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LEICA MOBILEMATRIX - THE NEW DATA ACQUISITION SOFTWARE FROM LEICA 
GEOSYSTEMS 
By Johannes Hotz 
Leica Geosystems Surveying & Engineering Division, Heerbrugg, Switzerland 
johannes.hotz@leica-geosystems.com 
KEY WORDS: Databases, GIS, Mapping, Surveying, Feature, Measurement, Visualization, Mobile 
ABSTRACT: 
The world can be represented in GIS (Geographic Information System) and CAD (Computer Aided Design) systems, showing us the 
position and attributes of objects, the location of reference points and countless other kinds of spatial information. Leica MobileMatriX 
allows the user to add points and measurements, completed by a surveyor in the field using either a TPS (Total Station), GPS (Global 
Positioning System) or tape measurements, to his map, which is based on GIS or CAD systems. 
Leica MobileMatriX is a software solution for the interactive processing, visualization and maintenance of survey and feature data directly 
in the field, based on the latest ArcGIS'" technology from ESRI. MobileMatriX provides functionality for editing Geodatabases in the 
field and the flexibility of working remotely. 
With MobileMatriX the history of the data and the data source is stored, which ensures that the quality of the data is always known. 
Additionally, it is also possible to write the attributes observed in the field directly into the database as objects are measured. Furthermore, 
since the software is graphically based, data quality and completeness can be checked immediately as data is acquired, which avoids 
expensive re-measurement when quality control activities in the office detect deficiencies. 
MobileMatriX is specially suited for the workflow in national mapping agencies, cadastral offices and engineering companies - it provides 
extensive variety in the workflow, e.g. the connection to TPS and GPS sensors, and the possibility to extend the MobileMatriX framework 
and implement required tools to support the workflow in big agencies. 
Introduction 
Leica MobileMatriX performs extended survey data 
management for a variety of different computations. 
Processing functions are available in the field and thus data 
acquisition and revision cycles are significantly simplified. 
Leica MobileMatriX provides more than data collection and 
feature creation, points can be easily selected and staked-out 
using either TPS or GPS instruments. MobileMatriX provides 
tools for display, query, surveying computations and mapping 
tasks like cartography, surveying and editing. 
To ensure maximum effectiveness to the user, different 
working methods are supported (see Fig. 1): 
" Leica MobileMatriX at the instrument. 
" Leica MobileMatriX at the pole, and hence allows one- 
man surveying. 
  
Figure 1: Different working methods are supported 
A Leica MobileMatriX user is any person responsible for 
managing and collecting spatial information and/or making 
measurements either using TPS or GPS sensors or tapes in the 
field to create and update maps and plans, and is suitable for: 
= Cadastral offices 
= Engineering companies (such as Private Surveyors, 
Planners, Utility companies, Offshore companies, Leica’s 
TPS and GPS customers) 
= Governments and governmental agencies (such as 
Mapping Agencies, Military, Local and Water authorities) 
= Local governments (such as Environmental and Fiscal 
Agencies, Asset Managers, Regional and Urban Planning 
Departments) 
x Consultants 
" Environmental analysis 
. Facility Management 
= Archeology and many more. 
The MobileMatriX Story 
Reference Points are important for surveyors as they form the basis 
for computing new points to locate features with their associated 
attributes. Features are shapes ın a spatial data layer, such as point, 
multi-point, line or polygon that represents a geographic object. 
The accuracy of features depends on the source of the data and the 
method and equipment used for collecting the data. The accuracy 
of equipment used to collect data varies between a few centimeters 
and several meters. Often information that describes the positional 
quality of objects is not stored in the database. By providing 
quality information, ambiguity is always present.