The Harlow Report-GIS
2024 Edition
ISSN 0742-468XSince 1978
On-line Since 2000
GIS News Snippets
For the week of
January 8, 2024
Remember When?
A "Harlow Report" From January 9, 2023
Promoting Geospatial Education and Training for Students
by Shelly Haskins
Geospatial technology fields are not just growing, but exploding, both in the commercial and government sectors.
Tesla is building self-navigating cars. NASA is using geospatial technology to launch rockets to the moon. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is working to supply the military and its warfighters with imagery that can turn the tide on the battlefield -- or avoid the battle altogether.
Students who go into geospatial technology fields are in high demand, a panel of professors, university administrators and students at a recent Geospatial Advantage Conference in Huntsville, Alabama, all agreed.
“Our kids are getting jobs with huge salaries and full-time benefits before they even have their degree in hand,” said Dr. Rob Griffin, associate dean of the College of Science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and an associate professor who teaches GIS, remote sensing and other geospatial-related topics.
It's a little bit mysterious why students aren't flocking to our programs to take advantage of those jobs Dr. Rob Griffin
The problem, panelists said, is that geospatial technology programs are hiding in plain sight. A tech-minded student is more likely to choose something “sexy,” like aerospace engineering or cybersecurity, because they don't realize that a GIS degree could also result in a job in the space program or military intelligence.
Read full story at Hexagon Blog…
Now back to 2024
5 Reasons Nokia Ovi Maps And Navigation Will Beat Google
by Andrew R. Hickey
Nokia's new Ovi Maps release, which adds free turn-by-turn walking and driving directions to its smartphone navigation and GPS is more robust than Google's Maps Navigation offering. Here are five reasons why.
Many see Nokia's new Ovi Maps release as the Finnish mobility giant's slap at Google, which added similar functionality to its Google Android mobile operating system in October when it released Google Maps Navigation, which takes elements from the widely used Google Maps and Google Street View and layers voice search and turn-by-turn voice directions
Here are five reasons why Nokia's Ovi Maps offering will beat Google for Smartphone-based maps and nasigation supremacy.
1. Nokia Is The Leader In The Mobile Phone Market.
Read full story at CRN…
Best Geofencing Software 2024
by Kevin Hawk
Senior managers can receive alerts when people enter or leave geofences, which monitor driving and walking activity in secure areas.
A few geofencing software solutions combine precision, versatility, and robust features to become the best in location-based technology. Geofencing, which creates virtual boundaries around physical locations, reaches its peak in cutting-edge business software. The best geofencing software lets businesses engage with their audience with unmatched accuracy and efficiency.
Leading geofencing software assists targeted marketing campaigns, improves security, and streamlines operations. These solutions define geographically defined perimeters using advanced algorithms and real-time data analytics, allowing businesses to send personalised notifications, automate tasks, and learn about consumer behaviour. The best geofencing software has user-friendly interfaces, seamless integration, and adaptability to diverse business needs.
Read full story at BollyInside…
Exploring the Importance of Geographic Information
by MARTIN EDWARDS
Geographic information is far more than just a set of classifications. It is a valuable resource that provides meaningful insights into our world
Geographic information plays a crucial role in today's interconnected world. Understanding various aspects of geography, such as state, zip code, and country, allows us to gain valuable insights and make informed decisions. By analyzing and utilizing this data effectively, we can unlock new possibilities in fields ranging from urban planning to business strategy.
The state, zip code, and country classifications provide essential information that helps shape our understanding of geographic landscapes. Each level of classification offers unique insights into demographic patterns, economic activities, and social dynamics. State-level data helps policymakers identify regional disparities and design targeted interventions to promote balanced development. Zip codes enable businesses to analyze customer behavior, optimize delivery routes, and tailor marketing strategies to specific neighborhoods. Meanwhile, country-level data facilitates global comparisons and offers insights into trade flows, cultural diversity, and geopolitical relationships.
Read full story at Any Uak Media (Warsaw, Poland)…
India's National Geospatial Policy: Analysing Progress and Charting the Future
by Y Nithiyanandam And Satyam Kushwaha
The National Geospatial Policy, 2022, is a pivotal initiative designed to advance the geospatial sector in support of national development, economic growth and the evolution of an information-rich economy.
Geospatial technology is an advanced tool for analysing location-based data. It helps us monitor natural resources, plan development and respond to disasters. This technology provides a comprehensive view of Earth through satellite imagery, Global Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing, and Geographic Information System (GIS). It promotes spatial thinking to solve real-world problems and enables informed decisions and actions.
The citizen-centric National Geospatial Policy builds upon the momentum created by the 2021 guidelines for acquiring and producing geospatial data and services, fostering a more liberalised approach to geospatial data handling. It aims to provide a comprehensive framework for the sector's development, focusing on nurturing geospatial infrastructure, skills, standards, and businesses.
Read full story at The New India Express…
Recent Advancements in Indoor Positioning Systems
by CIO Applications Staff
Indoor positioning systems utilize ultrasonic pulses, magnetic fields, and infrared signals to enhance results.
Customers frequently ask which iOS and Android indoor positioning systems they should utilize. There is no indoor positioning system that stands out as the finest. It truly depends on specific requirements and the environment. For each technology, costs must be weighed against the accuracy delivered. Rarely issued-meter accuracy' is required, despite all the discourse about it. Indoor navigation systems require an accuracy of a few meters. Even if the phone is in the user's pocket, data must be collected continuously in the background for indoor location tracking. For some applications, the data is required near real-time.
