Geotagging Imagery and Video


IsWHERE is a log of my thoughts, reflections, and news/blog links on the emergence of image and video geospatial tagging. On May5th this year, I opened a second blog to deal with more detailed aspects of tools for FalconView and TalonView can be found at RouteScout. Trends I want to try and follow are the various disruptions resulting from spatial smart-phones, how many GPS devices are out there, smart-cameras, and other related news. And yes, I have a business interest in all of this. My company Red Hen has been pioneering this sort of geomedia for more than a decade.

So beyond a personal blog, I also provide a link to IsWHERE a shareware tool created by Red Hen Systems to readily place geoJPEG or geotagged imagery and soon GEM full motion media kept on your own computer(s) into Google Earth/Map from your File Manager media selection. Works great for geotagged images from Nikon, Ricoh, Sony, iPHONE, Android and all geo-smartphones that can create geotagged images. IsWhere - read about it

IsWhere Free Download (XP and VISTA)

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IsWhere Visitors

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

YouTube watermarks
Some of the material on video sites like YouTube is "re-purposed", which is a polite way of saying it was uploaded without the copyright holder's permission.

Now, US company Digimarc, which specialises in image recognition and watermarking, has been granted a patent for a novel way of tackling the problem. Instead of preventing copyright infringement altogether, it would turn it into a commercial advantage.

A TV station or movie studio embeds an invisible watermark in whatever it broadcasts. This is done by producing a copy of the original material but with key areas of the image imperceptibly distorted in shape, colour or brightness. The difference between the original and the copy is expressed as a digital code which identifies the copyright owner. The slightly distorted copy is released for TV while the pure original is kept in the owner's vault.

When the clip then reappears on the web, its owner can automatically be identified and viewers can be targeted with adverts that generate revenue for the original copyright owner.

Read the full web clip

CEA RESEARCH FINDS CELL PHONES NOW ACCOUNT FOR NINE PERCENT OF PRIMARY STILL IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICES
Digital Still Camera Market Now Relies on Customer Upgrades; Camcorders Represent the Final Consumer Frontier
Consumer Electorics Assoication

Nove 15, 2006

The digital imaging industry continues to thrive with more image and video devices in the hands of consumers than ever before according to a study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®). CEA's Digital Imaging Study Update: Sharing and Storing Photos and Video II, found that cell phones now account for nine percent of primary still image capture, which is more than double the 2005 rate. The study also found that the digital camera category is nearing maturity and will soon heavily rely on customer upgrades.

Tim Herbert, senior director of market research at CEA, said, "Among consumers who now classify their cell phone as their primary image capture device, 47 percent also own a digital camera. Consumers have yet to significantly engage in the practice of substituting devices, but rather use devices in a complementary manner. As cell phones progress to 3+ megapixels, offer greater storage and more features, this trend may change. However digital cameras are not static, as manufacturers incorporate Wi-Fi and other capabilities that enable the user to quickly send a photo via email to a recipient anywhere, consumers may very well decide no single device is sufficient for all their needs."

The study also studied camcorders, which are seemingly the last frontier for the consumer transition from analog to digital. According to Herbert, "Consumers have yet to embrace the category with the same enthusiasm as digital cameras and analog remains the leader among owners of video capture devices. One reason for this could be the fact that camcorders face competition from digital still cameras and newer cell phone models, many of which include video capture features."

Although the importance of feature sets, form factor and style has risen in recent years, in many ways the digital still camera market is still defined by megapixels. Manufacturers continue to pack greater resolution into each subsequent camera model. The five megapixel category remains the dominant segment, but with expected growth of 120 percent in 2006, the six to seven megapixel category will register the highest growth rate this year.

The survey found that little has changed since 2005 in the way consumers back-up and store their digital content. Consumers continue to take chances with their digital photos and videos with 78 percent of them relying on their PC for long-term storage, meaning they are just a hard-drive crash away from disaster. Herbert added that 49 percent of households say they would be interested in automatic back-up of their files on their PC.

"It is difficult for consumers to weigh the cost/benefits of devoting the time to data maintenance if they have never experienced a data loss," he said. "However, as data accumulation grows with digital photos, videos and music, files, the cost of loss becomes more painful."

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Nikon GeoTagging DX-GPS

The Red Hen Systems DX-GPS is an integrated solution for tagging Nikon digital still images with GPS data. Using a consumer, off-the-shelf GPS, Garmin Geko 301 unit and the industry leading Nikon D2Xs, D2X & D200 camera, the DX-GPS allows users to directly capture geospatially referenced images in the easiest, most reliable collection method today.

Information captured in the EXIF metadata of the JPEG image file can be read by Red Hen Systems’ MediaMapper and PixPoint for ArcGIS to create map features linked directly to the photo file.

Features & Benefits

  • GPS mounts on top of the camera putting it in full view of satellites for maximum accuracy.
  • Records Latitude, Longitude and Altitude data to EXIF header of each JPG image.
  • Physical integration provides for hands-free use.
  • Instantly inspect and view GPS data on the camera LCD.
  • User interface on GPS allows for setting adjustments, verifying satellite acquisition and accuracy.
  • Industry standard GPS-data tagging offers compatibility with most GIS systems.

Requires a Nikon D2Xs, D2X, D2H or D200 camera.