geoinformatics 2008 vol06

8/12/2019 geoinformatics 2008 vol06

1/84www.geoinformatics.com

Multi Surveying Interview GeoMax

Nokia Maps Infoterra Rapid Surveyor

M a g a z i n e f o r S u r v e y i n g , M a p p i n g & G I S P r o f e s s i o n a l sSeptember 2008

Volume 11

6

INTERG

EOSPECIAL

PAGE6

4.
http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/


2/84

Say hello toERDAS IMAGINE.

Author Manage Connect Deliver Geospatial Business Systems

Monitor change over time more efficiently andfrequently with ERDAS IMAGINE.

Perform change detection, mosaicking andresolution merge of multiple, dissimilar-type

images without artifacts. Detect significantdifferences in imagery acquired at differenttimes. Analyze information present in all bands of

multispectral data. Map data in a variety of GIS and databaseformats.

ERDAS IMAGINEs comprehensive set of tools are easy-to-learn and use helping you detect, analyze and map ourchanging Earth, creating geospatial information for greaterbusiness advantage.

Say hello to the Earth to Business Company ator


3/84

Focus on Surveying

A quick look at the cover and table of contents of this issue shows a heavy focus on survey-ing. From the leading surveying companies we present you with a multi-interview on theimplications of business and technology developments on the global surveying market. Fromthe user-perspective we decided it would be a good idea to start a series of total stationreviews. For this we asked Dutch surveyor Niek Rengers to perform a series of total stationuser tests. The first test results are presented in this issue, and reading them has turned outto be an educational experience for me as a non-professional surveyor.

The whole issue is not about surveying however, as the focus shifts to GIS. Talking about

GIS, I had the opportunity to visit the ESRI User Conference in San Diego, which was allabout GIS trying to keep up with todays ongoing technological developments. One thingthat became clear was that the desktop is just one element in a platform that is on the rise,and that data analysis is just as important as data collection.

Continuing our Neogeography articles, we provide an interview with Nokia Maps. Their releaseof Nokia Maps 2.0 enables users to employ maps for their daily transportation activities, andnot only for in-car use. Pedestrian navigation is at the moment a new market, but more andmore uses for transportation-related GIS are being uncovered as we speak. This brings me tothe need for imagery. With ever increasing frequency, distributors of imagery are popping uparound the globe as a result of the growing demand for digital visual information. This,combined with major improvements in image quality, is a trend that hasnt gone unnoticedby the big GIS companies.

I would like to conclude with something I came across a while ago. Its always nice forpeople from outside the industry to become enthusiastic about the possibilities of GIS andthe like. I was pretty excited by the fact that the rock group Radiohead used laser scannersto shoot their new music video instead of cameras. The striking results are similar to theimages you can see in Infoterras article on their new Rapid Surveyor, which promises fasterand more innovative ways of surveying.

Enjoy your reading!

Eric van [email protected]

September 20083

GeoInformatics provides coverage, analysis andcommentary with respect to the international surveying,mapping and GIS industry.

PublisherRuud [email protected]

Editor-in-chiefEric van Rees

[email protected]

EditorsFrank [email protected] [email protected] van [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

ColumnistsSam BacharachStig EnemarkJames Fee

Contributing WritersHugo CoppenAnthony DennissErik DonkersFlorian FischerRuud GroothuisPeter HobbsMenno-Jan KraakHuibert-Jan LekkerkerkCatherine PenningtonEric van ReesJoc Triglav

Account ManagerWilfred Westerhof

[email protected] is available against a yearlysubscription rate (8 issues) of 85,00.To subscribe, fill in and return the electronic replycard on our website or contactJanneke Bijleveld [email protected]

Advertising/ReprintsAll enquiries should be submitted toRuud Groothuis [email protected]

World Wide WebGeoInformatics can be found at:www.geoinformatics.com

Graphic DesignSander van der Kolk

[email protected]

ISSN 13870858

Copyright 2008. GeoInformatics: no material maybe reproduced without written permission.

GeoInformatics is published byCMedia Productions BVPostal address: Street address:P.O. Box 231 Noordzijde 2-b8300 AE 8302 GLEmmeloord EmmeloordThe Netherlands The NetherlandsTel.: +31 (0) 527 619 000Fax: +31 (0) 527 620 989E-mail: [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.geoinformatics.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


4/84

Topcon ReviewGeoInformatics presents a series of robotic total station user tests.

Per issue one particular robotic station will be tested from a certain

brand. The first instrument that has been tested is the Topcon IS-03.

Infoterra is Rapid SurveyorWith the arrival of Optechs new Lynx Mobile Mapper technology, Infoterra

quickly realised that here was a technology that could really help unlock

the potential of mobile laser mapping and could be operated from a

moving vehicle. Their new complete mobile laser mapping solution,

called Rapid Surveyor, integrates lidar scanning, camera, data extraction

and processing toolkits, and mobile deployment using a Nissan

Pathfinder 4x4 vehicle.

C o n t e n t

4September 2008

ArticlesCoastal Surveying Techniques 16A Case Study at Happisburgh, Norfolk, UK

Innovative Location Based Services 24Freitimer a Location-based Tool

Double Differencing 30Civilian Control

Next Generation Mobile Laser Mapping Technology 46Enabling Detailed Mapping of the Environment

Strong Road Safety Policy 60A Preventive Location-oriented Approach

ReviewsTopcon IS-03 Imaging Station 6

Multi-user Test Robotic Total Stations Part 1

Hemisphere XF101 and Archer 12Though Match

Stimulating, Practical and Helpful 45Source Book on Designing Maps

InterviewsNokia Maps 2.0 20Moving into the Area of Pedestrian Navigation

Serveying at Length 34Leading Surveying Companies onMarket Developments

An Interview with Geokosmos 48A Talk at the Booth during the ISPRSCongress in Beijing

Surveying Instruments with aNew Productivity Approach 50GeoMax Interview

Paul Ramsey on Open Source 56On Performance, Legislation and Growing Importance

Page 6

Page 46


5/84

Latest News? Visitwww.geoinformatics.com5

September 2008

On the Cover:

Niek Rengers at work with the Topcon IS-03 Imaging Station. See p. 6

Nokia Maps 2.0After its mass market success in the

automobile industry, mapping is on

the rise in the area of mobile

phones. Released at the end of May,

Nokia Maps 2.0 is Nokias mostrecent service in mobile phone map-

ping.

Page 6

Coastal Surveying TechniquesCatherine Pennington and Peter Hobbs describe work by the British

Geological Survey (BGS), who are using terrestrial laser systems and other

surveying techniques to improve our understanding of coastal erosion in

different geological environments. .

Page 16

ColumnsEnabling the GeoWeb 81By James Fee

CityGML: Smart 3D 23By Sam Bacharach

Development through Partnerships 75By Stig Enemark

ConferencesMashups, Web-GIS and 3D-GIS 54ESRI International User Conference 2008

Intergeo special 64

Calendar 82

Advertisers Index 82 Page 20
http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/


6/84

Multi-user Test Robotic Total Stations Part 1

Topcon IS-03 Imaging Stat ion

GeoInformatics is presenting a new series on user tests of robotic total stations.

Each of the next several issues will include the results of testing a different

robotic station. The same structure will be used for every test so that

comparisons can be made between the different instruments.

The first instrument to be tested is the Topcon IS-03.

By Niek Rengers

is then performed. Of particular interest is

user friendliness during the surveying and

pegging out. The test factors are listed in Box

1. The first test is of a Topcon IS-03 Imaging

Station.

The configuration as supplied is as follows:

Instrument: Topcon IS-03 Imaging

Station

Controller: FC-200 RS-1

Remote Controller: RC-3R

Prism: A7R

Software: TopSURV 7.1

every test so that the different instruments

can be compared. The instruments have been

provided by their Dutch distributors.

Testing methodWe have chosen to do a user test, which

means that standard deviations and so on

will not be considered. Each manufacturer is

asked to provide a robotic total station that

can be operated by one person, along with

accompanying software, for two days.

