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Summit Evolution
Z-Map
MERCATOR
ENVI

 

Summit Evolution

Overview

The SUMMIT EVOLUTION digital photogrammetric workstation is a user-friendly system for performing 3D feature collection directly into AutoCAD, MicroStation, or ArcGIS.

The SUMMIT EVOLUTION system allows for easy management of multiple model images along with their appropriate camera and control files in a project-based environment. Quick and efficient stereoscopic orientation of the models is performed using either interior, relative, and absolute orientation or by employing exterior orientation data.

Feature data collection is achieved with DAT/EM CAPTURE and DAT/EM STEREO CAPTURE, our industry-leading stereoplotter interfaces. Further batch file editing can be performed using DAT/EM's MAP/EDITOR software. The data capture software and MAP/EDITOR are included with SUMMIT EVOLUTION.
SUMMIT EVOLUTION presents frame camera images in three dimensions while compiling directly into AutoCAD, MicroStation, or ArcGIS. Additionally, SUMMIT EVOLUTION's compatibility extends to our GeoToolbox partner INPHO's digital terrain modeling product, MATCH-T. Included are seamless functions to interact with aerotriangulation software PATB, Albany, Aerosys, and BINGO.

Further development for interconnectivity with other software packages continues.

Summit Evolution - Feature Highlight

  • Projects for aerial, close range, satellite, IFSAR, and orthophoto imagery 
  • DAT/EM CAPTURE interface for AutoCAD and MicroStation
  • STEREO CAPTURE for ArcGIS interface to ArcGIS
  • Subpixel functionality
  • Frame sequential imaging
  • Compatibility with color or grayscale images
  • Ability to display color as grayscale
  • Project-based user interface
  • Active project overview
  • Real-time panning and zooming
  • On-the-fly epipolar resampling
  • Auto interior/auto relative orientations
  • Import third-party aerotriangulation results
  • Stereo SUPER/IMPOSITION of vectorized 3D data
  • Stereo SUPER/IMPOSITION clip scope
  • Stereo model bird's-eye view
  • Stereo close-up view
  • Customizeable toolbars and CAD buttons
  • 3 panning modes
  • 3 viewing modes
  • OpenGL for image rendering
  • User-definable cursors
  • Snap and align - to ground function
  • File import wizard
  • DEM terrain following
  • CAD command view and CAD tool bar

Features
Software Features - Project Management

Summit Evolution 's project-based information management employs Microsoft-compliant windows and dialogue boxes that provide easy access to any location on any model.


... Microsoft-compliant windows and dialogue boxes that provide easy access to any location on any model.

SUMMIT EVOLUTION provides the user with tools to manage large bundle-adjusted projects as well as smaller projects consisting of single stereo pairs. Users can roam seamlessly throughout an entire bundle-adjusted project as well as a single stereo model.

Software Features - Orientation
SUMMIT EVOLUTION supports the standard orientation method of interior, relative, and absolute. It also provides exterior orientation, on-the-fly epipolar adjustments, importing aerotriangulation, and z indexing. SUMMIT EVOLUTION supports the following aerotriangulation packages: Albany, PATB, Aerosys, Phorex, BLUH and BINGO. In addtion, aerial, Leica ADS40 Airborne sensor, Z/I's DMC (Digital Mapping Camera), Satellite RPC (Rational Polynomial Coefficient), IFSAR (Inter Ferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) sensor, close range, and orthophoto projects are supported. The availability of interior, relative, and absolute orientation allows the easy transition of analytical stereoplotter operators to the digital photogrammetric workstation.

Interior Orientation: Interior orientation transforms scanned pixel coordinates into photo coordinates. SUMMIT EVOLUTION includes the option to perform either manual or automatic interior orientation. With automatic interior, a fiducial patch may only be measured one time per camera. This means that if all of your projects use the same camera, you'll never have to measure the fiducial patch again. Simply open the project and process with one click in the auto interior dialogue box.

Relative Orientation: Relative orientation aligns the two images of a stereo pair so that they can be viewed in stereo. This can be done with either manual or automatic relative orientation. The manual procedure is simple and easy to use, featuring an auto align command and other options that makes even the manual relative orientation into a semiautomatic process.

Absolute Orientation: Absolute orientation creates three-dimensional ground coordinates within relatively oriented stereo pairs.

Exterior Orientation: Exterior orientation creates three dimensional ground coordinates without the need to perform relative and absolute orientations. Exterior orientation works by importing exterior orientation parameters (X,Y,Z, omega, phi, kappa) from files such as those derived from the Applanix POS/AV system or from aerotriangulation packages.An import wizard provides easy access to a multitude of file formats.

Software Features - Subpixel


This representation does not accurately reflect the high level of image quality in Summit Evolution.

Summit Evolution improves vector data accuracy by removing pixel limitations. The system provides subpixel viewing functionality for measuring, dynamic zooming, and movement within pixels.

