939, 1954, and 1978) that is photogrammetrically
georeferenced.
ESM Web facilitates the viewing of more than two
terabytes of high-resolution imagery and provides an
accurate 3D visualization and measuring tool that allows
users to conduct accurate measurements of such structures as buildings ESM Web is powered by custom photogrammetric software from
and fences. Before ESM Web, such information was available only DVP-GS in Beauport, Canada.
through on-site visits. By switching the view mode to 3D and wearing a
pair of 3D glasses, users can measure a structure’s height with an accuracy Kevin Tierney, supervisor, Foundation Mapping, City of Toronto, Tech-
of +/- 15 centimeters (for 2003 images), providing a more complete set nical Services, Survey & Mapping Services, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
of information on which city business units can base decisions. For exam-
ple, someone dealing with fence height bylaw enforcement can measure
the height of a fence in ESM Web, and if the fence measures more than
+/- 15 centimeters above/below the maximum height allowed, there is
no need to conduct a site inspection to determine whether the fence
owner 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, they
can access fully georeferenced historical imagery to accurately measure
features that have changed with time or that no longer exist. For exam-
ple, users can measure erosion of the Scarborough Bluffs — which
stretch for approximately 14 kilometers along the Lake Ontario shore,
from the Eastern Beaches of Toronto (in the west) to West Hill (in the
east) — analyze erosion trends, and predict future behavior. They can
also measure the dimensions (including height) of buildings that have
been 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 georeferenced
vector files onto the images across the Internet. When the reference
vector file is 3D, ESM Web brings the data in natively; for a 2D reference
file, a drape over the underlying Digital Terrain Model is performed to
correctly reference the data into the 3D coordinate system. The end
result is that, throughout the entire organization:
! Less time is spent researching where to find maps; they’re all
available 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.
www.geospatial-online.com August 2006 Geospatial Solutions 17