| August 2007 |
| NEWSBRIEFS – GIS |
Chief Surveyor of Singapore is
first Asian to receive coveted
spatial science award |
 |
The Department of
Geomatics, University
of Melbourne will be
presenting its annual
Thornton Smith Medal
for 2007 to its fi rst Asian recipient outside of Australia. Mr Soh
Kheng Peng, who is chief surveyor of
Singapore, Singapore Land Authority. |
|
The Medal commemorates Jim Thornton
Smith who founded the Department
of Geomatics at the University of
Melbourne in 1949 and was instrumental
in the formulation and introduction of the
Bachelor of Surveying degree in 1948.
The Medal is awarded to a graduate
from the Department of Geomatics who
has shown a high level of distinction
and leadership in the discipline. |
| Google Earth helps uncover tax fraud |
Argentina's tax authorities are using
Google Earth's satellite to track down
fraud. Existing property maps were
superimposed in Google Earth to reveal
the changes. It is also being used to check
if taxpayers may have expanded their
homes in ways that would increase their
value for taxation. www.news.com.au |
| UN-Habitat signs agreement with ITC |
UN-Habitat and ITC, The Netherlands
are clustering their knowledge in
the fi eld of urban development in
developing countries.Recently, director
of UN-Habitat Dr. Tibaijuka and
ITC rector Prof. Molenaar signed an
agreement relating to cooperation in
the fi elds of capacity development,
training and research. www.itc.nl |
| Michael Goodchild and Don
Cooke in GIS Hall of Fame |
The Urban and Regional Information
Systems Association (URISA) Hall
of Fame Laureates are individuals or
organizations whose pioneering work has
moved the geospatial industry in a better, stronger direction. Michael Goodchild and
Don Cooke will join this esteemed group
during the Opening Ceremony at URISA’s
45th Annual Conference in Washington,
DC this August. www.urisa.org/ |
| Geokosmos to conduct LiDAR
survey of the French railways |
Using combined airborne laser scanning
and digital aerial photography technology
Geokosmos surveyed the railroads
that connect Amiens and Bouillon.
The captured data was used for producing
a large-scale digital topographic
map (scale 1:500) and a digital
orthophoto (GSD 5 cm) that will help
French National Railways Service to
provide technical assessment of its
infrastructure. The accuracy of captured
data was conducted with high density
of laser points – 7 points per 1 sq. m.
Planimetric and height and accuracy
constituted 5 cm. www.geokosmos.ru |
| U.S. Geological Survey makes
Topographic maps available |
| U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is using
the GeoPDF format to make its primary
base series quadrangle maps available
online. The initial roject, started by the
US Army Corps of Engineers, involved
converting more than 60,000 USGS
Digital Raster Graphics to GeoPDF fi les.
These maps are used by businesses and
consumers for all kinds of applications
from engineering to land use management
and recreation such as hiking, hunting
and camping. http://store.usgs.gov. |
| ADSIC announces the
launch of the AD-SDI |
Abu Dhabi Systems and Information
Committee has launched the Abu Dhabi
Spatial Data Initiative (AD-SDI),
the latest stage of the government's
strategy to stay at the cutting edge of
GIS technology. The AD-SDI will
coordinate vital data-sharing activities
while leaving primary responsibility
for development and maintenance of
framework data with specifi c custodian
agencies. www.sdi.abudhabi.ae |
| NDMC to introduce smart
map of the city |
New Delhi Municipal Council fi nishes
making the country’s smartest map by
this year end using a combination of GIS,
DGPS and Management Information
System. The fi rst phase of the project,
expected to be completed by year end,
will map out all sewer and water lines
and 14,000 manholes. The system will
eventually have 55 kinds of facilities,
including details of all 12,000 manholes,
2,35,000 trees, 17,000 light poles, 12,000
buildings, roads, toilets and sewers in
the area. www.cities.expressindia.com |
| China introduces new policies
on geographic information |
China has introduced new policies on
approving and announcing signifi cant
geographic information. According to
China's State Bureau of Surveying and
Mapping, information will be approved
by the State Council, after an audit
of surveying and mapping authorities
and a consultation with the relevant
State Council departments and army
surveying and mapping authorities. The
announcement of the heights of China's
world-famous mountains, according
to law, will help address incorrect and
inconsistent data regarding the mountains.
It will also guide communities in using
such geographic information, ensuring
that the data is accurate in its various
applications. http://www.cctv.com |
| Incomplete maps illegal in China...
Chinese map vendors fi ned |
 |
Several hotel
chains operating in Shanghai face fi nes for providing
guests withimproper maps which only show part of
China, not the entire country. Such maps
were found at six hotel chains in Shanghai,
but they have only provided |
|
| information
on two of the companies. The law states
that any person or company found
publishing maps that show only part of the
country can be fi ned up to 10,000 yuan
(US$1,315) http://www.shanghaidaily.com |
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| August
2007 |
