My reflection is the the Mid-70s to Mid-80s were Enlightening years. This presentation describes my activities for that timeline including studies at the Canberra College of Education

1. Videre Parare Est
The Engineering disciplines of Surveying and Mapping and the Sciences
of Geodesy and Cartography are enduring
LT Williams receiving award
BA Computing Studies
Canberra CAE, 1980
Reflections by Dr R.J. (Bob) Williams [Retired]
Topographic Surveyor – Cartographer - Geospatial Research Scientist
Compiled 2014
The 1970s … …A Decade of Vision … … with Visionaries with Ideas … …
The 1980s … …A Decade of Innovation … … with Experience and Vision … …
VISION AND INNOVATION
In the Mid-70S to the Mid-80s
An Enlightening Time

2. A Visionary Keynote Address!
MEETING THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS
2
“It is particularly important that Australia develop a capability in this field because large gaps exist in
our knowledge of our own environmental and natural resources. …
… For the future, I believe that cartographers should be thinking of a broadly defined concept for the
operational use of modern sensors, the full range of data processing equipment and methodology, and
large scale communication devices receiving input from space, airborne and terrestrial platforms for
the purpose of carrying out surveys of the earth’s surface, monitoring the environment, and
classifying and compacting the information in environmental data banks so that real-time or near real-
time information may be provided when and where it is required”.
O’Connor concluded:
“I would be happy indeed if I could leave this conference feeling that some enthusiasm had been
aroused for broadening the concept of cartography away from the relatively simple concept of drawing
maps. … When we consider the magnitude of the [environmental] problem, the aspirations of
Stockholm, the technological possibilities open to us, and our responsibilities to the poor of the world,
I hope that historians will not look back and say that we missed what might be our greatest (perhaps
last) opportunity”.
In 1976 I was supervisor of the Input Sub-System of the Automap system at Fortuna. I
prepared a Poster Session for the Second Australian Cartographic Conference held in
Adelaide, 1976.
My supervisor, Major Frank Bryant, MBE presented his paper titled Digital Data
Acquisition, Manipulation and Output for Topographic Cartography.
Professor Desmond O’Connor, Foundation Professor of Environmental Studies, Murdoch University,
gave the Keynote Address title Meeting the Environmental Crisis. Extracts follow:
1976

3. A TIME OF EDUCATION, AND VISION
I, along with three other senior non-commissioned officers, was invited by Major John Cattell to a Christmas-eve 1976
barbeque. I was surprised by the invitation. During the evening I had a chat with my Corps Director Colonel Jim
Stedman. Colonel Stedman asked me if I would like to undertake Long Term Schooling. In addition to undertaking
three years of academic study, I was given a challenge of identifying future directions for digital mapping for the
Royal Australian Survey Corps and the Australian Army.
The following year I commenced the first of my tertiary studies at the (then) Canberra College of Advanced Education
(now the University of Canberra) towards the award of Bachelor of Arts in Computing Studies (Cartography major).
My principal lecturer was Waldo (Wally) Wassermann. Wally was a German mathematician and engineer who came to
Australia to work on the Snowy Mountain Scheme. Wally had some interesting beliefs. On my first meeting with Wally
he said that at the end of our courses “you will know of a whole lot of topics that you’ll know very little about”.
Wally also said that they would not have constructed the Snowy Mountains Scheme if they had used the standard
technology and procedures of the day; in other words, he suggested that we “need to question and challenge current
procedures and not just rely on published text books”.
Because I, and three others, were ‘mature age’ students with surveying and mapping experience Wally awarded us
exemption from introductory surveying and cartography subjects. As such we were able to partake in a unique course
combining cartography and computer science. We did a unit in remote sensory mapping (now known as remote
sensing#), a unit in machine intelligence (now known as artificial intelligence), as well analytical cartography units having
advanced calculus and spherical trigonometry.
Those days were the most ‘enlightening days’ in my career. At that time I believed that we were about to embark on a
NEW AGE OF CARTOGRAPHY!
CCAE
# The term “remote sensing” was coined in the early 1960s by geographers in the [US] Office of Naval Research to apply to the
information derived from photographic and non-photographic instruments.
The American Society of Photogrammetry published the First Edition of the Manual of Remote Sensing in 1975.
Enlightening days!
3

4. BA Computing Studies (Cartography major)
A Unique Course
“From their inception back in the 1960s, the computing studies courses from CCAE were considered by many
to be the best in Australia and they also had a great reputation worldwide”.
Bob Ecclestone, Honorary Degree Holder, Master of Applied Science, 1989
My personal view of the sciences Core scientific discipline
Cartography
Foundation scientific discipline
Mathematics
Enabling scientific discipline
Computer science
Projections &
transformations
Spatial & temporal
reasoning
Calculus
Algebra
Geometry
Trigonometry
Numerical
analysis
Spherical
Trigonometry
Course subjects and topics
Datums &
Coordinate systems
Topology
Data
structures
Terrain
modelling
Information science
Computer science
Computer programming
ALGOL + Several other languages
Systems analysis
Computer architecture
Numerical analysis
Graph theory Operations research
Machine (artificial) intelligence
Representation &
communication
4