We have also asked the manufacturer to

provide operating instructions. A test survey

Choosing a total station is not an easy job.Depending on the type of survey and the cir-

cumstances in which the survey is to take

place, a potential user will select a certain

make and a certain type of total station. To

gain more insight into the day-to-day use of

a robotic total station, GeoInformatics has

asked Niek Rengers, a surveyor with Grontmij

in the Netherlands, to put a number of robot-

ic total stations from different international

manufacturers through their paces. The tests

will all be carried out under the same condi-

tions and the same structure will be used for

Every instrument will be tested on:

1. delivery and instructions for use

2.overall impression of the instrument

and controller (field book)

3.user friendliness

4.pegging out5.surveying

6

Review

September 2008

Instruments in case.


7/84

opposite to one another.

Above these two buttons there is another but-

ton for focusing the image if one doesnt use

autofocus. The space between grip and view-

er is rather small so your fingers can get stuck

when unpacking the instrument from the case.

The lens is very clear and the cross hairs are

easy to adjust. The optical plumb is enclosed

inside the instrument, but the Circular levelinside the Tribrach is not clearly visible when

centering above a set up point. This is some-

what inconvenient (see image 3). Furthermore,

the lock of the leveling screw block is sealed

with a terminal to prevent unauthorised

removing or movement from the Tribrach. This

lock can be removed by turning the screw.

The aerial for radio connection can be raised

to use at long distances. The version that was

tested had a grip with integrated receivers that

receive the signal from the RC-3R remote con-

troller. The battery holder is also on the rightside of the instrument. The batteries have a

convenient grip and are easy to reach. Power

consumption is quite high: the internal batter-

ies last around two-and-a-half hours, possibly

because the batteries were new (3,5 hours

should be normal according to the manufac-

turer). The instrument is supplied with three

internal batteries. On the left side is a CF-slot

for a memory or WiFi card. On the bottom

there is a USB connection. The keyboard is

alphanumerical, backlit and easy to use. Many

operations, however, occur through the touch

screen.

Delivery and InstructionsSufficient time was given for instructions (in

English) on operating the instrument. Of

course not everything was covered, but the

reviewer got a good impression of how the

instrument works. The operating manual (on

CD) and quick guides were provided in Dutch.

In addition there was a concise print version,

as well as one for the TopSURV software.

InstrumentWith the exception of the prisms and an

optional external battery, everything fits inside

one case. As you can see, this case is quite

large (Image 1). The contents include a con-

troller, charger, batteries, measuring tape, tools

and even a lens cloth. If the user

leaves the charger at home, the prism

also fits inside the case.

The instrument itself, which weighs

around 7 kilograms, is transportedlying flat and seems solid and nice-

ly finished. The version as delivered

has a one-sided control (two-sided

is available as an option). The

servo motors work well and

dont make any noise. On the

right side of the instrument are

the control buttons for the hor-

izontal and vertical edge.

They have both rough and

accurate control abilities and

drive the servo motors.

Intuitively, they work

Review

September 20087

Image 2.

Image 3.


8/84

ControllerThe controller is attached to

the prism stick and the remote con-

troller RC-3R can be attached to the

top of the prism. This combination

weighs around three kilograms.

The controller and remote controller

have a battery that will last for more

than one day of surveying. The con-

troller is controlled with the touch

screen. The battery can be charged

with a connection from the side of the

controller or in a desktop charger. On

the bottom of the controller are,

among others, two USB connections

for external storage.

User Friendliness DuringSurveying and Pegging outIf a surveyor is expecting one type of

method, a certain amount of explanation

is required to operate this instrument and the

TopSURV software. The software on the instru-

ment runs on Windows CE. The main menu is

the Windows Desktop, with Standard

Measurement and TopSURV as the main appli-

cation for all recording of data. In Standard

Measurement the instrument is literally just a

normal theodolite with distance surveying.

There is no input of code possible, only valuesas angle and distance are displayed. A very

handy option is that when the user turns the

instrument on, it returns to the mode it was in

when it was turned off. This means that the

user doesnt need to return to the main menu

to switch off the instrument. This is very handy

for robotic surveying.

There are a few adjustments in the always-

accessible menu under the star button (*) such

as electronic level, second viewer position and

the like. The horizontal and vertical edge are

very stable in the event of heavy movement

and no possible distortions were recorded.

Auto-focus is an standard on the IS one gets

accustomed to very soon. In combination with

a screen image, points that are recorded with-

8

Review

September 2008

Image 4: Controller FC-200

The controller is attached to the

prism stick and the remote

controller RC-3R can be

attached to the top of the

prism. This combination

weighs around three

kilograms.


9/84

out a reflector can be arranged very well. The

reflector-less distances are recorded very quick-ly and can even be clipped for a certain area,

so that surveying can take place just in a cer-

tain distance range.

To be able to perform robotic surveying, a few

easy operations are required in the instrument

to set the external link so that TopSURV on the

controller can take over control. When locked,

the instrument follows the user well, particular-

ly over large distances over more than twenty-

five metres. Distances less than twenty-five

metres cause more problems and movements

with the prism have to equal and slow, other-

wise the instrument will lose the prism.

However, it is convenient to place the Rc-3R

Remote controller on the prism. The Rc-3R

doesnt have to be turned on all the time, but

if the instrument may lose the prism when sur-

veying, it is easier to tune in and the prism can

be found sooner.

The displays on the instrument and controller

are not always readable in sunlight. Much rele-

vant information about settings, battery volt-

age and radio connections is visible on the con-

troller display. The control buttons are clear and

in alphabetical order. I would prefer to see aqwerty keyboard. When brushing the instru-

ment, buttons can be pushed inadvertently. It

is possible to lock the keyboard and the touch

screen of the instrument when performing

robotic surveying. What the user can do is effect

a temporary freeze by pushing the (Func) and

(*) buttons at the same time. The user can exit

this situation by means of the Escape key so

that the user returns to the normal user modes.

This option is handy when you have to wipe

drops of water from the screen.

Software and Pegging out a SurveyThe TopSURV pack is the surveying pack that

this instrument is all about. The menu structure

of TopSURV is very clear, but once the user is

constructions in TopSURV besides normal sur-

veying and pegging out are co-supplied.

Conclusion Robust instrument

Reasonably easy to access, even for first-

time users

Touch screen use sometimes brings about

unintentional and undesired actions Only one crash occurred with the result that

the TopSURV shortcut had to be placed on

the screen again

In the Near FutureIn this user test, imaging and scanning func-

tionalities were not reviewed. This is a scan of

a certain area (frame) that is indicated by the

user. The instrument rapidly surveys automati-

cally all points and saves these. With the aid

of Topcons software a DTM (among others)

can be made. In the near future, a new ver-sion of TopSURV will be released that will also

include imaging on the field controller. That

way, the Topcon-IS will be done full justice.

On the display of the fieldbook one sees then

exactly the same as through the lens of the

instrument. That way it is no longer necessary

survey reflector less any points from behind

the instrument. On the display of the field-

book you can point out the right spot and the

reflector less surveying will do the rest.

Reaction of the Manufacturer:The IS also has the following imaging

advantages:

1. Ability to touch the screen and the

instrument will turn to the point

2. Dual cameras displaying a wide image andthrough the lens view

3. Points measured are displayed on the

video image

4. The IS has leading reflector less capability

with the smallest laser footprint and

longest range, allowing measurements to

surfaces not normally possible.

Niek Rengers [email protected] is a

professional surveyor at Grontmij in the Netherlands.

This review represents his own opinion. For more

information, have a look at www.topcon.eu.Thanks

to Topcon EU for providing the reviewed instrument

and software.

inside a particular menu, it may be necessary

to try and find out what a certain functionmeans. Input and output of different formats is

possible (such as .DFX and .TXT formats).

TopSURV is a software package based on coor-

dinates. As for the common output, The user

can export many formats directly from the log-

ger without Topcon Link, including user defined

and RAW data. The software stores all data in

a single file. Survey data and as pegged data

are classified differently and can be exported

separately or with the original data.

Many organizations,

such as the Dutch

cadastre (Kadaster in

Dutch) make use of an

extensive coding sys-

tem. In case of such a

coding system, its easi-

er to place a sort of

mask on top of it. This mask gives the user a

better view where certain elements of the cod-

ing have to be placed.

For instance:

Pc_LcObj_Pntnr_Emaat_Emaat >>> (mask)20 010750 4500 >>> (code)

As one can see, there are spaces and optional

room in the coding.

