Twitter
RSS
Facebook
LinkedIn
Delicious
A new world of digital 3D imagery has been opened up to Australian businesses, following a landmark partnership between Esri Australia subsidiary MapData Services (MDS) and 3D imagery experts earthmine Australia.
The alliance will see online data mapping specialists MDS - which is renowned for developing online maps and mobile apps for companies such as Woolworths, Caltex and NAB - introduce a powerful new 3D street level imagery capability to their portfolio.
The technology will also be available to Esri Australia clients through the partnership.
MDS General Manager Cassandra Barker said the partnership heralded the future of organisational data management and analysis in Australia.
“Managing information from a geographic, map-based perspective has become common place in today’s business environment - but user expectations have grown beyond flat, 2D imagery,” Ms Barker said.
“Through MDS’ partnership with earthmine Australia, we can create a compelling ‘real-life’ digital experience that transports the user into a dynamic virtual world.
“For a staff member in a government department, this could mean performing audits on council assets - such trees or roads - from their computer, without having to make a trip into the field.
“For retailers - it could mean providing customers with an ‘augmented reality’ mobile app that creates a highly personalised, cutting-edge shopping experience.
“Real estate agents could use the technology to virtually show prospective buyers around properties and neighbourhoods - without actually leaving the office.
“The implications of this partnership are enormous - and as the nation’s leading digital mapping specialists, we are eager to start delivering this capability to Australian businesses.”
earthmine Australia CEO Peter Markham said the partnership would enable MDS to deliver highly accurate, panoramic street level 3D imagery of suburbs, cities and states Australia-wide.
“Businesses will be able to collect their own data - or tap into our library of pre-existing 3D street level imagery to create a visual experience unlike any other,” Mr Markham said.
“Through our partnership with MDS, we are looking forward to delivering an exciting new approach for managing and visualising assets that will benefit many Australian organisations.”
Unlike other imagery software solutions in the market, the end-to-end earthmine solution has plug ins for seamless integration with major Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, including AutoCAD and the world-leading Esri ArcGIS platform.
“GIS professionals will now be able to view their spatial data and analysis in the context of the real world,” said Ms Barker.
“Users can easily navigate their geodatabase in 3D and layer spatial information on top of vivid real-world imagery to achieve a new and incredibly detailed perspective of a situation.”
Ms Barker said the onset of location-aware 3D technology was coming at the right time for progressive Australian businesses - many of which are already leveraging location-based technology.
“Thousands of organisations across the country already use mapping in their day to day business - whether it’s to provide store locations to customers, or manage their assets or analyse their data,” said Ms Barker.
“Australian businesses are ready to take it to the next level - and the team at MDS is keen to start adding that third dimension to traditional digital applications.”
Esri Australia Managing Director Brett Bundock said through this new 3D offering, MDS would further grow its position as digital mapping gurus.
“MDS has a rich history in digital mapping and has maintained a comfortable position as leader’s in their field for more than 15 years.
“As part of the Esri Australia group of companies, we have seen MDS grow its offering and establish a formidable market presence that belies their size.
“By adding 3D capabilities to their portfolio, I expect we will see this dynamic company continue to push the limits beyond what anyone thought possible in the online mapping space.”