5. CCAE
Waldermar (Waldo or Wally) Wassermann was a German mathematician and geodetic surveyor. Wally
was a visionary! He had a mate in the timber industry who was interested in determining the best route to
drive his vehicles from the south coast of New South Wales to Canberra. He also had a mate (an airline
pilot) who saw the day when airlines would be flying shorter routes across Asia/Europe.
A Unique Course which featured interesting
[and non-conventional] assignments and projects
1977 – Cartography 2 - Map projections for Geodesists, Cartographers and Geographers
“The idea to write this introduction to map projections was born in 1969 in the Department of Geodetic
Science of the Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio, USA.
There existed agreement in the opinions of the authors that most most books on map projections are
either too simple of conception, or too involved, carrying the subject matter far beyond the knowledge
required of geodesists studying at a Master’s degree level.
This book is an intermediate. After a description of general features presupposing a knowledge of
elementary spherical trigonometry, it employs mathematics up to a level of ordinary and integral calculus.
It leads the way directly to the design of general computer programmes for the calculation and/or plotting
of geographic grids in the common projections of both terrestrial and lunar ellipsoids.
…
It is hoped that the combined experience of the authors in geodesy and cartography, in academic and
professional practice, has produced a text useful to students and colleagues”.
Richardus, Peter and Adler, Ron K. (1972). Map Projections for Geodesists, Cartographers and Geographers, North-Holland,
Amsterdam
Digital terrain models and data banks. The direct and indirect measurements performed for the purpose of recording the
physical and artificial (man-made) features are processed in the form of a digital model. Each point measured is defined by its
three dimensional coordinates within a specific system, such as longitude, latitude and height above mean sea level.
One can imagine a data bank as a storage divided into surface compartments, the compartment boundaries corresponding to a
system of parametric lines created by the geographical or plane rectangular coordinate grid.
A text book with visionary concepts:
5

6. CCAE
A Unique Course which featured interesting
[and non-conventional] assignments and projects
Text books included:
1978 – Remote Sensory Mapping - Digital Picture Processing
1979 – Machine Intelligence – The Thinking Computer: Mind Inside Matter
Rosenfeld, Azriel and Avenish C. Kak (1976). Digital Picture Processing, Academic Press, New York
Raphael, Bertram (1976). The Thinking Computer: Mind Inside Matter, W. H. Freeman, San Fransisco
“This book should be suitable for a one- or two- semester advanced undergraduate or graduate course
in picture processing.
Picture processing or image processing by computer encompasses a wide variety of techniques and
mathematical tools”.
Mathematical preliminaries Visual perception Digitization Compression
Enhancement Restoration Segmentation Geometry Description
“The computer is a tool whose continued improvement, and subsequent expanded application, can be
of immeasurable benefit to mankind. One might imagine many ways in which computers could be
improved. Computer scientists and engineers try to make their machines faster, cheaper, more reliable,
and easier to use. In addition, a few specialists in a growing field called ‘artificial intelligence’ are
devoting their professional careers to trying to make computers more intelligent”.
Bertram Raphael – Director of the Artificial Intelligence Center of the Stanford Research Institute,
Menlo Park, California
6

7. CCAE
A Unique Course which featured interesting
[and non-conventional] assignments and projects
Yoeli
Analytical Hill-Shading
1965
Perspective view of Greater Vancouver
Program: SYMVU
Data: D.Mark
U British Columbia
Assignment
Digital terrain modelling: A system of parametric lines
Wally had an idea! Let us model the surface of the Earth using a system of parametric lines.
He provided sets of elevations over the Canberra CAE area with the challenge of creating a
surface representation; or splitting the surface into a group of small surface elements.
We [course members] used a number of contemporary documents for research.
We were unsuccessful with this assignment but received passes because Wally valued the
learning experience above simple tests. This trait [from our observation] did not sit well with
other academics.
e.g. the sphere can
be paramatized as
7

8. CCAE
A Unique Course
Remote Sensory Mapping – Assignment 1
Lecturer: Dr Grahame Smith
Assignment 1 required the use of LANDSAT data and required the following tasks:
² Reduce a scene (150 scan lines in length and 480 pixels wide) of central Canberra
sensed on 18 November 1975 to a new scene 50 lines in length and 160 pixels
wide. There are many methods of accomplishing this reduction, you should carry
out at least two. Included with map outputs should be a discussion of the merits
and demerits of your methods.
² Using thresh-holding techniques extract Lake Burley Griffin from your reduced
scene. You should produce a map of the lake, together with an account of the
methods you used to get it.
² Locate the bridges and other non-water features of the lake. Produce these as an
overlay for your lake map.
The photographic images (below) did not become available until later in the course. The
images were processed by Dr John O’Callaghan at CSIRO. Thus, photographic images
were not in existence at the time of the actual assignment. Naivety can be beneficial in
conducting innovative work.
LANDSAT scene of Canberra
Sensed 18 November 1975
Bridges
Shoreline of
Lake Burley Griffin
Comment
Bridges X
Shore *
Fountain in front of
Old Parliament
House*
Google Earth 2014
8

9. A Unique Course
Attachment to CSIRO during end-of-year break
Prototype – Trafficability at Shoalwater Bay
CSIRO TERRAIN PATTERN MAP
Digitised by SSGT Bob Williams
1978
SHOALWATER BAY AREA - QUEENSLAND
RASVY TRAFFICABILITY MAP
Because I was in the Army I was required to work through the
academic breaks. During the period December 1978 –
February 1979 (then) SSGT Bob Williams, a member of the
Royal Australian Survey Corps (RASVY), worked in
collaboration with the Directorate of Engineers – Army, the
Joint Exercise Planning Staff (JEPS), and Dr Joe Walker and
his staff at CSIRO’s Division of Land Use Research to digitize
terrain pattern maps compiled by CSIRO and using software
written by CSIRO’s Bruce Cook to form the basis of
Trafficability Overprints for the Shoalwater Bay Training Map. A
series of overlays that showed GO-NO areas under a range of
environmental conditions and a series of overlays that showed
FIRE RISK areas were compiled for use by JEPS (Joint
Exercise Planning Staff) but these were never published.
In March 1972 the NSW Government invited CSIRO to participate
in a joint study of land use on the South Coast of the State. CSIRO
was asked to undertake a pilot survey of resources in the area to
provide a ‘rational basis for planning decisions on a wide variety of
land uses’.
The report titled Land Use on the South Coast of New South
Wales (1978) includes a Chapter by Bruce Cook on Computer
Methods.
LAND USE ON THE SOUTH COAST OF NEW SOUTH WALES
TRAFFICABILITY AT SHOALWATER BAY
J.Walker and A.P.Spate, Woodland Ecology Unit, Division of Land Use Research, CSIRO, July
1976
9

10. A Unique Course which featured interesting
symposiums, conferences & visits
Attended Conference: LANDSAT 79
The Keynote Address was given by Vincent V. Salomonson of
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. He was Project Scientist for
Landsat 4 and 5 (1977-1989).
Dr. Salomonson has received numerous recognitions for his work
and leadership. These include the Goddard Exceptional
Performance Award (1975) for his work as Chairman of the NASA
Sub-discipline Panel for Water Resources, the NASA Exceptional
Scientific Achievement Medal (1976) for outstanding contributions
in the practical applications of remote sensing data in the water
resources field.
LANDSAT 79
FIRST AUSTRALASIAN LANDSAT CONFERENCE
Macquarie University
Sydney
May 22-25, 1979
Dr Grahame Smith and another of my lecturers, Geoff Halsey, presented a paper
“Rectified Images in Geographic Information Systems” at the First Australasian
LANDSAT Conference.
Dr John O’Callaghan# from CSIRO Division of Computer Research (and who provided
support for the unit Remote Sensory Mapping) made a presentation titled Colour Image
Processing of LANDSAT Imagery.
# Professor John O'Callaghan has had a distinguished career in the area of information technology and has made
significant contributions to research and development on information technology systems. He is recognised as an
international expert in the area of high-performance computing, data management and communication.
2014 photo
10

11. A Unique Course which featured interesting
symposiums, conferences & visits
Attended Seminar: Harvard ‘Odyssey’ at CSIRO
In 1979, Eric Teicholz, Deputy Director of the Laboratory of Computer Graphics, Harvard
University visited CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)
and ANU (Australian National University) in Canberra. Wally arranged for my course members to attend a
presentation by Teicholz on Harvard research and its ODYSSEY Project.
Teicholz demonstrated a hologram titled “American Graph Fleeting” at the Australian Academy of Science.
Odyssey GIS is the first vector GIS developed by the Harvard Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis in the
mid-1970's. The need to use computer databases to store and manipulate large geographic files emerged in December 1975
as employees at the Harvard laboratory struggled to restructure Urban Atlas files for the Census Bureau. As a result of these
struggles, the Harvard team, which was comprised of Nick Chrisman and Denis White, created the conceptual model for
ODYSSEY; a suite of programs connected by a common user interface and data manipulation software.
In 1978, Geoffrey Dutton (Harvard University) made what may be the first thematic
spatio–temporal hologram, apparently the only example of holographic four-
dimensional cartographic display. A cylinder sixteen inches in diameter, it shows the
changes in population over time as it turns.
The hologram was produced by the program ASPEX from a sequence of images
showing U.S. population by county from 1790 to 1970. Each annual surface is
based on interpolation from the decennial census data, smoothed onto a grid of 82
by 127 cells. Starting over the Caribbean, the viewpoint shifts two degrees with
each year, rotating full circle with one turn around the image. The view also moves
upward from thirty degrees at the start to sixty at the end.
Geoffrey Dutton was certainly a scientist who worked “outside the box”. Dutton developed the tessellation of the
octahedron structure as a spherical data model
11