Software Features - Images
Image tiling is extremely quick,with real-time panning and zooming. With its ability to load only the parts of the image that are currently being viewed, SUMMIT EVOLUTION provides the same level of performance regardless of image size. SUMMIT E VOLUTION also has the same memory requirements regardless of how large an image (with images up to 2GB per file).Additionally, SUMMIT E VOLUTION offers on-the-fly image adjustments and histogram equalization.

SUMMIT EVOLUTION can use the following file formats, either directly or by converting them to a tiled GeoTif file format: Multi-image-tiled TIF and other TIF files, GeoTIF, ADS40 TIF, DMC TIF, JPG, BMP, SMTI format, TGA, TJP, PCX,ECW, with more file formats added with new releases.

Software Features - GUI Elements
SUMMIT EVOLUTION features customizable toolbars, menus, dockable bird's-eye and close-up views for quick reference of location within a model, and an easy-to-use project management window andproject overview tool.

Basic Hardware Configuration

PC Computer: Dell Precision 690 Workstation

  • Using dual PCI Express 16x video cards requires version with a riser card.                                  
  • Operating System: Windows XP® (latest service pack)
  • Processor: Intel® XeonT (Dual) with 3.0 GHz processor or higher
  • Memory: 2 GB of SDRAM
  • Hard Drive: 200 GB or larger hard drive (7,200 RPM speed)
  • Monitors: Two CRT Monitors of your choice, 20 inches or greater, capable of a refresh rate of 100Hz or greater.

Options:

(1.) The Secondary (Non-Stereo) monitor may be a CRT or LCD.
(2.) Planar would replace one CRT for stereo viewing. No ZScreen or active glasses are necessary.

 

  • CD-Rom: DVD drive
  • Ports: USB and serial ports to support hardware connections
  • Graphics Card: NVIDIA Quadro FX 3500

Software: Any AutoCAD 2002 series through 2006, MicroStation V8 Ver. 08.05.00.64 or above including 2004 Edition, ArcGIS 9.0 - 9.2

SOFTWARE:

  • Summit Evolution software
  • DAT/EM Capture software for MicroStation
  • DAT/EM Capture software for AutoCAD
  • STEREO CAPTURE for ArcGIS software
  • Map/Editor automated editing software
  • Super/Imposition software

APPROVED HIGH SPEED STEREO 3D GRAPHICS CARDS:

PCI Express:

  • NVIDIA Quadro FX 4600
  • NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500
  • NVIDIA Quadro FX 3500
  • NVIDIA Quadro FX 3400
  • NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400

AGP:

  • NVIDIA Quadro FX 1100

STEREO-VIEWING SYSTEMS:

  • NuVision 21" Stereoscopic Display Kit
    • NuVision Graphics Card Options
  • NuVision Wireless Stereoscopic Glasses (2 pairs and emitter)
    • NuVision Graphics Card Options
  • PLANAR 3D Desktop Monitor New! Click here for more information
    • Planar Graphics Card Options
  • Stereographics 'Monitor ZScreen 2000'
    • Stereographics Graphics Card Options
  • Stereographics 'CrystalEyes' (2 pairs and emitter)
    • Stereographics Graphics Card Options

INPUT DEVICES:

  • Immersion '3D SoftMouse Cursor'
  • Stealth 3D Mouse 'Emulation Version' S1 and S2
  • Stealth 3D Mouse 'Immersion Version' - no longer available
  • Stealth Z-Mouse 'USB Optical Version' S1 and S2
    • Stealth USB Driver
  • DAT/EM Dual X,Y Handwheels / Z Foot-disk
  • DAT/EM 252-Button Keypad
  • User documentation
  • One-year system support

* = At present, the 3DLabs Wildcat cards support the Intel® Xeon™ architecture. NOTE: Some older PC hardware configurations are compatible. Please check with Dat/em for questions about additional specifications.

DAT/EM recommends the Dual Intel® Xeon™ configuration

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Z-Map

Z-Map Foto is a modern software for cartographic data handling. It implements a photogrammetric multisensor digital system and combines raster informations with vectorial information in a efficient and productive way.

The system is the result of resources' mix:
• Decennary experience on photogrammetry softwares and metric instruments
• Continuous knowledge exchange with International Scientific Community and other Companies results
• Open Source major applications and projects

Starting by those assumptions Z-Map aims to transfer photogrammetric knowledge to a cartographic environment, typically GIS


Build DEM for Images

 


Orthophoto

 


Stereo Glyph

Features

Z-Map Foto ensures a really high productivity, allowing a fast management of:

  • Satellite images
  • Dense DTM acquired by various technologies
  • Rectified orthophotos
  • Stereoscopic ground models
  • Vectorial cartography and key themes

Z-Map can handle many different kind of sensors, some in rigorous or iterative form and some in iterative form only. The software structure has a generic sensor class, from which derive four child classes:

  • The photogrammetric model (Leica ADS-40 included)
  • Spot5 model
  • LandSat model
  • RPC (Rational Polynomial Coefficients) model

From the last class derive two other classes:

  • Ikonos model
  • QuickBird model.

