A NEW EDUCATION AND BUSINESS MODELS BASED IN 
LOW-COST DIGITAL PHOTOGRAMMETRIC WORKSTATIONS 
A.Gömez-Molina* *, B.Bohigas-Roldän ”, J.Delgado* 
* Dpto. de Ingeniería Cartográfica, Geodésica y Fotogrametría — Expresión Gráfica, 
Escuela Técnica Superior Ingenieros Agrónomos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 
Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain) — agomez(@stereocarto.com 
® Stereocarto, S.L., Paseo de la Habana, 200 — 28036 Madrid, Spain 
* Dpto. de Ingeniería Cartográfica, Geodésica y Fotogrametria, Escuela Politécnica Superior, 
Universidad de Jaén, c/ Virgen de la Cabeza, 2 — 23071 Jaén, Spain — jdelgado(@ujaen.es 
KEY WORDS: Photogrammetry, Softcopy, Software, Visualization, Restitution, Rectification 
ABSTRACT: 
Digital Photogrammetry has caused a revolution in the cartographic world thanks to a simplification of the photogrammetric systems. 
This fact, along with the ever greater need for fast and precise cartography, has increased the number of potential digital 
photogrammetric users. Despite the simplification of these systems, it still important to take into account the high necessary 
investment of digital photogrammetric systems, particularly for sporadic users. Accordingly, it is fundamental that low-cost systems 
are developed which incorporate at least some of the tasks of need to initial users. These tasks could, basically, be limited to the 
extraction of information from images previously oriented (monoscopic and stereoscopically) and the generation of orthoimages, like 
such as basic documents on which to support another type of works. The STEREOVISOR system has been developed specifically 
with this idea in mind. STEREOVISOR is a digital photogrammetric workstation designed to provide maximum benefits for a low 
cost. The hardware incorporates a stereoscopic vision system by means of anaglyphs and the floating mark movement is controlled 
using a conventional mouse. The system incorporates several functions: a) project management; b) stereoscopic vision; c) vector 
information extraction, from previously oriented images as maps; d) orthoimage generation. Potential users are basically university 
and educational centers, governmental agencies and companies that actually are photogrammetric products customers. Such users 
could receive the oriented images and the program so that they can extract such information as may be of interest whenever they 
want. 
1. INTRODUCTION - Fast: They must be executed in under a 2-year time 
limit, and must allow for future updating. 
Prior to the digital era, Photogrammetry moved from - Integral: They must cover the territory by a single 
sophisticated optical-mechanical instruments to electronic . stroke (municipality, province, region or nation). 
analytical systems, but always with the need for expert - Homogeneity: Technically, they must use the same 
operators. Digital photogrammetry has eliminated the need procedure for the entire territory. 
for such optic-electronic systems, as well as, to a certain - Available information: The photogrammetric 
extent, the need for expert operators. Digital images are products must be available for the users 
processed with algorithms that allow automatic measurement, (government agencies, companies ...). 
and they are observed using a conventional computer display 
screen for interpretation. The best way to prevent the information for ending up 
forgotten in some drawer is to provide adequate tools for a 
In production environments, the software applications can be direct manipulation by final users, accompanied by an 
very simple (visualization only) or very complex suites that adequate pricings policy for distribution and sale. 
incorporate diverse programs that encompass the entire digital 
photogrammetric production workflow | (Gómez-Molina, Photogrammetric products must be catalogued and include the 
2000). corresponding metadata information in order to allow for 
. searching, localization, visualization and exploitation in a fast 
The most important results that can be obtained from digital and friendly manner. 
photogrammetric systems are: 
- Digital aerial images Such a quantity of information and digital photogrammetric 
- Oriented images using direct (INS) o conventional products need adequate applications that allow for two 
procedures primary objectives: 
- Digital Elevation Models (DEM) - visualization 
- Digital Orthoimages - information exploitation 
These products usually are structured in cartographic In order to allow for the interactive information management 
photogrammetric projects. Currently, these projects must that is included in the photogrammetric products, we have 
fulfill the following characteristics: designed an integrated software system running in Windows 
environment according the structure that is shown in figure 1. 
  
Corresponding author. 148