12. A Unique Course which featured interesting
symposiums, conferences & visits
Attended Symposium: GIS Workshop
A workshop on geographical information systems was held at the Australian National University during 5-7
December 1979 under the joint sponsorship of Human Geography, ANU Research School of Pacific Studies
and Applied Geography at the Canberra College of Advanced Education. Dr Rhind, Reader in Geography,
University of Durham, organized and led the program as part of a four month visit to Canberra.
Academic seminars had previously been held in universities and at CSIRO but not openly publicized.
The response [to the workshop] was overwhelming and available space in the
Coombs Building was packed to capacity. Dr Rhind proved to be most versatile and
resourceful with an appropriate commentary on a wide range of topics such as the
purposes of geographical data handling; the encoding, validation and editing of data;
recent international developments of hardware and software; and a review of
available packages of software. Various speakers delivered papers on user needs,
developments overseas, the Army AUTOMAP system, data management for
government, FASTRACK and RESPONSE II, SIDSIM software for integrating spatial
data by images, the applications of micro-computers, geographical aspects of the
1981 Population Census and the CSIRO South Coast Land Use Project.
1979 was an amazing year because the first workshop, open to a general audience , on Geographical
Information Systems was held in Canberra.
Personal comment. During his time in Canberra I had several meetings with Dr Rhind and provided him with statistical data on
the World Data Bank II for his research.
Rhind went on to become CEO of UK Ordnance Survey and, later, Vice-Chancellor of City University London.
Cartography
(Journal of the Australian Institute of Cartographers)
Volume 11, No 3, March 1980
12

13. CCAE
A Unique Course -
Special Studies in Computing
Towards a CARTOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM
During my Special Studies in Computing unit at CCAE I developed a map
projection and transformation software package and used World Data Bank II.
The World Data Bank II, developed by the US CIA, is a collection of world
map data, consisting of vector descriptions of land outlines, rivers, and
political boundaries. It was created by the U.S. government in the 1970s.
The data was provided by an officer, Mr Jack Doyle, from the Joint Intelligence
Organisation (JIO) on nine magnetic tapes and my first task was to convert the data
into a 48 bit word format for processing on a Burroughs B6700 computer using the
ALGOL computing language.
My package featured a number of innovative features: the use of rigorous half-
angle spherical trigonometry to calculate great circles (Wally believed that aircraft
would one-day fly along great circle paths); development of a user communication
simulating ‘natural language’ and ‘smart’, automated scale and positioning of maps.
Results of my CCAE studies were published and presented in 1980. In addition I
produced a number of radial equidistant plots centered on cities in Australia and
Asia for JIO and rewrote the software for JIO in TEKTRONIX Extended Basic
running on a TEKTRONIX computer early in 1980. This mapping software was, I
believe to be, the first computer mapping software written for Defence for
applications beyond computer assisted mapping as in Army’s AUTOMAP I and
Navy’s AUTOCHART.
Projections, transformations, spherical
trigonometry
Natural language processing
Interactive communication
Query languages
Recursive & heuristic algorithms
Incl A* path-finding algorithm
Burroughs B6700 13
Publications
Williams, R.J. (1980). “An overview of a cartographic mapping package”, Cartography,
Volume 11, No.3, March 1980
Williams, R.J. (1980). “Automated cartography with navigational applications”, Proceedings
– Fourth Australian Cartographic Conference, Hobart 1980
Information systems
Beyond Electronic Maps

14. 14
A Unique Course which featured interesting
symposiums, conferences & visits
- Selected readings
Azriel Rosenfeld, Extraction of Topological Information from Digital Images
David M. Mark, Topological Properties of Geographical Surfaces: Applications in Computer Cartography
Thomas K. Peuker, Data Structures for Digital Terrain Modules: Discussion and Comparison
Bruce G. Cook, The Structural and Algorithmic Basis of a Geographic Data Base
Nicholas J. Cox and David W. Rhind, Networks in Geographical Information Systems: A British View
Geoffrey H. Dutton, Navigating ODYSSEY
Nicholas R. Chrisman, Concepts of Space as a Guide to Cartographic Data Structures
Geoffrey Dutton (ed.) (1978). Harvard Papers on Geographic Information Systems. (proc. of first
International Symposium on Topological Data Structures for Geographic Information Systems)
Nick Chrisman’s book "Charting the Unknown" presents a history of GIS technology that takes readers back
more than four decades to the Harvard Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis, where a variety
of professionals converged to rethink thematic mapping, spatial analysis, and what we now call GIS. The book
includes a CD containing interviews with important figures at the Harvard Laboratory, three movies showing
animated visualization, and scanned copies of Context publications (from 1968 to 1983) describing research and
research-related activities at the lab.
Dr. Craig Fields, Beyond ELECTRONIC PAPER
FIRST INTERNATIONAL ADVANCED STUDY SYMPOSIUM ON TOPOLOGICAL DATA STRUCTURES FOR
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
The Symposium was held at the Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis, Harvard University October 17
to 21, 1977. At the meetings more than seventy participants from seven nations convened to discuss fifty-seven papers.

