Hold the date! January 15th for a workshop on Open Tools with ESRI

On January 15th we will hold a full day free workshop on Open Mapping Tools using ESRI. 

Welcome to the Esri GeoDev HackerLab. This is an eight-hour, mentored, hands-on lab for developers (novice or experienced) where you will learn how to build maps and apps for the web, devices, and desktops using ArcGIS and other technologies. 

Here is what we will cover:

1. A brief intro to ArcGIS Online for developers. Get the free dev subscription and we put the tools right into your hands.

2. Data: Search, find, connect to, import, edit, collect, translate, convert, and host datasets and web services. You will also use a variety of cloud-based geoanalytical tools to make better sense of the data and export new datasets for your apps to use.

3. Design: Create web maps tailored to the needs of your end users using layer selection, thematic rendering, popups, and more.

4. Develop: Build customized apps with or without code, using templates, builders, APIs, and SDKs, from Esri and from other popular open source technologies.

The labs are divided into modules that you can do in any order. Choose ones you want to learn, and skip those you already know. You can bring your own data or use tutorial data that we provide. Use web maps of your own or build ones on-site during the lab. If you are a coder, dig into APIs and SDKs from Esri or compatible open source libraries. If you aren’t a coder, you can still build highly customized production-ready apps using templates and builders.

The tutorials are going to be led by developers from Esri, who will either guide you along the way or assist you as you choose your own learning path. 

Stay tuned for sign-up information!

SAHM: VisTrails Software for Species Distribution Modeling

Shane just turned Michelle Koo and on to this software package: The Software for Assisted Habitat Modeling for VisTrails. It seems very useful for a generalized SDM workflow. 

From their blurb: The Software for Assisted Habitat Modeling for VisTrails has been created to both expedite habitat suitability modeling and help maintain a record of the various input data, pre- and post- processing steps, and modeling options incorporated in the construction of a species distribution model. SAHM is constructed as a "package" of modules that can be used within VisTrails, an open-source management and scientific workflow system designed to integrate the best of scientific workflow and scientific visualization systems. SAHM works by combining environmental predictor layers of the study area — such as climate and remote sensing data — with field sampling measurements for a particular species. The program then runs statistical models using these data to analyze habitat requirements of the species of interest and predict its potential distribution based on habitat suitability. Model outputs help land and natural resource managers generate maps to aid in predicting and managing species of concern.

https://www.fort.usgs.gov/products/23403

New software from Clark Labs: TerrSet

From Sam: Clark Labs is shipping their new software: TerrSet. They say: TerrSet - a new name, a new concept and a wealth of advances.

         
Clark Labs is pleased to announce that the TerrSet software is now shipping. TerrSet is an integrated constellation of software applications for monitoring and modeling the Earth system. Developed in close cooperation with leading institutions focused on sustainable development and environmental conservation, TerrSet provides groundbreaking tools for addressing major challenges to smart growth - climate change: trends, projections and adaptation; land cover conversion: trajectories and impacts; ecosystem services: present and future value.
 
TerrSet = Space + Time

Thanks for the update Sam!

IGIS at ESRI Conference

Two members of IGIS - Shane and Robert, went to the the ESRI User Conference in San Diego this year. 

Here is their report:

We were able to see the new offerings from ESRI that will be available in November of this year.  ESRI will be releasing ArcGIS 10.3, this incremental release will have many improvements as well as new offerings that IGIS will be able to make available to the UCANR GIS Community.  These new offerings will include ArcGIS Pro http://pro.arcgis.com and Portal for ArcGIS http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcgisserver/extensions/portal-for-arcgis.

ArcGIS Pro is a new desktop application that will be available to all users of GIS within UCANR.  ArcGIS Pro is a multi-threaded, 64-bit, project based GIS system that provides a fast responsive desktop application for the GIS professional. It will allow user to have multiple layouts in one document.  It will enable the GIS user to have 2d and 3d layouts available in one project.  It is what we as GIS users have been requesting for many years.

Portal for ArcGIS prior to the 10.3 release of the ArcGIS Suite was an extension for ArcGIS Server that had to be purchased separately from ArcGIS Server.  In November Portal for ArcGIS will be available for UCANR to install on the ArcGIS Server and it will provide a user interface similar to arcgis.com but within the UCANR intranet.  This will open up some interesting options for UCANR.

Beyond these two additions we will be providing access to a new open data extension for ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS for Cad.  The open data extension will allow us to provide an open data portal where the UCANR Network and the general public can go to download our data for use in other geospatial technologies.  We will provide the ability to download certain data types such as, shapefiles, kml, or csv files.  The ArcGIS for Cad extension will allow cad users within UCANR to leverage ArcGIS resources with Autocad.  This will allow UCANR to update our cad drawings of our infrastructure and have drawings with the proper coordinate system and additional attributes that are not available with Autocad.

