Google Translate text-to-speech options let you communicate during foreign travel. Traveling the world but don’t speak the local language? Google Maps should be a bit more useful soon, thanks to some new integration with Google Translate. Typically if you’re in a foreign-language country, Google Maps will show the English place-name followed by the name in the local language below it. Sometime this month, Google Maps will get a new speaker button next to the local place-name, which will fire up Google Translate’s text-to-speech […]
Three GIS trends that governments must embrace
As part of the Esri team that supports state government for the adoption of geographic information system (GIS) technology, we get the opportunity to work with a variety of state government agencies who are leading the way in adopting the latest trends and advancements in the field of location intelligence. There are three major trends emerging today in implementing these technologies across a variety of agencies: mobility, community engagement and machine learning, which is a subset of artificial intelligence. These trends […]
Google Maps lets users add wheelchair accessibility details for locations
Back in December, Google finally added accessibility details to Maps. It was a long awaited addition, but an extremely welcome one for the more than three million people in the U.S. who require wheelchair accessibility. As we noted at the time, however, the available information still left a lot to be desired. Maps has currently collected accessibility data for almost seven million places, but even with databases like Wheelmap, there were still some pretty big gaps across the country. This week, Google’s […]
High-Availability capacity in ArcGIS 10.4 for Server for the Enterprise
Many organizations have explicit requirements for keeping their GIS implementations up and running. They need to protect critical information assets, limit data loss, and minimize downtime during a crisis. That is why Esri’s goal with ArcGIS is to develop better ways to support business continuity and increase GIS server resiliency across all deployment patterns. ArcGIS 10.4 for Server is a more resilient platform that makes it possible to respond quickly when something goes wrong. It includes new tools and capabilities […]
New Visualization Capabilities in ArcGIS 10.4
ArcGIS 10.4 includes exciting new capabilities for visualizing and analyzing data. This release builds on recent improvements and new features added to ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro, including vector tiles, 3D scenes, and new formats for imagery. Extending Vector Tiles Vector tile maps download quickly, look great on high-resolution displays, and are easy to style and update. Users can customize the look and feel of vector tile maps and layers by simply editing the style of a tile layer. For […]
A Vital Tool for Forest Management
Forests in the United States are under threat. Fire is changing the nation’s forest landscape, while forest health is succumbing to warmer weather patterns. Faced with challenges of such magnitude, James E. Hubbard, the deputy chief for state and private forestry for the US Forest Service (USFS), believes that GIS is the key to forest management. “Natural resource management in the United States, and particularly forest management, would not be possible today without GIS,” he said. Hubbard is responsible for […]
The Singapore government wants to track cars using satellites and people are mad
The Government has greenlit a system to track cars with satellites to calculate road tax, and a lot of people don’t trust it. On Thursday, the Land Transport Authority announced that it has approved a multi-million dollar project to replace the current gantries at busy roads, which deduct money from cars driving through during peak periods. The new S$556 million ($397 million) project will be readied for 2020. It will involve installing car units that will communicate with a satellite […]
Mapping the National – Building Smart Government with GIS
Across the globe, governments use GIS to move communities toward healthier, more resilient, and safer outcomes. From actions as simple as optimizing routes for field workers, to visualizing policy impacts and developing intelligent transportation systems, GIS supports governments at all levels—local, state, and national. Mapping, charting, surveying, land administration, and statistical organizations supply the foundational GIS data such as census counts and imagery that is critical to national, state, and local governments. Today, government organizations increasingly use Web GIS portals […]
Using the ArcGIS Platform to Visualize Facility Information
Fulton County, Georgia, needed an easy way to locate and inventory office assets, fulfill maintenance work orders, and improve security and communication. With 295 government facilities across 22 government sections, it was preferable to do this from one system, where facility managers could gain operational awareness for strategic planning. A 3D model of the interior of the Fulton County government center shows general locations in the buildings and includes two-way links to a very specific 2D floor plan map. The […]
Google Maps update will automatically predict driving directions
Google Maps has a new trick up its sleeve: predicting your destination when you get on the road. The company will soon be updating its navigation app with a new “driving mode” that uses your location history and other factors to predict your destination. The update, which was first spotted by AndroidPolice, adds a new feature called “Driving Mode.” Here’s how it works: The update adds a new “Start Driving” tab to Google Maps. Selecting this option will automatically begin […]