15. 15
Bertram Raphael started at SRI (Stanford Research Institute)
International in 1964 as a consultant. After completing his PhD at MIT
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology), he was at the University of
California, Berkeley for an academic year, and subsequently joined
SRI full time in April 1965. He was a long-time member of SRI's
Artificial Intelligence Center, and was its director from 1970 to 1973.
While at SRI, he helped invent the A* search algorithm and develop
Shakey the robot, which was one of the first projects sponsored by
DARPA ([US] Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). He also
co-founded the Journal of Artificial Intelligence.
A Unique Course which featured interesting
symposiums, conferences & visits
- Grahame Smith & Stanford!
“SRI bridges the critical gap between research
universities or national laboratories and industry.
We move R&D from the laboratory to the
marketplace to create high value and real
innovation. And the platforms we build today are
designed to meet tomorrow’s needs”.
Lecturer:
Dr Grahame Smith
Textbook
+ notes
and
articles
1980s
Australian Artificial
Intelligence Institute
Government funded research and development
laboratory [1988-1999] for investigating and
commercializing Artificial Intelligence, specially
Intelligent Software Agents.
Grahame Smith left Australia to work at
Stanford
Grahame Smith returned to
Australia to work at AAII
AI Center
Perception
Group

16. Mathematician
Geodetic surveyor
Mr Waldemar Wassermann retired in December 1988 from the School of Applied Science, Canberra
College of Advanced Education. Wally was appointed as Senior Lecturer in Cartography in February 1972
following national and international advertisement which attracted him from the Geodetic Research Institute,
Frankfurt, where he had been engaged in the application of satellite imagery to computer mapping. He had
worked previously in Australia as the Chief Surveyor of the Snowy Mountains Authority.
2013 photo
Waldemar Wassermann
The Engineering disciplines of Surveying and Mapping and the Sciences of Geodesy and Cartography
are enduring
Wally was promoted in 1977 to the position of Principal Lecturer in Surveying and Cartography. He was responsible
for setting up a cartographer major which stressed techniques of computer mapping and photogrammetry.
He also established a programme leading to a three year bachelor’s degree in surveying.
Wally is renowned for the very high standards expected from his students. His graduates include many of the staff
of AUSLIG, the Royal Australian Survey Corps, the image analysis section of military intelligence, several academic
appointments and a number of public servants in South Australia, Queensland and Northern Territory. All will value
the guidance provided by Wally in understanding the transition from analogue to digital representation of data.
Cartography
(Journal of the Australian Institute of Cartographers)
Volume 17, Issue 2, 1988
16

17. Mathematician
Computer scientist
Bruce Graydon Cook
Bruce Graydon Cook (BGC) BSc (Maths, Physics) Sydney. Joined Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology & Geophysics (BMR)
as Geophysicist in 1953. Worked in observatory geophysics: terrestrial magnetism, seismology. Stationed from time to time at
Watheroo, WA; Macquarie Island; Mawson, Antarctica; as well as at Geophysical Branch headquarters, Melbourne and later
Canberra. Early computing & data processing experience with BMR on Silliac and CSIRO CDC3600.
Joined CSIRO Division of Land Research (DLR) in 1967 to work on methodology of land resource survey. Became DLR
nominee on ANU-hosted Automated Cartography Study Group (ACSG).
Developed a simple topological data structure for representation of plane region maps (Cook, 1967). The system was the
subject of a poster presentation at the international Land Evaluation Symposium, Canberra, organised by DLR in 1968. One of
the delegates to that conference was Canadian geographer Roger Tomlinson, who at that time was heading the Canadian
Geographic Information System.
CGIS was the system designed to store and manipulate the data gathered for the Canadian Land Inventory (CLI). Tomlinson
invited BGC to develop an alternative graphic input system for CGIS using manual tracing on a table digitizer. BGC spent six
months of 1969 with CGIS in Ottawa.
On return to Australia, BGC applied this approach to a planned moderate scale land use study, it was clear that the complex
multi-attribute descriptors to be used could not be accommodated within the designed topological data structure. Rather than
design a special purpose auxiliary data structure for the attribute data, it was determined to use a general purpose database
management system (DBMS). The DBMS chosen was an implementation developed in the CSIRO Division of Computing
Research.
Throughout the 1970s, the work was publicised through appropriate study groups, workshops, seminars, symposia and
conferences as well as activities expanded to include, among other organisations, the Division of National Mapping and the
Army Survey Corps. URPIS conferences provided convenient access to state and local government instrumentalities. The 1978
Harvard symposium provided an international forum.
A Computer Representation of Plane Region Boundaries was published in THE AUSTRALIAN COMPUTER JOURNAL,
November, 1967
17

