The Harlow Report-GIS
2024 Edition
ISSN 0742-468XSince 1978
On-line Since 2000
GIS News Snippets
For the week of
October 21, 2024
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A “Harlow Report” From Oct 23, 2023
The Rising Impact of Innovation on LBS & RTLS Technologies
by Staff
Location-Based Services (LBS) and Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) technology innovations are transforming industries like retail, healthcare and mining.
In your everyday life, you may not realise how technology is constantly innovating and evolving behind the scenes. Two such advancements, Location-Based Services (LBS) and Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS), are rapidly gaining traction in various sectors, from retail and healthcare to aged care and mining.
LBS involves the implementation of technologies that use locational data to provide services or information based on a user's current location. Systems responsible for providing LBS base their operations on various technologies including GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular networks to determine a user's position and deliver contextual content or services.
“Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS), on the other hand, take LBS a step further by continuously tracking and monitoring the real-time location of assets, people, or objects. RTLS uses technologies like Wi-Fi Positioning, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and UWB (Ultra-Wideband) to provide accurate and up-to-the-minute location data”, explains Gareth Phillips, Location Based Services Specialist, Progility Technologies.
These technologies are transforming a range of industries in significant ways. In the retail sector, LBS and RTLS are being harnessed to improve the customer experience and streamline operations. Retailers use LBS to deliver personalised promotions and discounts to customers when in or near their stores. RTLS, meanwhile, optimises inventory management to minimise stock shortages and facilitate smooth click-and-collect services.
Read full story at ChannelLife…
Esri and Autodesk Deepen Integration with ArcGIS Data in Autodesk Forma
by Esri Press Release
AECO Professionals to Gain Access to Esri's Rich, Authoritative Geospatial Reference Data Early in Design and Planning Stages
Esri,… together with Autodesk, Inc. …, are enhancing their strategic alliance. This latest integration introduces Esri's authoritative geospatial reference data into Autodesk Forma to transform early design and planning stages for AECO professionals.
Historically, AECO professionals have used multiple tools during the planning phase, often leading to inefficiencies and data loss. The integration of ArcGIS data into Autodesk Forma addresses these challenges by providing cohesive, consistent spatial data and analytics from the outset. The combined strengths of GIS and BIM technologies during early design and planning empower teams with enhanced mapping capabilities and improved collaboration which can help to reduce project costs and timelines.
… With ArcGIS data integrated into Autodesk Forma, architects and planners can begin designs with immediate access to comprehensive geographic context. This includes Esri's ArcGIS basemaps and select ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World data layers—the foremost collection of globally sourced geographic information. This integration enables GIS teams and architects to collaborate seamlessly, access data quickly, and provide real-time feedback, leading to better decisions and improved project outcomes.
Read full story at Esri…
How to Organize Layers in GIS
by Atlas Blog
Layers are the backbone of any GIS platform, and Atlas is no different.
The way you organize layers can dramatically impact how useful your maps are. Poorly organized layers can confuse the viewer, while a well-structured layout makes your data clear and easy to interpret.
In this guide, we'll look at how to efficiently organize layers in Atlas, focusing on best practices, tips, and how to make the most out of the tools available.
What Are Layers?
In a GIS platform like Atlas, layers are the individual pieces of your map. Think of them as transparent sheets stacked on top of each other. Each layer holds specific data. For example, you might have one layer for roads, another for rivers, and another for population density. When combined, they create a complete picture of your geographic data.
Read full story at Atlas…
Landsat's Economic Value increases to $25.6 Billion in 2023
by USGS
A New Report Details Additional Billions of Indirect Benefits
Landsat is the only U.S. satellite system designed and operated to collect essential data on Earth's geologic formations, natural habitats, farmlands, cities, lakes, glaciers, coastlines and other surface features. It provides imagery at landscape-scale resolution that can be used to support efforts to improve environmental sustainability, climate change resiliency, and economic growth — all while expanding an unparalleled record of Earth's changing landscapes.
The “Economic Valuation of Landsat and Landsat Next 2023” study also highlights additional benefits, including more than a billion dollars' worth of indirect benefits. The report estimates that Landsat Next, the multi-spectral trio of satellites scheduled for launch in early 2030s, could bring in over $33 billion in annual economic value.
