Geolenz: Smarter Reverse Geocoding

I read press releases; it’s part of my job. Often I do not understand them. I didn’t understand the one from Geolenz, but I did understand the demos!

The technology basically lets you “overlay” or return to a query, custom geocoding information. So, when you are the amusement park you don’t get some weird generic street address when you reverse geocode, but info on the nearest ride or perhaps what “land” you are in at Disney. On a college campus you get building information, not again, not so useful addresses.

This sounds very useful as apps (mobile, AR and Web-based) try to be more contextual and less generic. I’ll go one step further, once you build those special contextual layers, others may want to license that data.

Geolenz is a 2009 startup based here in Cambridge.

- press release

ESRI #Feduc Coverage RoundUp

In addition to our own Joe Francica’s coverage of this week’s event, you may also want to read/watch:

Improved GIS tool gives data a fresh look

Wyatt Kash of GCN summarizes the event and announcements. Sample:

Introducing the new ArcGIS platform — with the choreographed staging and muted star power reminiscent of a more famous California-based technology company — was ESRI founder, patriarch and President Jack Dangermond.

Plenary Videos are up at ESRI FedUC website.
Among them: Holder, Dangermond’s Vision for ArcGIS 10, What’s New, etc.

David Smith did some live blogging (and some not so live):

Day 1
Wrap up - VGI

Bernie Szukaski blogged about announcements made regarding ArcGIS Explorer.

More Details on ESRI on AWS (#feduc)

I didn’t see these details elsewhere, but Comptuerworld reports:

Initially ESRI will offer ArcGIS Server Enterprise Advanced v10, along with a few extensions, on AWS. “The ArcGIS Server Amazon Machine Images, hosted in the AWS cloud, will not be made available until the ArcGIS Server v10 release [in July], and only for customers under an ESRI Enterprise License Agreement,” says Victoria Kouyoumjian, IT Strategy Architect at ESRI. Users who don’t want to wait for the release of v10 can run ArcGIS Server 9.3.1 in the cloud, but that requires retaining ESRI Professional Services to assist in getting it up and running.

- Computerworld Blog

Augmented Reality in Maintenance Apps

If you are still thinking of augmented reality as a tool to find bus stops or have stores advertise to you, consider its use in guiding repairs in complex machinery, like tanks or airplanes. A research project at Columbia called Augmented Reality for Maintenance and Repair (ARMAR) showed its value over other augmented and non-augmented tools. Features like 3D arrows to help find specific screws and arrows to guide the mechanic to turn around make it easy to find, then work on specific parts. Floating text markers identify key parts. There’s a Q&A with the project leads, too.

BTW, the app uses an Android phone as as controller for AR glasses.

I find this particularly interesting since, if I recall correctly, back in the day lightweight CAD formats were developed for the same reason: to help maintenance workers. I recall writing about CGM, once used by Intergraph for lightweight display of many of its data types, including Web mapping. It was used in digital airline maintenance manuals.

- O’Reilly Radar

Education Tidbits

The latest traveling exhibit to visit the Maryland Science Center in the Inner Harbor is titled GPS Adventures. It’s a family-friendly introduction to geocaching that opens this Saturday which features “an educational look at the history of navigation from the compass rose to GPS Technology, a 4,500 square foot maze populated with hidden caches, and a geocaching adventure in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor using real GPS devices.”

—-

I read the headline: “UA to Offer Low-cost Degrees” and noted among them is a post-graduate GIS certificate. It’s a sign of the times that there are many solutions to GIS education at many price points. How will the University of Arizona cut costs? One part:

The model calls for leasing off-campus space as needed, which is generally a less-costly option than paying for buildings the University would own outright. It also incorporates academically rigorous programs offered at the UA and UA South to give students the kinds of skills employers are seeking.

Also noteworthy, says Mike Proctor, the UA vice provost for outreach and global initiatives: “We’re one of the most efficient universities anywhere in terms of total cost to the degree, total state expenditure per FTE student, we’re incredibly accessible. We’ve maintained quality and accessibility despite innumerable challenges. That’s something really special.” For now the GIS certificate is resident only, but I have to believe that UA, and many others will be looking at the increased efficiency of “no buildings” at all.

- UA News
—-
Six Boise State University students used GIS tools to map 40 miles of trails in the Foothills. Boise Blueprint provided roughly $19,000 in equipment, including Topcon FC200 GPS units with TopSurv software to the students in the Geographic Information Analysis. The data will in time be downloadable to handheld devices. I hope too, they will provide it to the appropriate local and state public organizations.

- Idaho Stateman