Beyond these upcoming software releases and tools the ESRI User Conference was a wonderful opportunity to renew old and create new relationships with other GIS professionals and to see how others are using GIS around the world.  I look forward to putting these new technologies in place in the next year and to hopefully attending the user conference again in 2015.

Clark Labs to Create Cloud-based Land Change Modeler for ArcGIS

Clark Labs was awarded a million dollar grant from Esri to create a cloud-based version of their Land Change Modeler for ArcGIS. Land Change Modeler is suite of tools to assess and predict land change and evaluate the impacts of change and includes REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) tools for modeling the impact of land cover change on carbon emissions. Currently Land Change Modeler is only available in IDRISI and as a software extension for ArcGIS (the latest version is compatible with v10.2). This will make this tool more easily assessable to the wider public and scientific community.

From Clark Labs press release:

"Clark Labs was recently awarded a million dollar grant from Esri to create a cloud-based version of their Land Change Modeler for ArcGIS. Currently, Clark Labs’ extension is for the ArcGIS desktop.

Land Change Modeler for ArcGIS, first released in 2007 with Version 2 released this past month, is a software extension for ArcGIS users, offering a suite of tools to assess and predict land change and evaluate the impacts of such change. Clark Labs recent release includes many significant enhancements. The new version is compatible with ArcGIS Version 10.2

The Land Change Modeler offers an extensive suite of tools for land change research in a simple and automated workflow. It provides a variety of tools for land change analysis and prediction, as well as the impacts of those changes.

The new version release of this fall provides significant enhancements, particularly for its utility for REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). Land Change Modeler now includes functionality for modeling the impact of land cover change on carbon emissions. “Our world is changing rapidly, and technology to efficiently model and predict future land change is vital to addressing global challenges,’ said Jack Dangermond, Esri President. “We’re pleased to award this grant to Clark Labs to jumpstart their effort to utilize and provide rich content through ArcGIS Online.”

The new version also provides more capability for estimating land change impacts on habitat and biodiversity. With the grant from Esri, Clark Labs will be creating a cloud-based implementation of Land Change Modeler for their platform.

Clark Labs and Esri have been business partners for nearly ten years, working collaboratively on GIS research."

For the full news release see here.

DNRGarmin + QGIS for a free and useful way to map properties

This website shows how any average computer user and/or landowner or forester can utilize the Quantum GIS open source freeware to do professional analyses of their land or their clients' land for free. Thanks Bob Wagoner!

http://www.centralillinoisforestry.com/index.php/illinois-forestry-blog/73-quantum-gis-for-landowners-and-practitioners

New ArcGIS and QGIS desktop versions available

Big updates are now available to both ArcGIS and QGIS bringing more power and functionality to desktop GIS users!

ArcGIS 10.1 is now available with lots of new features.  Learn more from ESRI.com.  The GIF is now testing the updated software and we plan to make it available on lab workstations in the coming weeks.

QGIS 1.8 is also now available, and is free for download.  Visit QGIS.org for download instructions and to learn more about the new features available in this release.

New OSGeo-Live GIS software collection released

OSGeo-Live is a self-contained bootable DVD, USB flash drive and Virtual Machine based upon Ubuntu Linux that is pre-configured with a wide variety of robust open source geospatial software. The applications can be trialled without installing anything on your computer, simply by booting the computer from the DVD or USB drive. The lightening overview introduces all these applications, and hence provides a comprehensive introduction to the breadth of Geospatial Open Source.

http://live.osgeo.org

Highlights
50 Quality Geospatial Open Source applications installed and pre-configured
Quality free world maps and geodata
One page overviews and quick start guides for all applications
Overviews of key OGC standards
Translations for Greek, German, Polish, Spanish and Japanese

Contents

Browser Clients

• OpenLayers - Browser GIS Client
• Geomajas - Browser GIS Client
• Mapbender - Geoportal Framework
• MapFish - Web Mapping Framework
• GeoMoose - Web GIS Portal

Crisis Management

• Sahana Eden - Disaster management
• Ushahidi - Mapping and Timeline for events

Databases

• PostGIS - Spatial Database
• SpatiaLite - Lightweight Database
• Rasdaman - Multi-Dimensional Raster Database
• pgRouting - Routing for PostGIS

Desktop GIS

• Quantum GIS (QGIS)
• GRASS GIS
• gvSIG Desktop
• User-friendly Desktop Internet GIS (uDig)
• Kosmo Desktop
• OpenJUMP GIS
• SAGA
• OSSIM - Image Processing
• Geopublisher - Catalogue
• AtlasStyler - Style Editor
• osgEarth - 3D Terrain Rendering
• MB-System - Sea Floor Mapping

