Latitudo 40 Monthly Digest - October 2024
Latitudo 40
A Techstars Portfolio Company - AI, machine learning, and Big Data analysis applied to Earth Observation Images
Welcome to the October 2024 Issue of Latitudo 40's Monthly Digest.
As every month, we'll continue to explore the latest news and novelties of Latitudo 40.
TECH UPDATES
Unveiling New Horizons in Urban Data: The Building Height Layer from Latitudo 40
At Latitudo 40, developing new geospatial insights is essential to our mission of creating solutions that empower cities, territories, and citizens. Through advanced satellite data and AI-driven analytics, we provide precise, real-time insights to enhance urban planning, environmental monitoring, and public safety.
Our new Building Height Layer, currently in testing and coming soon to our marketplace EarthDataPlace, is an innovative algorithm that estimates building heights across urban landscapes with exceptional precision. Using satellite imagery and machine learning, it provides critical data for infrastructure planning and sustainable development, delivering valuable insights for visualizing urban density, assessing construction trends, and supporting green building initiatives.
Building on the initial release of our Building Height Layer, Latitudo 40 has developed a cutting-edge 3D visualization feature, transforming how urban environments are analyzed and understood. This update goes beyond a standard 2D map, providing an immersive, multi-dimensional experience that allows stakeholders to visualize the actual heights of buildings within a cityscape. This approach simplifies complex urban data, making it accessible and actionable for urban planners, architects, and decision-makers alike.
The 3D visualization offers a dynamic tool for assessing urban density and infrastructure development. More than just a visual enhancement, it offers a practical solution for understanding city planning impacts, with the ability to layer additional Latitudo 40 data. For instance, with Tree Cover Density and Urban Heat Islands data layered over building heights, users can gain insights into how building distribution affects cooling areas, green infrastructure, and local microclimates.
We’re excited to bring this feature to EarthDataPlace (EDP), where it will be integrated alongside other essential geospatial data layers. By combining diverse urban datasets in one platform, EDP is shaping into a comprehensive resource for cities seeking data-driven solutions to modern challenges. This new capability underscores Latitudo 40’s commitment to equipping urban planners and stakeholders with tools that foster sustainable, well-informed city planning.
Land Surface Temperature up to 4 times a day and Tree Height Layer on EarthDataPlace!
We're excited to announce that EarthDataPlace has received a significant upgrade! Our Tree Height Layer and High Spatial Resolution Land Surface Temperature (LST) Layer—updated up to four times daily—are now live and ready for use. These enhancements provide deeper, more detailed geospatial insights for urban planners, environmental researchers, agricultural specialists, and more.
The High Spatial Resolution LST Layer, now capable of being delivered up to four times at day, captures essential thermal readings during key intervals throughout the day and night. Leveraging Latitudo 40’s proprietary Machine Learning algorithms, this data provides unprecedented detail for analyzing diurnal temperature variations, monitoring urban heat islands, managing energy resources, and even optimizing agricultural practices. With temperature measurements taken at critical times—1-3 a.m., 9-11 a.m., 12-2 p.m., and 8-10 p.m.—users can make informed decisions to manage heat retention, crop health, energy consumption, and public health interventions more effectively.
Meanwhile, our Tree Height Layer offers a precise estimation of tree heights, presented as clear classifications across different height ranges, all at a 10-meter resolution. This data is invaluable for assessing forest biomass and carbon storage, monitoring tree growth and health, analyzing fall risk in urban areas, and classifying habitats to support biodiversity conservation. By providing a detailed view of forest structure, this layer aids in forest management and sustainability efforts, ensuring that regions can effectively maintain and preserve their natural resources.
These new layers are now live on EarthDataPlace, offering an integrated experience that brings together a full spectrum of geospatial data. By combining these insights, city planners, environmental managers, and decision-makers can get a comprehensive understanding of urban and environmental dynamics, leading to smarter, more sustainable planning.
Ready to elevate your strategies for sustainability and resilience? Visit EarthDataPlace today and explore how our advanced geospatial insights can transform your approach to urban and environmental challenges!
TECH SPOTLIGHTS
MIDS Project Kickoff: A New Chapter in Southern Italy’s Water Infrastructure Monitoring
The MIDS Project (Monitoraggio Infrastrutture Idriche con Dati Satellitari) is officially underway, kicking off an ambitious plan led by the Italian Space Agency to transform the monitoring and maintenance of irrigation networks and water infrastructure in Southern Italy. Addressing the region’s extensive irrigation needs, MIDS is set to develop a satellite-based platform tailored for local water consortia. Leveraging advanced multispectral, hyperspectral, and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) data, the project tackles several high-priority areas:
Latitudo 40 is contributing directly to the infrastructure monitoring subsystem. Our focus is on developing tools for assessing the structural health of water infrastructure through satellite imagery and AI. This involves not only data collection but also seamless integration and validation within MIDS’s WebGIS platform, enabling stakeholders to visualize and manage crucial water infrastructure insights in real-time.
As MIDS progresses, we look forward to seeing how this technology reshapes water infrastructure management and supports sustainable irrigation practices across Southern Italy.
"Real-Time Wildfire Response: How TEMA and Geovisual Analytics Protect Sardinia’s Communities"
As wildfires intensify globally, digital innovations like TEMA’s digital twins are transforming emergency response. The Sardinia Regional Authority’s Directorate General for Civil Protection is leveraging TEMA’s platform to gain crucial insights into fire behavior, resource deployment, and team coordination in real time.
