Press Releases
Irish Local Government Computer Service Board Names LizardTech Preferred Supplier for Compression Technology
Irish Local Government Computer Services Board Embraces Document Express with DjVu and Express Server
London, England – April 5, 2005 - LizardTech, Inc., a leader in software solutions that make it significantly easier to manage, distribute and access digital content such as aerial photography, satellite imagery and scanned colour documents, today announced that the Irish Local Government Computer Services (LGCSB) will standardize their document image file format using LizardTech’s Document Express with DjVu®, a highly compressed file format for document images. The solution is being implemented by LizardTech’s business partner, Irish Mapping & GIS Solutions Ltd., (IMGS) based in Dublin, Ireland. The implementation project includes software implementation support and consultancy and supply of the DjVu software licenses over the next three years, which is the expected duration of the project.
All scanned imagery and digital documents will be converted to DjVu using the LizardTech Document Express products. These documents will be stored in DjVu, a revolutionary open file format, in the Local Government’s document and case management solution. Using DjVu ensures the highest possible image quality with the smallest document file size, delivering reduced file storage requirements and improved access whilst not compromising image integrity.
Over the next few years, the LGCSB will rollout Document Express with DjVu in combination with LizardTech’s Express Server to 34 municipal customers across Ireland.
“We are thrilled that the LGCSB have decided to implement our DjVu compression technology to help them overcome the technical challenges that they face or making very large documents accessible to the general public over slow internet connections,” said Carlos Domingo, LizardTech’s President and CEO.
“We were delighted to have been awarded this contract by the LGCSB, and we believe that the implementation of LizardTech’s DjVu technology will enable them to achieve their e-Government objectives. We look forward to continuing to build upon our existing business relationship with the LGCSB,” said Bob Stuart, Irish Mapping & GIS Solutions Ltd.’s managing director.
The business driver for selecting LizardTech’s document compression and distribution software is that the Irish Local Authorities face increasing demand by the general public to provide access to high quality scanned documents, but were faced with the technical challenge that the majority of the population have slow internet connections and broadband connectivity is still very expensive. The efficient document image compression of Document Express with DjVu and the rapid access enabled by Express Server solved these problems.
“Our decision to choose DjVu was simple in that this file format performed better than any other format we evaluated during the lengthy tender process,” said Tony Caulfield, project manager at the LGCSB. “Local Authorities can now post scanned imagery and digital documents such as planning applications, online for the public to see, without burdensome storage, bandwidth constraints or compromised visual quality.”
Document Express with DjVu combines efficient compression technology, automatic document conversion, customisable workflows and an easy to use interface to produce a cost-effective document imaging solution that delivers the highest levels of text legibility, and vivid colour in a compact document file that conserves storage space and bandwidth, whist retaining the ability to be fully text searchable.
Express Server is a robust software for cost-effectively distributing high-resolution imagery and scanned documents via the Internet to any device without sacrificing quality, resolution, or legibility. With Express Server, images download quickly while colours, text, and details of documents and images retain visual fidelity.
About Irish Mapping & GIS Solutions Ltd. (IMGS)
The IMGS team delivers custom software solutions that improve communications and simplify decision making. These solutions connect enterprise information with location and images, such as maps drawings & pictures.
About the LGCSB
The LGSCB is a public sector organization whose role is to provide the Irish Local Authorities with solutions to meet all their Information and Communications Technologies needs.
About LizardTech
Since 1992, LizardTech has delivered state-of-the-art software products for managing and distributing massive, high-resolution geospatial data such as aerial and satellite imagery and LiDAR data. LizardTech pioneered the MrSID technology, a powerful wavelet-based image encoder, viewer, and file format. LizardTech has offices in Seattle, Denver, London and Tokyo. For more information about LizardTech, visit www.lizardtech.com.
About Celartem
Celartem Technology Inc. http://www.celartem.com develops and sells innovative technologies for storage, access and distribution of rich media content. Celartem has developed technology in the areas of digital image compression, scalable image viewing and secure content distribution and management. Celartem is listed on the Osaka Securities Exchange, JASDAQ: 4330. Established in 1996, Celartem is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and has a wholly owned subsidiary, Celartem Inc. d.b.a. LizardTech with headquarters in Portland, OR.
