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| Our Eyes In The Sky |
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| Tuesday, 18 May 1999 00:00 | ||||||||
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Source: In-Tech, The Star (page 38) Ever wondered how the authorities catch those no-good illegal logger types? I mean, with the vast tract of jungle that covers this country, if would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, right?Well, visitors to InfoSoc '99 expo will be able to have this and other questions answered thanks to the participation of the Malaysian Centre For Remote Sensing, or Macres. Macres is a federal agency enstrusted with the task of gathering information from various satellite networks, and turn this raw imagery into reams of information. These databases are then used by agencies as diverse as the Economic Planning Unit when looking at development options; and the country's National Security Council which is tasked with foreseeing and dealing with natural distaters as and when these happen. But it isn't all fun and games. The pretty pictures that are downloaded from various "eyes-in-the-sky" are just that, pretty pictures, until someone makes sense of them. This is where Macres came in. "We hope to promote a better understanding of remote sensing technology and its applications, hightlighting its importance to nation's ability to manage its natural resources and maintain security," Macres director Nik Nasruddin Mahmood tells In. Tech. The agency, which will be moving into its new offices in Kuala Lumpur's Kenny Hills in July, is also constructing a ground station in Temerloh, Pahang, that will be able to receive satellite signals from around the world. Macres currently receives its data from centres around the region. Its staff then study the images and datafiles to make sense of what's happening around the region and the world. "We are, for example, monitoring the state of forest fires now, because we have to understand the impact that these will have on Malaysia," says Nasruddin. Macres intends to showcase its solutions, data and the way this data and satellite images play an ever increasing role through the various exhibits at its booth, G1. "We are involved in various projects at this time and members of the public will be able to see some of these at work," adds Nasruddin.
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