GXP Mosaic

Mark Sarojak
Director of sales, Americas

I have good news and bad news. Bad news first — Labor Day has come and gone, and summer in the Northern Hemisphere is over. The days are getting shorter and winter is on its way. After spending the past five years on the East Coast, just thinking about winter is enough to send chills up my spine. The good news is that I’m happy to report my family and I have moved back to San Diego and the weather here is amazing all year.

There is good news for everyone else too — the end of summer means that the official release of SOCET GXP^® v3.1 is right around the corner.

Here are a few SOCET GXP v3.1 highlights:

Usability

Ease-of-use is a critical component of SOCET GXP and we have added many new capabilities in this area. Analysts can use the flip tool to quickly and visually browse through stacked graphics, eliminating the need to hunt, zoom, and precisely click on the desired file for editing. Cursor enhancements indicate the cardinal direction and bearing for roaming, and void pixel removal eliminates black edges that appear with non-square imagery when mosaicked with Ortho On-the-Fly™ or Virtual Mosaic tools. For improved situational awareness when working with data sets covering a small field of view, reference imagery and maps such as DPPDB, CIB^®, or CADRG can be automatically loaded into the Multiport™ viewing window, or used as a control source for glove align, registration, and triangulation.

Additional usability upgrades include double-click to center and zoom; auto-annotation improvements; enhanced image display; and reduced load, zoom, and pan times.

The Xport analysis and visualization window.

Xport

The Xport is a new window in SOCET GXP used for in-depth analysis and quick visualization. Multiple image-processing algorithms are applied to separate panels in real-time. Xport panels are linked to each other, and to the main Multiport, for dynamic panel updates while roaming in the main viewer. The goal is to streamline exploitation by reducing time spent determining the appropriate image-analysis method to use.

Sensors and data

SOCET GXP v3.1 supports TerraSAR-X, RADARSAT-2, EROS-B, and FORMOSAT-2 sensor models, and loads standard data formats such as MrSID Georeferenced, IMAGINE IGE, ENVI, and BigTIFF (image and terrain).

Video analysis

The SOCET GXP Video Analysis tool reads and displays live video feeds or saved video files from airborne sensors. It uses the image metadata and a video sensor model to establish accurate geopositioning for detailed analysis and intelligence reporting. BAE Systems developed the application to give analysts a convenient way to work with video files. With a single click while viewing a video sequence, users can move still frames into the Multiport viewing window for further analysis. The Video Analysis tool also is integrated with Google Earth^™ to provide sensor position, field of view, and situational awareness for video footprints.

Hyperspectral and multispectral analysis

Multiple algorithms are added for processing information from hyperspectral and multispectral image bands. New algorithms include destriping, reflectance calibration, principal components analysis, unsupervised classification, supervised classification, spectral change detection, anomaly detection, spectral unmixing, and band math for user-customized image processing. Further updates to the pan-sharpening algorithms include rigorous transformation (using sensor models and terrain) of RGB bands into the sensor space and model of the panchromatic image.

Terrain analysis

New tools for slope and aspect analysis add visualization capabilities to complement terrain-shaded relief displays. SOCET GXP v3.1 optimizes terrain analysis results by creating them on-the-fly as a graphic display. When displayed with stereo imagery, analysis tools can be visualized in stereo. The results can be converted to a georeferenced raster image product such as GeoTIFF. The line-of-sight tool is enhanced to display as a range fan or 360-degree view, and can be converted to a georeferenced raster image product.

Vector analysis

Use SOCET GXP v3.1 refined vector analysis tools to quickly locate and download critical information to aid analysis. The connection to Web Map, Web Feature and Web Coverage Services (WMS, WFS, and WCS respectively) conforms to the standards of the Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc.^®. Another modification is the capability to upload Web graphics and images into feature attributes, which can be exported and viewed in Google Earth. Volumetric features can now be displayed in Flythrough mode.

Product generation

Product generation is one of SOCET GXP’s most valuable features. The tool has been restructured to separate the process of creating and editing a template from applying the template. Users can change font, size, and color in the same text annotation, and the legend has been updated to designate the number of columns, fonts, titles, colors, and positions.

