Feb 18, 2016 -- An advanced smart mapping application called e-Peta has given decision-makers at the State of Penang a tech-savvy way of improving services to the community.

Developed in 2014 by the Penang Geographic Information System Centre (PEGIS), e-Peta uses advanced location technology from leading geospatial solutions provider Esri Malaysia to integrate data from various government departments and display the layers on a dynamic smart map.

The application provides actionable information on areas such as land use, business and services, traffic and public transport – helping decision-makers efficiently mobilise resources to the right place at the right time, and effectively support existing social development projects.

“Since its inception, a wide range of government departments, including the Town Planning & Development Department, Penang Island City Council and Seberang Perai Municipal Council, have been using e-Peta and GIS to design sustainable structural layouts in the city and improve accountability and efficiency in the state government,” says PEGIS coordinator Mr Abdul Azhar Bin Ibrahim.

“In addition, e-Peta has also done wonders to advance and support the advocacies and community initiatives of not-for-profit organisations such as George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), the Penang Botanic Gardens, Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC), and alms collection organisation Pusat Urus Zakat, among others,” he said.

“For Pusat Urus Zakat,...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla., Feb. 18, 2016 — (PRNewswire) — The tragic electrocutions this week of two dogs, one while walking on a public sidewalk in a Chicago suburb and the other in Washington DC, represent the most extreme examples of what can happen when electrical faults, called contact voltage, are not actively looked for or are ignored.

"Contact voltage is the presence of electricity on any publically accessible object." according to Mark Voigtsberger, President of Utility Testing and Geographic Information Systems (UT/GIS, UTGIS) "These incidents in Chicago and DC could have easily killed a toddler or an adult."  Initial news reports quote both dog owners as being shocked themselves as they attempted to rescue their pets.

Contact voltage is often called stray voltage.  Stray voltage is a unique condition applicable only to the agriculture industries.  Contact voltage more often than not is a result of some internal or external wiring problem and at a much higher electrical potential than stray voltage.

"2016 already has a number of reported contact voltage events," said Voigtsberger. "They come in from across North America and most are found on our city streets."  So far this winter:

A dog was electrocuted by a light...

GSMA Nomination Commends the Application of a Mobile, Map-Based Solution in a Humanitarian Crisis

REDLANDS, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — February 18, 2016 — International humanitarian organization Direct Relief and Esri, the world leader in GIS technology, are in the running to win a GSMA Global Mobile (Glomo) Award^[1].

Direct Relief and Esri are among the nominees selected by GSMA from more than 900 entries worldwide. The nomination recognizes Direct Relief’s application of Esri’s Survey123 for ArcGIS^[2] app to help medical aid workers speed the triage of Syrian refugees.

“GSMA recognizes the value of smart, map-based mobile solutions that are proving to make positive impacts on a global scale. At Esri, we’re proud to partner with Direct Relief and be a part of the solution for mitigating humanitarian crises with the latest technology,” said Randy Frantz, director of telecommunications solutions at Esri.

Survey123 for ArcGIS helped bring immediate medical attention to refugees living in extreme conditions in Jordan. With the intuitive field data collection app loaded on mobile devices, Direct Relief medical teams treated and collected data, while working offline, on more than 1,200 patients in just six days....

Agronomic intelligence company poised for growth as demand for precision agriculture technology increases

MINNEAPOLIS — (BUSINESS WIRE) — February 18, 2016 — GEOSYS Intl, Inc.^[1], a leading global provider of agronomic decision support tools, today announced it has relocated two members of its senior leadership team from France to Minnesota, and hired four proven industry experts to position the company for continued growth.

Acquired by Minnesota-based Land O’Lakes, Inc. in 2013, GEOSYS has seen demand for its decision support tools and satellite-based remote sensing technology increase in all markets. Corporate and North American teams are now strategically headquartered in the United States while regional business teams continue to support the company’s 100-plus clients worldwide.

GEOSYS is a pioneer in agriculture technology with a 28-year track record of developing innovative solutions based on satellite imagery, geographic information systems, and agronomic research. Through real-time satellite- and weather-based data analytics, these solutions provide businesses across the agriculture supply chain and crop insurance industry with insights that drive more informed decisions.

“As the trend toward intelligent agriculture practices advances, our expertise in agronomy and technology sets us apart from the competition,” said Damien Lepoutre, founder and president of GEOSYS. “We have created the broadest archive of historical satellite and weather information available in agriculture. We also deliver insights from...

NACKA STRAND, Sweden — (BUSINESS WIRE) — February 18, 2016 — Regulatory News:

Hexagon (STO: HEXAB^[1])

Hexagon AB, a leading global provider of information technologies that drive productivity and quality across geospatial and industrial enterprise applications, today announced the acquisition of SigmaSpace Corporation, a provider of next-generation technologies used to rapidly deliver high-quality 3D maps of the Earth.

