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Recent infrared aerial photographs of the Nashville area flooding were taken by TN Department of Transportation.  Generally TDOT charges for their imagery, however, according to a super secretive resource from TDOT’s GIS department, these photos may soon become available to state and local governments for free.  How did we get this super secret information from our super secretive source?  I’ll let you in on the secret… We emailed them…

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TDOT flew Monday, May 3rd – Saturday, May 7th over major flood areas.  As you can imagine, some of the later photos taken Friday and Saturday did not capture the full flood epidemic.   The good news is that we have the flight patterns.  Hopefully some of you will be able to incorporate these photos into your GIS soon. 

 No wonder it took all week, they flew all over the place!  Oh, and thanks for the screenshots Google Earth.

The seminar was broken down into sections.  Here is a resource list that might be helpful to those who both did and did not attend based off of the seminars agenda. 

Session 1 Building Basemap

• Map Template Gallery (Download professionally designed templates to make better, faster maps).  http://resources.esri.com/maptemplates
• Best Practices for Working with Map Templates (Free one-hour online training seminar.  Learn tips on creating professionally designed maps using cartographically rich map templates and your data).  http://www.esri.com/training
• ESRI Mapping Center (ArcGIS cartographic tips).  http://mappingcenter.esri.com
• Cartographic Representations (Learn to symbolize your data).  http://www.esri.com/representations
• Labeling with Maplex for ArcGIS (Documentation for Maplex for ArcGIS includes a 60 day trial).  http://www.esri.com/maplexdocumentation
• Creating and Publishing Maps with ArcGIS (Instructor-led training course.  Learn techniques for creating professional quality maps using a standard cartographic workflow).  http://www.esri.com/training
• ArcGIS Community Basemap Program (Contribute or obtain authoritative geographic data from this ESRI-hosted, GIS community map).  http://www.esri.com/communitymaps

Session 1-A Deploying the Map

• Using Data from Different Coordinate Systems http://www.esri.com/article34129
• Managing and Configuring ArcGIS Server (ESRI White Papers).   http://www.esri.com/serverwhitepapers
• Geodatabase Replication  http://www.esri.com/article34131
• Authoring and Deploying Fast Web Maps (Free one-hour online training seminar.  Learn best practices for designing and publishing map services).  http://www.esri.com/training
• How to Plan a Map Cache  http://www.esri.com/mapcache

Session 2 Sharing Content

• ArcGIS Online (Sign up for free) (You will receive 1 GB of free storage, making it easier to share content with others through groups you either participate in or create).  http://www.arcgisonline.com
• How to Get Started Using ArcGIS Online (Online video).  http://www.arcgisonline.com/help/help.htm
• Layer Packages  http://www.esri.com/layerpackages
• Sharing Layer Packages with ArcGIS Explorer (This blog post explains how to create good layer packages for sharing maps and content).  http://www.esri.com/agxlayerpackages
• Creating Models (Online Video).  http://www.esri.com/creatingmodels
• Introduction to ArcGIS Server (Instructor-led training course.  Develop skills in authoring and sharing GIS content on the Web or across your organization).  http://www.esri.com/training
• ArcGIS Explorer (download for free) (Start visualizing, analyzing, and presenting your content now.  http://www.esri.com/arcgisexplorer
• ArcGIS Explorer Quick-Start Tutorial (Free one-hour online training seminar.  Learn the basics of working with ArcGIS Explorer and how to create dynamic geopresentations in ArcGIS Explorer)  http://www.esri.com/training
• Enhance ArcGIS Explorer with Add-on Tools (Click/Search: TOOLS)  http://www.arcgisonline.com

I’m not going to tell you what’s coming in ArcGIS 10. 

Look How EASY I Made It For You.  Let me know if you want me to also read them off and click the links…

I thought you’d like to know that Georgia State Parks is launching a statewide geocaching program called the Geo-Challenge and you and your readers are welcome to join in!

Starting May 8th, you’ll find an official cache page for each Georgia State Park (all 42) on http://www.geocaching.com. Many thanks to all the volunteer members of the Georgia Geocachers Association for placing and maintaining the caches! A complete list of participating parks and links to each cache page will live at http://www.gaparksgeocaching.com after the 8th.

You and your friends are invited to the kickoff event, May 8th, at Fort Yargo State Park. It’ll be a day of food, fun and of course, geocaching. This will coincide with the monthly meeting of the Georgia Geocachers Association. More details about the event and the program are available at http://www.gaparksgeocaching.com or you can call 404-657-9858.
Hope to see you there!

