The International Society for Digital Earth Blog
GeoGuessr is a geography game which takes you on a journey around the world and challenges your ability to recognize your surroundings.
Embark on a journey that takes you all over the world.
From the most desolate roads in Australia to the busy, bustling streets of New York City.
Source: https://www.geoguessr.com
Kartograph is a simple and lightweight framework for building interactive map applications without Google Maps or any other mapping service. It was created with the needs of designers and data journalists in mind.
Actually, Kartograph is two libraries. One generates beautiful & compact SVG maps; the other helps you to create interactive maps that run across all major browsers.
Kartograph.py
A powerful Python library for generating beautiful, Illustrator-friendly SVG maps.
Kartograph.js
A JavaScript library for creating interactive maps based on Kartograph.py SVG maps.
Source: http://kartograph.org
U.S. engineers say their wearable mapping system can create physical maps of locations where GPS is not available, such as in underground areas and on ships.
Developed by the Applied Physics Laboratory at John Hopkins University, the Enhanced Mapping and Positioning System captures a floor-plan-style map of an area traversed by a person carrying the portable backpack system, as well as 360-degree photos and sensor readings of the area using a combination of lasers and sensors.
The system based on algorithms once developed for robots — which are not practical in some environments — has a built-in allowance for normal human movement like walking, a Johns Hopkins release reported Wednesday.
Designed mainly to detect and map environmental threats on ships and in other tight, enclosed locations, EMAP can associate critical environmental data, such as radiation or radio frequency signal levels, with map locations.
“EMAPS virtually takes pictures with every step,” researcher Jason Stipes said. “Using this technology, we can map almost every nook and cranny of targeted locations, capture that intelligence, and store it. Sensors can also detect threats, such as radiation or chemicals, and include them in our map.”
In testing EMAPS has collected of mapping data from a wide variety of GPS-denied environments including ships, underground storage facilities, Army training areas and buildings such as the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Stipes said.
Source:
Geography and mapping start at your front door!
Most people do think geography is topography and some smartphone navigating around our nearby area. Geography is much more than expected; you will be amazed by the number of related international subjects. MapVision shows the diversity of most related subjects in an easy findable way.
Welcome to MapVision, the website about maps, the making of maps and where to find or get these maps in digital format or physic edition.
Source: http://www.mapvision.eu
As first published at the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) Website http://www.digitalearth-isde.org/news/486
“Real world and virtual word are related together generating information by location”, talked by Josef Strobl during the Digital Earth forum organized by the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences and the International Society for Digital Earth in Beijing, 21th Jan. 2013.
“The overall concept of digital earth is generally understood as being inclusive, reaching out to citizens, facilitating participation, and providing interfaces between the real world, its virtual representations, and people. ” he said. “Geo-media” and “spatial citizens” are main characteristics which are changing the way of information generating for digital earth. It is considered the visualization of information from different media source is concerned with digital content based on geographic attribute in terms of place, position and location etc. Digital Earth education can provide handy geospatial courses and leaning for more understanding and involvement in the new digital world.
Prof. Dr. Josef Strobl, life individual member of the ISDE, academician of Austrian Academy of Sciences, head of the interfaculty department of geoinformatics of the University of Salzburg, undertakes coordinating institution of the EU Digital Earth education network. The digital-earth.eu project, under the umbrella of EU Digital Agenda 2020, examines the use of geographic media in schools and teacher education.
Report “from spatial literacy to spatial thinking
Source: ISDE Website http://www.digitalearth-isde.org/news/486
The output value of China’s geographic information industry is expected to reach 200 billion yuan (31.8 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of this year.
According to a statement issued by the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation on Thursday, the output may exceed 400 billion yuan by the end of 2015.
Moreover, domestic geographic information software take up 70 percent of the country’s relevant market share, and the market share of indigenous digital photogrammetry software in China has reached 90 percent, the statement said.
An advanced system of geographic information-related technologies and equipment is taking shape in China, combining space, air and on-the-ground technologies and equipment, including the Ziyuan III satellite, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and a national emergency geoinformation monitoring system, the statement said.
China on Thursday opened its first national technology industrial park for geographic information industries in the Beijing suburb of Shunyi.
Source:
http://www.china.org.cn/business/2012-12/20/content_27477797.htm
The Department of Geography and Geology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington invites applications for three tenure-track, assistant professor positions to begin August 2013:
The successful candidates will be dynamic scientists with the potential to demonstrate excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, to develop an externally funded research program, and to recruit and mentor graduate students.
Additional information on each position, on UNCW, and on the Department of Geography and Geology is given at www.uncw.edu/earsci.
To apply, complete the online application at http://consensus.uncw.edu. A letter of application, brief statements of teaching and research interests, a curriculum vitae, unofficial copies of graduate transcripts, and contact information, including e-mail addresses, for three professional references should be uploaded as MS Word or PDF files.
For questions concerning the online application process contact Ms. Cathy Morris, [morris@uncw.edu], (910) 962-3736. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by January 4, 2013, but applications will be accepted until each position is filled.
UNCW actively fosters a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment and is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified men and women from all racial, ethnic, or other minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
Source: www.uncw.edu/earsci
The new suite of mineral maps will enable mining companies to increase the efficiency and viability of their exploration efforts.
The world-first maps were generated from a ten-year archive of raw Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection (ASTER) data collected by NASA and the Japanese Government’s Japan Space Systems.
CSIRO scientists have developed software that transformed the data into a continent-wide suite of mineral maps that show information about rock and soil mineral components and provide a Google-like zoom to view images from thousands of kilometres wide to just a few kilometres. They are already changing the way that geoscientists look for mineral deposits by providing more accurate and detailed information than ever before.
The ASTER maps represent a successful collaboration involving scientists from Japan, USA and Australia. Data access and software development has been coordinated by CSIRO through the Western Australian Centre of Excellence for 3D Mineral Mapping and involves Geoscience Australia, state and territory Geological Surveys, AuScope, iVEC, NCI, JSS, NASA and the USGS.
The maps were officially launched at a short ceremony featuring CSIRO Chief Executive, Dr Megan Clark and Geoscience Australia CEO, Dr Chris Pigram at the 34th International Geological Congress in Brisbane last night.
Following the launch, Professor Yasushi Yamaguchi, head of the Japanese ASTER science team said, “Congratulations on your successful launch of the ASTER geoscience maps of Australia. It is a very good example of the ASTER contribution to the geoscience community and I am very proud of being an ASTER science team member”.
Dr Mike Abrams from NASA and head of the US ASTER science team added, “Congratulations on an impressive project. I do like your idea of producing global geoscience maps, similar to what you have created for Australia”.
The Australian ASTER geoscience maps can be obtained from the AuScope Discovery Portal, the Western Australian Centre of Excellence for 3D Mineral Mapping and Geoscience Australia. State and territory coverage can also be acquired from the respective government geological surveys.
Source:
http://www.csiro.au/en/Portals/Media/ASTER-launch.aspx?goback=.gmp_4538605.gmr_4538605
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