18. Typical object recognition enquiries might take
the form:
• What is the feature 5KM north-west of the
junction of road A and road B?
• Give details of this building (pointed to on a
screen).
• What is this feature (pointed to on a screen)?
Examples of these types of queries may take the form:
• Show a base map bounded by 20OS, 25OS, 130OE and 132OE
and highlight the bores.
• Locate and list details of the nearest airfield to
the town of Kyogle, NSW
• Plot all roads between Dubbo NSW and Bourke NSW to a
distance of 100KM from the centre line
A DEFENCE ENQUIRY SYSTEM (DES)
LT R.J.Williams
1980
Photo taken in December 1979 of (then) SSGT Bob Williams.
Military symbols produced using Tektronix PLOT 10 software.
18
Fulfilling a Promise!
… a discussion paper on where I thought that the
Royal Australian Survey Corps should be
heading …
1980
Below are copies of extracts from the original paper with scanned copies of the original illustrations.
Abstract “an emergency situation, whether it be military in
nature or a natural disaster, often tests the speed of
response of sub-units of an organisation. Planning,
staffing, coordinating, directing and controlling decisions
are required in a limited time frame”.
Object recognition. Today’s orthophotomap may be replaced
by a digital image, perhaps similar to LANDSAT images, and
various features highlighted or classified. It might also
be feasible that digital terrestrial cameras of the future
could be used to identify features (possibly with the help
of symbol tables and definitions).

19. 19
Fulfilling a Promise!
… a discussion paper on where I thought that the
Aeronautical Information products should be heading
…
1980
Below are copies of extracts from original plots produced within Special Studies in Computing [CCAE].
MAPPACK
An applications program
Demonstrating navigational aspects

20. An overview of a
cartographic
mapping package
R.J.Williams
Bachelor of Arts
in Computing Studies
(CCAE)
AMAIC
CARTOGRAPHY
Volume 11 No.3 March 1980
Vision – CARTOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM
MAPPACK Communications – Appendix 1
RUN MAPPACK; MAXPROCTIME = 30;
MAXIOTIME = 20
#Collect any printout from Print 6
#Running #? *Mappack*
Cartographic Mapping Package
Types of maps available include ….
Atlas
Strip map
Pre-history mapping
Distance to coastline
Which would you prefer?
ATLAS
Enter region
- If World type WORLD
- - Strip map of type A TO B
DARWIN
Enter projection number
0 … Orthographic 1 … Stereographic
2 … Gnomonic 3 … Postel
(Azimuthal Equidistant)
4 … Perspective 5 … Mercator
6 … Lambert (Cylindrical Equal Area)
7 … Bonne 8 … Sanson-Flamsteed
9 … Mollweide
3
You may nominate your scale options:
You may nominate your … Own scale
Computer printout size … A4 size
Maximum available size Which would you like?
A4
Map scale is 20,000,000
Is oblique aspect required?
YES
Place centred on?
DARWIN
Postel Equidistant Projection
Enter radial distance in 1000KM (max 20)
5
Map scale is now 1:75,000,000
Are distance range rings required?
YES
The following options are available
Enter YES if required …
Geographic data …
YES
Geographic graticule …
YES
Nomenclature …
NO
Legend …
YES
***MAPPACK running**
20
Fulfilling a Promise!
1980
This paper provides is an overview of a cartographic
mapping package developed at the CCAE. The package
demonstrates educational and navigational applications
and was produced for the semester unit Special Studies in
Computing in the course for the award of BA in Computing
Studies.

