A signifigant announcement made at Where2.0 that may have missed you is word of the Leica TITAN Network. Simply put, this is a clever, online solution for sharing geospatial data in a single, secure environment. Driven by a nifty 3D globe UI, users enter a 3D peer-to-peer environment to discover, share, visualize, and access geospatial data. The company views this as an ideal solution for organizations to use to make their data holding available while also retaining ownership rights. Recall virtual GIS from Leica in 1996… delivering 3D content over the web? This goes much further...
The Vision – build an online collaborative network where authors become servers. Building an online dynamic digital earth. So what exactly is it? Think innovation via synthesis… think Napster via geospatial gateway… discover, share. Collaboration is facilitated via an Instant Messenger interface for discussion and a 3D Globe UI for discovery. Think Napster + MySpace + Google Earth + P2P = TITAN
FAQ:
What can I do with TITAN? Discover, visualize, share, and retrieve geospatial content
What kind of content is available? Images, terrain data, 3D models, vector datasets, photos, videos, camera feeds…
Who’s participating? It’s relatively new but players to date include government and commercial data providers, GIS data clearinghouses, city/county/state governments, federal agencies.
How can the data be accessed? Users can search and access data fromm any OGC WMS compliant application.
How can users interact? The service also includes a Geosaptial Instant Messenger client (GeoIM) allowing users to chat using a familiar Instant Messenger UI experience.
TITAN – a free web-based application that enables a global network of users to interactively visualize and share data for the purpose of an online information-rich 3D virtual globe.
A global network of users
Chat, discover, access, share, publish
The purpose – contribution and grow the network
It should be interesting to see who adopts this application and to see how its used, what kind or data is made available, and how people interract. Sharing data is free although a model is yet to be officially worked out (ie. some limits will likely apply)
Data is shared through a Geospatial Instant Messenger (see image below, right)
Features • Direct support for viewing, publishing and sharing - Imagery - Terrain - 3D Models - Feature datasets • Publish an OGC compliant Web Map Service (WMS) • Intuitive 3D navigation tools • Geo-locate pictures • Create and share a custom MyWorld • Change feature dataset styles and symbology • Chat with users • Switch between 3D Worlds • Share worlds with other users in the P2P network • Live camera feed support • Custom Drawing tools - Point - Line - Polygon - Building • Support for adding metadata to content • Flight path editor to create and share 3D fly-thru’s • Direct access to base imagery (courtesy of GlobeXplorer, A DigitalGlobe Company) • Ability to upload and download geospatial data from the Leica TITAN Network • Location based search (by place, address or latitude, longitude) • Create 3D Scene Snapshots
A signifigant announcement made at Where2.0 that may have missed you is word of the Leica TITAN Network. Simply put, this is a clever, online solution for sharing geospatial data in a single, secure environment. Driven by a nifty 3D globe UI, users enter a 3D peer-to-peer environment to discover, share, visualize, and access geospatial data. The company views this as an ideal solution for organizations to use to make their data holding available while also retaining ownership rights. Recall virtual GIS from Leica in 1996… delivering 3D content over the web? This goes much further...
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