Web services

• Connect to OGC-compliant Web-content services using standard protocols for requests and responses so that geographic information can be served over the Internet:
  • WMS – georeferenced map images are generated by a map server using data from a GIS database
  • WFS – geographic features
  • WCS – geographic coverage
• SOCET for ArcGIS^® results tab added to query tool
• Auto-attribute features from image source metadata such as date, time, CE, LE, and sensor
• Export pictures to Google Earth as feature attributes
• Generate volumetric features from the SOCET GXP Spatially Enabled Exploitation, or SEE module, and display the features in 3-D flythrough mode

Stability

The GXP team is committed to improving product reliability. We are always working to optimize the stability of software releases. We have put udated testing procedures in place and have restructured the release candidate program. The support of our customer-partners who have volunteered to participate is invaluable. Please keep your expectations high — we will meet or exceed them.

Watch for complete details in the SOCET GXP v3.1 release enhancements brochure, new software documentation, training manuals, and quick-reference guides. I have even asked Rachel Snyder to reorder our depleted stock of GXP cookies! Let’s hope those cookies will be enough to get us all through the winter ahead.

Sincerely,

Mark Sarojak
Director of sales, Americas
BAE Systems Geospatial eXploitation Products™ (GXP^®)

P.S. Remember to visit our Web site and register early for a free SOCET SET or SOCET GXP training class in your area. San Diego is a popular destination in the winter! I hope to see you here.

GXP regional training centers

• Reston, Virginia
• Tampa, Florida
• St. Louis
• San Diego
• Denver
• NEW! Coming soon in 2010: Cambridge, United Kingdom

2010 BAE Systems GXP International User Conference and Professional Exchange
April 19 – 23, 2010
Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines
San Diego, CA

discover. learn. advance.

2009 attendees said …

“The most professional conference I have ever been to. I have gained knowledge, not only about SOCET GXP^®, but other industry standards as well … Thank you to everyone that had a hand in putting this conference together.”
— Shane LeBlanc, First Marine Logistics Group, U.S. Marine Corps

“It’s not often you can get a 100% answer rate for any software … I highly recommend the next conference to anybody within the image analysis or geospatial world. The personnel have a wealth of knowledge which should be tapped at every opportunity.”
— Phillip Williams, Tactical Imagery-Intelligence Wing, Royal Air Force

“Well run, well executed, staff was great, social events were great, food was great, support was fantastic. Can’t wait until next year!”
— Morgan Hurley, MacNaughton Inc.

The photogrammetric strengths of SOCET SET^® are now available in SOCET GXP^®, which gives users increased flexibility and accuracy. New automated tools for triangulation, terrain model generation, and orthorectification are easy to use, making complex processes and workflows more efficient.

To assist in making a smooth transition from SOCET SET to SOCET GXP, all SOCET SET customers with current upgrade entitlement are eligible to receive a free six-month SOCET GXP evaluation license that can be run in parallel with SOCET SET. As you migrate to SOCET GXP, you can convert SOCET SET licenses for equivalent functionality in SOCET GXP.

How do I make the transition from SOCET SET to SOCET GXP?

Think of it as a maintenance upgrade. Any SOCET SET customer with current upgrade entitlement status is eligible to receive a six-month SOCET GXP evaluation license. SOCET SET and SOCET GXP can be run side-by-side in the work environment. When ready, SOCET SET licenses can be converted to equivalent functionality in SOCET GXP.

As a SOCET SET customer, will I still receive customer support?

Absolutely. All SOCET SET customers with current upgrade entitlement can expect to receive top-notch support from our worldwide customer support representatives.

How do I obtain an evaluation license?

You can request a SOCET GXP evaluation license by completing the online form:
www.socetgxp.com/content/support/license-services

My daily workflows include triangulation, terrain generation and editing, and orthophoto generation. When will SOCET SET’s photogrammetric functionality be available in SOCET GXP?

SOCET GXP includes numerous push-button tools for photogrammetric workflows such as Ortho On-the-Fly^™, simplified triangulation, automated digital-terrain and surface-model generation, and the Mosaic Manager module for orthomosaic production. Additional photogrammetric functionality is planned for each new release.

How do I transition to SOCET GXP and manage SOCET SET project files?

The SOCET GXP Workspace file (.wksp) is similar to the SOCET SET Project file (.prj). A SOCET SET Project file loaded into SOCET GXP can be used immediately. A SOCET SET Project is converted to a SOCET GXP Workspace on Workspace save.