Spaces can be added in the field and set as the

standard coding.

Pegging out is very easy with this instrument,

especially the option with a graphic indication

of where the prism is located in relation to the

pegging point and the instrument. In tracking

mode the values and the graphical image con-

stantly show where the user is located, so that

he or she can easily walk to the right spot. The

pegging point can be chosen from a list, but

also by touching the screen. All conceivable

Latest News? Visitwww.geoinformatics.com

Review

9September 2008

Image 5: RC-3R Remote Controller

Image 6: Coding
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.topcon.eu/http://www.topcon.eu/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.topcon.eu/mailto:[email protected]


10/84

ArcGIS

9.3Improving Your Entire

Data Management

Better MapsDissemination

Data courtesy of the City of Boston.


11/84

Data Management

ArcGIS 9.3 provides newtools for accessing data

within an organization,

including the addition of

PostgreSQL and MicrosoftSQL Server2008 support, a

new image service, version

management, enhancements

to geodatabase replication,and better geocoding.

Better MapsArcGIS 9.3 includes manyenhancements that make it

easier than ever to create

and share production-quality

maps. These enhancementsinclude a new Disperse

Markers tool and, via Maplex

for ArcGIS, better contour

labeling and more control overwhere labels are placed inside

and around polygons.

Dissemination of

InformationArcGIS 9.3 makes dissemination

of geographic informationmuch easier. New tools

that aid in dissemination

include improved map cache

management, which allows

ArcGIS9.3 offers a complete suite of software that

compliant environment. With ArcGIS, you also get the

instructor-led and online training, and new online

resource centers.

maps to be published more

quickly, and a series of

JavaScriptAPIs for mashup-style development. These

new APIs allow JavaScript

developers to easily embedArcGIS Server Web mapping

applications into any Web site.

Mobility

The new ArcGIS Mobileapplication increases data

accuracy and enables real-

time decision making in the

SDK now offers enhanced

map control rendering, data

storage capabilities, andexpanded projections.

Planning and Analysis

Many modeling tools have

been enhanced, and someentirely new tools have

been added to help users

get more answers from

their data. These includea new scatterplot matrix

graph, improvements to the

Near tool, and advancedOrdinary Least Squares and

Geographically Weighted

Regression tools.

Copyright 2008 ESRI. All rights reserved. ESRI, the ArcGIS logo, www.esri.com, Maplex, the ESRI Globe logo, and ArcGIS are

trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of ESRI in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions.

Other companies and products mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.

Planning and Analysis

Mobility

Finland

Francewww.esrifrance.fr

F.Y.R.O.M.www.gisdata.hr

Germanywww.esri-germany.de

Georgiawww.geographic.ge

Greece and Cypruswww.marathondata.gr

Hungarywww.esrihu.hu

Icelandwww.samsyn.is

Israelwww.systematics.co.il

Italywww.esriitalia.it

Maltawww.geosys.com.mt

Moldovawww.trimetrica.com

The Netherlandswww.esrinl.com

Norwaywww.geodata.no

Polandwww.esripolska.com.pl

Portugalwww.esri-portugal.pt

Romaniawww.esriro.ro

Russiawww.dataplus.ru

Austriawww.synergis.co.at

Belgium and Luxembourgwww.esribelux.com

Bosnia and Herzegovinawww.gisdata.hr

Bulgariawww.esribulgaria.com

Croatiawww.gisdata.hr

Czech Republicwww.arcdata.cz

Denmarkwww.informi.dk

Estonia, Latvia, andLithuaniawww.hnit-baltic.lt

Slovak Republicwww.arcgeo.sk

Sloveniawww.gisdata.hr

Spainwww.esri-es.com

Swedenwww.esri-sgroup.se

Switzerlandwww.esri-suisse.ch

Turkeywww.esriturkey.com.tr

Ukrainewww.ecomm.kiev.ua

UK/Irelandwww.esriuk.com

www.esri.com/whatsnew

For more information, please contact your local distributor or call ESRI

Europe at +31-10-217-7788 or ESRI headquarters at +1-909-793-2853,

GIS Workflow

www.esri-finland.com

field. Also, the ArcGIS Mobile

benefits of an established and active user community,

improves organizational workflows within a standards-
http://www.esri.com/http://www.esrifrance.fr/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.esri-germany.de/http://www.geographic.ge/http://www.marathondata.gr/http://www.esrihu.hu/http://www.samsyn.is/http://www.systematics.co.il/http://www.esriitalia.it/http://www.geosys.com.mt/http://www.trimetrica.com/http://www.trimetrica.com/http://www.esrinl.com/http://www.geodata.no/http://www.esripolska.com.pl/http://www.esri-portugal.pt/http://www.esriro.ro/http://www.dataplus.ru/http://www.synergis.co.at/http://www.esribelux.com/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.esribulgaria.com/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.arcdata.cz/http://www.informi.dk/http://www.hnit-baltic.lt/http://www.arcgeo.sk/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.esri-es.com/http://www.esri-sgroup.se/http://www.esri-suisse.ch/http://www.esriturkey.com.tr/http://www.ecomm.kiev.ua/http://www.esriuk.com/http://www.esri.com/whatsnewhttp://www.esri-finland.com/http://www.esri-finland.com/http://www.esriuk.com/http://www.ecomm.kiev.ua/http://www.esriturkey.com.tr/http://www.esri-suisse.ch/http://www.esri-sgroup.se/http://www.esri-es.com/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.arcgeo.sk/http://www.hnit-baltic.lt/http://www.informi.dk/http://www.arcdata.cz/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.esribulgaria.com/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.esribelux.com/http://www.synergis.co.at/http://www.dataplus.ru/http://www.esriro.ro/http://www.esri-portugal.pt/http://www.esripolska.com.pl/http://www.geodata.no/http://www.esrinl.com/http://www.trimetrica.com/http://www.geosys.com.mt/http://www.esriitalia.it/http://www.systematics.co.il/http://www.samsyn.is/http://www.esrihu.hu/http://www.marathondata.gr/http://www.geographic.ge/http://www.esri-germany.de/http://www.gisdata.hr/http://www.esrifrance.fr/http://www.esri.com/http://www.esri.com/whatsnew


12/84

What if you are collecting GIS data in the harshest of

environments and need a flexible solution?

Most PDAs can connect to an external GPS but

hardly stand up to the abuse of a harsh environment

and you need to carry two pieces of equipment.

An alternative is buying an integrated PDA / GPS

solution but that means you are still carrying the

GPS with you when you dont need it.

We review an alternative; the Juniper

Archer handheld with the Hemisphere

XF101 GPS kindly lent to us by the Dutch

dealer, Nautikaris BV.

By Huibert-Jan Lekkerkerk

Juniper Archer PDAThe Juniper Archer is not just a ruggedized

PDA; it is among the toughest on the market.

It has been tested to the US military specifi-cation 810F for just about anything with the

exception of gunfire. It is also dust and water-

proof to IP67 and there is now a special ver-

sion that can be used in hazardous condi-

tions.

However tough the unit is said to be; it is not

exceptionally heavy or bulky. One minor set-

back I found is the way the port cover is

attached. As with other devices, it seems that

the port cover was added as an afterthought.

It consists of a loose piece of rubber that

mainly relies on the ports themselves to stay

attached to the device. Whenever a port is

used (e.g. for charging), the cover quite easi-

ly falls from the device.

The Archer supports quite a few different

types of connectivity, ranging from Bluetooth

through expansion card slots to a USB host

device. Bluetooth can be used to connect to

a mobile telephone for receiving differentialcorrections. The expansion slots can be used

for a GPS receiver (as in this review) or for a

WiFi extension card. The

COM port and / or USB host

port can connect to a

wealth of other data collec-

tion devices such as a bar

code scanner.

The only drawback to the

Archer I could find was the

touch screen display; even

with the backlight turned

fully on it was hard to dis-

tinguish similar colours,

such as purple and blue,

when next to each other.

