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New Modeling Algorithms Bring More Detail to Google Earth's 3-D World
An anonymous reader writes "Google Earth has featured (some) textured 3D buildings and 3D terrain since 2006. New image-based modeling algorithms that process 45-degree Aerial Images automatically, however, will allow Google Earth to display entire 3D cities with fully texture-mapped, accurately modeled 3 dimensional buildings, roads, trees and landscaping/terrain. This YouTube video released by Google shows how effective the technique is at capturing urban areas in 3D. The resulting 3D cities look almost like a high-altitude view of a fully modeled 3D city in games like Grand Theft Auto."
It would be nice if this got merged with Street View and Google Maps.
Now someone needs to make a driving simulator based on this technology. Imagine, being able to play GTA in your own town or city!
...which explains why Google recently disposed of its 3D drawing tool, Sketchup. With the rise of algorithms like Photosynth it was inevitable that hand-drawn features would be superseded by automatic analysis. I just hope that Sketchup or tools like it remain available for drawing features which don't exist (yet). Of course there are plenty of 3D CAD programs available, but for those of us who aren't professional draughtsmen, few approach the ease-of-use that Sketchup has.
Maybe I'll care once they start using imagery under ten years old over my city. It'd be nice if the buildings that have been torn down and replaced in the meantime were photographed before the new buildings are torn down too.
For a change, MS was first.
phwor!
Reality looks almost as real as synthetic imagery?
So, just like Nokia's 3D maps? Or are Nokia's maps hand modelled?
If this is the consumer grade version, imagine what the military have, and must have had for years.
This is impressive technology, even if it has been done before!
I'm sure the Aliens have even better maps of our world. Present, AND way in the past.
Again commercial map vendors are battling with bling and shiny, not actually hiqh quality data. I guess it is path of less resistance (and marketing dep are happy).
user@ubuntubox:~$ stfu This server is going down for shutdown NOW!
On the video's description it was said:
"we'll begin adding 3D models to entire metropolitan areas to Google Earth on mobile devices in the near future"
(Emphasis mine)
Maps are perhaps used more on mobile devices, so it makes sense to support them first. A bit disappointing in any case.
Other posters have noted that Nokia and MS already have tech like this working on normal browsers, though Nokia at least want to install a plugin. I'm not willing to do that. Have enough plugins.
I'd like to see how this performs in places lie the suburbs of atlanta or some cities in kentucky where tress are all over the place occluding most everything.
i think the reason for putting mobile first is to hide the conversion quality as they finish processing the images. by the time desktop earth gets updated they should be through with their inital rollout, just my 2 cents. (i wouldnt wanna be the one in charge of processing trillions of images.)
C3 already was doing this a couple years ago. Apple bought C3, and we've heard nothing more. But there is a rumor Apple is going to debut the 3D maps next week on iphones. Google annoiuncing progress on their developments in this area sounds like a pre-emptive publicity strike from google to blunt the Apple first.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
I image how interesting it would be to have this info accessible through a public API.
Sketchup didn't fit Google's business model. No ads. No user tracking.
This is a trap. View this level of detail, get put on a watched list.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
If this is the consumer grade version, imagine what the military have,
Apple last year bought C3 Technologies, which was a spinoff of the Sweedish company Saab, which was used for military aircraft.
All of the videos you can find on the web are from around a year ago. Imagine what might come out of marrying the military technology with some manipulation enhancements from Apple...
The thing is I'm not sure that technology is that much better than what Google has, as far as rendering and storing the world... the place the military may be ahead is in speed of capture (it seems like speed of capture was one of the things C3 was touting, we have no info on how long Googles process takes but they are adept at parallel commotion so probably not much longer).
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Does anyone actually use this shit? I didn't use 3D maps before, and I don't plan on starting. I just don't see the value I guess, aside from the novelty factor.
I gotta admit, this is one thing I wonder about.
Don't get me wrong--I've used Google Earth and entered bike rides that I've gone on. It was pretty cool to do the fly-along view and I can see where this would be really fun for the first few times.
The problem is that if I'm actually trying to navigate around a city, there will be two problems. Either the camera will be positioned so that I can't see where I'm supposed to turn because some building is in the way, or the camera is going to be sweeping around like crazy, causing a distraction when I'm driving.
So, cool? Definitely. Useful for navigation--which is what the vast majority of map users are doing? Not so much.
Like has been implied, about the only use I see for something like this is in games. Random driving game on the real streets of Los Angeles/New York/Miami/Cleveland? Very cool.
I'm housebound, essentially, any dreams of being able to travel are as unlikely as dreams of waking up to find out I'm "Gill Bates" (or is that a nightmare ;-)
Googlemaps /Streetview /Earth has given me the ability to travel intercontinentally , with no TSA "patdowns' I might add ;-)