Bentley Announces Geospatial Research and Technology Seminar at BE Conference Europe 2006

Theme Is 'Advancing GIS for Infrastructure'

Exton, Pa. � 12 May 2006 � Bentley Systems, Incorporated today announced the Geospatial Research and Technology Seminar, being held Sunday, 11 June 2006, at BE Conference Europe in Prague, Czech Republic. The theme is �Advancing GIS for Infrastructure.�

This full-day, free-of-charge event is designed for all those who use geospatial solutions to map, engineer, build, operate, or maintain the world�s infrastructure. Targeted disciplines include everything from surveying, photogrammetry, mapping, civil engineering, and utility network design and management to communications network design, water and wastewater management, plant design and management, architecture, land management, facilities management, urban visualization, and many others.

The seminar will provide a unique opportunity to learn about the pioneering geospatial work of inspired academic researchers and industry practitioners. Speakers include:

• Dr. Mauro Salvemini, professor, University of Rome, Italy 
• Dr. Lars Bodum, associate professor, University of Aalborg, Denmark 
• Dr. Sisi Zlatanova, assistant professor, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands 
• Dr. Robert Laurini, professor, LIRIS Research Center for Images and Information Systems/INSA (Lyon) Board, France 
• Ed Thorpe, senior highway management consultant, 
• Chris Britton Consultancy Ltd., United Kingdom

The seminar topics, which will focus on the need to integrate all geospatial solutions used for infrastructure, include:

• Accuracy of spatial data � Much of the geospatial data in use today is based on inaccurate digital and analog data sources, and is 2D only. Given the need for higher data accuracy and 3D visualizations, data maintenance has a great deal of catching up to do. 
• Integration of discipline-specific solutions � The days of simply drawing points, lines, and polygons are over. What�s needed now is the modeling of objects that reflect the real world. Real objects increase the usability of the data � for example, to meet the demand for increasingly sophisticated infrastructure construction and management. To accomplish this, various discipline-specific solutions, such as topology, linear referencing, and the maintenance of man-made objects, must be integrated. 
• Control over maintenance processes � Workflow management, auditing, logging, and integrating documents are essential in many organizations, but often the tools are not available to streamline the associated data maintenance processes. Significant gains in productivity are possible if these processes are put under some form of software-guided control. 
• Interdisciplinary integration � The goal today must be interoperability among all of the engineering and building disciplines. Achieving interoperability of geographic information systems (GISs) with other geospatial systems is a first step. Next, the boundaries between other disciplines need to be removed. A common data infrastructure among all geospatial, civil, and building disciplines can increase workflow efficiencies and result in better constructed and more soundly managed infrastructure. 
• Enterprise data stores � Many organizations are in the process of migrating their data to enterprise data stores. This trend reflects the desire to integrate at the enterprise level and remove dependencies on proprietary, departmental solutions.

Attendees can register for the Geospatial Research and Technology Seminar and the BE Conference Europe (being held 11-15 June in the Hilton Prague) at www.be.org. Those interested in receiving a special one-day pass to only attend the seminar should go to www.bentley.com/georesearch

About the BE Conference

The BE Conference is an annual gathering of Bentley software users and their managers who want to sharpen their skills and expand their knowledge. Attendees better themselves, better their organizations, and better the ways they can improve the world�s infrastructure. Year after year, BE Conference scores a 99 percent satisfaction rating among attendees.

About BE

BE, which stands for Bentley Empowered, represents the achievements of Bentley users in improving the world�s infrastructure, how Bentley can help them reach their goals, and the common vision and causes Bentley and users share.

About Bentley

Bentley Systems, Incorporated provides software for the lifecycle of the world�s infrastructure. The company�s comprehensive portfolio for the building, plant, civil, and geospatial verticals spans architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) and operations. With 2005 revenues of $336 million and more than 2,000 colleagues around the world, Bentley is the leading provider of AEC software to the Engineering News-Record Design 500 and major owner-operators.

www.bentley.com

  Get a free CADinfo news feed here...