The Ocearch Global Shark Tracker is a global project to tag and track the navigational patterns of great white sharks in the world’s oceans. The team is currently tracking nearly 40 sharks. The team of scientists have 15 minutes to pull a shark from the water, tag it, and release it, a process which was highlighted in an ABC Nightline feature.

Ocearch’s founder is Chris Fischer, former star of the History Channel reality TV show “Shark Wranglers.” Ocearch is “seeking to attain groundbreaking data on the biology and health of sharks, in conjunction with basic research on shark life history and migration,” according to its website.

On the Shark Tracker, sharks that have been tagged appear as bright colored dots. Orange means a ping is less than 72 hours old, green means a ping is less than 30 days old and blue means a ping is more than 30 days old.

“Handheld is proud to have achieved an industry-leading position for dependable, ruggedized mobile computers that can be trusted to work in the most hostile environments” said Jerker Hellström, CEO Handheld Group, “To achieve this extremely high-level of performance, we only select components with the highest reliability on the  market. GPS positioning is one of the most important functionalities of our products. For this mission-critical feature, we chose u-blox.”

Handheld’s lineup of rugged PDAs and mobile computers is specifically developed for use in tough environments in industries such as geomatics, logistics, forestry, public transportation, construction, mining, field service, utilities, maintenance, public safety, military and security.

GT-1 asset tracker combines GPS, RFID, and Bluetooth technologies.

Geoforce, Inc. is announcing commercial availability of its GT-1 asset tracking device that can track field equipment in locations and conditions previously too challenging for other devices to function effectively. A globally certified GPS device, the GT-1 enables oil and gas service providers to proactively monitor and share data on vehicles and equipment for more cost effective operations, helping to meet ongoing environmental responsibilities, the company said.

“We have been waiting a long time for a device like this,” said Michael Rolston, operations manager at Permian Equipment Rentals.  “It’s small, it’s incredibly rugged, it will last years without replacement. It’s also surprisingly low cost — given all its features and capabilities.”

The GT-1 was previously offered in limited release to several major international service and rental companies beginning in the fourth quarter of 2012. To date, thousands have shipped and are actively tracking oilfield assets around the globe.

“From trip planning to offline digital maps and printed maps, Trimble Outdoors Elite provides a one-stop solution for modern-day outdoor enthusiasts such as hikers, backpackers and off-roaders,” said Rich Rudow, general manager of Trimble Outdoors. “The Elite program brings more powerful map content and tools directly into our mobile apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play and Amazon Appstore.”

Offline Maps: With the new Digital Map Bundles, Elite members can download topo map bundles by state, county or park — more than 2,500 areas across the U.S. These map files are dragged-and-dropped onto a SD memory card or into an iTunes account then transferred to the phone or tablet.

Public Lands: Elite members can view public land boundaries for several land areas, including U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. National Parks, and state lands. Public land coverage includes all states except Arkansas, Delaware, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. These color-coded land boundaries can be viewed in Trimble Outdoors apps and at trimbleoutdoors.com.

Weather Maps: Interactive weather maps allow users to zoom into the exact areas they plan to explore at TrimbleOutdoors.com and in any Trimble Outdoors app to see real-time weather overlays, including Doppler radar, satellite images, wind speed, and temperature.

Printed Maps: Search-and-rescue experts advise outdoor enthusiasts not to depend solely on electronics in the field. Now, Elite members can print trip maps on a home printer or receive 20 percent discount on any custom printed map order from MyTopo.com.

Trip Planner: With the new Trip Planner tool, Elite members can view outdoor maps, draw routes and mark waypoints at TrimbleOutdoors.com. Trips planned online can be quickly and wirelessly transferred to any Trimble Outdoors app.

Trimble Outdoors Elite is available as a monthly ($2.99) or yearly ($29.99) subscription. For more information, visit www.trimbleoutdoors.com/elite.

“Many organizations are demanding the need for better, more reliable information to improve the on-going management and maintenance of their assets,” said Nathan Ward, market segment manager. “This partnership with Sigma Seven with their industry renowned geospatial and work management software will provide a fantastic integrated solution to enable field and office staff to work more efficiently and enhance the quality and effectiveness of their corporate data. A combination of proven capabilities, experience and a long and highly regarded heritage in the geospatial sector, will mean that this partnership will further enhance the solutions in Leica Geosystems’ Asset Collection and Management market.”

Andrew Coleman, Sigma Seven Director adds, “Leica Geosystems is one of the premier manufacturers in the asset collection and GIS industry and they continue to innovate in spatial and measurement technology. By working together I believe we have a unique field mobile proposition, backed up by a shared quality and customer service ethos, that will accelerate the delivery of cost, performance, service and accuracy benefits to our customers.”

Since 2000, Sigma Seven has helped some of the largest utility companies in the UK and developed a range of systems for utilities, government, environmental and engineering customers. GeoField is a powerful mobile data and work management system that enables field workers to access enterprise data at the point of action, Sigma Seven said. An intuitive map-based interface is supported by comprehensive imaging, red-lining, structured workflow, data capture and field reporting facilities.

The Leica Zeno GIS series has been designed and optimized to capture accurate GNSS positions and richly attributed data quickly, even in the most demanding of environments, the company said.

