Mobile technology for the project

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We added a new piece of equipment to the range of tools available for the project, a Trimble GeoXM handheld field computer with integrated GPS and Bluetooth wireless:

geoxm-2008.jpg
Photo from Trimble, www.trimble.com

The Trimble unit is the essential item to have not only for obtaining our GPS data on specific points, but for allowing us to collect a wide range of data attributes, visualize our data using GIS, and download our information for analysis on-site and back in Dallas.  This particular unit will be able to resolve features within 1-3 meters, which for our purposes should be enough to enable a fairly accurate view of the features of our reforestation site.  The unit retails for about $4,500, which includes the software for both the XM and our own computers for post-processing.

Many thanks go to Cody Cantrell, Western Data Systems, for spending several hours with us yesterday helping to set up the unit and work on collecting a few field points for practice in using the XM.  Cody has extensive experience working with Trimble, and helped us get through a few glitches due to computer difficulties (from our network, not from the unit) to have us in the field collecting data just a short time after the unit arrived.  He also created his own tutorial for the XM, which we'll be able to provide to Samantha, Noah, and Adaire who will be working on the mapping part of the project. 

Cody works for Western Data Systems in Southlake, TX, so if you have a need for tools for a similar application, give him a call (972-245-4337).


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This page contains a single entry by Dr. B published on May 22, 2008 7:34 AM.

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