Latest news with #Esri
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Assessor makes case for GIS overhaul in county
Last week, when dispatchers pulled up their computer system to dispatch for an emergency, they were left in the dark with no information. The culprit? A crash to Crawford County's geographic information services (GIS), which provides information to the computer-aided dispatch system. Although the GIS system, known as Esri, has been crashing at maximum capacity, assessor and GIS tech Janet Courson didn't know its immediate implications. 'I did not realize how important that was to them until last week when they didn't have it,' she said at a work session with the county commissioners on Wednesday. 'Initially we were going to say let's just let it fix itself over the weekend hopefully, and then they said, no we can't do that, it needs fixed now.' The assessment office made its plea on Wednesday to ratify a $39,000 contract with Civic Vanguard, a company that would fix the GIS issues. It would be paid for with the budgeted $35,000 for GIS and some wireless funding, according to Commissioner Eric Henry. Courson explained the proposal for Civic Vanguard has two parts. The first addresses the infrastructure of the current GIS system and its fragility. GIS is a computer-based system that works using layers. Currently, the county has so many layers that the system is at capacity and cannot intake any information, causing it to time out and create issues. Civic Vanguard would simplify data and increase capacity. 'The other thing that they need to address is the fact that Esri is ending the current system that sets up all of our web apps,' Courson said. 'So the property search, the zoning, the election districts, everything will go away as of the second quarter of 2026 unless we migrate everything over to the new software they're providing, and we need help doing that.' Civic Vanguard would work with the information technology department to redo the servers, ensuring a seamless GIS system that handles their current infrastructure and will suit future needs. Henry seemed optimistic about the vote to ratify the expense, which will take place at Wednesday's meeting. 'We don't want to hesitate and want to make sure that you have your tools,' Henry said. 'We appreciate all the work you're doing.' Commissioners also heard from the planning office about the Construction Industry Workforce Program, in which high school students receive training from local companies, including Ferguson Construction Company, Vogt Heating & Cooling, and MG Electric Services. 'The first year that we did the training program, we had nine participants, two were juniors,' said Zachary Norwood, county planning director. 'Of the seven that were seniors, we retained five with employers who are still here today, working with their employers. The next round, or this current year's round, we had six folks, all six signed, all six are rotating here.' Commissioners will vote on reimbursing the companies that participated for training wages from the Whole Home Repair Program fund. During comments, commissioners noted they were in the process of hand-counting 2 percent of the election votes, as required, to certify that results are accurate. Hand-counting votes is more time-intensive and leads to mistakes, so if anything, the process exemplifies the value of electronic voting equipment, commissioners said. The next meeting will be held Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in the commissioners conference room in the courthouse.
Business Insider
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
A massive seaport in Texas is using an AI-powered digital replica to track ships and prepare for emergencies
The Port of Corpus Christi in Texas is among the United States' most important seaports. It's the country's third-largest port by tonnage, and it exports more US crude oil than any other domestic port. 2024 was a record year, with the port recording more than 200 million tons of shipments, 130 million of which were crude oil. Coordinating a port of this size is a huge logistical undertaking. To manage this challenge, the port commissioned the development of an AI-enhanced command-and-control software called the Overall Port Tactical Information System, or OPTICS. OPTICS is built on the Unity 3D engine, which creates a 3D digital twin — a virtual replica — of the port using real-world data. That real-world data is managed by Esri's ArcGIS, which can handle the large amounts of current and historical data needed to make this project possible. The result looks a bit like Google Earth but shows up-to-date information on the port's operations. "In the acronym OPTICS, tactical is meant in the sense of making smart business decisions informed by real-time information," Darrell Keach, the business systems manager at the Port of Corpus Christi, told Business Insider. "So, that's what we built." Tracking ships with machine learning All large commercial vessels have a transponder that broadcasts the vessel's identification, course, speed, and destination, among other information. But it isn't a real-time system — ships report their position intermittently every few seconds or minutes. "The frequency of updates we get from a transponder varies on a couple of factors," said Starr Long, the executive producer at The Acceleration Agency, which developed OPTICS for the Port of Corpus Christi. "When ships are at rest, we get updates about every four minutes. When they're moving, we can get updates about every two minutes." Long said gaps could be worsened by a switch between tracking systems. Ships outside radio communications relay tracking data over satellite but then switch to radio as they come into port. The transition can extend the interval between updates to about six minutes. Such gaps were incompatible with OPTICS' goal of creating a real-time overview of port operations. The digital replica wouldn't be very realistic if the virtual ships seemed to teleport between positions. The Acceleration Agency used machine learning to help solve this problem. Unlike traditional vessel tracking systems, which may appear to show ships skipping between update points, OPTICS uses an AI model — trained on about a year of ship movement data from the Port of Corpus Christi — to predict a ship's position. This allows a smoother, more realistic view of port operations at any given moment. Keach emphasized the safety implications of this improvement. Larger ships are "almost a thousand feet long, a hundred feet wide, and full of very flammable liquid," he said. "The margins are fairly narrow, so having as much data as possible for navigation is important." The Port of Corpus Christi also has ambitious plans for how this system could expand its scope. Keach said OPTICS' next development cycle would hopefully include vessel-crossing predictions that could anticipate and prevent collisions. Generative AI for emergency response training Many of the ships entering and exiting the Port of Corpus Christi carry hazardous cargo, but