Hemisphere XF101The Hemisphere XF101 is the sister of the XF100

model. Where the XF101 is made especially for

the Archer PDA, the XF100 is for the Tripod DataSolutions Recon. The difference between the

two is the adaptor that the actual receiver con-

12

Review

September 2008

Number of channels 12 GPS L1 code, (including 2

SBAS channels)

Communication Bluetooth, SD-card (SDIO),

CF-card expansion slot, 2 x

USB (1 host); COM port

Processor (Archer) 520 MHz

Battery life Approximately 10 - 20 hours,

depending on use andsettings.

Weight 0.5 kg (Juniper Archer)

0.3 kg (Hemisphere XF101)

Though Match

Hemisphere XF101 and Archer


13/84

nects to. The adaptor has an outer shell and

compact flash card extension that fit the Archer

PDA quite nicely.

PocketmaxThe Pocketmax software is used to control the

XF101. Strangely enough the software was not

included in the box with the XF101. I was

required to download it from the Hemisphere

website and install it to the Archer, which was

easy enough.

The software makes it possible to change just

about any setting in any type of Hemisphere /Crescent receiver as well as displaying just

about anything you would like to know. In that

respect it is one of the easiest and most expan-

sive programs Ive seen so far.

The software allows simple data capture (raw

data, NMEA messages and points / lines)

although it is not possible to set, for example,

a different geodetic datum.

Data AcquisitionSince the XF101 behaves as a general COM port

and the Archer is a standard PDA runningMicrosoft CE, one could use virtually any data

collection software. For this review I conducted

a few tests with PocketMax to see how the

XF101 would hold itself in conditions where

most mouse type GPS solutions would fail. In

that respect the system behaved comparable

to integrated GIS / GPS solutions.

One thing I noticed was that it took a lot more

time than stated in the brochure for the cold

start / acquisition of the satellites. Getting the

receiver to lose the GPS signal was very hard;

although the precision of the position output

suffered when there was a lot of shielding.

The receiver is equipped with the so-called

COAST technology that makes it possible to

have a differential position even when the

differential signal is not available. During the

tests I made use of the Egnos (SBAS) correc-

tion signal and found that the technology did

indeed work. With the receiver stable and

receiving a differential signal, there was an

indication that sub meter precision was a

possibility.

ConclusionWhen looking for a GPS / data collection

solution that is both flexible as well as fully

ruggedized, the Archer / XF101 combination is

certainly one to check out. It does have a few

minor flaws but behaves as expected for

everyday use.

Huibert-Jan Lekkerkerk

[email protected] is editor of

GeoInformatics as well as project manager at IDsW.

This article represents his personal views. For more

information on the GPS and PDA:

www.hemispheregps.com,www.junipersys.com.

The receiver is GIS grade and is

relatively big and heavy. It has not

been tested to military specifica-

tions but is conforming to the IP67

specification. It has an internal bat-

tery that is charged through the

compact flash slot. All communica-

tion is done through the PDA; the

receiver itself has no buttons. Thereis only one LED available and that

is to indicate whether the receiver

has power or not. The receiver has

a connector which links to an

external (geodetic) antenna.

Archer and XF101Connecting the XF101 to the Archer

is easy enough; unscrew the top

cap of the Archer and replace it

with the adaptor delivered with the

XF101. The compact flashcard slidesnicely into the CF slot and the adaptor can

(and should) be screwed tightly to the PDA.

The GPS unit is then fitted to the adaptor and

the PDA should immediately register it as an

extra COM port. One of the problems I had

was that the Archer did not always seem to

recognize the XF101 and prompted me for the

correct driver (information for which I could

not find in the documentation).

Since the XF101 behaves as a generic exten-

sion to the Archer there are no specific set-

tings to be made. Out of the box the XF101 is

set to communicate with default settings. If

you want to change the settings you need the

Pocketmax control software supplied by

Hemisphere or some terminal program for

sending commands to the XF101.

The combination of XF101 and Archer looks a

bit bulky, but even though it is relatively heavy

compared to other integrated systems, the

weight distribution is good. The only disadvan-

tage is that the SD card slot is a lot harder to

reach and will require de-mounting the GPS

and adaptor.


Review

13September 2008

Hemisphere XF101 and Juniper Archer combination

Modular set-up

Archer communications module
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.hemispheregps.com/http://www.hemispheregps.com/http://www.junipersys.com/http://www.junipersys.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.junipersys.com/http://www.hemispheregps.com/mailto:[email protected]


14/84

I believe in precision.

The new Leica ScanStation 2: this high-definition 3D laser scanner

for civil engineering and plant surveying is a fine example of our

uncompromising dedication to your needs. Precision: yet another

reason to trust Leica Geosystems.


15/84

Precision is more than an asset when your reputation is at stake, its an absolute necessity.

Zero tolerance is the best mindset when others need to rely on your data. Thats why precision comes first at Leica

Geosystems. Our comprehensive spectrum of solutions covers all your measurement needs for surveying, engineering

and geospatial applications. And they are all backed with world-class service and support that delivers answers to your

questions. When it matters most. When you are in the field. When it has to be right.

You can count on Leica Geosystems to provide a highly precise solution for every facet of your job.

Leica Geosystems AG

Switzerland

www.leica-geosystems.com
http://www.leica-geosystems.com/http://www.leica-geosystems.com/


16/84

A Case Study at Happisburgh, Norfolk, UK

Coastal Surveying Techniques

This article describes work by the British Geological Survey (BGS) who are using terrestrial laser systems andother surveying techniques to improve our understanding of coastal erosion in different geological environments.

These include chalk cliffs in Kent and Sussex, steep Jurassic cliffs in Yorkshire and Dorset and soft cliffs in Kent,

Norfolk and Yorkshire.

By Catherine Pennington and Peter Hobbs

England has some of the fastest retreatingcoastlines in Europe, the South coast and East

coast being particularly susceptible to erosion

due to the relatively weak nature of the cliff

material. Although these processes have

affected the coast for millennia, the conse-

quences of erosion are most visible when it

affects coastal communities, destroying

homes, roads and infrastructure.

Understanding the processes behind coastal

erosion, how humans have affected natural

systems and how climate change may further

change the pattern of erosion is vital if we

are to plan occupancy in such a changeable

environment.

Surveying Coastal RecessionCoastal recession in the UK is typically moni-

tored using sequential aerial photographs or

by field measurements in reference to specif-

ic fixed points or marker posts. Many practi-

tioners use this information, usually present-

ed in the form of an annual rate of recession

to guide policy on shoreline management or

defence policies. However, such information

only provides a part of the story about coastal

erosion, and is of limited value in long term

or wide-area planning. In order to plan, on a

regional or national scale, it is necessary to

understand:

Mechanisms of erosion whether erosion in

an area is caused primarily by simple marine

erosion, or whether there are other processessuch as landsliding or gulleying that signifi-

cantly affect cliff recession.

Changes over time whether the average

rate of erosion actually describes the pattern

of erosion or whether change happens in

large episodes or in cycles.

Structure within the cliff whether there are

processes within the cliff, such as landslides,

drainage patterns, or changing geology that

are significant controls of cliff recession.

BGS uses photogrammetry/remote sensing

methods combined with GPS and site survey-

ing techniques in order to survey coastal

recession. Remote sensing information and

planimetric photogrammetry provide relative-

ly rapid and repeatable methods of measur-

ing coastal erosion, but are limited to mea-

surements in the vertical plane, often missing

detail about erosion mechanism. Oblique pho-

togrammetry can be used but capturing the

necessary photographs and making measure-

ments from them is costly and complex.

Detailed measurements can be made using

conventional surveying equipment such as

GPS and total stations. However these meth-ods can only collect limited amounts of infor-

mation and are severely limited by the

amount of time it takes to carry out and pro-

cess the surveys. There is also the very con-

sideration that these techniques require an

operative to be within close proximity to the

cliff, which clearly carries significant health

and safety implications.

LiDAR Techniques and StrategicResearch ApproachTerrestrial LiDAR (Light Distance And Ranging),

commonly known as terrestrial laser tech-

niques offer a relatively cheap and effective

method of surveying that surmounts most of

the limitations of these other techniques. The

16

Art ic le

September 2008

One the BGS terrestrial laser scanners BGS NERC.


17/84

method enables accurate measurement of

complex, and often dangerous, cliff features

from a safe distance. The method is also rel-

atively simple and cheap when compared to

other techniques such as photogrammetry.

