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Tag Archives: Google Maps
Top Google Maps Power Tips
Whether you use Google Maps to help you get where you need to go or to deliver up-to-date geospatial data quickly to agency employees, it’s a great resource. However, we tend to not take advantage of its full capabilities. What are some other ways you can utilize this great tool? Here are some useful Google Maps power tips: Continue reading
Geospatial Treasure Chest – The [acronym] Geospatial Archive
GEOINT 2011 is right around the corner. If your’e not familiar with the event, GEOINT is the defacto gathering for defense, intelligence and homeland security communities looking to learn more about the latest trends and technologies in the geointelligence space. To get our readers prepared for what should be a successful GEOINT experience, we thought we’d take a look back at [acronym] Online’s archive of articles on geointelligence.
From using Google Maps to visualize the post-tornado destruction in Joplin, MO to helping urban residents locate HIV/AIDS testing centers, all levels of government can benefit themselves and their constituents by exploiting all the uses that GIS has to offer. Continue reading
Shortcutting the Geocoding Process for Easy Data Search and Visualization (on the fly)!
This blog was written by guest blogger, Eliot Danner, Principal of Reperio Concepts
The steady pace of innovation in geospatial visualization has given rise to a new problem: the need to geocode increasing quantities of data and the corresponding need to manage and search this data. In this article, I am going to discuss a new way to bring data into geospatial environments and a new way to search and manage this data.
A popular maxim in the geospatial community is “80% of all data contains geospatial information” (or something to that effect). True or not it is certainly the case that a great deal of information can be geocoded and, more importantly, that having this information geocoded, that is to say, visible on a map, can be of value to decision makers. Continue reading
Google Maps and Local Photographer Team to Visualize the Destruction in Joplin, MO.
This year has truly been the year of tornadoes. As of May 24, there have been 1,208 tornadoes reported in the U.S. in 2011 (about 875 were confirmed). Perhaps the most devastating of theses tornados struck the people of Joplin on Sunday May 22, 2011. The tornado left an estimated 123 people dead, 750 injured, and about 1,500 people missing. According to NOAA “The Joplin tornado is the deadliest since modern recordkeeping began in 1950 and is ranked 8th among the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.”
Google has responded to the need to know more about this destructive tornado and visualize the before and after impact of this deadly and unprecedented event. Google Maps now includes a visualization (seen here) of the tornado’ path. The path of the storm can be followed by the fuchsia line. The starting point is marked with red, and the end point is marked with green. The light green area of the map represents the part of the city with scattered reports of damage. The damage is mostly from downbursts and falling debris. The dark green is the area that the tornado caused severe damage and the red area was totally destroyed. Continue reading
Google Earth and Google Maps – Going to Work for Public Good
Today, GIS enables the mapping of locations and objects, the placement of intelligence into the objects and the use of tools and applications to derive knowledge from this converged data, often for the public good. Take AIDS.gov, for example. AIDS.gov is an internet portal for all Federal domestic HIV and AIDS resources and information, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services. Continue reading
AutoCAD on the Go!
Have you heard the latest news about AutoCAD?
In the ever so popular world of mobile technology, Autodesk is now offering its flagship product, AutoCAD, for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Using the new AutoCAD WS, users can now access their design files over the internet – which means that you aren’t confined to your office to do your work.
To access your design files, simply log in to your AutoCAD WS online account; it’s free and available for anyone to use. After you log in, you can begin working on totally new designs and/or upload your current drawings to work on projects that have already been started. Essentially, it’s like using AutoCAD in the cloud because your files are stored in your online workspace. Previous versions of your files are automatically saved, so you don’t need to worry about file backups. Best of all, you can invite your colleagues to meet and share files online, in real time. Collaboration has never been so easy. Continue reading
GeoEye and Google Elevate Insight: Destruction in Haiti, Then and Now
On January 12, 2011, the people of Haiti marked the one year anniversary of the 7.0 earthquake that devastated their country. It’s been a year since the disaster and signs of improvement dot the landscape. But 1.2 million people still make their homes in tent cities and the destruction can be seen from miles above Earth.
The New York Times has created a sobering interactive feature using aerial photos from GeoEye and Google Maps to show Port-au-Prince before and after the earthquake in Haiti last January.
Using the application it is possible to view aerial imagery from both before and after the earthquake, and includes shots of the tent cities that were created after the quake as well as the damaged structures in the city and the UN logistics relief operations base. Continue reading
3D Maps Go Mobile
Google has just taken another step in making geospatial data more usable and actionable with the launch of Google Maps 5.0 for mobile devices. This new version of Google Maps comes with 3D imaging that allows the user to rotate, tilt and even re-route offline. Also available are compass mode and smoother zooming. Currently, Google Maps 5.0 is only available on Android mobile devices, but as with any new technology, I’m sure that’s going to change very quickly.
So what does this mean for the public sector? The answers aren’t very clear; however, it’s likely that law enforcement agencies and military officials will benefit greatly from these enhancements. Continue reading
