GPS and total station surveys

project: 'Remembering': Victims, Survivors and Commemoration in Post-conflict Northern Ireland

Grant Holder: Dr Martin Melaugh
This section within the CAIN Web site (cain.ulster.ac.uk) contains an extensive on-line digital Archive of source materials and information on the topics of victims, survivors and commemoration in Northern Ireland. Information contained in the Archive helps to document the process by which society in Northern Ireland has so far addressed these complex issues and will be of interest not only to an academic audience but also to policy makers, non-governmental organisations, community leaders and others. [read more]

tool: GDAL

Purpose: 

Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL) is a translator library for vector and raster geospatial data formats that is released under an X/MIT style Open Source license by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation.

Features: 

• supports over 40 different raster formats
• available for other applications to use
• prebuilt utilities

A&H use case 1 description: 
“A Vision of Britain through Time” project has used GDAL to ensure that every geo-tiff had a corresponding world file containing its geographical data which was used together with the ordinary tiff to re-create the geo-tiff once all image processing operations were complete.
Publisher: 
Open Source Geospatial Foundation
Creator: 
Frank Warmerdam
Data capture: 
Geophysical survey
GPS and total station surveys
Manual input and transcription
Specifications: 
JPEG
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)
C++
ANSI C
JPEG2000
GeoTIFF
SDTS
ECW
MrSID
DTED
NITF
ESRI Shapefiles
PostGIS
Mapinfo mid/mif
TAB
GML
KML
JFIF
Suite: 
FWTools
Software/programming languages used: 
GDAL
Data structuring and enhancement: 
Geo-referencing and projection
Tags: 
GIS
Geo-referencing and projection
Visualisation
Geospatial data
Licence: 
X11/MIT License
lifecycleStage: 
publishing
Platform: 
All major operating systems
By Valentina Asciutti at Thu, 17/06/2010 - 11:12

project: Digital Atlas of Roman and Medieval Civilization (DARMC)

Grant Holder:
The Digital Atlas of Roman and Medieval Civilization (DARMC) makes freely available on the internet the best available materials for a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approach to mapping and spatial analysis of the Roman and medieval worlds. DARMC allows innovative spatial and temporal analyses of all aspects of the civilizations of western Eurasia in the first 1500 years of our era, as well as the generation of original maps illustrating differing aspects of ancient and medieval civilization. [read more]

tool: ERDAS Imagine

Purpose: 

ERDAS Imagine is a suite of geospatial authoring software. The suite contains a raster graphics editor and remote sensing application that performs advanced remote sensing analysis and spatial modelling to create new information. ERDAS IMAGINE can also visualize results in 2D, 3D, movies, and on cartographic quality map compositions.

Features: 

• Image Analysis, Remote Sensing & GIS
• Parallel Batch Processing
• Spatial Modeling
• High Performance Mosaicking Engine in IMAGINE Advantage
• Expanded Change Detection Tools (with Zonal Change Detection)
• ERDAS ER Mapper Algorithms
• Converts over 190 Image Formats to all Major File Formats, including GeoTIFF, NITF, CADRG, JPEG, JPEG2000, ECW and MrSID
• Implements Comprehensive OGC Web Processing Service (WPS), Web Coverage Service (WCS), Web Mapping Service (WMS) and Catalog Services for the Web (CS-W)

A&H use case 1 description: 
The North Sea Palaeolandscapes project used ERDAS Imagine to analyse 3D seismic datasets acquired on the United Kingdom continental shelf and explore Late Quaternary and Holocene geology over the area of the Southern North Sea.
Publisher: 
Earth Resource Data Analysis System (ERDAS)
Creator: 
Earth Resource Data Analysis System (ERDAS)
Software/programming languages used: 
ERDAS Imagine
Data capture: 
Remote sensing
GPS and total station surveys
Specifications: 
Javascript
HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
JPEG
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)
Java
C
Ajax frameworks
J2EE
Erdas Macro Language (EML)
Communication and collaboration: 
Resource sharing
Video-based interaction (asynchronous)
Suite: 
ERDAS Imagine
Discipline: 
Archaeology
Classics and Ancient History
History
Data analysis: 
Content analysis
Overlaying
Visualisation
Statistical analysis
Data publishing and dissemination: 
Desktop publishing and pre-press
Tags: 
GIS
Remote sensing
Geospatial technology
Raster image
multispectral images
Strategy and project management: 
Documentation
Human factors analysis
Practice-led research: 
2d illustration
3d modelling - vector
Alternate tool(s): 