Andrew Coleman, Sigma Seven Director, and Nathan Ward, Market Segment Manager for Leica Geosystems.

Forge Echo by F4 Devices

F4 Devices has released the Forge Echo for forestry professionals.

“Shipping the first product out this week is a great milestone for us,” said Mark Milligan, president of F4 Tech. “We have been working for years to produce a rugged handheld specifically made by and for foresters and professionals who work in the natural resource community. Seeing the first product come out of manufacturing and into the hands of the customer is a dream come true.”

The Forge Echo offers high-accuracy GPS; high-performance ability under heavy tree canopy; and the capacity to measure distance and height through rugged terrain.

The Forge Echo series combines the most precise GPS technology with an integrated clinometer tool that measures slope and vertical angles. Paired with groundbreaking, patent-pending echolocation technology, the Forge Echo enables users to measure accurate data on elevation changes, distance and tree heights.

The Forge series of products has a fully ruggedized classification of IP67, and is shock-proof, dust-proof and waterproof. It comes standard with a Win Mobile 6.5 classic operating system, 3.5” display, 800-MHz processor, 512-MB SDRAM memory, 8-GB onboard storage, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 5 megapixel camera and an up to 32 GB micro SD expansion slot.

The first units shipped December 4, 2012.

Topcon Positioning Systems has launched the second annual “How do you Topcon?” video contest with the slogan, “However and whenever you Topcon, we want to see it!”

The contest includes four categories:

• Most innovative or creative use of Topcon equipment;
• Funniest video or infomercial;
• Best testimonial or “on-the-job” story;
• The “wow” Factor.

The contest will run through December 15, 2012.

Participants will upload a short video (maximum length of three minutes) showing how they use Topcon products and services. Any use of Topcon equipment across all business segments — construction, survey, emerging business and agriculture — will be eligible. Prizes for the contest range from a preselected Topcon product, iPad or gift cards from $50 to $750.

“We want to engage our customers in a fun way through a social media forum and are finding that the video contest, and the recent ‘Topcon is Everywhere’ and ‘Spirit of Agriculture’ photo contests are excellent ways for everyone to get involved, from first-time-users of Topcon equipment to those who rely on it heavily for extensive projects,” Scott Langbein, director of product marketing said.

Official rules and information on how to enter are available at www.howdoyoutopcon.com.

RTX technology enables Trimble xFill, a new technique in RTK and VRS surveying that allows surveyors to continue working in the event the primary RTK or VRS correction stream is not available.

Trimble RTX technology, first introduced in 2011, combines real-time data and positioning algorithms to deliver centimeter accuracy around the world. While RTX technology is available worldwide via IP and cellular delivery methods, Trimble RTX has been available via satellite L-Band only in North and South America. Now, the expanded satellite coverage includes most of Europe, Russia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Africa, Asia, and Australasia.

The Trimble R10 Surveying System.

Powered by Trimble RTX technology, Trimble xFill, a feature integrated into the new Trimble R10 GNSS Receiver, enables a new and innovative technique in RTK surveying, according to Trimble. It seamlessly “fills in” for RTK or VRS corrections for up to five minutes in the event of a temporary connection outage with the primary correction source. Minimizing downtime, Trimble xFill enables higher productivity for field survey crews, allowing them to continue working until radio or cellular connectivity is restored, Trimble said.

“The expanded coverage of satellite-delivered Trimble RTX technology further extends our commitment to providing different ways of realizing high accuracy positioning solutions,” said Patricia Boothe, general manager of Trimble’s Positioning Services Division. “The power of RTX is proven. Trimble RTX is the backbone of Trimble’s latest positioning innovations including the Trimble CenterPoint RTX service for farmers, the Trimble Pivot RTX App, and Trimble Pivot RTX-PP App infrastructure solutions and now, the Trimble xFill feature for surveyors.”

Trimble xFill feature allows satellite corrections to be delivered directly to the receiver with no need for additional equipment such as radios and antennas. With its built-in capability, the Trimble R10 automatically tracks these corrections and will use them when needed. Trimble xFill across the expanded satellite coverage area is expected to be available by late November 2012.

CenterPoint RTX Positioning Services. Enabled by Trimble RTX technology, CenterPoint RTX provides centimeter level positions in real time via satellite L-band and IP/cellular. The new post-processing capability delivers better than one-centimeter accuracy and is available worldwide.

Trimble CenterPoint RTX post-processing is a cloud-based service accessed through www.TrimbleRTX.com, allowing users around the globe to upload static GNSS observation data and receive positioning corrections calculated in the well-defined ITRF 2008 reference frame. The post-processed solution can be transformed to a variety of regional reference frames by selecting a coordinate system and tectonic plate.

“With the introduction of post-processing capability to the CenterPoint RTX portfolio, we continue to extend the breadth of the service,” said Patricia Boothe, general manager of Trimble’s Positioning Services Division. “CenterPoint RTX post-processing gives geospatial professionals another tool for their toolbox, utilizing Trimble’s globally available RTX technology to enable higher-accuracy positioning solutions.”

The open service allows any user to post process 10 data sessions per month.