Can I use an image from a SOCET SET file in SOCET GXP?

Yes. In SOCET GXP, you load the SOCET SET support (.sup) files, and all images are automatically loaded into the Workspace Manager.

While transitioning to SOCET GXP, can I export data generated in SOCET GXP back to SOCET SET?

No. SOCET GXP-generated data files are not backward-compatible.

How do I move licenses to a new network?

Because every software installation is unique, with different modules and network configurations, we recommend that you work with your BAE Systems support team representative to ensure a smooth transition to SOCET GXP.

All scheduled SOCET SET^® and SOCET GXP^® training courses held in our regional training centers are now free for current and prospective customers.

To sign up for a course in your area, please visit the GXP training page online:
http://www.socetgxp.com/content/events/training-courses.

A calendar of courses and agendas is listed with course locations, maps, and hotels convenient to each site.

The new Upgrade Entitlement (UE) policy overview document replaces the former UE white paper and UE agreement document.

UE is an added benefit offered to SOCET SET^®, VITec^®, and SOCET GXP^® users. A 90-day warranty is included with all GXP product license purchases and provides the same privileges as the UE program. To guarantee continued support, we highly recommended that you subscribe to the UE program before the end of the initial 90-day warranty period. For additional details, please contact the GXP sales administrator or distributor in your region or send an email to socetgxp.sales@baesystems.com. If you already have a UE agreement in place, you should renew the agreement before the existing UE expires to avoid reinstatement charges.

Benefits of the program

When you subscribe to the GXP UE program, you are entitled to receive current software and all subsequent updates as long as your UE agreement is active. UE also includes unlimited customer support by phone, email, or fax so that technical issues can be addressed immediately to minimize downtime.

The GXP UE program includes:

• Software patches and new releases
• Customer support by email, telephone (toll-free in the U.S.), fax, or by submitting an online support request form
• Free training at GXP regional training centers
• On-site training and support — requires pre-authorization and approval by GXP management
• Focus groups.

Learn more about Upgrade Entitlement >>

The BAE Systems GXP team in Tampa, Florida has a new home. Please make a note of the new address and contact information:

BAE Systems GXP Southeast regional office and training center
12906 Tampa Oaks Blvd., Suite 101
Tampa, Florida 33637
Tel: 813 979 4392

Click here for a list of all BAE Systems GXP locations:
http://www.socetgxp.com/content/contact

SOCET GXP v3.1 includes enhancements for image quality.

Core SOCET GXP^® v3.1 features are refined to improve the user experience and boost production. New high-performance image-analysis and geospatial-production tools are more efficient and intuitive. In response to customer requests for fusing multiple data types, SOCET GXP v3.1 offers on-the-fly terrain analysis capabilities. Additional image exploitation enhancements are included for video analysis, and the Xport^™ — a specialized Multiport^™ — displays an image with up to 16 different linked panels to give users a new way to create multiple image-processing configurations for detailed analysis.

Other highlights are a high-definition Video Analysis tool, algorithms for processing hyperspectral and multispectral imagery, optimized terrain-analysis tools, and support for new sensor models.

Tracking a vehicle using the new Video Analysis tool.

Video analysis at a glance

BAE Systems developed the Video Analysis tool to give analysts a convenient way to work with video and transmit critical data and reports to decision-makers. The latest innovations in video compression provide remarkable quality from the smallest amount of video data. Analysts see crisp, clear, high-definition video in much smaller files, saving bandwidth and storage costs. The user-friendly interface has a customizable toolbar with standard video controls for play, pause, stop, fast-forward, reverse and frame-by-frame.

Advanced controls are provided for slow-motion or frame-by-frame metadata search and review and video bookmarks are used for playback and analysis. Image enhancements can be applied on-the-fly for brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, sharpness, smoothing, and edge-detection. Additional object-tracking tools manage real-time coordinates, speed, and bearing.

Video metadata can be viewed graphically or in text format, with a head-up display (HUD) superimposed on the video. With a single click, users capture still frames into the SOCET GXP Multiport analysis window. SOCET GXP provides geopositioning to allow fusion with other geospatial data types such as terrain, features, and other images. All functionality available for images can be applied to video still frames in SOCET GXP.