Importantly, the equipment is also highly

portable, allowing rapid deployment and mea-

surement in the event of a particular event.

BGS Terrestrial LiDARBGS has been operating terrestrial LiDAR sys-

tems since 2000. The technique is used in a

range of areas including the virtual preser-

vation of important geological exposures, the

monitoring of inland landslides, embank-ments and quarries and recently, as part of

the volcano eruption warning system at the

Soufrire Hills volcano in Montserrat.

As with any surveying activity, selection of

equipment is vital. There are currently over

thirty specialist laser scanners and rangefind-

ers available in the UK market from compa-

nies including Riegl Leica and MDL. Beyond

this, there are many more types of rangefind-

er, levels, total stations and similar equipment

that can be used for similar activities. BGS

identified its needs based upon site scale

(typically 0.2-2km wide), portability (max two

person carry), battery life (minimum 2 hours),

surveying accuracy (2-25 mm), instrument

range (10-2000 m) and ruggedness (survey-

Coastal Erosion and Accuracy IssuesCarrying out these surveys poses a number

of challenges in maintaining accuracy. At most

sites, the equipment is sited on a soft, sandy

beach that may result in subsidence of the

instrument as it operates a scan (10-40 min-

utes). Errors are minimised by the use of spe-

cially adapted tripods, and by making regular

backsight measurements to fix the position

of the survey. Accuracy also varies with the

complexity and reflectivity of the cliff surface,

weather conditions, and ground conditions.

Although the accuracies achieved, typically

100 mm but within a range of 20-500 mm

(depending upon site) are poor by engineer-ing or architectural surveying standards, it

represents a major step forward for geologi-

cal surveying in what are often hostile envi-

ronments with no fixed points. Accuracy is

also an order of magnitude greater than that

achieved by some airborne or satellite borne

techniques.

Coastal Erosion at HappisburghHappisburgh is a village on Norfolks North

Sea coast with a population of 1400 people

in about 600 houses. The village contains a

notable stone church dating from the 14th

Century, an impressive manor house, listed

buildings and a famous red and white striped

lighthouse (Figure 2). Although now a coastal

ing in coastal and volcanic sites).

BGS selected two terrestrial laser scanners

from Riegl: the long-range (800 m), camera

equipped, Riegl LPM-i800HA and the very

long-range (2000 m) Riegl LPM-2K. These

scanners offer a compromise between the

density and precision of measurement,

swathe width, and maximum survey distance.

Typically, the scanners are operated 100-600

m from the target, enabling a continuous mea-

surement swathe of 200-600 m.

Terrestrial LiDAR for Surveying Clif fErosion BGS Experience

BGS research in this area is centred on a num-ber of sites that contain active landslides or

cliff and shore platforms that are undergoing

active recession. They have been selected as

areas of active landsliding considered to be

representative of a particular type of coastal

erosion, or of a particular geological

sequence. Since 2000, sites have been moni-

tored at 6, 12, 24 or 36 monthly intervals,

enabling analysis of changes in space and

time. At each site, it has been possible to

slowly build our understanding of the cliff

recession process, examining patterns of land-

slide cyclicity, cliff recession, embayment for-

mation, quantification of material loss to the

sea, and the influence of geotechnical prop-

erties upon these factors.


Art ic le

17September 2008

Eroding cliffs at Happisburgh, Norfolk Mike Page.


18/84

www.topcon.eu

Only from Topcon, the pioneer

of Digital Imaging Surveying.

IS Imaging Station

- Digital Imaging Technology

- Total Station Image Scanning

- 2000 meters reflectorless

- Intelligent Feature Recognition

IS Imaging Station
http://www.topcon.eu/http://www.topcon.eu/


19/84

village, Happisburgh was once some distance

from the sea, parted from the coast by the

parish of Whimpwell, long since eroded away.

Historic records indicate that over 250 m of

land were lost between 1600 and 1850. More

recently the town was affected by the tragic

floods of 1953 that claimed the loves of 76

Norfolk residents.

Coastal defences built at Happisburgh have

slowed down the rate of retreat. However,

large sections are now in disrepair. Sea-level

rise and climate change, including increased

storminess, may also increase the rate of ero-

sion.

Surveying at HappisburghRapid erosion of the cliffs at Happisburgh

means that we can observe processes that

would normally take thousands of years. This

means that we can look for patterns in the

erosion at Happisburgh, which may help our

understanding of sites elsewhere that are

eroding more slowly. BGS has been surveyingat Happisburgh since 2000. The surveying

team sets equipment up on the beach in front

of the eroding cliff line, and scans a swathe

of cliff up to 800 m in width, depending on

weather and tidal conditions. Scans typically

take up to 20 minutes, collecting 2000 indi-

vidual measurements of the cliff face per

minute from a distance of 100-150 m. These

points are held in a bundle or point cloud

positioned relative to the scan position. These

are rectified to Ordnance Survey Grid

Coordinates using backsight information and

results of GPS survey measurements. The

number of individual scans varies according

to the scale and complexity of the site, but a

typical campaign results in 5-10 scans that are

stitched together to form a single cloud. The

point cloud may also be converted to a solid

surface model for further analysis and com-

parisons.

Figure 3 shows a recession model based on

six scans at Happisburgh, made annually

between 2000 and 2006. Where there are

defences, the surveys have shown an average

erosion rate of approximately 1-2 m per year,

but elsewhere in more exposed parts, the ero-

sion rates exceed 7-10 m per year. Results

from the surveys show an average loss of sed-

iment of around18 000 m3 per year is lost

from a section of 200 m of cliff, this equates

to approximately 36 000 tonnes of sediment

annually.

Erosion at Happisburgh is largely controlled

by the geology at site. Surveying from the

coast has revealed that the cliffs at

Happisburgh is made up of sands and clays,

mostly deposited in glacial conditions about

430,000 to 630,000 years ago. These deposits

are weak and easily eroded, but also varyconsiderably at the site. Scan results have

shown that erosion occur in a sequence con-

trolled by layers of sand and gravel that influ-

ence the movement of groundwater as it

drains from the mainland towards the cliff.

Further analysis is underway to determine

whether there is cyclicity to this pattern that

can be seen elsewhere.

Catherine Pennington [email protected] is

a Coastal Geologist. Peter [email protected] is a

Engineering Geologist. For more information about

British Geological Survey, please have a look at

www.bgs.ac.uk/


September 2008

Recession model based on six annual scans at Happisburgh 2001-2006.BGS NERC.

www.dimacsystems.com

[email protected]

We offer the only MEDIUMFORMAT cameras WITH FMC

WE EXHIBIT ! Booth 5.103

the promises of

DiMAC SYSTEMS

Tel + 352 26 51 21 66

Colorado, USATel: +1 303 651 2018

True modularity for

& A NEW range of solutions

scaled to your project and budget

DiMACWiDEOur large format DiMAC 2.0

(10 500 x 7 200 Mp)now equipped with our

new compact IT Rack

DiMACLiGHTOur medium format DiMAC 2.0

(7 200 x 5 400 Mp)fully upgradeable

to DiMACWiDE

DiMACULTRALiGHTOur medium format

camera (39 Mp) in a compactand inexpensive package

TRUE COLOR TRUE FMCUPGRADEABLE

MODULAR COST EFFECTIVE
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.bgs.ac.uk/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.dimacsystems.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.dimacsystems.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


20/84

Moving into the Area of Pedestrian Navigation

Nokia Maps 2.0

After its mass market success in the automobile industry, mapping is on the rise

in the area of mobile phones. Released at the end of May, Nokia Maps 2.0 is

Nokias most recent product in mobile phone mapping. With this new service,

users are offered not only driving navigation features but also pedestrian

navigation and orientation, multimedia city guides and more. Christof Hellmis,

Director Navigation & Routing Solutions, tells all about new product features,

the importance of user contributions and the challenges ahead.

By Eric van Rees

Could you explain the new functionalities

of Nokia Maps 2.0 as compared to NokiaMaps 1.0?

Nokia Maps 2.0 is, in various dimensions, a new

kind of service that continues in part our first

service, Nokia Maps 1.0, but that is clearly tar-

geting new experiences and uses. Besides

adding more map layers and things like satel-

lite imagery, we are venturing into pedestrian

navigation. Maps 2.0 has the first dedicated

pedestrian navigation service for the end user.