Read full story at USGS…
Magellan AI Adds New Geo-Targeting Feature.
by Staff
Magellan AI has added market-level reports to its measurement dashboards, which it says will allow for smarter targeting. Instead of accessing this feature solely through its API, the company says
Magellan AI has added market-level reports to its measurement dashboards, which it says will allow for smarter targeting. Instead of accessing this feature solely through its API, the company says users can instantly generate regional performance insights within the app, making it easier to optimize campaigns based on where they perform best.
Magellan says advertisers can identify where campaigns are succeeding, facilitating targeted buys, geocentric campaigns, and strategic shifts in spending to capitalize on outperforming markets. Buyers can drill down into delivery and performance by region, making it easier to adjust strategies for specific markets. And publishers gain deeper insight into where ads are being delivered across different regions, thereby enabling more effective targeting and performance optimization.
…The geographic information is now available to all Magellan AI measurement clients..
Mappable Partners With Fujairah GIS Center, Emirates Transport and Emarat at GITEX 2024z
by Gulf News Report
Mappable partners with UAE firms to drive innovation in GIS, transport, and infrastructure
Mappable … announced three strategic partnerships with the Fujairah Center for Geographic Information Systems (Fujairah GIS Center), Emirates Transport (ET), and Emirates Petroleum Company (Emarat). The agreements, signed during GITEX 2024 in Dubai—one of the world's leading technology events—mark a major milestone in Mappable's mission to support public and private sector growth across the UAE with cutting-edge geospatial technologies.
…Through these collaborations, ET, Emarat, and Fujairah GIS Center will leverage Mappable's geospatial technologies to improve service quality, operational efficiencies, and customer experiences. For Mappable, these agreements represent a significant step in expanding its footprint within the UAE's GIS market, which is projected to reach $2.15 billion by 2032.
Under its MoU with Fujairah GIS Center, Mappable will integrate advanced geospatial solutions into the Center's systems, enhancing the accuracy and availability of real-time mapping data for urban planning.
Read full story at Gulf News…
Industry News
In Government
3 Ways to Choose Valuable Open Data
by Jason Shueh
Mark Headd, Philadelphia's former chief data officer, and others offer practical steps any government can use to start or improve open data programs.
Officials from local, state and federal governments are still probing what it means to "open data." Benefits of machine readable government data are ample, and include data-based business creation, cost reduction by efficiency, insights in health, civic apps and government accountability.
Despite well-publicized advantages, however, open data has many unknowns. For example, there are no unified publication standards yet, data formats vary by jurisdiction, and data comes with no guarantees that projects will do more than just provide transparency ….
On Sept. 24 Mark Headd, Philadelphia's former chief data officer and now "developer evangelist" for Accela, offered advice at the 2014 Code for America Summit …
The team's message focused on practical steps any government can use to start or improve open data programs — with primary emphasis given to problem-solving and open data value creation.
Read full story at GovTech…
Artificial Intelligence May Augment Diplomatic Data Security
by Gharun Lacy
The State Department eyes emerging technology for efficient and effective cyberdefense.
Listen (06:58)
The State Department's law enforcement arm, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, defends the department and the foreign affairs community by applying cybersecurity, technology security and law enforcement expertise to help advance U.S. foreign policy and safeguard national security interests. Specifically, the bureau's Directorate of Cyber and Technology Security is responsible for ensuring tactical cyberdefense for all U.S. diplomats and data held by the department, spanning more than 260 locations in 170 countries around the world. From a cybersecurity standpoint, the State Department is the No. 1 target for nation-state cyber hackers — including the Big F
Read full story at FedTech…
FCC to Vote on Georouting for Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Calls
by Edward Graham
The FCC plans to vote on rules during its Oct. 17 open meeting that would require all U.S. wireless carriers to implement georouting for calls to the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.
Several major U.S. wireless carriers have begun using technology to connect those calling into the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline with local crisis contact centers — an effort the Federal Communications Commission hopes to codify for all providers during its annual meeting next month.
The FCC launched the streamlined three-digit crisis line in July 2022, which allows help-seekers to call, text or chat. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which funds the 988 lifeline, said that counselors have answered more than 10 million messages from individuals through the program's first two years.
To better connect those in crisis with local resources and support, the FCC and the Department of Health and Human Services announced on Wednesday that they have begun to route 988 phone calls to contact centers based on callers' locations instead of their area codes — a process known as "georouting."