the port's infrastructure also has risks. In 2020, a dredging vessel operating in the port struck a liquid propane pipeline, causing a deadly explosion. The Port of Corpus Christi conducts emergency response exercises to prepare for events like this. As part of the deployment of OPTICS, the port wanted to create hypothetical events based on past incidents for training purposes. But this feature could conflict with federal security requirements if it were to reproduce past events with protected criminal justice information. To solve for that, The Acceleration Agency trained a large language model capable of generating situations that are similar to — but not exact reproductions of — real incidents. "What we did was take basically a year's worth of actual security incidents from the police department, like chemical spills, trespassing, vehicle collisions, and trained an LLM to generate synthetic events based on that history," Long explained. The use of AI-generated events, rather than real-life past events, offered another benefit that became clear during development and testing. Initially, the OPTICS software generated trainings that, in some ways, were too realistic. They presented trainees with a historically accurate ratio of noncritical to urgent scenarios — as a result, those trainings addressed fewer emergency incidents, which are relatively uncommon. So Long's team had OPTICS increase the frequency of emergency events. "We had to go back and tell it: 'No, don't do it for real. Do it much faster,'" Long said. The use of an LLM, which can process requests in natural language, simplified the creation and modification of the hypothetical events used for training. The future of port operations Keach said the Port of Corpus Christi's deployment of OPTICS, which started rolling out at the end of 2024, was just the start. He said the port's investment in OPTICS was happening alongside other infrastructure investments, such as weather sensors, cameras, and a private 5G network to serve port operations. OPTICS, which is used only by workers coordinating port traffic, might eventually aid the crews of ships coming into the port, Keach said. He added that OPTICS, equipment using augmented and virtual reality, high-tech sensors, and predictive AI could help ships navigate tough weather conditions, such as fog. Since the port uses third-party tools — Esri's ArcGIS platform and Unity's 3D engine — as the basis of its digital twin, deploying those applications would probably be less strenuous than if it used proprietary tech. These technologies provide the flexibility to add additional data and incorporate additional devices. Unity, for instance, already supports a range of devices, including smartphones and AR headsets.
Arabian Business
16-04-2025
- Arabian Business
How Uzbekistan is using satellite tech to fix one of the world's worst water crises
Uzbekistan stands at a crossroad in its water management journey – one where the challenges are as immense as the opportunities. Bordered by deserts and dependent on a legacy irrigation system, the nation has spent decades striving to make every drop count. But now, one unlikely alliance is doing something extraordinary – and the rest of the world might just want to pay attention. Welcome to Uzbekistan's most ambitious water management revolution yet, where GIS (Geographic Information Systems), satellites, and artificial intelligence are being deployed not just to monitor water – but to transform how it's consumed, managed, and conserved. At the heart of this seismic shift is Uzbekspace, the national agency that's teamed up with global geospatial giant Esri to digitise, optimise, and ultimately reimagine how Uzbekistan uses its most precious natural resource. From buckets to bytes For decades, Uzbekistan's irrigation system relied on guesswork. Farmers worked with outdated maps, manual estimates, and a hope-for-the-best approach to water scheduling. It wasn't sustainable, and the cracks were showing. Enter the Water Resource Management Project, powered by Esri's suite of tools – ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise, and ArcGIS Field Maps. The project uses satellite imagery, AI, and remote sensing to monitor real-time water use, pinpoint stress zones, and drive smarter decision-making from the field to the ministry. 'In times of ecological upheaval and global warming, it is especially important for our region to focus on the rational use of water resources, optimising their utilisation by reducing water consumption and increasing water productivity. We believe that remote sensing (RS) and GIS technologies, enhanced by AI, will help us establish a monitoring and water management system at a fundamentally new level – where the key factor will no longer be water supply metrics but rather water consumption indicators,' says Mukhiddin Ibragimov, Vice Director at Uzbekspace. Real results, real fast The results have been swift and significant. With smart irrigation scheduling now in play, water wastage has been dramatically reduced – ensuring that every drop is used more efficiently. At the same time, precision-driven water management is boosting crop yields, a win not just for farmers but for the broader economy. Perhaps most critically, the rollout of a unified GIS platform has brought together farmers, agronomists, and government officials like never before, aligning everyone around a common set of real-time insights and shared goals. This isn't just about tech. It's about delivering impact where it counts: in the fields, at the policy table, and in the lives of people who depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Esri's global vision, local impact ' Water scarcity is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and innovative geospatial solutions are key to tackling it. Through this collaboration, Esri is empowering Uzbekspace with cutting-edge GIS and AI-driven analytics to optimise water use, enhance agricultural productivity, and drive sustainability. This project is a testament to how location intelligence can revolutionise resource management, not just in Uzbekistan, but in water-stressed regions worldwide,' said Sohail ElAbd, Director, Esri. It's a lofty claim, but not without merit. The success of the project so far has already turned heads across Central Asia. With plans to layer in meteorological data and scale the model nationwide, this could be just the beginning. A model for the future In the words of Ibragimov, 'By implementing satellite-based evapotranspiration monitoring across regions of Uzbekistan, we have shifted the focus from water supply estimates to actual water consumption data. This breakthrough enables a more precise understanding of irrigation efficiency, allowing us to optimise resource allocation and support sustainable agriculture. Leveraging AI-powered geospatial analysis, we are setting a new standard for data-driven water management that can be expanded nationwide.' One where technology, policy, and human ingenuity come together to protect not just crops – but a way of life.