SPRING, Virtual Terrain Project (VTP),

Data structuring and enhancement: 
2d modelling - raster
2d modelling - vector
Animation
3d modelling - interactive
3d modelling - vector
Geo-referencing and projection
Licence: 
commercial
Platform: 
All major operating systems
lifecycleStage: 
creation
structuring
analysis
publishing
By natalie.hutchinson at Mon, 29/03/2010 - 10:22

tool: ArcGIS

Purpose: 

ArcGIS is a suite of software that comprises of Desktop GIS, Server GIS, Mobile GIS, and Online GIS. ArcGIS is a platform for building a complete geographic information system (GIS) that lets you easily create, edit, and analyse geographic knowledge on the desktop; publish data, maps, globes and models to a GIS server and/or share them online; and use them on the desktop, on the Web, or in the field.

Features: 

• View and query maps
• Manipulate shapefiles and geodatabases
• Data manipulation, editing and analysis
• Mobile device enabled

A&H use case 1 description: 
ArcGIS was used in the Mapping Medieval Chester project to integrate geographical and literary mappings of the medieval city using cartographic and textual sources and using these to understand more how urban landscapes in the Middle Ages were interpreted and navigated by local inhabitants.
A&H use case 2 description: 
ArcGIS was used in the Troodos Archaeological and Environmental Survey Project to investigate the relationship between people and their environment, from the Neolithic period to the present day on the island of Cyprus. ArcGIS was used to gather, analyse and map geomorphological data.
Publisher: 
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
Creator: 
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
Data capture: 
Geophysical survey
GPS and total station surveys
Specifications: 
eXtensible Markup Language (XML)
HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
Java
Microsoft's .NET Framework
COM
Visual Basic
TCP/IP
Unified Modelling Language (UML)
Visual C++
Delphi
Data publishing and dissemination: 
Disk publishing
Desktop publishing and pre-press
Collaborative publishing
Resource sharing
Communication and collaboration: 
Audio-visual interaction (synchronous)
Resource sharing
Graphical interaction (synchronous)
Software/programming languages used: 
ArcGIS
Discipline: 
Archaeology
Data analysis: 
Collating
Indexing
Content analysis
Overlaying
Visualisation
Spatial data analysis
Data structuring and enhancement: 
Cataloguing and indexing
2d modelling - raster
2d modelling - vector
3d modelling - interactive
3d modelling - vector
Geo-referencing and projection
Graphical rendering
Alternate tool(s): 

GRASS (Geographic Analysis Support System) GIS, ThinkGeo

Tags: 
GIS
Geospatial computing
Geospatial technology
Strategy and project management: 
Documentation
Practice-led research: 
3d modelling - vector
Platform: 
All major operating systems
lifecycleStage: 
creation
structuring
analysis
publishing
Licence: 
commercial
Suite: 
ArcGIS
By natalie.hutchinson at Mon, 29/03/2010 - 10:08

tool: Mercury Amira

Purpose: 

Mercury Amira is a multifaceted tool that allows for integration, manipulation, and visualisation of large sets of data. Automatic and interactive segmentation tools support processing of 3D image data.

Features: 

• One platform for visualizing, analyzing and presenting
• Very large data sets are easily accessible with specific readers
• C++ coding wizard for technical extension and customization

A&H use case 1 description: 
Amira was used on the North Sea Palaeolandscapes project to visualise and analyse the vast amounts of data that were collected.
Publisher: 
Visage Imaging GmbH
Creator: 
Mercury Software Systems
Data publishing and dissemination: 
Desktop publishing and pre-press
Specifications: 
C++
Communication and collaboration: 
Graphical interaction (asynchronous)
Data analysis: 
Content analysis
Image segmentation
Visualisation
Spatial data analysis
lifecycleStage: 
structuring
analysis
publishing
Discipline: 
Archaeology
History
Visual Arts
Data capture: 
2d scanning and photography
3d scanning
Geophysical survey
GPS and total station surveys
Data structuring and enhancement: 
2d modelling - raster
2d modelling - vector
3d modelling - interactive
3d modelling - vector
Geo-referencing and projection
Virtual world modelling
Tags: 
Visualisation
3d data capture
2d imaging
3d imaging
Strategy and project management: 
Documentation
Alternate tool(s): 

