It’s All About Location, Location, Location

Hydro international Interviews Steve Hagan

The rate of data growth is climbing exponentially, thanks to new sensors, new social networks and new ways to create and capture data. In response, Oracle is tackling four issues on behalf of its customers: supporting big data, simplifying IT, providing deep analytics and enabling implementations either on the cloud or on-premise. Hydro International speaks to Steve Hagan, vice president of development for server technologies at Oracle Corporation about the organisation’s relationships with key geospatial software and data suppliers, its special concentration on very large databases, and its focus on addressing ‘spatial intelligence’ and the mainstreaming of location into business... (read more)

2012-10-05 04:34:51

GPS-powered Personal Location Tag

Fastrax Ltd and Alltigo Inc. have integrated a Fastrax iTrax03 GPS receiver into the Alltigo Location Tag LT100, a small, location-aware electronic device that enables the global positioning of a person, vehicle or any other kind of mobile asset with an accuracy of a few meters. The LT100 communicates its location and receives commands over a GSM/GPRS mobile phone network via TCP/IP or SMS. The Location Tag LT100 does not have a keypad or display of its own; instead, the device is controlled with commands issued through a cell phone or computer. (read more)

2004-11-08 12:00:00

Subsea Asset Location Made Easy

SonarBell is a passive sonar device on show during Ocean Business from 9 to 11 April 2013 in Southampton, UK. It has been developed by UK-based Subsea Asset Location Technologies (SALT) Ltd, a ‘spin-out’ company from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL). The technology was first used for military applications but is now being deployed across many commercial and scientific disciplines. Having spent many years reducing underwater sonar signatures, the scientists in DSTL have now developed a device that is “as loud as possible” when exposed to an incoming signal but requires no power source or peripheral equipment to... (read more)

2013-04-05 10:09:16

Novatech Iridium Location Beacon for 11,000m

Some 2 years ago Nova Scotia, Canada-based MetOcean Data Systems (stand F300 in the Atlantic Canada pavilion at Oceanology International 2014) fitted what was believed to be the world’s first Iridium-based security location beacon rated to 11,000m operation, aboard James Cameron’s Deepsea Challenger. That first unit has now evolved into an extensive iBCN range under the Novatech brand banner that encompasses self-contained, remote head and OEM versions. The beacons transmit GPS position data to the host user via the two-way Iridium satellite telemetry service. Recent UK supplies, via distributor RS Aqua Ltd at stand F550 during Oceanology International, include 30... (read more)

2014-03-10 12:00:00

Location Search for Iron Ore Bulk Loadout

Rio Tinto sought expert input from Fugro for the pre-feasibility studies to determine the ideal position for the construction of an iron ore bulk loadout facility in Guinea, West Africa. Fugro is now actively involved in providing an integrated service encompassing geophysical and metocean surveys. Rio Tinto discovered deposits of high grade iron ore at Simandou in Eastern Guinea, in the 1960s. In 2007 they approved funding of USD145 million for pre-feasibility studies focused on development of an iron ore mine at Simandou, a 700 kilometre rail system and a deep water port south of Conakry. The initial involvement... (read more)

2008-08-20 09:43:01

Through-Ice Location And Communication System

Wireless Fibre Systems (WFS), has joined up with Kongsberg Maritime to develop a wireless system for location of and communication with the company's unmanned underwater vehicles in ice conditions. The EUR1.8m TILACSys project (Through-Ice Location and Communication System) will run for 24 months and deliver a demonstrator system. It is being supported with investment from the UK's Technology Strategy Board and the Research Council of Norway. The use of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) is growing across the globe, due to their high levels of mobility and flexibility and capability of delivering high quality - and resolution - data from... (read more)

2009-07-06 12:19:25

Lou Dennis to Lead MacArtney's 5th US Location

The MacArtney Underwater Technology Group has opened its fifth dedicated business unit in North America. Located in Jupiter, Florida, just north of West Palm Beach, the new MacArtney ‘Southeast Operations’ will cover a six-state area including Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Headed by general manager Lou Dennis, the new operations will supply underwater technology products and solutions to clients and operators within the region. Lou Dennis is a long-serving industry professional who brings in three decades of experience, competencies and market knowledge to support his new role as general manager of the Southeast Operations. Before joining... (read more)

2015-01-12 11:52:18

Grand Opening of New Netherlands Hydrographic Office Location

At the 21th of June 2006, the first World Hydrography Day declared by the United Nations, the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy Vice-Admiral Jan Willem Kelder opened the new location of the Netherlands Hydrographic Office. By revealing the first Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) produced at the new location Admiral Kelder performed the official opening. In his speech the Admiral reminded the history of 132 years of the Hydrographic Service that was located for the last 82 years at the well-known and characteristic building at the Badhuisweg in Scheveningen. He noted the role of hydrographic survey and nautical charting for... (read more)

2006-06-26 12:00:00

Hovercraft-based Munitions Detection System

MEC/UXO Detection in Previously Unreachable Locations

Survey efforts in shallow water present a challenge; when coupled with protected species and critical habitat such as coral reefs, they can prove impossible. Tetra Tech, in conjunction with Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc., has developed an environmentally sensitive survey platform, which now allows for data collection in such areas. The TEMA-Lite (Towed ElectroMagnetic Array) is a hovercraft-based munitions detection system capable of collecting data in areas where previously only more expensive, less sensitive aircraft-based systems were able to perform. EMA (Towed ElectroMagnetic Array) system has multiple form factors and two deployment types, each with a three-metre swath width. The deep-tow... (read more)

2015-01-29 03:22:23

Mapping Inspired by the Imagination

Sand maps were commonly used by Indigenous Australians over their 40,000 year history, to communicate local topography, significant landmarks and the location of water.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Australian National Library in Canberra to view the exhibition ‘Mapping Our World: Terra Incognita to Australia’. This exhibition showcased some of the most significant milestones in the history of mapping and discovery of Australia and included Australian Indigenous paintings, a Babylonian clay tablet thought to be the oldest surviving world map, the works of Ptolemy and rare medieval maps. It also explored the development in projections by Mercator and chronicled the expansion of Dutch commercial trading and the voyages of discovery of the Portuguese, Spanish, English and French. Maps have stirred the... (read more)

2014-05-02 02:13:09