Globe and Mail
10-04-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Geospatial Artificial Intelligence Market Revenue Expected to Double – Reaching $64.6 Billion by 2030
"Geospatial Artificial Intelligence Market Research Report by Arizton" According to Arizton's latest research report, the geospatial artificial intelligence market is growing at a CAGR of 9.25% during 2024-2030. Report Scope: Market Size (2030): USD 64.60 Billion Market Size (2024): USD 38 Billion CAGR (2024-2030): 9.25% Historic Year: 2021-2023 Base Year: 2024 Forecast Year: 2025-2030 Rapid Growth of the Geospatial AI (GeoAI) Market The Geospatial AI (GeoAI) market is expanding rapidly, fueled by technological advancements, environmental challenges, and shifting consumer demands. GeoAI integrates AI technologies like machine learning with geographic data from satellites and maps to provide real-time insights for better decision-making. In 2024, the USGS collaborated with Esri and NASA to launch GeoAI tools for tracking wildfires and land changes, encouraging further public and private investment. Industry leaders such as Hexagon AB and Airbus have developed sector-specific GeoAI tools, including mining dashboards and real-time deforestation monitors. Esri enhanced its ArcGIS Urban tool with AI features to help urban planners simulate city development. Businesses are also leveraging GeoAI—Orbital Insight helped a U.S. retailer boost store performance by 22% through foot traffic analysis. GeoAI's growing applications in emergency response, urban planning, retail, and environmental monitoring are driving its importance across industries. With ongoing innovation and rising adoption, the market is set for strong growth in 2025 and beyond. Cloud-Based Deployment Gaining Momentum in the GeoAI Market Cloud-based deployment is rapidly gaining traction in the Geospatial AI (GeoAI) market due to its scalability, lower upfront costs, and global accessibility. These solutions allow users to process and analyze vast amounts of spatial data without the need for extensive on-premises infrastructure. Leveraging distributed computing, cloud platforms support real-time analytics, satellite image processing, and predictive modeling, making them ideal for applications in government, urban planning, environmental monitoring, logistics, defense, and agriculture. The integration of machine learning and deep learning algorithms enhances capabilities such as object detection, land classification, and disaster response. As satellite and IoT data availability increases, cloud-native AI tools offer greater flexibility, speed, and cost efficiency. Additionally, cloud deployment fosters seamless collaboration across teams and geographies—critical for large-scale geospatial projects—further cementing its role as a preferred choice for modern GeoAI applications. Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook of the GeoAI Market The GeoAI market is moderately concentrated, with increasing competition among global tech giants, regional players, and startups. Demand from sectors such as urban planning, defense, and agriculture is driving innovation in AI-powered spatial tools. Leaders like Esri, Google, and Trimble leverage advanced analytics and global reach, while regional vendors focus on specialized solutions and strong support to stay competitive. Although AI advancements and open-source data have lowered entry barriers, they also risk market fragmentation. An influx of startups—some lacking in domain expertise or data validation—could lead to unreliable models, particularly in critical fields like disaster response or defense, impacting user trust. Looking ahead, the market is moving toward next-gen technologies such as edge computing, AI-enhanced satellite sensing, and cloud-native platforms. Companies are prioritizing scalable, real-time, and automated geospatial solutions, with Esri and Google making efforts to build intelligent, integrated GeoAI ecosystems. GeoAI Market Companies Esri Hexagon AB Maxar Technologies Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.) Microsoft Corporation IBM Trimble Inc. Autodesk, Inc. Bentley Systems, Incorporated Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) Airbus Planet Labs PBC Orbital Insight, Inc. Descartes Labs, Inc. Satellogic Inc. Palantir Technologies Inc. Blue Sky Analytics Sparkgeo GeoIQ 1Spatial Agronomeye AiDash Alcis Holdings Ltd. Anditi ASTERRA Atlas AI P.B.C. Mapbox, Inc. TomTom HERE Technologies CARTO L3Harris Technologies, Inc. TerraGo Blue Marble Geographics Northrop Grumman Corporation Market Segmentation Deployment Mode Cloud-based On-premises Data Model Vector Data Raster Data Others Component Software Hardware Services Technology Machine Learning Computer Vision Big Data Analytics Deep Learning (DL) Natural Language Processing (NLP) Others End Users Enterprise Individual Enterprise Government & Public Sector Agriculture & Forestry Energy & Utilities Transportation & Logistics Defense & Security Others Geography North America The U.S. Canada Europe The U.K. Germany France Russia Spain Italy Denmark Norway Poland APAC China India Japan South Korea Australia Singapore Malaysia Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia The UAE South Africa The Arizton Advisory & Intelligence market research report provides valuable