As such, we are putting emphasis on much

more than in-car use, and extending it to whatpeople do during the day, since not everybody

is driving all the time. Nokia is the first, I think,

to have hybrid architecture, which means once

you have downloaded the map data to your

mobile device, it resides on the device and you

dont need to go online any more to consume

data. Secondly, we also provide global base

mapping without any extra cost. And this hybrid

scenario, without going online, is also a first

that Nokia is providing to the industry. Thirdly,

in providing GPS and location capabilities to

the mobile device on a large scale, Nokia is also

the first, I think, to make these kinds of ser-

vices really mass market.

What kinds of licensing models are

available for Nokia Maps 2.0?

We offer one subscription fee and the only thing

that is premium is the navigation part, mean-

ing guidance. You get turn-by-turn instructions

in a car or specific guidance when youre walk-

ing. In the dimensions of the price these ser-

vices are either geographic coverage, where

theyre licenses for a region, for a continent oreven for the whole world, or the duration of

the service (one week, one month, six months

or twelve months). These are the key dimen-

sions for pricing, but of course as you can imag-

ine we want to make the pricing as simple as

possible, and this is why we make the premi-

um services as simple as possible. We dont

really think in terms of having a lighter map

that costs less or a heavier map that costs

more. We believe that doesnt really make

sense. People should make use of the full map

resources and key functionality that provides

real end-user benefits, like turn-by-turn guid-

ance. This requires extra licensing, because col-

lecting the attributes is quite a heavy invest-

ment for our partners to undertake.

20

Interview

September 2008

Christof Hellmis


21/84

You also add specific information about

buildings and shops in your maps. What

kind of data is this?

At the moment we rely on standard location

information provided by our partners including

NAVTEQ. This will be extended in the coming

months because one use case is to find things

like Business ABC, Restaurant X, Hotel Z etc.We need to enable this kind of use case. Thats

why we will add more content sources, so that

people can easily find the location theyre look-

ing for. At the moment we have close to 40 mil-

lion points of interest, globally, in our database.

Of course much more information exists around

the world and essentially were trying to move

to a model where the user can find anything

theyre looking for.

How can users of Nokia Maps 2.0 add

data to the map?

Users can already add their own data to the

map: they can define any location they like and

give it a certain name or category. These kinds

of locations are then saved as what are called

personal landmarks. With Maps 2.0 we also

enable collections for the user. You can find

these in the application ID, you can collect a

set of locations and say these are my favorite

bars in Amsterdam or the best theaters in

Berlin, and you can store the collection locally

on this device. The next step will be to make it

possible for you to share your collections with

others and publish them, so that others can

make use of them.

Pedestrian navigation use is already

common in Asian countries. What do

you expect of it outside that region?

The experience we try to provide to the user is

how to get from a to b: it offers very specific

routing that can be used in a city. It offers spe-

cific data, meaning specific pedestrian walk-

ways, visual information about polygons andgeometries, house geometry, entrances and

other things as well. Its our first step in the

evolution of pedestrian navigation. It also pro-

vides specific pedestrian guidance, meaning

base maps on a GPS position from a map.

Information on where you have walked previ-

ously is indicated with a red cross and you get

direction information on where you should walk

next in order to get to your destination.

This kind of pedestrian mapping is in its early

stages. The traditional map data providers such

as NAVTEQ have started to merge into this mar-

ket which can be bundled with a mobile device.

These guys are coming from the automobile

industry which was the only application that

used high-quality vector maps. What you see

on mobile devices, whether mobile phones or

tablets or multi-media devices or anything else.

Like the camera and the music player, they will

be standard elements which some people will

use a lot and others will use less often. And

this is essentially what we intend to do: build

it into an open platform that provides a certain

level of abstraction, meaning the map. And

other partners are invited to innovate on topand help provide compending services for the

user base.

The main challenge ahead is to provide a plat-

form that allows easy innovation on top. As in

the past, a lot of smaller companies had to

build complete solutions from the very bottom

to the top, meaning they had to build their own

mapping infrastructure, service provision etc.

simply because there was no platform that went

mobile and enabled innovation opportunities.

If we come to this, and this is clearly what we

want to do, it will be a prerequisite that a lotof partners, maybe in the media and other

industries, are easily able to innovate on top

of the services as we do on the internet. We

need to move towards an internet model that

goes across mobile devices and also the web,

so that cross-media services and applications

can be built easily. I think this is the biggest

challenge, going forward.

We work a lot with usability studies and

we try to innovate and try to test. Its

difficult to test things that havent been

done before, and the end user has

is that companies such as NAVTEQ are requir-

ing specific data that is available for pedestrian

use. What were going to see is that the map

data providers will focus much more on pedes-

trian navigation as this market opens up, and

users will also have to generate map data that

is relevant for the pedestrian by adding loca-

tions, points of interest, or simply GPS traces

of walkways and other geometries that are ofrelevance.

How do you see the future of mobile

phone use and mapping? What are the

main challenges?

Since location is an inherent part of the mobile

experience for the individual, it is clear that

sooner or later these kinds of mapping and

location-related services will become pervasive


Interview

21September 2008

Nokia Maps on Nokia N95


22/84

GeoMax a complete rangeof fresh products that wont

squeeze your budget!

As a European company, we at GeoMax understand that

you work in demanding environments and require

excellent price-to-performance without compromising

quality, thats why we build products that Work when you do!.

www.geomax-positioning.com

GeoMax A Hexagon Company

[email protected]
http://www.geomax-positioning.com/http://www.geomax-positioning.com/http://www.geomax-positioning.com/http://www.geomax-positioning.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.geomax-positioning.com/


23/84

no idea what it is or how

to use it. This means

you sometimes have to

break a little on com-

promises and take some

risks, and with some ele-

ments it may not be clear

if its really successful or

not. Thats the internetmodel: you try it out and

after you see how it is

received, you may change

or refine it. At Nokia we do

this a lot, with increasing

frequency and effort.

Because, especially in the

mobile internet, the next

offering is just one click

away. I dont think we can

count on everybody using

Nokia Maps if the experienceis not good enough. People

will go to alternative experi-

ences if Nokia Maps doesnt

live up to the promise.

Since Nokia Maps is a global product, how do you serve mar-

kets that may differ from country to country? What are the

most important user needs?

The markets are sometimes very different from a sheer mapping and

data perspective. Youre pretty well aware that in some countries the

concept of house numbering does not really exist. So its difficult to

offer the same kind of address search across all countries if in one coun-

try there are no house numbers. We need to adapt for individual behav-

iors and needs when people are dealing with locations, and for map-

ping for the individual countries. This is not easy and requires local

know-how, but thankfully Nokia has a lot of local people in different

countries who help us build the experience.

One key element concerning user needs is coverage. Digital mapping is

not available everywhere in the world, partly because of high invest-

ment costs. People really like to have mapping wherever they go; peo-

ple like maps because it provides them mastery over their daily life.

Unfortunately, we still have some open spots on the planet where map

data is simply unavailable. What can be done? Satellite imagery can

help, but it does not provide the same kind of functionality as vectormaps. Element number one is definitely extending the coverage of, lets

say, basic maps, but also maps that are navigable, in other words that

have all the required attributes to provide proper routing and turn-by-

turn navigation. Element number two is providing additional layers of

content and information on the map, for pedestrian use, for auto use

and for other stuff, because people use maps in many different con-

texts. A lot of innovation is required in this regard. And very often its

less of a technical problem than just a question of getting the data,

aggregating it and providing it in the right format so that it can be used

by everybody. These are the main areas where we see strong market

demand.

Eric van Rees [email protected] is

editor-in-chief of GeoInformatics.

For more information, have a

look at http://maps.nokia.com.


September 2008

Photographs of cityscapes are useful for certain purposes, but the

amount of information in a photograph is quite limited. 3D models

of cities contain a bit more information. 3D models enable animatedfly-throughs, but today most 3D models are, basically, only geome-

try. Solar aperture analysis, flood plain analysis, acoustic analysis,

line-of-sight analysis and analysis of the dispersion of airborne bio-

logical threats require more information. The OGCs new CityGML

standard www.opengeospatial.org/standards/citygml encodes many

of the necessary ingredients.

