IkeGPS: A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION FOR DIGITAL FIELD MAPPING?

Ike GPS produced by SurveyLab, is the first hand-held, field ruggedized mapping system that fully integrates GPS, laser range finder, digital compass-inclinometer, and a 5 MP camera with a microcomputer running Windows Mobile 6 and ESRI ARCpad. Over the past year, the University of Dayton has field-tested the capabilities, usability (especially for students), and limitations of this equipment. The Ike toolbar in Arcpad allows the user to create point, polyline, or polygon shapefiles with attribute tables that automatically collect local and target GPS locations as well as pitch, roll, bearing, hyperlinked photographs, and user-entered fields for labels and comments. The ability to automatically record orientations enables Ike to collect structural data simply by capturing points with the unit placed against the outcrop, although additional attribute fields must be created by the user to convert from pitch, roll and bearing to strike and dip or trend and plunge. Contemporary, tech-savvy students find Ike easier to use and less prone to measurement error than the traditional Brunton pocket transit, but the important question remains: does the traditional compass-inclinometer build “orientation sense” in a way that push-button technology cannot replicate, especially since Ike does not return a continuous live reading of inclination?

As with any handheld unit, GPS fixes are often difficult to obtain under ledges or at the base of cliffs, but the Ike laser rangefinder enables the user to locate the target from a distance immediately before or after occupying the measurement site. Morever, hyperlinking of photos to target locations at distances up to 1000 m offers a world of intriguing possibilities for both teaching and research. In addition, the laser range finding capability makes Ike the ideal tool for quick reconnaissance surveys through open terrain. We have also used Ike to capture a continuous photographic record of measured sections. The most significant limitation on the accessability of the Ike1000 for undergraduate students is the advisability of prior familiarity with ESRI GIS products. However, faculty can choose how much to shelter or expose students to this part of the learning curve depending on the particular application and learning objectives. In summary, we like Ike.