The GIS Group » Facilities
Our main GIS software is the IDRISI Kilimanjaro system, a raster-based GIS ideally suited to advanced modelling and which is under continuous development at Clark University, in the USA, and has UNDP and UNEP GRID support. We are currently migrating to Andes, the latest and most capable version. We also occasionally use ARC-View. Manual digitising is becoming less necessary as digital data products diversify, but when needed is acheived using CARTALINX from Clark, in conjunction with our Calcomp III board. CARTALINX also allows digitising from GPS in the field using satellite imagery as backdrop - excellent for surveying and verification work.
Garmin GPS units are used in the field, either alone or in conjunction with laptops, for data collection and verification against satellite images of the area. We also use a SysOnChip CF based unit with a laptop or PDA for field data collection. This is well supported by the IDRISI or CARTALINX software from Clark University.
Our DELL Precision Workstations range from 3Gb Pentium IV to twin 3Gb Xeon dual core, each with minimum 4Gb RAM, more than 120Gb local HDD, fast graphics adapters and 20" LCD monitors. GIS lab filestore is enhanced by our own DELL Poweredge sc1420 server with 4.5Tb of file store and our group NAS with 4Tb of storage.
Our standard operating system is Windows XP Professional and Windows 2003 Server, with occasional use being made of UBUNTU Linux.
Superb connectivity is maintained through the Stirling University network, with the GISAP labs running at 1Gb/s. Digitising is achieved using a Calcomp Drawing Board III digitiser or an Epson scanner. High quality colour printing is to a Epson Acculaser 1900.
To discuss potential projects, or collaborations, please fill out our contact form