21. 21
In 1947 Colonel Lawrence FitzGerald attended two important conferences in London: the Commonwealth Survey Officers
Conference in August, and a Military Mapping and Aeronautical Charting Conference held immediately afterwards. It was probably
the military mapping conference in England that brought home to FitzGerald the extent to which Australia was being drawn into the
widening web of alliances and agreements that characterised the immediate post war period. At a previous Anglo-American conference
on military map and air chart policy, held in October 1946, these two powers agreed to each accept particular responsibility for map
production for half the world. Now Britain was asking its dominions to accept a further subdivision of its share. Australia was invited to
accept the Netherlands East Indies as an area of primary interest.
In 1941, Martin Hotine became Director of Military Survey [UK Ordnance Survey] with the rank of Brigadier, commanding
Geographical Section of the General Staff and responsible for the Army’s maps and the RAF’s aeronautical charts.
In 1946, no doubt aided by his overseas surveying experience, he became the founding Director of the Directorate of Colonial
(later Overseas) Surveys (DOS), a post he held until he retired 1963. During this time he had a profound influence on both
surveying and mapping within the Commonwealth.
Aeronautical
Products!
… some historical information on Aeronautical charting
… a relationship that lasted half a century …
1980
I was posted back to Army Survey Regiment, Bendigo in March 1980 and appointed IC RAAF
Charting Troop in Cartographic Squadron. My first trip was to RAAF Frognall (Melbourne) to visit AIS
(Aeronautical Information Service). My troop was manned by 22 Army Survey technicians and a
RAAF Liaison Officer; responsible for base maps of aeronautical charts.
Survey Regt, Fortuna Villa
RAAF Frognall
During discussions with Squadron Leader Mackenzie I showed him
my work (e.g. as on right) and we discussed the nature of future en
Route Charts and Flight Information Publications and that the
structure and the geometry lent itself to producing a ‘tailored’ product
for a flight plan and supplying the information in a database which
could be accessed when required.
Two factors prevented this innovation from happening:
1. The technology of-the-day was not advanced enough for this type of
application; and
2. The reluctance of people to accept a change from a traditional paper-
based view to intelligent computer solutions.
THIS IS THE
PROBLEM TODAY!

22. 3665-III STRICKLAND [1:50000] was
the first map published using the
AUTOMAP I system in 1978.
Compilation was by digital stereo-
photogrammetric methods 1976.
YAMPI JOG [1:250000]
MAP GENERATION
22
1980
YAMPI: A Digital Mapping Experience report,
described the area; discussed the map
production describing the available source data,
detailing production time limitations and method
of production; analyzed various aspects
observed during the production including the
integrity of the data bank, cost of data
manipulation processes, the effect of
management and operational procedures and
the quality of the graphic; and, finally examined
some future applications and recommendations.
YAMPI
A Digital Mapping
Experience
The first, and only ever, 1;250,000 map - SE51-3 YAMPI -
was produced from source digital data of the 1:50,000
maps compiled by stereo-photogrammetric techniques
during June – August 1980.

23. 23
1980
The first, and only ever, 1;250,000 map - SE51-3 YAMPI -
was produced from source digital data of the 1:50,000 maps
compiled by stereo-photogrammetric techniques during
June – August 1980.
Analytical Hill-Shading
CDC CYBER76
Computer room
(typical)
Modem
Magnetic
Tape
WILD B8 Stereo-plotter
HEWLETT PACKARD
2100A Minicomputer
GERBER 1232
Light head flat
bed plotter
DEC PDP 11/70
Minicomputer
Contours
Spot heights
Grid matrix
Shade density
The only patch of
analytical hill-shading
produced
Modem / comms
technology was not robust
enough with connections
failing on several nights
YAMPI
A Digital Mapping
Experience

24. 24
The first, and only ever, 1;250,000 map - SE51-3 YAMPI -
was produced from source digital data of the 1:50,000
maps compiled by stereo-photogrammetric techniques
during June – August 1980.
The back of SE51-3 YAMPI presented
SOME APPLICATIONS OF THE DATA BASE
INFRASTRUCTURE DIRECTORY (left)
The data base has potential to be used in support of the
Infrastructure Directory, by introducing supplementary
information, to provide attributes of various features.
RADAR SIMULATION
A potential application of the data base is to project features of radar
significance to produce a simulated radar map. This display, which
shows an actual display of the southern approach to the City of Darwin,
could be produced with some additions to the topographic data base,
and in any selected bearing and altitude combination.
DARWIN
COMMAND, CONTROL, COMMUNICATION (above)
In operational situations, special thematic overlays could be
superimposed onto a selected topographic map.
DSVY-A DEF/MISC5157C
August 1980
1980
YAMPI
A Digital Mapping
Experience

25. Vision – CARTOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM
Projections, transformations,
spherical trigonometry
Natural language interactive
communication
Query
languages
Recursive & heuristic
algorithms
Automated
Cartography
with
Navigational
Applications
R.J.Williams MAIC
25
Fulfilling a Promise!
1980
This paper provides is an overview of a cartographic
mapping package developed at CCAE. The package
demonstrates educational and navigational applications and
was produced for the semester unit Special Studies in
Computing in the course for the award of Bachelor of Arts in
Computing Studies.

