The Spatial Division of Sinclair Knight Merz, a leading professional services consulting firm in Australia and one of the global leaders in geographic analysis (spatial) management, has installed Hewlett-Packard (HP) DesignJet large-format imaging technology as a hard copy device to support its award-winning aerial mapping product, AusImage.

AusImage is a seamless, digital photographic image covering Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Darwin. It is web-based, accurate to 0,15 m and devoid of the usual accuracy errors that are often found in digital mapping - a significant feature of the AusImage series is that the production methodology corrects positional errors and anomalies associated with imagery created from aerial photography by locking it in with a vast network of accurately surveyed ground control points.

Sinclair Knight Merz works on a variety of large-scale projects globally and is currently engaged to assist in the design of a master plan for Melbourne's sports and entertainment precinct in the lead-up to the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Andrew McCleave, business development manager with Sinclair Knight Merz says that with a project like the Melbourne sports and entertainment precinct master plan, which encompasses landmarks including the Melbourne cricket ground, Melbourne Park, Olympic Park and Vodafone Arena, it is vital that all stakeholder parties have access to and are working from the same accurate information base.

"With Melbourne, we are not just focused on making the area work for the 2006 Commonwealth Games, but rather are concerned with creating a sustainable space that will have the infrastructure to benefit the city for 50 years or more.

"The Melbourne sports and entertainment precinct master plan brings together a number of disciplines - economists, strategic planners, assets managers, utility engineers, social planners, as well as authorities concerned with power, road, transport, sewage and the environment, explains McCleave." When you have so many different parties involved, it is essential to create a common frame of reference, hence the use of AusImage."

AusImage is more than just a mapping dataset. It enables the integration, visualisation and analysis of features and information on a single common reference frame. The relationship between the various CAD datasets, such as pipes, roadways, electrical cables, vegetation, structures, tunnels, power, flood plains, telecommunications networks, etc, which have been sourced from various agencies are traditionally unrelated in geographic reference and format.

The use of the AusImage dataset enables all associated CAD and GIS data, of both below and above ground assets, to be imported, related and displayed simultaneously. The integration and relationship of information creates a knowledge base to support key decisions in a consistent and accurate manner. The image can then be output as high quality, photographic large format maps on the HP DesignJet to support the decision process.

"The demand for quality has created demand for 'a real world view' with AusImage and, as a consequence, we required a comparable new method for displaying this information," states McCleave, explaining that the company went through an extensive evaluation process before settling on the HP DesignJet 5000 (42"), which he says provides sharp colour outputs of photographic quality.

"Outputs from the HP DesignJet complement the quality of the information on the maps utilising AusImage. Not everyone is able to read a map, but everyone can look at the imagery on the high quality output from the printer and easily relate to and understand what they are looking at."

McCleave says that the Melbourne sports and entertainment precinct project provides a unique opportunity for all the relevant authorities and service providers to combine information and overlay it on the high resolution imagery base that is mapped to a common reference system. This reveals relationships, anomalies and issues that previously went undetected.

"AusImage provides a different level of assessment. With the ability to overlay all the constraints of a site, planners can determine the opportunities at a very early stage. AusImage enables you to pose 'what if' scenarios and quickly reference the area in question.

"AusImage allows us to proof at a level we have not been able to achieve; it literally brings CAD data to life. It is easily integrated and validates and captures both design and construction data. AusImage makes CAD data so much more powerful," concludes McCleave.

For more information contact Aisel Systems, 012 663 2054.