The Esri™ User Conference is the largest gathering of GIS professionals in the world. Held annually in San Diego, California, the Esri User Conference attracts professionals in the geospatial industry from over 130 countries, attracting over 20,000 visitors to the conference. This year’s tradeshow was a testament to the transformative power of GIS in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.
Companies like Juniper Systems Inc., a manufacturer of hardware, software, and sensors also participate to provide complementary solutions to the Esri software ecosystem to bring GIS data to and from the field.
“I really liked the energy at the Esri show,” said Junipers’ Sales Account Manager Paul Kelley. “You could really feel that the people there were passionate about GIS, and I was always having engaging conversations about GIS. People seemed to be really impressed with the simplicity of our GPS receiver and rugged tablets.”
Esri, or Environmental Science Research Institute, is a privately-owned foundation that produces the market-leading ArcGIS platform of GIS apps and services. Esri is headquartered in Redlands, California, about 2 hours from San Diego. Esri provides a comprehensive platform suite of software, services, and content used to develop and analyze GIS data, and is used worldwide to manage, share, and make decisions about spatially oriented data.
The annual Esri User Conference is a week-long event where GIS (Geographic Information System) professionals meet and learn about the latest features and capabilities in the Esri ecosystem, and share their latest innovations and solutions. This year’s conference buzzed with energy, bringing together GIS professionals, tech enthusiasts, and industry leaders from around the globe.
“It was fantastic to be able to meet and network with so many professionals in GIS,” said Customer Success Manager Wyatt Peterson. “I was very excited to see how many people have interest in our upcoming Archer 4 handheld, with the submeter GNSS expansion.”
Coming Soon: Archer™ 4 Rugged Handheld with GNSS Expansion
Displayed with excitement at the Juniper Systems booth was the Archer 4 Rugged Handheld. The Archer 4 is a soon-to-be-released rugged Android handheld device in the Archer family, with improved features such as a power-efficient Qualcomm processor, Android 14 operating system with updates through Android 18, and compatibility with Google for popular data collection software. To meet the needs of any job, the capabilities of the Archer 4 can be enhanced with a sub-meter GNSS expansion pod, empowering GIS users with improved mapping accuracy. Optional accessories to make the job even more seamless include an external battery charger, a one-handed keyboard, and the Geode Grip™.
Mapping Software with Rugged Hardware in One Bundle
Another big standout from the conference was Junipers’ displayed software and hardware as a combined mapping solution. Bundling mapping software with a GNSS receiver and rugged tablet offers numerous benefits, especially for fieldwork in demanding environments.
“One of the things I noticed while at Esri was that a lot of the exhibitors have software as a solution they are presenting,” said Kelley. “In addition to the software that Juniper Systems offers, we also have hardware that will give users of software a better user experience when working outdoors or in other challenging environments.”
With a rugged tablet and GNSS receiver durability and the advanced capabilities of mapping software, users can confidently perform their duties without worrying about equipment failure, leading to improved productivity and informed decision-making on the go. Here is a highlight of Junipers’ mapping solutions.
Geode™ GNSS Receiver and Uinta™ Software
With the Geode GNSS Receiver, users can easily collect real-time GNSS data with sub-meter, sub-foot, decimeter, and centimeter accuracy options. Achieve professional-grade mapping with the Geode GNSS Receiver and Uinta Mapping and Data Collection Software . Map utility assets, land surveying, construction, agriculture and more with Geode and Uinta. Uinta data is compatible with Esri products.
Mesa® 4 Rugged Tablet
Built on the success of its predecessors, the Mesa® 4 Rugged Tablet brings increased performance, faster storage, and an overall more efficient device for data collection than the Mesa 3. Take your work with you wherever you need to go with an Intel N200 processor, a 3.7 GHz burst processor speed, and up to 16 GB of RAM. This rugged tablet manages demanding applications and tasks with ease. Rated IP68 as completely dustproof and waterproof, this tablet is ready for any rugged environment. Mesa 4 runs on Microsoft® Windows 11 Pro, and has a 7-inch display and all-day battery life.
Mesa® Pro Rugged Tablet
The Mesa Pro Rugged Tablet is a powerful laptop replacement for those who need to take their work with them on the go. Input data, communicate with others in real-time, upload spreadsheets, and organize information. The Mesa Pro is a 10-inch Windows tablet, is also rated IP68 and runs on an all-day battery. Built to order, these rugged tablets are a must-have for jobs on the go.
Conclusion
The Esri UC 2024 was a remarkable convergence of innovation and community, leaving attendees inspired and equipped with new tools and insights. We thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it and we look forward to the innovations and advancements that will emerge from the momentum generated this year. We’ll be back next year for Esri UC 2025.
Juniper Systems is a leading manufacturer of ultra-rugged tablets, handheld computers, GPS receivers, GIS mapping software, and field computing solutions. Professionals utilize Juniper Systems’ innovative mobile computers in natural resources, utilities and public services, geospatial, agriculture, industrial, and military markets. Visit our website to see how Juniper Systems’ rugged solutions meet all your rugged computing needs.