… By combining hardware, software, and wireless technologies, indoor positioning systems (IPS) have the potential to revolutionize how we navigate and interact within indoor environments. With the growing demand for location-based services and the GPS's limitations in indoor environments, indoor positioning systems have garnered significant attention and development in recent years.
Read full story at CIO Applications…
Industry News
In Government
3 Strategies to Consider When Modernizing Government Contact Centers
by Joel Snyder
State and local agencies should consider multichannel, automated and data-driven approaches to fielding citizen inquiries
Providing efficient services is a key goal for many state and local agencies. Avoiding office visits and long lines appeals to citizen stakeholders and agency staff alike. Using contact centers to speed and simplify service delivery is now a common practice.
But can you update and modernize to meet ever-changing needs and ever-growing demand for services? Here are three key strategies.
Read full story at StateTech…
OMB Releases 'Broad' Accessibility Guidance for Government Tech
by Natalie Alms
This is the first new guidance on Section 508 in a decade.
Agencies have new marching orders on tech accessibility with guidance from the Office of Management and Budget, released Thursday.
It's the first guidance issued on the law that requires federal tech to be accessible -- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act -- since 2013.
Nearly half of federal websites aren't fully accessible, federal chief information officer Clare Martorana told Nextgov/FCW. And among top PDF downloads in the largest agencies, those under the Chief Financial Officers Act, only 23% conformed to 508 standards, as of February.
Read full story at Government Executive…
US Agency Tasked With Curbing Risks of AI Lacks Funding to Do the Job
by Will Knight
Lawmakers fear the NIST will have to rely on companies developing the technology.
US president Joe Biden's plan for containing the dangers of artificial intelligencealready risks being derailed by congressional bean counters.
A White House executive order on AI announced in October calls on the US to develop new standards for stress-testing AI systems to uncover their biases, hidden threats, and rogue tendencies. But the agency tasked with setting these standards, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), lacks the budget needed to complete that work independently by the July 26, 2024, deadline, according to several people with knowledge of the work.
Read full story at arsTechnica…
In Technology
Big Workplace Changes Are Coming in 2024. Are You Ready?
by Mike Elgan
Technologies and trends that have been developing for years will go mainstream in the new year, changing how, when, and where we work.
If you thought the pandemic and AI revolution changed work in the past four years, get ready for epic changes coming in 2024.
During the past three years, the world of work was turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology saved the economy by enabling millions to work from home using video calls, cloud services, and collaboration software.
Then last year, generative artificial intelligence (genAI) changed everything; 2023 was its "breakout year," according to a survey-based report by McKinsey.
Read full story at ComputerWorld…
Marketing Company Alleges It Can Listen to Your Phone, Other Devices for Targeted Advertising
by Daniel Miller
CMG Local Solutions claims it has “active listening” technology capable of picking up conversations to furnish advertisers with a weekly list of consumers who may need a product or service.
The company utilizes its technology and AI to detect relevant conversations from consumers on their smartphones, smart TVs, and other devices. CMG made the bold claim in a deleted Nov. 28 blog post.
The company shares that it uploads a list of businesses' preferred advertising platforms to target ads to people at certain times.
Read full story at FOX 9…
Microsoft's Copilot App Is Now Available on iOS
by Emma Roth
he Microsoft Copilot app lets you ask questions, draft text, and generate images using AI.
Just days after introducing a Copilot app on Android, Microsoft has rolled out an app for its AI chatbot on iOS and iPadOS. Both versions of the app are now available to download from the Apple App Store.
The app gives you access to Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) and works similarly to OpenAI's ChatGPT mobile app. In addition to letting you ask questions, draft emails, and summarize text, you can also create images through an integration with the text-to-image generator DALL-E3.
Read full story at The Verge…
In Utilities
Five Priorities for US Utilities in 2024
by Yusuf Latief
As we go into the new year, we look at five priorities for US utilities, as outlined by Chicago-based consultancy West Monroe.
According to West Monroe, in the US specifically, there are five priorities for utilities in 2024:
- decarbonisation and integrated electrification and gas planning;
- decentralised and virtual power supplies;
- transmission infrastructure needs;
- resiliency and security objectives;
- system operations digitisation.
The Chicago-based management consulting company underpins in their 2024 Outlook: The Future of the Energy & Utilities Industry energy cost and affordability for each of these five key areas, providing a lens through which utilities can view the complexity and challenges awaiting them in the new year.
Read full story at Smart Energy Int'l…
Millions Flow to Local Water, Sewer Projects
by Christian M. Wade
A massive influx of federal funding last year boosted the amount of money the state spends on projects to improve drinking water quality and upgrade aging sewer systems, according to newly released state data.
The state provided more than $263 million last year to cities and towns through the state's Clean Water Revolving Trust Fund in low-interest-rate loans and grants to fund construction and planning projects to improve water quality, upgrade or replace aging drinking water systems.
That's a more than 60% increase in spending over the previous year, according to the report from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Read full story at The Daily News (Newburyport, MA)…
States and Congress Wrestle With Cybersecurity After Iran Attacks Small Town Water Utilities
by Marc Levy Associated Press
The hacking of a municipal water authority in a small Pennsylvania town is prompting new warnings from U.S. security officials as states and the federal government are wrestling with how to harden water utilities against hackers
The tiny Aliquippa water authority in western Pennsylvania was perhaps the least-suspecting victim of an international cyberattack.
It had never had outside help in protecting its systems from a cyberattack, either at its existing plant that dates to the 1930s or the new $18.5 million one it is building.
Then it -- along with several other water utilities -- was struck by what federal authorities say are Iranian-backed hackers targeting a piece of equipment specifically because it was Israeli-made.
Read full story at ABC News…