Learn more about the SOCET GXP Video Analysis capability >>

Highlights include:

• New satellite sensor models: Cosmo-Skymed, TerraSAR-X, RADARSAT-2, EROS-B, FORMOSAT-2
• New frame sensor model, including 43 parameters for self-calibration and expanded exterior orientation
• NGATE: simultaneous bare-earth terrain-model and surface-model generation as part of the same automated extraction
• Precise high-resolution surface models of urban environments — even in urban canyons
• New enhanced tools for automatic filtering of trees and buildings from the surface model

Download the SOCET SET v5.5 Release enhancements brochure.

By Bingcai Zhang and Mike Walter

An NGATE analysis of a WorldView-1 satellite image of Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium shows a DSM as cyan contours and a DEM as red contours (inset). Both are two-meter intervals. In the middle of the stadium, the DSM and DEM have blunders due to moving objects, which makes it difficult for a human operator to place an extraction cursor on the ground. In the upper left corner, the water body also causes DSM and DEM blunders. BAE Systems’ forthcoming automatic water body extraction will address this problem (Image courtesy of DigitalGlobe).

In a good stereo pair, humans readily fuse the two images and perceive a 3-D scene. The relief may be exaggerated, but our brains are comfortable with the presentation. Similarly, stereo correlation algorithms used for automatic terrain extraction operate nicely on good stereo pairs. But localized differences between stereo image pairs can cause headaches for humans and correlation software alike. For human observers, these differences confound our natural stereoscopic vision. It is immediately apparent that something isn’t right. The differences also confuse image-matching terrain-extraction software. The results include spikes, wells and other elevation anomalies that previously required manual editing to correct. BAE Systems recently developed an algorithm to automatically detect and remove false matches caused by moving vehicles as part of Next-Generation Automatic Terrain Extraction (NGATE) enhancements for the company’s SOCET SET and SOCET GXP photogrammetry software. The algorithm also provides an automated way to detect change between image pairs, including change caused by moving vehicles. Importantly, the method works well with either panchromatic or multispectral images. The two accompanying case studies illustrate the use of the NGATE stereo image matcher in moving vehicle change detection, and removal of digital terrain model (DTM) defects caused by change or motion. Read the complete study >>

Click here to view and download wallpaper.

BAE Systems’ prestigious Chairman’s Awards annually recognize employees, partners, and customers for outstanding effort and achievement. The program honors innovative ideas, actions, and behaviors that further the company’s values while delivering benchmark performance.

Dr. Bingcai Zhang adds two bronze awards in the Innovation category to the numerous honors he has received during his tenure at BAE Systems. The awards for Generation of DSMs and DEMs from Imagery, and Inverse Stereo Image Matching for Change Detection recognize his ongoing researach and development efforts in the field of photogrammetry, or the use of measurements on airborne or satellite images to obtain geographic information. Zhang has created advanced algorithms for BAE Systems’ SOCET GXP^® and SOCET SET^® software that simplify the mapping process. These applications are used for image processing, targeting, geospatial analysis, high-resolution terrain extraction, and surface modeling. The new automated processes reduce the need for labor-intensive manual editing, resulting in considerable time savings for the customer.

The GXP Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Enterprise Service Migration team, including GXP’s Deena Merrill, received a bronze award in the Enhancing Customer Performance category. The team improved communications and processes for accessing and working with the GXP worldwide customer database. The updated system offers increased security, global access to customer information, software support tracking, product licensing, and improved connectivity.

The GXP sales and support staff saw an immediate improvement in productivity as a result of the new system. The Siebel CRM database is integrated into daily workflows, which improves support to customers worldwide. The implementation process was especially complex because the enterprise environment is supported by IT help desks around the world. Discovering the source of issues and resolving them often requires coordinating with technical support teams separated by up to 18 time zones. In many instances, the team drove the creation of new processes to support the enterprise environment and highlighted weaknesses that are being resolved by global infrastructure programs.

The GXP marketing team received a bronze award in the Innovation category for developing the eXtreme Analysis™ campaign to launch SOCET GXP v3.0 software. Earlier this year, the team of Carolyn Gordon, Laetitia Santore, and Rachel Snyder also earned a silver award in the 2009 BAE Systems Communications Awards Innovation category for their work on the multi-tiered eXtreme Analysis campaign.

Congratulations to Bingcai, Deena, Carolyn, Laetitia, and Rachel!