Read full story at NextGov…
In Technology
Apple to Compete for Your Smart Home With New Devices and 'homeOS'
by Danny D'Cruze
Apple's new plan has three main parts—artificial intelligence, smart displays, and software.
Apple is making a big move into the smart home market, aiming to put its devices in every corner of your house. Even though it didn't start strong in this area, Apple is now focusing on a new plan that uses AI, new types of displays, and a fresh operating system to compete with Google and Amazon, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Apple's new plan has three main parts—artificial intelligence, smart displays, and software. First, it is introducing "Apple Intelligence," an AI platform to make home automation better and give users more control over their apps, media, and devices. This AI will help users create smooth automations, making their smart homes more personalized.
Read full story at Business Today…
Best Password Managers 2024
by Michael Ansaldo & Alaina Yee
If you're still using your dog's name to log in to your bank, you're courting disaster.
… The best password managers relieve you of the burden of two of these problem: having to create and then memorize unique, complex logins on your own. Sharing your passwords is on you. Plus, these applications protect your passwords by encrypting your login info in a virtual vault—either locally or in the cloud—only allowing access with a single master password.
…All of our top picks for password managers support a variety of operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS, Android, and iOS, as well as the major browsers. And all will let you sync your data across multiple devices, though you may have to pay extra for that privilege. Once you've found the right password manager for your needs, head over to our guide on mastering your password manager to make sure you're getting the most from your software.
Read full story at PCWorld…
Google Threatened With Being Broken Up by US
by João da Silva & Imran Rahman-Jones
The US government is considering seeking the break-up of the world's biggest search engine, Google, which it accuses of causing "pernicious harms" to Americans.
The landmark decision … is a major blow to Alphabet, Google's parent company, and could reshape how technology giants do business.
Google was sued by the US Department of Justice in 2020 over its control of about 90% of the online search market.
It is one of several lawsuits that have been filed against the big tech companies as US antitrust authorities attempt to strengthen competition in the industry. This case has at times been described as posing an existential threat to Google and its owner given its dominance of the search and online advertising business.
Read full story at BBC.com…
In Utilities
AI's Thirst for Power Keeps Coal Fires Burning Bright
by Dan Robinson
So much for reducing our reliance on fossil fuels
More evidence has emerged that AI-driven demand for energy to power datacenters is prolonging the life of coal-fired plants in the US. With AI still the hot new trend, demand for compute to operate it is pushing the growth of bit barn capacity along with the need for ever more energy to power it all. This growth is having some unintended effects, at least in America. In Omaha, one power company has had to abandon plans to stop burning coal to produce electricity because of the need to serve demand from nearby datacenters, according to The Washington Post, picking out Google and Meta in particular.
Read full story at The Register…
Google Backs New Nuclear Plants to Power AI
by Jennifer Hill
Google will back the construction of seven small nuclear-power reactors in the U.S., a first-of-its-kind deal that aims to help feed the tech company's growing appetite for electricity to power AI and jump-start a U.S. nuclear revival.
Under the deal#39;s terms, Google committed to buying power generated by seven reactors to be built by nuclear-energy startup Kairos Power. The agreement targets adding 500 megawatts of nuclear power starting at the end of the decade, the companies said …
The arrangement is the first that would underpin the commercial construction in the U.S. of small modular nuclear reactors. Many say the technology is the future of the domestic nuclear-power industry, potentially enabling faster and less costly construction by building smaller reactors instead of behemoth bespoke plants.
Read full story at MSN…
What Do Electric Utilities Really Think About Data Centers?
by Clarion Energy Content Directors
This surge presents both challenges and opportunities for utilities, particularly regarding load growth and grid stability.
Data centers are rapidly expanding as the demand for cloud computing, AI, and digital services grows. Ther#39;s a popular perception, meanwhile, that the power grid, and utilities, won#39;t be able to keep up. But what do electric utilities really think about data centers?
This surge presents both challenges and opportunities for utilities, particularly regarding load growth and grid stability.
In a webinar hosted by POWERGRID International, we will discuss the impacts of data center proliferation on the grid, including load forecasting, peak demand management, and infrastructure investments. The session will also cover strategies for utilities to engage with data center operators to ensure efficient energy use and explore potential partnerships for renewable energy procurement.
Read full story at Power Grid International…