market insights for industry stakeholders, investors, researchers, consultants, and business strategists aiming to understand the geospatial artificial intelligence market thoroughly. Request for Free Sample to get a glance at the report now: What Key Findings Will Our Research Analysis Reveal? How big is the global geospatial artificial intelligence market? What is the growth rate of the global geospatial artificial intelligence market? Who are the key players in the global geospatial artificial intelligence market? What are the significant trends in the geospatial artificial intelligence market? Which region dominates the global geospatial artificial intelligence market share? Generative AI in Software Development Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2025 – 2030 Global AI In Healthcare Market - Focused Insight 2024-2029 Why Arizton? 100% Customer Satisfaction 24x7 availability – we are always there when you need us 200+ Fortune 500 Companies trust Arizton's report 80% of our reports are exclusive and first in the industry 100% more data and analysis 1500+ reports published till date Post-Purchase Benefit 1hr of free analyst discussion 10% off on customization About Us: Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovative and quality-driven firm that offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients worldwide. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services. We offer comprehensive market research reports on consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals, materials, I.T. and media, logistics, and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts. Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Esri Helps Bring Up-to-Date Road Closure Information To Consumer Mapping Apps
ArcGIS Users Can Provide Road Closure Data to Apple Maps and TomTom to Help Improve Travel for Motorists REDLANDS, Calif., April 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Esri, the global leader in GIS technology and location intelligence, has enhanced its popular Community Maps Program to make sharing of road closures much easier with the Road Closures solution. This new solution in Esri's ArcGIS, the leading and most comprehensive geospatial platform, bridges the gap between government agencies managing timely road updates and the public, who rely on mapping apps for real-time navigation. Thousands of Esri's ArcGIS software users — including state and local governments and national mapping agencies — create and share authoritative, accurate road data through the Esri Community Maps Program, and now they can share live road closure data as well. Esri ArcGIS users can now easily share road closure updates directly with consumer mapping providers including Apple Maps and TomTom, so they can update their maps with this important information. "Through the Esri Community Maps Program, we've been assembling authoritative data about city infrastructure from the ArcGIS community for over a decade," said Deane Kensok, chief technology officer for ArcGIS content at Esri. "We're delighted to expand the program to include road closure data and help our user community make this critical information more easily accessible to consumer mapping providers that we're working with so it can reach the most people." One of the key highlights of this solution is its simplicity and ease of use. The Road Closures solution provides a low-friction experience that enables governments of all sizes to easily map, manage, and communicate road closures, hazards, and detours related to special events, construction, emergencies, and other traffic disruptions. All current ArcGIS users have access to this functionality at no additional cost. "Using the Community Maps Program and the Road Closures solution changes how our city handles road closures, making it easier for everyone in our city government to share information about road problems," said Jim Alberque, GIS and emerging technology manager for the City of Raleigh, North Carolina. "The process of putting in data is simple and familiar, so lots of different city staff can help. By gathering data from different parts of the city and sharing it with consumer mapping applications right away, we'll give our residents better info to get around safely and quickly." The Road Closures solution is one of many ready-to-use solutions included with ArcGIS. These industry-specific solutions help organizations leverage GIS to improve operations, gain new insights, and enhance the services they provide. To learn more about Esri's Road Closures solution, visit About Esri Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in hundreds of thousands of organizations globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial technology and analytics, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions that leverage a geographic approach to solving some of the world's most complex problems by placing them in the crucial context of location. Visit us at Copyright © 2025 Esri. All rights reserved. Esri, the Esri globe logo, ArcGIS, The Science of Where, and @ are trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of their respective mark owners. View source version on Contacts Jo Ann PruchniewskiPublic Relations, EsriMobile: 301-693-2643Email: jpruchniewski@ Sign in to access your portfolio
