Digitizing the planet. Capturing the world for VR/AR navigation.
Google streetview used 360 cameras on cars to capture all streets, walkways trails and thousands of other locations around the world. With VR you can explore those areas and go where those cars were.
To increase the range of moment within that digital space Google has started a 360 degree crowd-sourced photography program to capture the rest of the world. Anyone with a 360 camera and a StreetView app can now contribute to building the digital copy of the entire planet .It’s step one .
Check out My Street View contributions
This is fantastic news for all photographers and early adopters of 360 VR and AR technology. It’s an opportunity to contribute to a massive (and important) campaign and also make some money using their knowledge of technology to help build up this DIGITAL Version of the Earth. Current names include DigiEarth, Metaverse ,Mirror world or Earth 2.0
Google is using Deep Learning technology to accomplish this.
If you’ve seen what’s coming with software technology like SeaDragon and PhotoSynth, you may be able to better understand how far along we are in making the world a digital place. Stitching panorama images into 360 was only the beginning. The 360 images are now being stitched together and blended with all other images ever taken of the earth.This is how we will be assembling the digital version of the world that can be navigated in Virtual Reality devices.
It is also a necessary step for Augmented Reality (and autonomous car) navigation.
These are digital copies of earth;
GoogleEarthVR (outdoors and business interior), MirrorWorldAR , HoloVerseAR , MagicVerseAR, FacebookLiveVR (residential interior, coming soon), Microsoft Spatial AnchorXR
These are CGI digital creations, each a Unique World:
Decentraland VR , MarkSpace VR , High Fidelity VR , Venus Project VR , AltSpace VR , Sansar VR , VR chat , HelloVR , OrbusVR, ScienverseSurreal VR and as each MMO videogame is its’ one metaverse soon there will be many many more.
There are even some Micro Metaverse builders like AltSpaceVR and DreamsVR where you can build whole worlds’ of your own and invite your friends to join you in it.
How did they build a 3d+ version of planet earth , well 4d+ really because you can scan through time as well as space (and can also experience multi-presence. Like this:
For me the most exciting thing will be the option of entering past moment captures, (events).
TIME TRAVEL IS NOW POSSIBLE!
TIME TRAVEL (and access to the 4th Dimension) IS NOW POSSIBLE!
medium.com
Exploring this digital copy of the world offers extra abilities once Video recordings also get integrated to the digital environment. the ability to Pause, rewind and replay Real life events on earth will be an amazing experience.
Facebook is spearheading the 3d build of your memories from the collective captures of your past.
Imagine roaming “Earth2” in your VR device, approaching a stadium and choosing to watch any past sporting event. The creation of which (3d object) comes from every image and video capture taken at that event. Accomplished with Google Earth/Streetview, photosynth and perhaps merged with programs like walkabout worlds (for 3d interiors). (or solid state lidar systems)
And Digital worlds are even easier to Enhance with Augmented Reality.
Don’t think it can get weirder? Think again.
Even more Impressive will be when exploring the VR environment and finding Live streaming locations (especially with 360video !) windows or bubbles of ‘Real life”. IRL) being streamed LIVE, allowing you “catch up to Real-Time and be there in Telepresence. Finding interactive spaces like stores where you can shop, classrooms you can attend, and games you can play.
Attending Global news , music and sporting events, Live may become the pass-time of the future for those inside VR
Cars having a live streaming 360 camera , and Lidar (solid state) on the roof and other autonomous vehicle sensors will only offer more opportunities for constant updates add to this database.
The Digital Earth. ,” the Earth that was”, or whatever it’s called, is coming soon to VR and AD devices near you,(probably already in your pocket) and it will blend our online interactions into what seems like some futuristic world only imagined in 80s movies.
If you’re interested in the topic of digital world capture. I’ve already started building up a sample 3d model of the City of Victoria BC Canada using my thousands of 360 interior captures and an amazing program called Walkabout Worlds.)
recent news:
Google Street view and Google Earth (360 captures) can now be explored in Virtual Reality. The earth is now a VR Metaverse!
And not just cars. soon vehicles businesses and homes will be mapping the world.
Then there are will be low flying drones contributing to 3d mapping of the world too!
Twitter/Periscope/Apple partnership to create a competitive version….
so are Nokia and Here and
Snapchat and Zenly
news from Google earth
military news
WEB VR portal integration
google news
More detail is being collected from environments captured in regular or 360 (both images and video, (very important information for #AI))
In my former life as a telecom system engineer, I was twice involved with a mapping project for an entire Canadian Province. I can tell you there is great value in frequently updated data collection. This is only the beginning of a HUGE marketplace, and with it new challenges in privacy.