This groundbreaking technology combines drone and GPS data with fire spread modeling, providing an unprecedented overview of Sardinia’s varied landscape—critical for a region facing hot, dry summers and rugged terrain that accelerates wildfires. TEMA’s digital twin offers a three-dimensional, predictive model, allowing commanders to track the fire’s movement and preemptively deploy resources to the most at-risk areas.
By visualizing the exact location, intensity, and potential spread of fires, Sardinia’s emergency teams can make faster, more precise decisions, helping safeguard communities and minimize environmental damage.
Latitudo 40 contributes with the development of its Geovisual Analytics, a robust visualization platform. Geovisual Analytics enables stakeholders to view and analyze real-time event data, environmental risks, and resource allocation, providing critical support for timely decision-making in high-stakes scenarios. By integrating this tool, emergency responders and decision-makers gain a clearer understanding of fire behavior and other risks, empowering them to take proactive steps that enhance safety and improve coordination across field operations.
For a deeper dive on how TEMA is helping the region of Sardinia, read the full article here 👇
MED-IREN Project Kicks Off: Building Resilient Infrastructure with Nature-Based Solutions"
The MED-IREN project (Mediterranean Critical Infrastructure Resilience Engineering with Nature-Based Solutions) recently launched with a successful kick-off meeting in Athens. This project, funded by Horizon Europe, seeks to fortify the resilience of critical infrastructure (CIs) across the Mediterranean, integrating traditional engineering with innovative nature-based solutions (NBS) to better withstand climate hazards.
The MED-IREN project is all about boosting the resilience of critical Mediterranean infrastructure against climate hazards. Its focus is on creating adaptable, scalable models that combine traditional engineering with nature-based solutions. The project aims to develop digital integration through real-time monitoring tools like digital twins and Earth Observation technology, making it easier to assess risks as they emerge. Engaging local communities and stakeholders, MED-IREN will ensure that its strategies address the unique challenges faced by each region, while building awareness and skills that reinforce long-term infrastructure resilience.
As a proud project partner, Latitudo 40 brings geospatial expertise to MED-IREN. We’ll contribute Earth Observation data and cutting-edge visualization tools to enhance digital twin capabilities, enabling stakeholders to perform real-time risk assessments and make data-driven decisions for resilient infrastructure planning. Our role will help ensure that each region’s infrastructure is equipped to adapt and thrive in the face of future climate challenges.
MED-IREN exemplifies the transformative power of geospatial insights, NBS, and digital innovation to create sustainable, resilient cities. We’re excited to be part of this journey towards safeguarding Mediterranean communities.
LATITUDO 40 BRIEFS
Future-Proofing Places with Latitudo 40: Highlights from IAC Milan
At the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan, Latitudo 40 proudly joined the conversation on shaping the cities of tomorrow with geospatial data. Supported by AIPAS – Association of Italian Space Enterprises , we showcased how our advanced satellite insights are more than just technology—they’re tools to drive real-world change. From real estate and urban planning to climate resilience, Latitudo 40's solutions provide the groundwork for sustainable, data-informed city growth.
Our stand at IAC featured our Urban Simulator and other key innovations. Visitors experienced how these tools enable city planners, developers, and industry leaders to visualize the tangible benefits of space technology in tackling urban challenges. By mapping urban heat islands, assessing flood risks, or optimizing green infrastructure, Latitudo 40 helps city stakeholders make smarter decisions that ultimately enhance urban living.
Curious about how satellite data can elevate your projects? Contact us to see how Latitudo 40’s tools and insights can transform your planning efforts and help build resilient cities. We’re here to help your organization achieve sustainable, future-proof results. Let’s work together to create a greener, smarter world, one city at a time.
Future-Proofing Places with Latitudo 40: Highlights from IAC Milan
In October, we had the privilege of participating in the URBREATH Horizon Europe Project 's General Assembly in Madrid, where the partners of the project gathered to redefine urban resilience through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and community-centered planning. As cities globally face mounting climate challenges, URBREATH embodies a groundbreaking model for urban regeneration by embedding sustainable practices within cityscapes.
The district of Villaverde, Madrid, exemplifies this transformation. Villaverde’s urban regeneration efforts under URBREATH emphasize community collaboration, aiming to enhance public spaces, environmental health, and quality of life for residents. Through NBS, such as green roofs and urban forests, and by fostering community involvement, Villaverde is evolving into a model district for climate-resilient and livable urban spaces. This approach demonstrates how thoughtful planning, supported by real-time data and community insights, can lead to lasting urban revitalization.
Our role in URBREATH enables us to provide cities with a suite of advanced tools, leveraging Earth Observation and AI to facilitate urban planning. Our services include evaluating green infrastructure, assessing environmental health, and simulating the effects of urban interventions. By equipping planners and community leaders with actionable data, we empower them to make more informed decisions for resilient urban spaces. For cities aiming to adopt a holistic approach to urban regeneration, our tools provide a strategic path toward sustainable, livable urban environments.
Latitudo 40 is committed to supporting cities worldwide by delivering actionable insights and advanced tools that empower them to design urban spaces that are not only climate-resilient but also enhance the daily lives of their citizens. For those interested in learning more about our contributions or exploring how our technology can support their urban projects, reach out and join us in the journey to redefine urban living spaces.
The activities of #Latitudo40 are expanding every month, with new products and new solutions constantly coming online.
Follow us on our site and contact us on our email to know more!
And discover the power of geospatial insights with EarthDataPlace!
Our innovative marketplace provides comprehensive data for urban planning, environmental monitoring, and risk management.
Visit EarthDataPlace today!