CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Fenton, M.M; Waters, E.J.; Weiss, J.A.; Pawlowicz, J.G.; and Campbell, J.E.
Date : 2001.
Title : Palm gives Quaternary a helping hand: Quaternary mapping team uses Palm IIIs for digital field data capture.
Publication : St. John's 2001. Geological Association of Canada - Mineralogical Association of Canada 2001 Joint Annual Meeting / l'Association géologique du Canada - l'Association minéralogique du Canada réunion annuelle conjointe. Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland, May 27-30 2001.
Issue :
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Abstract
Alberta Geological Survey's (AGS) Quaternary mapping team successfully used Palm IIIxe hand held computers to collect most of its field data during the 2000 field season. Success comes after 3 years of trials using other devices, including the Newton (with Field Worker software) and the Zarus. Software available from Pendragon Software Corp. was used to deploy data collection forms to the handhelds. Reasons for selecting the Palm/Pendragon Forms system include obsolescence of existing tools, low cost of the Palms and the ease and flexibility in designing and using the new system. This poster will provide a demonstration of the Palm, information on the design and implementation of the field forms, and compliments an oral presentation. The data collection, storage and viewing system components include the Palm III handheld (with forms for data collection), Microsoft Access (data repository), and ArcView GIS (data viewing in map form). System development consisted of 4 main tasks: 1) evaluating the Pendragon Forms software, 2) data modeling and (Access) database development, 3) developing and deploying the forms on the Palm, and 4) user training. Data collected in the Palm forms are based on conventional paper-based forms, and include: site ID, location data (from GPS), vegetation, relief; lithology, texture, mineralogy, clast provenance; and photo and sample particulars. These items are presented on the Palm forms as pick lists, check boxes, numeric entry, text/memo, and date/time entry. Once data are entered into the Palm, uploading to the laptop is a matter of synchronizing the two devices, a one-button exercise. Procedures were also developed for users to export and view the field data in ArcView GIS. Users were trained in the field in about a day. Scheduling time for the programmer to participate in the first few days of fieldwork proved to be of great benefit, both from the point of view of hands on training "under field conditions" for the geologists and for refining the various data input forms to make them more efficient and easier to use. AGS plans to continue developing its digital systems for field sampling and mapping, in keeping with its plans to move toward a database approach to storing and analyzing geologic information. Benefits of the Palm include; time (overtime) saved during evening data transfer, up to date field maps each morning, and having the digital field notes, sample site maps and database available when we returned to the office.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology