Hexagon Geospatial is invested in the future of the geospatial industry, and our education customers play a big role in our investment. That is why we continue to boost education initiatives offering students and professors partnership opportunities, programs, and grants for academic projects to expand learning. As one of these initiatives, we held a Geospatial EDU Contest for HxGN LIVE 2018. We started this contest with the goal of engaging some of the brightest geospatial minds to discover how they are using our software to shape smart change in the world.
Although there could only be one winner, we had a special contest honorable mention that we would like to spotlight – Javier Nunez-Villalba, Director, Geographical Research Institute (IIGEO) of the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA).
Read Javier’s submission to learn more about how he is using Hexagon Geospatial technology in his research. You can also watch Javier’s presentation on our website.
Javier’s Abstract:
GeoVisor UMSA is a university GeoPortal of the Geographical Research Institute (IIGEO) of the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA). The GeoPortal serves for the spatial monitoring of disasters and risks through satellite images. The technology used is Hexagon Geospatial’s ERDAS APOLLO for administration and processing of satellite images in the GeoPortal. The methodology consists, first, in the acquisition of satellite images. The forms of image acquisition are through the International Charter on “Space and Major Disasters,” dependent on the United Nations (UN-SPIDER), the Bolivian Space Agency, COPERNICUS, and others that are activated in disaster situations. The last disaster activation was made in February 2018 for Bolivia. After the acquisition of the images, the second step is the processing of the images with ERDAS IMAGE. The laboratory of the IIGEO has 20 computers with 3D monitors and stereoscopic video cards that also serve as photogrammetric stations. The third step consists of uploading the images to the server through the ERDAS APOLLO Data Manager. In this part we have one team of professionals and students: computer scientists, geographers and geomatics. This team oversees setting up the servers for the storage of the images, of creating algorithms for the processing in ERDAS APOLLO, standardization of data and metadata. The students of the university are the first testers who evaluate the quality of the raised information and then show it to the community. The decision-makers, the civil defense ministries, the municipals and their emergency response offices are the target audience. Both undergraduate and graduate students use the GeoPortal as a tool for their thesis.
Again, we would like to congratulate Javier on his hard work and for his innovation in the use of Hexagon Geospatial technology.