Navigation and Maps

• GpsDrive - GPS Navigation
• Marble - Spinning Globe
• OpenCPN - Marine GPS Chartplotter
• OpenStreetMap - OpenStreetMap Tools
• Prune - View, Edit and Convert GPS Tracks
• Viking - GPS Data Analysis and Viewer
• zyGrib - Weather Forecast Maps

Spatial Tools

• GeoKettle - ETL (Extract, Transform and Load) Tool
• GDAL/OGR - Geospatial Data Translation Tools
• GMT - Cartographic Rendering
• Mapnik - Cartographic Rendering
• MapTiler - Create Map Tiles
• OTB - Image Processing
• R Spatial Task View - Statistical Programming

Web Services

• GeoServer
• MapServer
• deegree
• GeoNetwork - Metadata Catalogue
• pycsw - Metadata Catalogue
• MapProxy - Proxy WMS & tile services
• QGIS Server - Web Map Service
• 52°North WSS - Web Security Service
• 52°North WPS - Web Processing Service
• 52°North SOS - Sensor Observation Service
• TinyOWS - WFS-T Service
• ZOO Project - Web Processing Service

Data

• Natural Earth - Geographic Data Sets
• OSGeo North Carolina, USA Educational dataset
• OpenStreetMap - Sample extract from OpenStreetMap

Geospatial Libraries

• GeoTools - Java GIS Toolkit
• MetaCRS - Coordinate Reference System Transformations
• libLAS - LiDAR Data Access

Other software of interest (not available Live)

• MapWindow GIS - Microsoft Windows based GIS
• MapGuide Open Source - Web Service

New IDRISI Selva GIS and Image Processing Software Released

From Clark Labs:Image used with permission from Clark Labs

Clark Labs recently released its newest version of its geospatial and image processing software IDRISI called IDRISI Selva. IDRISI Selva is the 17th version of IDRISI which offers brand new features and significant updates to its predecessor IDRISI Taiga. IDRISI offers a suite of tools for basic and advanced spatial analysis, surface and statistical analysis, change and time series analysis, modeling, and decision support and uncertainty. IDRISI also offers a diversity of image processing tools including a variety of hard and soft classifiers, machine learning algorithms, and image segmentation tools. This latest version adds new tools to the Earth Trends Modeler application for the analysis of patterns and trends in earth observation image time series and new REDD-specific tools to the Land Change Modeler application for the modeling, prediction and impact assessment of land cover change. New analytical techniques and greater import/export support have been added, display and map composition elements have been enhanced and expanded and existing modules have been optimized.

More specifically some changes include:

• Land Change Modeler has been enhanced and new modeling tools have been added such as SimWeight and tools to support modeling and accounting for REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) projects. An integrated interface to the Maxent software for species distribution modeling has also been added.
• Earth Trends Modeler has been enhanced with new tools for the analysis of coupled systems such as the oceans and atmosphere. These include Extended PCA/EOF, Multi-channel Singular Spectrum Analysis, Extended EOT, Multichannel EOT and Canonical Correlation Analysis.
• New tools have been added such as Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network classifier, Chain Clustering, and Durbin-Watson modules.
• Existing tools such as the distance based modules have been optimized for greater speed and the PCA module has been expanded. In addition, MODIS and Google KML file import and export support has been enhanced.
• New support for image pyramids and large images up to 2 billion rows by 2 billion columns have been added.

For more on IDRISI Selva and specifics on what is new visit their website here or see the resources below:

IDRISI Selva news release 

IDRISI Selva brochure

IDRISI Selva what’s new brochure

Clark Labs is based within the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University in Worcester, MA. The information and images presented are used with permission from Clark Labs.

IDRISI Land Change Modeler (Image used with permission from Clark Labs)IDRISI Earth Trends Modeler (Image used with permission from Clark Labs)

3D Street level mapping with earthmine

earthmine's Anthony Fassero visited yesterday to give a Geolunch presentation and blew us away with the amazing technology that they are employing!  Anthony, and Co-Founder John Ristevski started earthmine just a few years ago after graduating from Cal. 

earthmine has developed the camera system and engineering to take high resolution 3d street level images using only photogrammetric techniques (no lidar), as well as software tools that allow users to work with the data directly in ArcGIS and other geospatial applications. These tools allow you to not only view the data alongside a map, but to actualy make 3d measurements one the fly and edit ancillary data layers from within the phot view.

You have to see it for yourself!  Check out this video to see teh data and tools in action.