Press Release

UK launch scheduled for World of Geomatics Conference & Exhibition, Newbury Racecourse, 23 & 24 February, 2005.

Digital mapping and geographic information system (GIS) software developer, Cadcorp, and Ricoh Corporation, a leader in specialised digital imaging devices, have teamed up to develop a complete hardware and software solution for ground-based geo-imaging applications. The solution is based on Ricoh’s new Pro G3 GPS-ready digital camera and Cadcorp SIS – Spatial Information System – digital mapping/GIS software. Its UK launch at the World of Geomatics Conference and Exhibition at Newbury Racecourse, UK on 23 and 24 February, will include live demonstrations on Cadcorp’s booth (No. 37) and during conference seminar number 2, “3D Data Capture Systems”, on 23 February.

The Ricoh Pro G3 is a high-resolution digital camera that embeds captured images with GPS coordinates in the EXIF header of the digital photograph. The coordinates are received from an external GPS device. In addition to storing GPS coordinates with each image, the camera also provides a user-configurable menu system to enable additional metadata, for example, asset condition, or tree species etc. to be captured and embedded within images.

Once captured, these ‘geo-images’ can then be transferred to a PC running Cadcorp SIS, for image display and analysis. A map layer of icons is created by the software directly from the image files and indicates the GPS location of each image, together with hyper-links to the image files. The images can then be accessed from within the Cadcorp SIS user interface and overlayed with appropriate background mapping, also managed by Cadcorp SIS. Right-clicking on an icon can display the metadata associated with the image. This data may be used to create thematic maps to better understand the location, distribution and condition of assets, for example.

“For anyone whose workflow requires ground-based imaging as well as a digital mapping/GIS capability, this combination of Ricoh’s world-leading digital imaging technology and Cadcorp’s digital mapping/GIS software provides a compelling solution,” said Mike O’Neil, managing director, Cadcorp. “It offers a simple, integrated and cost-effective way of capturing, managing and displaying images of physical assets or facilities to enable further downstream analysis.”

“Until now, there has been no single-unit solution to address the imaging needs of the GIS user community,” said Jeff Lengyel, marketing manager of Ricoh’s digital camera division. “This combination of the Pro G3 and Cadcorp SIS provides GIS users with a simple and seamless method of integrating images into mapping applications.”

About Ricoh Corporation

Ricoh Corporation, headquartered in West Caldwell, New Jersey, USA, is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., the 69 years-old leading supplier of office automation equipment and electronics, with fiscal year 2003 sales in excess of $17.1 billion.

Ricoh Corporation directly or through its subsidiaries markets and distributes products in North, Central and South America. For fiscal year 2003, Ricoh Corporation sales exceeded $2.8 billion.

Information about Ricoh’s complete range of products and services can be accessed on the World Wide Web at: www.ricoh-usa.com.

About Cadcorp

Established in 1991, Cadcorp is a leading developer of digital mapping and geographic information systems (GIS) software. With offices in the UK, USA and Australia, Cadcorp's distribution and VAR network stretches worldwide. The company also plays a pivotal technical role in the Open Geospatial Consortium. Inc ® (OGC).

The Cadcorp SIS - Spatial Information System - product range is fully integrated digital mapping and GIS software that uses OGC® certified compliant interfaces. Cadcorp technical director Martin Daly is an OGC Gardels Medal holder for his contribution to the OGC. Cadcorp is an ISO9001:2000 certified company, an Ordnance Survey Licenced Partner and holds a UK government S-CAT agreement for category 15, GIS Software.

Cadcorp SIS applications exist in local government, central government, emergency services, insurance, oil & natural gas, mapping and surveying, commerce, utilities and many other markets.

ENDS

Editors: For further information contact: Richard Rollins, Tel: 01438 747996, e-mail: richard.rollins@cadcorp.com or Jeff Lengyel, Tel: +1 909 890 9039, e-mail: jeff@ricohzone.com or Neil McLeod, Tel: 01666 504293, e-mail: neilmcleod@btopenworld.com.

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