Since 2004, over 2000 people from 25 different cities around the world have participated in Christian Nold’s Bio Mapping experiment.  Using a GPS and GRS (Galvanic Skin Response) device (invented by Nold), Nold maps variant emotional responses of people as they travel through a city.  The bio-sensor (GRS device), which is based on a lie-dectector, measures changes in the sweat level of the wearers’ fingers and the GPS captures response geographically.  The assumption is that these changes are an indication of emotional intensity that is tracked by the GPS device and later mapped in Google Earth.  I wonder what the map would look like at a Dashboard Confessional concert…

The London based artist, describes the unique mapping experience as a “total inversion of the lie-detector, which supposes that the body tells the truth, while we lie with our spoken words.”  He further explains, “With Bio Mapping, people’s interpretation and public discussion of their own data becomes the true and meaningful record of their experience. Talking about their body data in this way, they are generating a new type of knowledge combining ‘objective’ biometric data and geographical position, with the ‘subjective story’ as a new kind of psychogeography.” 

Although I joke about connecting emotions with geography,  Nold’s device opens up a world of new marketing and psycho/social research capabilities.   It also presses on the ever increasing questions of emergence of technology and the human emotion.  Read also has an online book containing a collection of essays called Emotional Cartography.

The high collection number not only fired up competition among the three Smyrna staff members, but also increased their productivity, satisfaction, and responsibility in the data collection process.  ”They (Smyrna Staff) were focused on getting the numbers and doing it right.  It was no longer just another day collecting manholes.”  The beauty behind the competition was that it was fertilizing business growth in an exciting and fun way.  What ensued was a three week sprout of heavy data collection, with each day getting closer to that 100 mark.  The competition ended when Mark and Smyrna staff member, Jason Schuler, collected 101 manholes before finally pooping out (those things are heavy!).  The competition pushed out short term data collection efficiency up to 200% and has since influenced their overall data collection productivity 115%.

How could such a small goal make such a big splash?  A lot of things came into play that you might not think about…  Smyrna hired three competitive employees to work with Mark on the project.  All three guys respect their co-workers to the point where “a little competition” won’t affect their personal relationships with one another.  There was no bonus or extra vacation day given to the winner.  The competition offered a mere ego boast to the winner.  The weather did not stop (because of rain/storms) their data collection efforts for longer than two days in a row, enabling a continuous catalyst for competition.  The goal was attainable and simple, making it more desirable to reach.  Mark although a major part of the project was seen as a buffer, coach, and referee enabling the workers to feel like the competition was fair to all.  The goal was set by a fellow employee, not the boss, so it was perceived as a choice rather than a “do it or get fired” necessity.

So if your other data collectors are getting a little pooped out from the “same ole, same ole,” don’t be a meadow muffin, try adding a little fun competition to their day!

Step 2 – - Using a GPS find the geocaches near the location of your geocaching event.   You could use them in your event and/or make sure that you’re caches aren’t close to those already hidden.

• Register for a free basic membership at www.geoaching.com?
• Click “Hide & Seek a Cache.”
• Enter the postal code of your event
• choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.
• Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS device.
• Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.

Step 3 —  While searching for the caches, also capture your geocaching event locations.  We suggest using a more accurate GPS device, like the Trimble Juno SC.

Step 4– Tranfer your points to a KML file and upload them to Google Maps and/or Google Earth.  We did this to check over our points and measure the approximate miles traveled between caches.  We don’t deem this step necessary, but it is still a lot of fun.

Transfer File into Google Maps

• Upload data from your GPS device into Pathfinder Office and save it as a KML file.
• Open Google Maps and log into your Google account.
• Go to “My Maps”
• “Create New Map”
• Import the KML file, make any editing changes, and click “Done.”

Transfer File into Google Earth

• Upload data from your GPS device into Pathfinder Office and save it as  a KML file.
• Open Google Earth
• Click “File”
• Click “Open”
• Find your saved KML file
• Click “Open”

Oh, That's Where He Hid It!

Step 5 — Purchase inexpensive containers.  We suggest purchasing small plastic paint containers (microcaches) for the event from Wal-Mart.  You can keep the paint in the container or clean them out and put other things in them.

Step 6 — The day before the event, take your points and hide the caches.  If you don’t know who is going to be apart of the event, try to avoid placing caches in dangerous/hazardous areas that could be harmful to others.  Follow along with your GPS device as if you were in the cache.  (We found a few issues with our locations that could have been avoided by following our GPS device more precisely.)

