Mark Yedlin, Director of Simulation Modeling Services for Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. gave a presentation on Traffic Modeling in lower Manhattan. This presentation was very interesting because of the vast amounts of data that was captured and how it was then massaged into a usable format. The main focus was on getting New York City busses through the financial district in a more expedient manner. The model included bike traffic, pedestrian traffic, car and truck traffic, traffic signalling etc.

Bill Timmins from GIS Services spoke about the digital pen and other devices. The Capturex Digital Pen looked interesting. It uses a dot matrix that is printed on the paper to figure out where it is. This tool has many useful applications that he showed us in his presentation. Bill explained how he has extensive experience dealing with clients in municipal environments.

Michael Naughton from the Town of Huntington Highway Department spoke about how his department used GIS/GPS technology to manage resources during Tropical Storm Irene.

The event kicked of at 9:45am and ended at around 3pm. There were over 50 people in attendance and they warmly welcomed each speaker. There were vendors from various companies in the hall showing GIS/GPS tools and software.

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The Long Island Geographic Information System (LIGIS) organization was created as a forum for users of GIS.  Initial meetings revolved around questions like:  What is GIS?  How does it work?  How did you get the Board to approve the funds to buy a system?  Where do you get data?  Can we borrow data?  Do we have to pay for that?  Can we go to jail if we share data?  How do we get training?  How did you do that?

Eventually discussions evolved into debating the merits of ESRI versus MapInfo or evaluating the benefits or disasters of the latest release.  Data was shared but it was not always standardized or formatted to suit the needs of the user.  Emphasis was put on building the perfect GIS with all the right hardware, software, bigger monitors, printers, plotters and latest database updates.  The focus shifted from the GIS user to the GIS developer.  This developer driven process began to de-emphasize the needs of the user and serve the needs of the developer’s intense interest in the ever expanding technology of GIS. In the race for releasing the next generation of GIS technology the user was challenged to keep up or get left behind.

To bridge this gap more “user friendly” front end viewers were deployed to give the end user GIS technology without needing to know everything that was “under the hood”.  This tool provided the information that was needed by 75% of the users 90% of the time.  It also allowed I.T. departments to put data out on a network that was more secure and maintained by their staff.  This resulted in a very cautious courtship between the GIS community and the I.T. world.  Sometimes the I.T. world made demands on the GIS community and vice versa.  The user was often caught in the middle and wandered in the wilderness looking for guidance and training.

The very large and ever expanding universe of the internet also brought options to the GIS user.  Google Earth will eventually satisfy 90% of the GIS needs of 90% of the planet.  Who needs all this drama when one can just go to friendly Google Earth?  The 10% of the users who need something a little more than internet GIS but not the full power of ArcInfo may opt to morph into what Jim Touchet calls the “savvy GIS user.”

By browsing the GIS menu for various options on the internet or the organizations’ “GIS Light” the user might utilize some of these features that suit his or her needs.  Generally these decisions are fed by STRESS.  In the heat of the moment when someone needs it NOW; users resort to any trick that is handy.  Any technology that will produce some needed output will be utilized.  This may result in some hybrid applications of word processing , GIS .pdfs imported,  e-mails, video clips, links to websites, mark up tools pointing to features on aerials and digital images referenced.  The whole point of technology is to make our lives easier and not more difficult.  Humans will take the path of least resistance.

Remember; it is not shameful to be lazy.  Use all of the tools whether they are simple or complicated;  but get the job done with the least amount of effort.

Example of Geocortex .pdf marked up for NYSDEC application that was e-mailed to agency:

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A Silicon Valley startup wants to give you the power to “scan your world” with a handheld scanner that rapidly creates 3D maps of objects and rooms, complete with colors and textures. While it may seem like you’d have to have a steady hand and move slowly through a room to scan it, a demo video of the device from MatterPort implies that the 3D maps can be generated by simply passing it through the space, sort of like virtually painting a room. Just imagine you’re using a squeegee and you get the idea. In one of its promotional videos, the startup even claims, “MatterPort does for 3D modeling what photography did for painting.”According to co-founder Mike Beebe, the device is 20 times faster than other 3D scanners on the market.

And if you think it looks like a hacked Kinect sensor attached to a handle, you’re not too far off — Kinect was used in the prototype. Technical details of the latest version of the scanner have not been released, but it may very well be that the team has designed their own Kinect-like device, which means they need two 3D depth sensors and a RGB camera.

Read the rest of the article here. See a video demonstration below.

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Special Note: Please bring ID as you must sign in at the front gate and get a visitors pass.

Agenda

9:00 – 9:45

Registration and Networking – Please sign in.

9:45 – 10:00

Introduction And Opening Remarks – Michael Naughton, LIGIS Chairperson 

10:00 – 10:30

“Suffolk County GIS”

Presentation on the state of GIS in Suffolk County. The discussion will include Suffolk iMap and the new Pictometry data and how to access it.

