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New Modeling Algorithms Bring More Detail to Google Earth's 3-D World

Posted by timothy on from the astounding-stuff dept.

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."

2 of 64 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Bing had that for years. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    No, they didn't. Bing has aerial photography, but that's not what this is about. This is about aerial photography processed into a 3D world.

  2. Just like Nokia? by AC-x · · Score: 3, Informative

    So, just like Nokia's 3D maps? Or are Nokia's maps hand modelled?