The OGC 3D Information Management (3DIM) Working Group focus-

es on the convergence of CAD, AEC, geospatial, 3D visualization, and

urban simulation to serve stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of

building and infrastructure investment: planning, design, construc-

tion, ownership, operation, and decommissioning. The 3DIM WorkingGroup and participants in AECOO-1, a major OGC standards testbed

www.opengeospatial.org/projects/initiatives/aecoo-1 , aim to give

building owners, builders, tenants, emergency responders, commu-

nity planners, the traveling public and others a much richer collec-

tion of data about the built environment.

These capabilities will come with widespread development of appli-

cations that use an open 3D city model encoding that is harmonized

with various other standards. CityGML, developed by the German

North Rhine Westphalia Sig3D organization, is an emerging and glob-

ally important OGC standard for Web-based sharing of urban mod-

els, design drawings and other data and services. CityGML provides

the means for applications to manage multiple levels of detail, from

terrain to light bulbs.

The recently begun OGC AECOO-1 (Architecture, Engineering,

Construction, Owner and Operator) Testbed

www.opengeospatial.org/projects/initiatives/aecoo focusses on

1. Decision support and general communications - connecting

building models with business processes

2. Energy analysis during design

3. Cost estimation during design

CityGML plays an important role in the Testbed and thefurther development and testing of standards that support such

activities.

Column

CityGML: Smart 3D

Sam Bacharach is

Executive Director,

Outreach & Community Adoption at the

Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC)

[email protected]

www.opengeospatial.org

Nokia Maps on Nokia N95

Foto: Christof Hellmis
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://maps.nokia.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.geoinformatics.com/http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/citygmlhttp://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/citygmlhttp://www.opengeospatial.org/projects/initiatives/aecoo-1http://www.opengeospatial.org/projects/initiatives/aecoo-1http://www.opengeospatial.org/projects/initiatives/aecoohttp://www.opengeospatial.org/projects/initiatives/aecoomailto:[email protected]://www.opengeospatial.org/http://www.opengeospatial.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.opengeospatial.org/projects/initiatives/aecoohttp://www.opengeospatial.org/projects/initiatives/aecoo-1http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/citygmlhttp://www.geoinformatics.com/http://maps.nokia.com/mailto:[email protected]


24/84

Freitimer - a Location-based Tool

Innovative Location Based Services

In June I visited i-locate, a start-up for mobile geo-services in Regensburg,

Germany. The associates of i-locate, Ralph Buchfelder and Fabian Angerer,

invited me for a talk about their new mobile service, Freitimer. Freitimer is a

location-based community service for free-time activities which was launched in

autumn 2008. The interview turned out to be a gripping conversation about

the stony ground of location-based service operators and the future

prospects of mobile information systems.

By Florian Fischer

The Real Breakthrough for LBS isNowHopefully!Location-based services (LBS) have been

denoted the killer application for a few years

now. And slowly but surely they have gath-

ered momentum. According to the LBS

Temperature Meter 2008 by Berg Insight there

is considerable optimism among LBS profes-

sionals. A large proportion of them believes

that the LBS market will grow by 25% or more

in 2008. Admittedly, while there is life, there

is hope. However, there is strong evidence

that the future of LBS is quite a bit more than

wishful thinking. The technological infrastruc-

ture is already established. More than 3.3 bil-

lion mobile phones are used worldwide. The

24

Art ic le

September 2008


25/84

Gartner Group forecasts that GPS handsets

will represent around 40% of sales in 2011,

up from 13% in 2007. And the mobile inter-

net is coming up with better bandwidths,

enhanced area coverage and more attractive

pricing models. Which is all to say that, after

a lot of hype around the year 2000, location-

based services are anticipated to finally make

a breakthrough in the mass market. This trend

is underscored by recent market develop-

ments exemplified in the activities of Nokia.

The Finnish mobile vendor has rapidly been

transformed into a mobile service company.

The acquisition of Gate 5, a vendor of navi-

gation and routing software, NAVTEQ and

Plazes.com, a location-based social network-

like Garmin and Magellan, map specialists likeTeleAtlas and NAVTEQ and countless service

providers like i-locate. All of them specialize

in different products, yet the differences

between them are diminishing. Where are the

differences, for instance, between a pedestri-

an navigation system and a restaurant finder

that normally includes navigation features as

well? Only in the marketing perspective of the

respective vendors, as their system capabili-

ties tend to converge more and more.

We Have Learned the Hard WayIn the first wave of location-based services,many prototypes were done in cooperation

with municipal administrations, tourist agen-

cies and mapping agencies. But many of

these projects never reached an operative sta-

tus. Ralph Buchfelder from i-locate says that

Siemens had set up a project as early as 1999.

They still had technological challenges con-

cerning positioning, mobile data transmission,

and the small displays, he states and men-

tions that their focus was solely on the soft-

ware. Today the actual challenge is market-

ing and how to make your product operative

and successful. RegMobil is the name of i-

locates first product, a mobile city and tourist

information system for Regensburg in

Germany that utilizes geographic information,

even to OGC standards. The prototype was

brought to market quite successfully by

Regensburgs retail associations as the out-

come of a student research project at the

ing platform, clearly indicates Nokias visionof the mobile information society. According

to Berg Insight, next to the notorious map-

ping and routing services, community services

and entertainment and games are predicted

to become relatively more successful in the

future. Experts even believe that location-

enhanced local search and information ser-

vices will be the most successful services in

three years time.

New Mediated Spaces are Emerging

Urban life reached the digital sphere long ago.Web-based city portals, event calendars,

night-life guides, city-wikis, and community

platforms stimulate peoples need for infor-

mation about their peers and their environ-

ment. They are used in everyday life by citi-

zens, tourists and business canvassers to

organize their urban activities. Thus these

mediated spaces even influence the produc-

tion and re-production of the urban social fab-

ric and are an essential part of our postmod-

ern society. Location-based services have just

been on the fringes of urban information por-

tals so far but it seems that they might occu-

py a very central place in the urban informa-

tion ecology of the future. Geographic

information will pervade the urban informa-

tion space. Many different vendors have seg-

mented the market for mobile and location

services: vendors for mobile devices like

Nokia and TomTom, mobile providers like

Verizon and Vodafone, positioning specialists


Art ic le

25September 2008

Fabian Angerer and Ralph Buchfelder, associates of i-locate in their new office on the campus of the

University of Regensburg, Germany


26/84

University of Regensburg. However, the plan

to operate the system in concert with

Regensburgs city administration failed due to

political hurdles and limited willingness to

pay, even though the technical infrastructure

already existed. Legal regulations for admin-

istrative bodies do not allow for sophisticat-

ed automated filtering and weighting because

every business, which is to say every Point-of-Interest (POI), has an equal right to be pre-

sented.

After this lesson we attempted to implement

the system independently, comments Fabian

Angerer. They implemented a Content

Management System (CMS) to provide an

account for every retailer in Regensburg. Now

the small retailers were in charge of keeping

their own data up-to-date. This time, lack of

motivation and poor internet literacy on the

part of the retailers involved overshadowed

any success. We have learned the hard way,concedes Ralph. Meanwhile we only use

RegMobil for educational purposes during our

lectures at the university. Both Ralph and

Fabian are studying geography at the

University of Regensburg and are lecturers for

GIS-related courses as well.

The Main Problem isCommercializationWe were highly motivated to continue

because we were among the first to develop

such a location-based platform, Ralph

explains as the reason why they did not quit

after the failure of RegMobil. Today i-locate

lists over 140 different mobile location-based

service platforms on their website. Almost all

of them were prototypes that disappeared

except for a couple that were brought to mar-

ket. Ralph Buchfelder points out: The main

problem is commercialization. Mobile services

do not yet touch the mass market because

there are too few users. He names the cur-

rent pricing models for mobile internet and

the lack of awareness of the costs of internet

transactions. In comparison to the fixed priceof a SMS, costs for mobile internet are still

somewhat unmanageable for the user.

