|
Field-Enterprise Integration
 Project Title
Storm Drain Catchment Basin Inspection Field Collection Tool
Time Span
2007
Summary
 NorthSouth GIS created a custom solution to enable field engineers to perform permit compliance inspections on storm drain catchment basins with greater speed and accuracy than previously possible. The custom Mobile GIS solution revolved around a handheld GPS/laser/camera/GIS device and a customized application to enable in-field data capture. A database concept called an “event” was created for this application to differentiate between objects captured with GPS and observations (inspections) captured about a location. The database structure and applications development permitted for both types of information to be captured. The solution also permitted to capture and “geo-tag” multiple digital photos to either an “object” or an “event”.
 Beyond the immediate use by field engineers, the overall solution went much further towards integrating field tools with backend, enterprise database solutions. For example, field inspections and photos could be transferred to a desktop GIS package (ArcGIS), where a custom QA/QC tool was developed by NSG. Then, a greatly simplified tool uploaded the inspections to ArcSDE, where they could be accessible through ArcIMS, and photos were uploaded to a document management system in such a way that the photos could be accessed independently or through an ArcIMS interface. This system is significantly easier to use than most field collection systems on the market, particularly for moving data from the field to the desktop and then to the enterprise in just a few simple steps.
Technologies
- ArcSDE
- ArcMap
- ArcPad
- SQL Server
- ArcObjects
- VB.Net
- VBScript
Innovations
- Integrated GPS-camera field data collection
- Recording location of “events” (permit inspections) rather than just “things”
- Desktop QC tools for data collected in field
- Improved integration of GPS collected GIS data in mainstream enterprise systems
- Rapid dissemination of field collected data to the internet
| 
