Trimble introduced new versions of its eCognition image analysis software and Trident Analyst office software. The release brings powerful geospatial analysis technology developed for remote sensing into the land mobile mapping and survey domain. The announcement was made at Intergeo 2012, the world’s largest conference on geodesy, geoinformatics and land management.
Pioneered a decade ago for satellite remote sensing, eCognition enables geospatial data such as images, point clouds and Geographic Information System (GIS) vectors to be integrated and analyzed to quantify features or detect changes over time. eCognition 8.8 now extends these capabilities for mobile terrestrial data collection applications. The new eCognition 8.8 functionality is not only delivered within the eCognition environment, but also drives embedded analysis routines within Trimble Trident Analyst 5.0 software.
Trident Analyst manages and interprets high-resolution digital images and large point clouds, and automatically extracts features from terrestrial mobile mapping data. The first automated feature driven by eCognition is used to detect roadway pavement edges; allowing accurate and consistent road aspect calculations. Trident customers can also extend their analysis capabilities using eCognition Developer, creating customized analysis routines for use within Trident Analyst.
To manage the complexities of land mobile data, new analysis perspectives have been implemented within eCognition 8.8. The existing “top down” data analysis is supplemented with “camera view” analysis, providing the best perspective for both horizontal and vertical feature extraction. Native and rasterized point cloud analysis are both supported to provide the best object and object statistics creation results. 3D line export generates vectors directly for mobile mapping environments. New point cloud clustering algorithms identify point clusters based on attributes such as elevation, RGB characteristics, or intensity to automate rapid point cloud classification. Combined, these and other new features equip eCognition users with the tools to truly exploit land mobile data.
“eCognition’s flexible data fusion and analysis capabilities have been successfully implemented in aerial survey and satellite remote sensing for over a decade,” said Katherine Sandford, general manager of Trimble’s GeoSpatial Division. “The introduction of these capabilities into the land mobile sector will create new opportunities for both existing eCognition users and land mobile specialists who are new to eCognition’s object-based approach.”
For existing eCognition users, version 8.8 also provides new features for the analysis of aerial and satellite data including Esri File Geodatabase support. The Trident Analyst software also provides improvements such as the creation of colorized point clouds, boresight laser calibration on demand, automatic detection of plains and more.
Availability
eCognition 8.8 and Trident Analyst 5.0 software are available now. The software is sold and licensed separately through Trimble’s eCognition and Trident Analyst distribution channels. Customers are eligible for updates under valid maintenance and support agreements for eCognition and Trident Analyst software.
MundoGEO at Intergeo
MundoGEO participated this week in Intergeo, with an exhibition booth at the trade fair, and also attending the lectures. In its 18th edition, Intergeo features several simultaneous events, such as the second Navigation Conference, the first German INSPIRE Conference of Germany and the third CLGE conference of European surveyors.
Emerson Granemann, director and publisher of MundoGEO, comments about tha company’s’ participation in the event. “Our goal in the world’s most important event in the geospatial industry, this time with an exhibition booth at the trade fair, is to promote MundoGEO to the world market as a leader in Latin America in the communications sector in the field of geospatial solutions. Furthermore, we will seek new products to show our readers firsthand”, he explains.