Moreover, the widely-used JavaME implemen-

tations are scruffy and APIs are missing. Ralph

explains that an individual adjustment for

every type of mobile phone is eventually nec-

essary. And that kind of handcrafting is very

expensive, Fabian adds. Of course one can

use software packages and commercial

databases for automatic adjustment, but they

are expensive and complicated and thus

unprofitable for smaller projects. In the face

of all these hurdles and setbacks in their first

project, i-locate developed Freitimer. It is a

location-based tool to plan and organize free-

time activities with your friends. The concept

of Freitimer orientates on current location-

based social network platforms. It does not

simply flow with the mainstream, though, and

it possesses some refreshing innovations that

make it unique und useful.

Plan Your Free Time and Just

Arrange ItEinfach mal was ausmachen is the slogan

of Freitimer (www.freitimer.de). Just arrange

it would be a good translation of the aim of

this platform that is currently available in

Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The plat-

form consists of a LAMP architecture (see

image above) with a Zend Framework and the

Freitimer core on top. The core can integrate

external services such as Google Weather. The

user gets a web client and a mobile client

both utilizing XHTML. Freitimer is based on

two ideas. Users will have an easy-to-use tool

to arrange spare-time activities with their

friends, and all information that is needed will

be processed specifically for each user.

Freitimer is not a location-based social net-

working platform such as Plazes or Loopt. You

can only contact real-world friends or, more

precisely, you at least need to know their

mobile phone numbers. It is just about

arranging activities, states Ralph Buchfelder.

Thus the platform does not aim at location-

based social networking and the much dis-

cussed total spatial visibility of ordinaryonline social networks. However, Freitimer

connects people and places to ease the orga-

26

Art ic le

September 2008

How does Freitimer Work?If you want to plan an activity with your friends, just go to the Freitimer

website (www.freitimer.de), create an account and log in. Then you

can register an appointment, for example meeting for a beer on

Saturday evening around 8 p.m. at Kellys Irish Pub on the market

square. This proposal will be sent to your friends by email and prob-

ably by SMS. It is mandatory to have your friends mobile phone num-

bers in order to connect with them. Your friends can accept or decline

your invitation. They can also log into Freitimer and get a map with

additional information about the proposal. Invitations can be forward-

ed to others who are not in the original group.

The system design of Freitimer
http://www.freitimer.de/http://www.freitimer.de/http://www.freitimer.de/http://www.freitimer.de/


27/84

nization of an activity but keeps private net-

works established outside of the platform.

Freitimer will be used precisely when you

need to plan something. Not for more and not

for less, comments Fabian Angerer. Ultimately

it is a platform for organizing a real-world

event rather than for spending time in

cyberspace.

The Credo is Purposeful UsageThis is quite contrary to current mainstream

business models, as most platforms try to

generate additional traffic by extra features,

games and whatever else keeps people

online. The formula is simple: more features

imply more clicks. These are translated into

page impressions (PI), the ultimate indicator

for selling advertisements. With 10,000 users

and many page impressions, the commercial-

ization of advertisements is a solid business

foundation. However, more sophisticated indi-

cators including the time spent on pages and

greater expertise in the adoption and appro-

priation of mobile services might entail more

effective commercialization. Page impressions

are, in fact, poor indicators of the real use of

arrangements and serve as a very effective

channel for mobile advertisements. The

potential budgets for mobile advertisements

are still not utilized. At the moment there is

even a demand surplus by mobile advertis-

ers. With 100,000 users per month you can

properly line your pockets, twinkles Fabian.

Clearness and Quality is a

CommitmentConstant improvement will be on the agenda

of i-locate till the end of 2009. Clearness and

quality of information is an i-locate commit-

ment. A user will have notification for more

than ten POIs at the same time. Sophisticated

collaborative filtering, weather-related filtering

and broker-bid related filtering ensure this.

But these activities will cost some money and

of course we strive towards raising capital,

comments Ralph. Content that includes POI

sets and additional attribute information will

be added to Freitimer step by step.

Cooperation with content providers is desired

but it can be quite tricky. The level of detail

of information and comprehensive coverage

by area and theme in the recreational domain

services, but at the moment they are an

established, even entrenched indicator. This

is the reason most investors encourage por-

tal operators to provide unnecessary features

in order to boost use of the virtual pastime

and the number of clicks. If you refuse the

diktat of page impressions and advertise-

ments, the only solution is license fees or fees

from broker services. Page impressions rule

the market for online platforms. Only servicesthat are free of charge can reach a broad pub-

lic as consumer habits in the internet domain

are still developing. Thus advertising is the

common way to make money at the moment.

Everyone wants to earn money with adver-

tising is Fabian Angerers diagnosis, but you

are hooked on traffic which can be very risky.

Thus we thought about something that com-

plements an ad-sponsored business model

and also fits our philosophy of purposeful

usage.

In future i-locate will cooperate with event

agencies to extend their content for activities

and implement a business model based on

the brokerage of activities. Concurrently an

SMS gateway might improve notification for


Art ic le

27September 2008

Freitimer is available as web client and mobile client


28/84

THE CHALLENGES OF MAPPING URBAN HOLLAND.AS SEEN BY NOVATELS GPS+INS TECHNOLOGY.

Moerdijk, Oostflakkee or wherever; you can now map cities as if youre right there. Thanks to

Cyclomedias 360-degree panoramic digital mapping with NovAtel precise positioning technology

onboard, the world appears in 3-D because, well, it is. Incorporating NovAtels SPAN GPS+Inertial

Measurement Unit system, accurate and robust positioning data is possible even in challenging urban

conditions where GPS alone is limited.

3-D mapping is just one of many worldwide applications successfully utilizing NovAtels precise

positioning products.

To learn more about the products that powered this application,navigate your way to novatel.com.

NovAtels precise thinking makes it possible.

1-800-NOVATEL (U.S. & Canada) or 403-295-4900 |Europe +44 (0) 1993 852-436 | SE Asia & Australia +61 (2) 8668 4073 |[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


29/84

are fairly important. Standard data providers like Tele Atlas and

NAVTEQ do not fulfil the former requirements. Alternative sources for

content are city administrations, though wide-area coverage will turn

out to be an exhausting adventure. Then again a retail chain like

Starbucks could provide area coverage and level of detail but the

thematic diversity is another challenge. One is ultimately bound to

providers like mecomo.com, mapandroute.de and acxiom.com which

offer a high level of detail. Leisure and tourism specialists such as

Varta and Merian unify editorial quality, depth of information andcomprehensive coverage by theme and area, but integration of their

data cannot be accomplished without close cooperation.

User-generated content might be a promising source of data as it is

cheap and considered to provide a close match to the demand of

other users. Fabian professes that OpenStreetMap does not achieve

our required level of detail but possibly our users could help con-

tribute content to Freitimer. However, we could not abstain from an

editorial review in order to assure quality. The reliability of

Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) is often cited as an issue

that casts doubt on its benefits. Sometimes this is valid, but

Freitimers small-scale personal online networks could provide the

right environment for trustworthy VGI.

A Real Innovative ServiceMobile services that integrate geographic information are important

tools to navigate and organize the spatial and thematic diversity of

leisure-time activities today. Leisure-time activities are a basic need

in our leisure- and experience-oriented society. Many activities require

a physical meet up with people who have dissimilar spatio-temporal

schedules that have to be handled ex ante. Freitimer is a platform

that relieves some of the difficulties regarding the handling of these

schedules. In fact, using Freitimer is not intended to be the pastime

itself but is meant to be used to boost the organization of your leisure

time. You certainly need at least two people to use it. Such platforms

are commonly used by groups of about four people, according to the

findings of Plazes.com. It then offers significant advantages through

its integrative spatial and personal view of every single activity and

the embedded private social network feature. However, it is ques-

tionable how broad its use will be. There are other platforms such

as Googles calendar and Doodle.ch that offer quite easy-to-use invi-

tation tools and easy scheduling. Nevertheless, I consider them less

comprehensive than Freitimer is now and will be in the future. I expect

Freitimer to outdo rival platforms through its focus on usability, the

strong connection to real-world activities and the integration of geo-

graphic information. Finally, it is a true innovation in location-based

services and another good example of the convergence of LBS and

community software. Hopefully many early adopters will convincetheir friends to use it and help LBS to gain momentum, thus con-

firming the present optimism among LBS professi

geoinformatics 2008 vol06

Documents