Z-Map is a new software architecture that admits the emergent innovations and multi disciplinary instances. In a single easy environment you can have accuracy, productivity and functional completeness

License types

  • Local: installation on a single workstation. An USB hard key is used for software's authentication.(*)
  • Remote: workstations where the software is installed must be ever connected to Internet. The software's authentication is provided by Menci Software remote server without any hard key.
  • Lan: a local lan authentication server is installed on a particular machine that is accessible from other workstations on the lan. The server machine must have a static IP address and an hard key. Client workstations must obtain authentication from lan server.

Hardware/Software Requirements

  • Software: Windows 2000, Windows XP
  • Hardware: stereo display adapter (for stereoscopic vision only), an hard disk with at least 80 GB of free space, 512 MB RAM (1 GB suggested), Intel Pentium 4 2.6 GHz (o equivalent) processor, 3 buttons mouse with wheel.

(*) The authentication server, for lan versions, is compatible with Windows 2000, XP, 2000 Server and 2003 Server Standard Edition.

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MERCATOR

How to avoid compromising your cartographic productivity and designs?

Creating professional cartographic documents from your geographic data is often a laborious, if not tedious, task. This is most often caused by the underestimation of the importance of cartography while setting up geospatial databases.

As a result, a lot of time is being wasted by operators worldwide, trying to rearrange incomplete maps that were initially derived from their GIS or CAD system.

And worse…, in most cases not only the productivity but also the design itself is being compromised.
With a Mercator system you will be able to overcome these issues, a.o. by using:

  • Your own legends in a standardized way
  • Industry-standard normalization of CAD, GIS and DTP data.
  • Predefined (semi-)automatic workflows

A Mercator system will boost the quality, consistency and productivity of all your cartographic flowlines.


Did you know: Before the Automobile Association (UK) had Mercator, they produced 5 atlases per year. Currently, with Mercator, they output on average of 1 street atlas per working day. The only remaining bottlenecks are the provision of source data and the manual approval of the final pages.
Typical for a map derived from within a GIS : inconsistent image repetition along a line.   Mercator avoids these kinds of problems by means of a consistent line style definition

Typical for a map derived from within a GIS : inconsistent image repetition along a line. Mercator avoids these kinds of problems by means of a consistent line style definition.

For more detailed information on Mercator’s benefits, read this document.

The architecture of the Mercator solution

Mercator acts as an assembly and output engine to any GIS, CAD or even DTP system or combination of these.


Mercator as central assembly point of all your graphic data



Setting up a Mercator workflow happens as follows:

  • Design your map symbology interactively in a true WYSIWIG environment (What You See Is What You Get)
  • Determine normalization rules for the GIS and/or CAD data sources.
    • Scale
    • Position
    • Object reclassification
    • Geometric adjustments
    • Etc.
  • Determine handling rules for DTP and raster data.
    • Size
    • Position
    • Ink handling
    • Cleaning
    • Etc.
  • Compile a soft or hard copy proof for final approval of workflow results.
  • Determine the preferred output settings. By default this will be a PDF. If desired CMYK, RGB, Bitmap or greyscale TIFF images can also be created. Mercator as central assembly point of all your graphic data

This setup can be implemented as a semi-automatic workflow on an interactive workstation or as a fully-automatic batch routine on a server.
In production the Mercator workflow will be run as follows:

  • Open symbology
  • Use predefined data normalization rules to convert GIS and/or CAD source data
  • Load DTP and Raster data files
    • If first time interactively or by deriving positional info from CSV meta data file (AtlasVIP module)
    • If re-edition by reusing predefined positional information
  • Final soft or hard copy preview by the editor-in-charge
  • Once approved, apply predefined output settings to generate PDF or TIFF

GIS data Symbolized chart Final cartographic document

 


Functionality overview

In short Mercator can offer you:

Cartographic designs without compromises

Ink based

  • CMYK + Spot colours (Pantones) + designer inks
  • Full transparency support
  • 100% WYSIWYG
  • Mixing of different screenings to improve printing quality

Complex line, area, point and text styles

  • Consistent line dashing
  • Use of vignettes
  • Use of self-defined symbols
  • Inclusion of trapping
  • Support for Unicode and Adobe Type 1 and OpenType fonts

Unsurpassed productivity
True prepress workflow software

  • Predefine whole workflows from GIS to sending PDF to printer
  • Elaborate quality control mechanism, with
    • Queue controllers
    • Tasks
    • Messaging
    • Print Rule Checking
    • Minimize interactive operations

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