26. 26
The scenario below was used as an introduction to my
presentation at the Fourth Australian Cartographic Conference
held at Hobart, 1980.
My presentation was second on the program following the
Keynote by Rupert Southard from the USGS titled “Automated
Cartographic Development in the United States of America”
The following scenario demonstrates complex demands on an emergency management organisation
Ø Suppose that the control room of an emergency management organisation received notification that an
unidentified vessel with 60 passengers has grounded on a small island at latitude 16.43S and longitude
123.07E.
Ø Ten people have been swept overboard and are missing and one woman is seriously ill.
Ø Logically the first queries might be …
In this example, the system may have
no detailed knowledge of Kimbolton
Homestead (the nearest habitation),
but is able to report that Oobagooma
Homestead has a serviceable airstrip
and a number of four-wheel drive
vehicles.
The system may also be able to
provide comprehensive infrastructure
details for Derby (the nearest town).
: Show an image of the area
ERTS image 07 August 1973
At this point, the control
room may be notified
that the weather was
characterised as a
severe cyclone and that
it had hit Derby, cutting
off communications, and
causing extensive
structural damage … Example only - image 1980
Fulfilling a Promise!
1980

27. I rewrote my mapping
software in FORTRAN77
for use on a PDP11/70
computer. I called my
software MISTI
(Management Information
for Topographic
Intelligence) and, as I was
IC RAAF Charting Troop,
focused on trying to
automate EN ROUTE
Chart base map
production.
My vision was that it would
be possible to
automatically generate
en route charts along
with relational database
access to information
contained in RAAF EN
ROUTE SUPPLEMENTS
and that the route should
be along a great circle.
27
… MISTI (Management Information for Topographic
Intelligence…
Aeronautical
Products!
1982

28. I again rewrote my
mapping software in
FORTRAN77 this time for
use by the Joint
Intelligence Organisation
(JIO) for use on a HP2100
series computer.
I called my software WIMS
(World Interactive
Mapping Software).
Vision – World (or
Williams) Interactive
Mapping System that could
automatically extract
information from a world
data base determined by
place names and search
criteria.
Applications would include
producing background
maps in normal, radial and
oblique rectangle formats
anywhere in the world.
28
Fulfilling a Promise! Returning to JIO (Joint Intelligence Organisation)..
… the year after the Falklands War …
1983

29. 1980- 84
29
1982 - Digital Topographic Database – A structured and formatted collection of sets of random accessed
files organised into evaluated Military, Geographic and Intelligence Data (MGID) available to meet the needs
and requirements of the user – command and control systems, route classification, cross-country going,
engineer intelligence data, resources data, meteorological data.
- US Exchange Officer Major David Bowen, USA and Lt Robert Williams, RASVY
Technical Development Cell, Army Survey Regiment
FORTUNA VILLA
BENDIGO
Major David Bowen and (then) Captain John Charland jointly wrote a
paper titled Interactive Computer Cartography at West Point for the
Fourth Australian Cartographic Conference, Hobart 1980. Major Bowen
presented the paper.
Major John Charland, ICA Conference &
AUSTRA CARTO 3, Perth, 1984
v Permit the Transportation Officer to point to a bridge and
have the system return the width, allowable load and
structural components of the bridge.
v Permit the Medical Officer to point to all hospitals in an area
and have the number of beds currently available.
v Permit the Commander to point to a geographical area and
have the system return enemy unit designations, locations,
strength and equipment status, and have the system
designed to permit data base update so that the information
returned is current and accurate.
Major Bowen was a US Army Exchange Officer from US
Defense Mapping Agency to Australia and posted to the
Army Survey Regiment, Fortuna, Bendigo. His previous
posting was as an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Geography and Computer Science, United States Military
Academy.
His replacement, in 1983, was Major John Charland who,
also, was an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Geography and Computer Science, United States Military
Academy.
Major Bowen had an MA degree in Geography and Major
Charland had an MSc in Civil Engineering.
Technical Development Cell
US Exchange Officers
1984

30. 30
The 1980s … …A Decade of Innovation … … with Experience and Vision … …
Reflections on the period 1976-84
– An enlightening time!
The 1970s … …A Decade of Vision… … with Visionaries with Ideas … …
The Survey Corps had A LONG HISTORY OF INNOVATION – embracing emerging technologies and applying
technologies to new areas of application.
For example, in the mid-1960s a survey operation was underway, that of the Southwest Pacific Survey. The aim of that survey
was to establish the principal islands of the South-west Pacific area on a common geodetic datum including connecting New
Guinea and the adjacent islands to the geodetic network on the mainland of Australia. The project being accomplished by aerial
electronic survey, specifically HIRAN, and ship to shore operations.
The measurement of very long lines, in the order of 750km, meeting surveying accuracies, came from the World War II uses of
radar for precision bombing and navigation. HIRAN was an electro-distance measuring system (HIgh frequency RAnging and
Navigation).
So, challenging existing procedures and undertaking challenging tasks was the NORM for Army Survey.
THEN …
SSGT Bob Williams operating a Magnavox AN/PRR-14 portable Doppler
satellite (US Navy Navigation Satellite System – TRANSIT) receiver – 1976
Drawn from a photo as part of a publicity brochure
This appears on the reverse of a number of back-up maps.