Introduction to GIS, Steve Smith, Cornell University Extension

A workshop designed for the uninitiated. Participants will gain an understanding of geographic information systems - their complexity, utility, and limitations. This introduction will include hands-on experience through classroom exercises. Workshop registration is limited to 16 participants who will share 8 laptop computers.

Deploying GIS on the Internet/Intranet, Larry Spraker and Mark Haberle, Applied GIS, Inc.

The proliferation of web-based GIS mapping software has given many organizations another option for serving GIS and data to larger numbers of end users without the usual administrative hassles of installation, maintenance, and upgrades. This workshop will provide attendees with valuable insight into the use of this exciting and rapidly growing area of GIS technology. Topics to be covered include:

· The current state of the web-based GIS technology
· Deployment options
· Typical barriers to implementation
· Pros and cons versus traditional system implementation
· System components
· Costs (one time and ongoing)
· System administration requirements
· Demonstrations and application examples

Modeling 3D Urban Environments Tutorial - An Overview of Modern Urban Simulation Database Generation Using TerraTools
William Starmer and David McKeown, Terrasim, Pittsburgh, PA   [Phone: (412) 232-3646 Email:wjs@terrasim.com,   dmm@terrasim.com]

Tutorial Content: Applications for 3D urban databases are diverse, including urban planning, driving simulation, entertainment, and education. However, the widespread adoption of urban visual simulation has been limited by the lack of suitably detailed cartographic data, particularly building models, and the complexity of generating databases which can be viewed in real time on a PC workstation.

This tutorial will cover standard model formats, the considerations and tradeoffs in using them, manual and automatic model placement and orientation, and model texturing. We will also discuss automated 3D building model generation using 2D footprints and actual or derived appearance attribution. The lack of detailed cartographic data often requires the addition of geotypical details, such as curbs, poles, fire hydrants, etc. Techniques for handling these geotypical features will be covered. This tutorial will cover:

• Overview of applications of 3D urban modeling and simulation
• Cartographic source data considerations
• Review of terrain skin (TIN) construction
• Model types and formats
• Model placement
• Model generation
• Case studies

Who Should Attend: City planners, architects, developers, and GIS users working with urban data for urban planning, design, or development with an interest in 3D urban visualization.

Knowledge and Skills to be Attained : Participants will receive instruction in the construction of 3D urban simulation/visualization environments and also an understanding of the techniques and tradeoffs involved, including level of detail vs. polygon count and the use of geospecific vs. geotypical models. They will understand the import, placement and texturing of models in an urban database and the techniques involved in the automated generation of geotypical details such as poles and curbs.

Introduction to Digital Orthoimagery
Sponsored by NYS Office for Technology Center for Geographic Information.

Digital Orthoimagery (DO) is simply aerial photography that has the positional accuracy of a map. DO is an ideal data source for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and can be used to serve a wide variety of purposes. For example, planners can use digital ortho images to identify open space and growth patterns, facility managers can develop infrastructure inventories, disaster responders can quickly determine field conditions and access to aid, health officials can identify likely mosquito breeding habitat to guide insecticide application, environmental professionals can identify wetland areas or manage watershed resources, and much, much more.

This introductory seminar will introduce attendees to digital orthoimagery by explaining what it is, how it is created, and how it can be used in GIS by state agencies and local agencies. In addition, the Office for Technology's newly established Statewide Digital Orthoimagery Program will be introduced. Come learn more about this exciting technology and find out how you can take advantage of digital orthoimagery that state and local governments are now producing.

For more information and to register on-line, please go to  http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/training/dortho_albany.htm