Avizo

Practice-led research: 
2d graphic design
2d illustration
3d graphic design
3d modelling - vector
Image manipulation
Platform: 
All major operating systems
Software/programming languages used: 
Mercury Amira
Licence: 
commercial
By natalie.hutchinson at Fri, 19/03/2010 - 12:21

tool: Google Earth

Purpose: 

Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographic information program that was originally called EarthViewer 3D, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a company acquired by Google in 2004.
It maps the Earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite imagery, aerial photography and GIS 3D globe.

Features: 

• Editable and customisable maps
• Simplified touring with audio and voice recording
• Different layers
• 3D buildings
• Save and share maps

A&H use case 1 description: 
The “Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania” project has used Google Earth to map data relating to Greek and Latin inscriptions from Roman Tripolitania onto Google Earth maps.
Creator: 
Keyhole, Inc
Publisher: 
Google
Specifications: 
Bitmap (BMP)
Keyhole Markup Language (KML)
KML-Zipped (KMZ)
Web Mapping Service (WMS)
GPS data
Arcview Header (HDR)
Alias Pix
Portable Anymap (PNM)
Data capture: 
Geophysical survey
GPS and total station surveys
Data analysis: 
Spatial data analysis
Software/programming languages used: 
Google Earth
Suite: 
Google
Data structuring and enhancement: 
Geo-referencing and projection
Alternate tool(s): 

Bing Maps Platform, Bhuvan

Tags: 
GIS
geography
3D
Geospatial technology
Platform: 
Microsoft Windows
Linux
Mac OS X
Licence: 
commercial
lifecycleStage: 
publishing
By Valentina Asciutti at Tue, 02/02/2010 - 17:25

tool: ArcView

Purpose: 

A software application for creating, manipulating and analysing GIS (Geographic Information System) data. ArcView may be used to create geographic maps, manipulate spatial features, analyse attributes and characteristics, and visualise spatial information in an understandable form. Current versions of the software enable the user to import and manipulate several content types in a spatial environment, including demographic information, CAD designs, still images and other types of content.

Features: 

• Integrated query-building functionality to interrogate a dataset in order to answer research questions. For example, distance measurement, feature location
• Availability of map templates to create a consistent layout and appearance.
• Plug-in support that allows use of first-party and third-party extensions to perform tasks unsupported in the base installation of the software. E.g. raster geo-processing and three-dimensional analysis.

A&H use case 1 description: 
‘Predicting the location of hominid sites in Africa and Asia’ project has used the software to geo-reference a dataset of locations in Africa and Asia, in order to assess the relationship between bone collagen preservation and geographic location of archaeological sites.
Publisher: 
ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute)
Data analysis: 
Spatial data analysis
Specifications: 
Surfer (ASCII & binary) data format
JPEG
Windows Enhanced MetaFile (EMF)
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)
Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
Portable Document Format (PDF)
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)
Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)
Bitmap (BMP)
ESRI Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
polyline
polygon
floating GRID
Adobe Illustrator (AI)
Software/programming languages used: 
ArcView
Suite: 
ArchGIS
Data capture: 
Geophysical survey
GPS and total station surveys
Tags: 
GIS
Data structuring and enhancement: 
Geo-referencing and projection
Licence: 
commercial
lifecycleStage: 
creation
structuring
analysis
publishing
Platform: 
Microsoft Windows
By Valentina Asciutti at Wed, 20/01/2010 - 11:47

project: Mapping Medieval Chester

Grant Holder: Dr Catherine Clarke
The project asks questions about Chester as a city on the (often troubled) border between England and Wales, and about how different medieval inhabitants imagined and represented the urban space around them. [read more]

project: Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania

Grant Holder:
This is the republication of a volume of almost 1,000 inscriptions (almost all in Latin) of the Roman period from Tripolitania (Libya): the original volume was published in 1952, but with very little illustration, and very sketchy maps. This re-edition makes no alterations to the academic content. The new elements are that it includes photographs of almost all the texts, and it maps the data onto the map of Libya in Google Maps or Google Earth. [read more]

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