Compusult Limited today announced
the successful completion of the Emergency
Mapping Symbology (EMS) Testbed.
The project, begun in January
2004, enhanced and tested OpenGIS(R) Specifications
that enable the use of multiple symbol sets
with one set of geospatial feature data.
After the enhanced specifications are adopted
by the OGC and implemented in interoperating
software products, different emergency management
agencies who use different symbol sets and
different software will be able to share
data and yet display it using symbols that
may be familiar only within one agency.
The EMS Initiative matured
the OGC's specification framework for interoperable
geographic symbolization while simultaneously
testing emerging standard map symbol sets
for emergency response developed by national-level
agencies. The main OpenGIS Specifications
involved in the testbed are the Style Management
Service (SMS) and the Styled Layer Descriptor
(SLD) specifications. The effort employed
the Emergency Response Map Symbology (ERMS)
set being defined by the Federal Geographic
Data Committee's (FGDC) Homeland Security
Work Group.
Compusult Limited, along with
two other Canadian companies -- CubeWerx,
Galdos -- were the participating companies.
Sponsors included GeoConnections and the
US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
In the testbed, vendors, users, and others
worked together to define services, interfaces
and protocols in the context of a hands-on
engineering effort. Sponsors provided cost-sharing
funds to partially offset the development
costs.
About GeoConnections
GeoConnections, a national
partnership initiative led by Natural Resources
Canada, is working to build the Canadian
Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI), which
is making Canada's geospatial databases,
tools and services readily accessible on-line.
GeoConnections includes several programs,
advisory committees and communities of practice,
two of which -- the GeoInnovations program
and the Emergency Response and Critical
Infrastructure Advisory Node -- are involved
in the EMS-1 project. GeoConnections is
pleased to be a sponsor of the EMS-1 project,
an extension of the CIPI initiative, as
it engages an end-user community in technology
testing activities that develop various
capacities and abilities to use geospatial
information for emergency situations. For
more information on GeoConnections and the
CGDI, visit www.geoconnections.org.
About the OGC
The OGC is an international
industry consortium of more than 250 companies,
government agencies and universities participating
in a consensus process to develop publicly
available interface specifications. OpenGIS
Specifications support interoperable solutions
that "geo-enable" the Web, wireless
and location-based services, and mainstream
IT. The specifications empower technology
developers to make complex spatial information
and services accessible and useful with
all kinds of applications. Visit the OGC
website at www.opengis.org.
About Compusult
Limited
Compusult Limited develops
and markets modular, integrated interoperable
software that delivers enterprise database
management. Designed for enterprisess or
organizations with internal services or
IT departments, Compsult solutions increase
efficiency, reduce costs, and provide open-stanards
based solutionse.
Since 1985, Compusult Limited
has served hundreds of organizations in
many countries. The company offers professional
services, training programs and a choice
of implementation methods to suit various
corporate requirements. Compusult Limited
products are available through its direct
sales channels.
For more information, visit
www.compusult.net,
call (709) 745-7914 or email
us.