Presented by: Jim Daly, GISP - Suffolk County GIS Coordinator Dept. of Info Technology/GIS Div 

10:30 – 11:30

“The Use of Modeling to Optimize the Implementation of Transit Signal Priority in Lower Manhattan”

This presentation describes a modeling effort to resolve important issues for New York City’s first implementation of Transit Signal Priority (TSP) to expedite buses using its new wireless communication system (NYCWiN). Based on results of this modeling, the implementation will be operational later this year along a complex traffic corridor in Lower Manhattan running from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, through the Financial District, Chinatown, and Lower East Side. An extensive field data collection effort was employed to model all vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle, and double-parked traffic within the corridor.

The presentation will identify the objectives and preliminary results of this modeling and focus on the data collection and manipulation activities as well as model development, calibration and validation.

Presented By: Mark Yedlin - Director of Simulation Modeling Services Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. 

11:30 – 12:30

Emerging Technologies for Field Data Access and Capture

With thirty-nine years of GIS experience Bill Timmins has been the owner/director at GIS Services since 1993. Current responsibilities include needs analysis, project management, training, integration of GIS solutions and business partner development.

Bill will do a presentation that will provide examples of the integration of GIS/GPS cameras and digital pen solutions for feature data capture and access in the field. Inexpensive and easy to use field data capture solutions eliminate the technology boundaries. They provide a good fit for GIS professionals for the requirements for public works, planning departments, appraisers, emergency responders and operational managers and associated support personnel – many who have no background in technology. These solutions provide for the daily tasks of departments and agencies workflow requirements and can provide critical information to help in time of emergency response to help save lives and property.

Presented by: Bill Timmons 520-991-0727, director@gisservices.net

12:30 – 1:30

Lunch Break 

 1:30 – 2:30

Managing Tropical Storm Irene with GIS/GPS Technology

This presentation will discuss how using GIS/GPS Technology allowed the Town of Huntington to manage the clean up and data management for Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. The Town expects to have successful submissions to FEMA that will recover reimbursable expenses exceeding $5 million. In the process of data collection over 12GB of data was collected, photographic and scanned etc. Innovative ideas were used and will be explained.

Presented by: Michael Naughton, Supervisor – Town of Huntington Highway Department

2:30

Wrap-Up

Here is the information for vendors wishing to display:

Brookhaven National Laboratory Product Demonstration Guidelines 

The following procedures and information is for Vendors Inquiring about demonstration space at Brookhaven National Laboratory:

• Reservations for Vendor space in Berkner Hall-Building 488 is done through the conference office by:

Ruth Comas

P.O. Box 5000, Building 488

Upton, NY 11973

Phone 344-3545 fax 344-2069 cell phone 828-9502

Email comas@bnl.gov

• Two eight foot tables with cloths will be provided
• The demonstration Fee is $172.10; additional tables are $24.50 each. Payments should be made out to BSA and must be received prior to vendor demonstrations or on the day of the event. If pre-mailing a payment send payment to the attention of Ruth Comas at the above address. Limited Packages may be shipped ahead of time with prior approval. Storage of large boxes is not available.
• The vendor must provide all supplies required for the demonstrations i.e. power cords and other necessary supplies. All brochures and debris are to be removed at the conclusion of the demonstration.
• Vendors may set up from 9am till 11 am. Traffic is heaviest from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm.
• All demonstrators need Photo ID to gain access on site. Please email Ruth Comas with the demonstrators’ names and security will be notified. Visitors who are not US Citizens may not be able to enter the site.
• A Small banner may be hung up in the lobby area during the product demonstration.

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Read more about the meeting here.

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On May 11, 2011 at the LIGIS Conference Bill will do a presentation that will provide examples of the integration of GIS/GPS cameras and digital pen solutions for feature data capture and access in the field. Inexpensive and easy to use field data capture solutions eliminate the technology boundaries. They provide a good fit for GIS professionals for the requirements for public works, planning departments, appraisers, emergency responders and operational managers and associated support personnel – many who have no background in technology. These solutions provide for the daily tasks of departments and agencies workflow requirements and can provide critical information to help in time of emergency response to help save lives and property.

Bill Timmons 520-991-0727, director@gisservices.net

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“The Use of Modeling to Optimize the Implementation of Transit Signal Priority in Lower Manhattan”

Mark Yedlin
Director of Simulation Modeling Services
Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.

Summary:

This presentation describes a modeling effort to resolve important issues for New York City’s first implementation of Transit Signal Priority (TSP) to expedite buses using its new wireless communication system (NYCWiN). Based on results of this modeling, the implementation will be operational later this year along a complex traffic corridor in Lower Manhattan running from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, through the Financial District, Chinatown, and Lower East Side. An extensive field data collection effort was employed to model all vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle, and double-parked traffic within the corridor.

The presentation will identify the objectives and preliminary results of this modeling and focus on the data collection and manipulation activities as well as model development, calibration and validation.

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