3D Britain Becoming Reality Thanks To University
30th May 2009
A new digital 3D map of the whole of Britain is being created - thanks
to the expertise of staff and students at Bath Spa University.
The team from Bath Spa University's School of Science and the
Environment, have developed new ways to produce more accurate mapping
and 3D visualisations from aerial photography more quickly and at a
lower cost than ever before.
The work, involving Bath Spa students led by academic staff
Alexander Koh and Christos Piperagkas, will lead to improved technology
in a range of applications from satellite navigation to TV weather
forecasting.
It's the result of a three-year partnership between Bath Spa
University and the UK's leading provider of aerial photography and
digital mapping, Getmapping LLP. The University obtained a Knowledge
Transfer Partnership grant of approximately £200,000 from the
Department of Trade and Industry and Getmapping to carry out the
project.
Alexander Koh, Principal Lecturer in Remote Sensing and Geographic
Information at the University, has also collaborated with Getmapping to
devise a new type of camera for capturing oblique aerial photography.
Known as the Azicam, it is the first to capture multiple images of
buildings using a single camera from an oblique angle. Specialist
software enables this imagery to be used to measure building heights
and area and even create 3D models.
Oblique aerial photography is already being used by about a dozen
councils to help with surveying and town planning. It will also be
invaluable for all the emergency and security services in future,
including police, fire and ambulance.
The Bath Spa University students have also carried out research and
development for a new national project called the People's Map. Several
councils so far, including Bath and North East Somerset Council, are
adopting it to re-draw and update the digital map of their own local
area.
All this work forms part of the students' Geographic Information
Systems degree course, having been incorporated into their modules and
assessment exercises. It has also led to work placements during the
course and jobs for many of them after graduation.
Chris Mewse, who graduated from Bath Spa University in 2006 with a
degree in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information now heads up
product development at Getmapping. He is one of five ex-students from
the course now employed by the company.
Chris Mewse said: "What the students are doing is creating better
mapping systems that can be used for many different applications by
many different people -ranging from a driver or a bobby on the beat to
an insurer measuring risk of flooding from rising sea levels."
Bath Spa University Principal Lecturer Alexander Koh said: "This
partnership means that our students are getting experience of real life
projects rather than from something we dream up. Getmapping and the DTI
have helped us by paying for the technology and data, while the
University has helped create the products."
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