GeoSmart
Encyclopedia
GeoSmart Ltd is a provider of location based services and digital mapping data and images for the Oceania area, notably New Zealand
. The company is one of only a handful of global companies producing digital maps for use in GPS applications.
Companies such as TomTom
and Navman
use mapping data from GeoSmart on their popular handheld GPS devices, as do motor manufacturers such as BMW
. The company also provides mapping data via web service
s, with applications such as a website that allows users to send custom invitations that include mapping directions for guests, as well as providing the mapping interface on New Zealand Automobile Association
website.
In 2008, GeoSmart launched the RAPIDcV mapping car, which is on an ongoing program to redrive all of New Zealand in order to enhance the car navigation database used by brands including Navman, TomTom, Nav N Go, Siemens VDO and Horizon. The RAPIDcV (Road attributes, points of interest
, imagery data capture vehicle) uses technology to capture the road centreline of all of New Zealand's roads to an accuracy of 0.15 metres. It does this with a number of technologies including inertial
measurement unit (IMU) that uses gyroscope
s and accelerometer
s. This technology compensates for situations where the traditional differential GPS
accuracy is lost when the satellite signal is poor, such as behind volcanic hill shadows, dense forest canopies and high rise urban areas. It has a number of cameras on board capturing lane information, street signs, turn restrictions and points of interest to enhance and keep up to date GeoSmart's car navigation and web mapping products. It is also taking a 360 degree panoramic image
every 50 metres. In order to support truck navigation as well as multi mode navigation it is collecting information on the incline and camber
of each corner, a feature which is used for truck safety warnings in fleet management system
s.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The company is one of only a handful of global companies producing digital maps for use in GPS applications.
Companies such as TomTom
TomTom
TomTom NV is a Dutch manufacturer of automotive navigation systems, including both stand-alone units and software for personal digital assistants and mobile telephones. It is the leading manufacturer of navigation systems in Europe. TomTom's customer service is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands...
and Navman
Navman
Established in 1986 as New Zealand-based Talon Technology, Navman is a GPS systems company providing stand-alone GPS units, OEM GPS modules, GPS software for Palm handhelds and Pocket PCs, automotive navigation systems and navigation systems for use at sea.Acquired by Brunswick Corporation in June...
use mapping data from GeoSmart on their popular handheld GPS devices, as do motor manufacturers such as BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
. The company also provides mapping data via web service
Web service
A Web service is a method of communication between two electronic devices over the web.The W3C defines a "Web service" as "a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network". It has an interface described in a machine-processable format...
s, with applications such as a website that allows users to send custom invitations that include mapping directions for guests, as well as providing the mapping interface on New Zealand Automobile Association
New Zealand Automobile Association
The New Zealand Automobile Association is a mutual organisation and an incorporated society that provides vehicle breakdown assistance and related services to its members...
website.
In 2008, GeoSmart launched the RAPIDcV mapping car, which is on an ongoing program to redrive all of New Zealand in order to enhance the car navigation database used by brands including Navman, TomTom, Nav N Go, Siemens VDO and Horizon. The RAPIDcV (Road attributes, points of interest
Point of interest
A point of interest, or POI, is a specific point location that someone may find useful or interesting. An example is a point on the Earth representing the location of the Space Needle, or a point on Mars representing the location of the mountain, Olympus Mons.The term is widely used in...
, imagery data capture vehicle) uses technology to capture the road centreline of all of New Zealand's roads to an accuracy of 0.15 metres. It does this with a number of technologies including inertial
Inertial navigation system
An inertial navigation system is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors and rotation sensors to continuously calculate via dead reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity of a moving object without the need for external references...
measurement unit (IMU) that uses gyroscope
Gyroscope
A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. In essence, a mechanical gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation...
s and accelerometer
Accelerometer
An accelerometer is a device that measures proper acceleration, also called the four-acceleration. This is not necessarily the same as the coordinate acceleration , but is rather the type of acceleration associated with the phenomenon of weight experienced by a test mass that resides in the frame...
s. This technology compensates for situations where the traditional differential GPS
Differential GPS
Differential Global Positioning System is an enhancement to Global Positioning System that provides improved location accuracy, from the 15-meter nominal GPS accuracy to about 10 cm in case of the best implementations....
accuracy is lost when the satellite signal is poor, such as behind volcanic hill shadows, dense forest canopies and high rise urban areas. It has a number of cameras on board capturing lane information, street signs, turn restrictions and points of interest to enhance and keep up to date GeoSmart's car navigation and web mapping products. It is also taking a 360 degree panoramic image
Panoramic photography
Panoramic photography is a technique of photography, using specialized equipment or software, that captures images with elongated fields of view. It is sometimes known as wide format photography. The term has also been applied to a photograph that is cropped to a relatively wide aspect ratio...
every 50 metres. In order to support truck navigation as well as multi mode navigation it is collecting information on the incline and camber
Cant (road/rail)
The cant of a railway track or a road is the difference in elevation between the two edges...
of each corner, a feature which is used for truck safety warnings in fleet management system
Fleet Management System
The Fleet Management Systems Interface is a standard interface to vehicle data of commercial vehicles. The six European manufacturers Daimler AG, MAN AG, Scania, Volvo The Fleet Management Systems Interface (FMS) is a standard interface to vehicle data of commercial vehicles. The six European...
s.