New tool tracks Iditarod in 3-D over the Internet

Submitted by Matt Nolan
Phone: (907) 474-2467
03/08/05

A volunteer effort at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has resulted in a three-dimensional tool to track the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race over the Internet. By accessing www.earthslot.org/iditarod/ on the Internet, anyone with a computer and Windows operating system can interactively fly around the planet and see it in 3-D, with high-resolution imagery draped over topography to yield a realistic, video-game quality visualization. The site includes the Iditarod race route complete with checkpoints and near-real-time updates of the mushers’ positions pulled from the official Iditarod web page.

This public service project demonstrates the scientific and educational aspects of EarthSLOT, or Earth Science Logistics and Outreach Terrainbase , a three-dimensional visualization tool developed by Matt Nolan, a research professor with UAF’s Institute of Northern Engineering. EarthSLOT, is intended as a major science integration and outreach tool and receives funding from the National Science Foundation.

The project will utilize the public’s access to the site during the race to test the system’s capability and performance during times of high use. The website is currently estimated to serve 1,000 concurrent users.

CONTACT: Matt Nolan, Institute of Northern Engineering, at (907) 474-2467, or e-mail matt.nolan@uaf.edu. For more information about the scientific applications involving this technology visit the EarthSLOT website.

For more information about the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race visit www.iditarod.com.