Today, accurate and geo-referenced 3D visualisations have become an absolute necessity in real-world situations due to the insight they can provide – from urban planning and emergency services to aviation safety and disaster response. SigmaSpace has been enabling private and government clients, including NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense, respond to the growing need for this kind of data.

Headquartered near Washington, D.C. with approximately 110 employees, SigmaSpace offers a unique LiDAR technology – Single Photon LiDAR (SPL) – which enables 3D data collection at much higher speeds and resolution than conventional systems. This technology operates in night and day conditions and is able to penetrate semi-porous targets such as vegetation, tree canopies, ground fog, and clouds. Together with its speed of coverage, these features make it a superior choice for a wide range of industry applications and a prime candidate for the U.S. Geological Survey’s 3D Elevation Program (3DEP ( http://nationalmap.gov/3DEP/^[2]...

Golden, Colorado – February 17, 2016 – Juniper Unmanned, Inc. is pleased to announce its collaboration with Pulse Aerospace and YellowScan to showcase LiDAR data acquisition capabilities from an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for the International LiDAR Mapping Forum (ILMF) in Denver, Colorado. The quality and affordability of the YellowScan Ultralight sensor onboard the Pulse Vapor 35 platform will support LiDAR mapping solutions for a wide variety of commercial applications. Juniper Unmanned will be acting as the solution developer and training services provider. Going forward, airborne LiDAR data acquisition will become more affordable, more frequent, and more accessible for a larger number of customers. 

All three companies will be exhibiting from booths #79 and #80 in the UAV Pavilion at the International LiDAR Mapping Forum (ILMF), which is being held at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center from February 22 – 24, 2016. This collaboration highlights Juniper’s ability to engineer UAS solutions with the best-in-class hardware offerings from Pulse and YellowScan. 

“Juniper Unmanned is excited to join Pulse Aerospace and YellowScan at ILMF to feature the emerging LiDAR market for UAS. We believe that the LIDAR sensor offering from YellowScan, coupled with the Pulse Vapor UAS offers unprecedented LiDAR data acquisition capabilities, especially for...

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Program Offers Partners Additional Avenue to Grow Business

REDLANDS, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — February 17, 2016 — The Esri Partner Network has launched the Esri Federal Small Business Specialty^[1] to give the small business community a new way to develop ArcGIS software-based offerings for federal government clients. Participants in the specialty will be exhibiting in the Small Business Pavilion at the Esri Federal GIS (FedGIS) Conference EXPO on February 24 and 25, 2016, in Washington, DC.

This specialty gives businesses a unique program that will help them deepen their GIS skills and expertise. In addition to standard Esri Partner Network benefits, it offers the following:

• Business development opportunities
• Training and mentoring
• Marketing, events, and community
• The Small Business Innovation Center

Several small business partners—including GISi; Pro-West & Associates, Inc.; and Spatial Front, Inc.—will be available at the FedGIS Conference to discuss their work with Esri. "We are thrilled to be part of Esri's program for small businesses, to build on our success as a long-standing Esri partner, and to deliver innovative solutions across the federal government," said Colby Free, federal managing partner, GISi.

The FedGIS Conference EXPO provides an ideal place for small business leaders to exchange ideas and experiences. "We look forward...

Single Name to Replace ComputaMaps & GEOIMAGE

Sophia Antipolis, France – February 17, 2016 – LuxCarta, parent of leading geodata production companies ComputaMaps and GEOIMAGE, announced today it is moving to a single global brand. The company’s digital maps and SpacEyes3D visualization software will be promoted and marketed through seven global offices under the LuxCarta brand. The new look will be unveiled at this year’s Mobile World Congress, February 22-25, in Barcelona.

“Mobile World Congress is the annual kickoff for our industry and a logical choice for us to roll out our updated identity,” said Albéric Maumy, managing director of LuxCarta. “Moving to a single LuxCarta brand makes sense for our market and positions us strongly for the next stage of our growth.”

ComputaMaps and GEOIMAGE merged in 2014 and have been operating since then under their respective brands as “LuxCarta companies.” LuxCarta stems from the Latin meaning “light on maps.” The new LuxCarta will operate under three business lines: LuxCarta Geodata, including the Planner product line for wireless planning & optimization, as well as 3D building models and DxM products for other vertical markets; LuxCarta Software, including SpacEyes3D as well as related LuxCarta Services.

Consolidating to a single global brand allows the company to streamline its marketing efforts and allocate more resources...