We recently sat in on an intro session focused on ESRI’s extension of GIS beyond the office and into a mobile environment. Why mobile GIS?? Addressing the need to take GIS into the field to enable timely, relevant, and accurate decisions. Making real-time decisions in the field enables more collaboration between the field and the office. Makes sense to me... of particluar interest in this space is the coming release of ESRI's ArcPad 7.1. Of interest in this latest release is QuickProject - Quickly create a new data capture project/template to get up and running fast. Read on for more about ArcPad at 7.1 and some references to enabling devices.
Recall ESRI's key Mobile GIS users:
Asset management – signs, hydrants, poles
Logistics – package delivery
Public Safety
Natural resource management – habitat and forestry
One of the main mobile solutions offered by ESRI is obviously ArcPad. Currently at release 7.1, the solution is currently in Beta and will likely be available in a couple of months.
What can you do with ArcPad?
- deploy data for field use
- use pre-loaded streetmap data, geocode, and create routes
- query data using query builder and customized query forms
- field data capture and editing
- use data capture deviced (GPS, range finder, camera)
- update enterprise database – including related tables
- navigate with your GPS
- customize ArcPad
- streetmap data is included (Canada and US)
- ArcPad 7.1 currently in Beta
Usability improvements in 7.1 – QuickProject
- focus on those new to GIS. Quickly create a new data capture project/template to get up and running fast.
ArcPad application builder is a provided tool for customizing ArcPad.
Developing for ArcPad - About The ArcGIS Mobile SDK
- ships with ArcGIS server, came with 9.2
- a suite of .Net components useful for building your own mobile solution
- Core capabilities – provide a method for synchronizing data to and fromm ArcGIS Server – optimized for wireless networks
- Enables display of rich maps on mobile devices (Pocket PC, smartphones)
- Provides and easy to use and standardized developer environment
Who’s using the SDK? Logistics (stops, deliveries), Utilities (sketching and markup), public safety, emergency response… What Can you do with the sDK? Design, serve, deploy, and Sync – design focused apps targeted at specific mobile workers, serve mobile web services, deploy large number of clients easily, synch field edits to a from a mobile web service.
Mobile platforms supported (mainly MS) running on desktop, tablet, and mobile. Many field-ready mobile devices are designed for all day use and offer enhanced wireless capabilities. These devices are designed to plug into the enterprise. Supported devices include smart phones, pocket PC phones, tablet PCs and laptops. Pocket PCs are ideally suited for all day long field work. Many offer touch screen UI, they can be rugged, and are affordable. I wish I could tell you more about ArcPAd at 7.1 but i guess that's in another session.
Finally... ESRI’s mobile team provides users with The StreetMap Mobile SDK – for building mobile navigation solutions. Provides components for mapping, geocoding, and much more.Of interest, clinets include the likes of Searc who have deployed a navigation solution to thousands of their vehicles. Enables them to move their vehicles safely and efficiently around the country.
Demo: we saw how a nav solution provided a voice (male or female) to warn driver if they are speeding etc… Directions can be reported in multiple languages. We entered a start and stop location and then an optimal route was returned to us and voice commands were presented to route our driver… pretty cool.
Note: Many hardware suppliers are support ArcPad and other GIS mobile solution. Of interest are products from:
Developers should also take not of ESRI's offering via ArcGIS Mobile Solutions... a solution enabling you to build and deploy mobile solutions powered by ArcGIS Server
A Look at Twitter Stats From the International #ESRIUC - Twitter once again played a huge role in the ESRI user conference, with many attendees, Esri staffers, and exhibitors using the social service to communicate with attendees and those watching from a distance. We take a look at some of the stats that resulted from all the Tweeting.
ESRIUC Video - A Look at Geospatial PDFs for Apple iOS from Avenza - A visit with Ted Florence, President of Avenza Systems Inc on the exhibition hall floor at the Esri User Conference gives us a look at the company's new, free app for the iOS. This is the first and only geospatial PDF application for Apple iOS devices including the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch platforms.
ITT Visual Information Solutions + Esri Partnership and the ArcGIS image analysis toolbox #ESRIUC
At a special PR event held in San Diego at the ESRIUC, Richard Cooke, President of ITT Visual Information Solutions, and Lawrie Jordan, Director of Imagery Enterprise Solutions for Esri both made statements and and addressed a room of journalists to provide the latest about ITT geospatial solution offering.
ESRIUC VIDEO First Look Technology Video from ESRIUC - Ashtech Mobile Mapper 100 - Designed for GIS data collection and mapping, the MobileMapper 100 integrates an open operating system, built-in communications and Ashtech's powerful BLADE technology. BLADE allows the MobileMapper 100 to deliver the high accuracies desired by GIS professionals, even in extreme GNSS environments, including urban and rural canyons and under dense canopies.
Drive and Ride With Topcon for fast 3D Mobile Mapping and data collection at ESRIUC - At the ESRIUC we had the pleasure of connecting with the team from Topcon who graciously took me on an interesting 3D Mobile Mapping ride & drive, giving us a first-hand look at how the company collects accurate, 3D mapping data "simply" by driving the streets in a vehicle equipped with some pretty impressive hardware!
Real-time GPS Mapping and GIS Solution Aids Efficient Disaster Management - Saturday, February 7, 2009 will forever be known as Black Saturday in the State of Victoria, Australia. In the midst of a 10-year drought, a record breaking heat wave descended upon the state, with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees C (110-120 deg F), breaking all-time record highs in some cities - Victoria Police Use Trimble Juno SC Handhelds to Speed Assessment of Damage Caused by Bush Fires.
10 Awesome GIS and Mapping apps for the iPhone - I recall last year at the ESRI UC when an iPhone was on stage showing a prototype app (think ArcPad on iPhone). It was then that I realized the iPhone platform is going to be BIG in mapping and there's a ton of opportunity for developers.
10 Geo Social Location-Aware Apps Making Waves... With Twitter's opening of their location API to developers there's going to be a ton of third party apps that will enable Twitter users to share location-aware information via their Twitter accounts.
Location Business Summit 2010 - The Location Business Summit USA brings together key companies from across the ecosystem, with over 30 top speakers, 200 hundred plus attendees and a highly focused agenda which gets to the core of local search, optimizing content, monetizing context and harnessing the hype behind Location Based Advertising and the `Check-in'.
International Lidar Mapping Forum 2011 - ILMF 2011 will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 7 -9, 2011. The eleventh in the series that has long established itself as the premier LIDAR event, attracting professionals from around the world with one focused objective of sharing information on LIDAR technology and mobile mapping applications.
We recently sat in on an intro session focused on ESRI’s extension of GIS beyond the office and into a mobile environment. Why mobile GIS?? Addressing the need to take GIS into the field to enable timely, relevant, and accurate decisions. Making real-time decisions in the field enables more collaboration between the field and the office. Makes sense to me... of particluar interest in this space is the coming release of ESRI's ArcPad 7.1. Of interest in this latest release is QuickProject - Quickly create a new data capture project/template to get up and running fast. Read on for more about ArcPad at 7.1 and some references to enabling devices.
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