Step 7 –Email the geoacaching locations  map you created to the geocachers signed up for the event (You can also email links to the google maps you created).  Make sure each point is attributed correctly with at least the latitude and longitude, cache name, and any other comments or hints you would like to give the geocachers.  Don’t forget to include a meeting location and time in your email!

Step 8 –Create questions about each cache that could only be answered if the cache was found by the geocachers.  Print off enough for everyone in the event and make sure you bring pens/pencils for those who need them.  Also print off the latitude and longitude list of all the attributes in case the geocachers did not previously store the points from the email you sent them prior to the event.

Step 9 — Go over the rules and hand out all of the information.  Consider taking away points for people not back within a set time.  For our last event, each correctly answered cache question was worth 4 points but for any geocachers out past two hours, 1 point was reduced for each minute late.

Step 10 –Enjoy the event and make sure everyone gets back safely.  Go back and pick up the caches you placed.  If you plan on leaving the caches, fill out the online form on the geocaching website under “Hide & Seek A Cache” (you must be logged in).

Why Your Field Crew Needs the Eye-Fi and TrimPix Pro System…

Trimble’s TrimPix Pro system Datasheet explains how the immediate transfer of photos from the camera to the handheld minimizes the effort spent back in the office where you were previously required to process the images in bulk.   Your field crew can take multiple pictures of an electrical infrastructure while collecting it’s assets in on the handheld.  And like two college kids on Spring Break (some call it true love), the Eye-Fi and Trimble handheld will automatically hook up!..The pictures will automatically load as additional attributes (in TerraSync) enabling field workers to quickly check the pictures for quality and accuracy with the other assets collected.

Use the TrimPix Pro system with:  GeoExplorer 2008 Series handhelds, Juno series handhelds, and Trimble Nomad G series handhelds

Wireless, streamline, time-saving, error prevention…Romantic isn’t it???

I’m sure this post didn’t answer all your questions.  However, Trimble’s FAQ page might do the trick!

I started Monday at 8:30 a.m. with the “Getting Started with the ArcGIS Web Mapping APIs Session” by Presenters Jeremy Bartley, Kelly Hutchins, and Sterling Quinn.  I’m telling you…lot’s of cool stuff in the new APIs for JavaScript, Flex, and Silverlight. The Version 2.0 Beta was released Sunday, so I am pretty excited about that and the new editing widgets that are avaialable in all three api’s.

Over the past few days I attended sessions back to back, including: “Using and Extending the ArcGIS WebMap for Flex”, “Working with the ArcGIS API for Flex”, “Distributed Geodatabase Development”, “Working with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript” and several user presentations on Javascript and Flex work.  All that flexing can wear you out!  But it is Palm Springs!

Of course, the most exciting news to some of you will be the new Iphone Application Development API.  There is also a rumor of an Android Development API, which was the subject of many questions during the mobile technology question sessions. Everybody seems to be hot to jump on the Android bandwagon.

I also spent a lot of time with several of the ESRI development team leads whom helped me with answering several questions and providing
issue solutions.

Well that was a brief flash of the summit.  I am incredibly pumped about getting the pre release and implementing all the new stuff as soon as I get back to work!

Blog at you all again soon!
Rodney

Oh to leave with a list of a few of the new things for ArcGIS Desktop here is a list straight from Jack Dangermon’s slide!

• An ArcCatalog window built into ArcMap for quick data access
• Easier and faster ways to find and use symbols and tools
• Auto hide and dockable windows (e.g., table of contents) so your focus remains on the map
• Ability to execute geoprocessing in the background, allowing you to continue to interact with your map
• Integration of a new window in ArcMap to simplify project management and collaboration
• New Query layers that allow you to access all data (including spatial data) stored in relational databases via standard SQL
• Creation and management of time-based data
• Can display and animate temporal datasets
• Python window console within ArcMap
• Being able to automate everything with Python
• Desktop add-ins template

As an agency, how can you best manage your road signs?  GEO-Jobe incorporates a turn key solution for agencies to effectively manage their sign “retro-reflectivity” program.  We can customize a geodatabase to properly inventory your signs by including useful management attributes in the database such as:  maintenance records, location, incident reports, installation dates, type, retroreflectivity, environmental conditions, etc.

Want to learn more about the retroreflectivity standards?  Click Here