Google Earth

Rascal

If you zoom in on a location that has a camera symbol, it appears that the panaroma of photos was taken at ground level. I'm wondering if these shots are from a roving vehicle or created by a new technology from above. Here's an example (Times Square, NYC):

Anyone familiar with this technology?

Panhandle Smoker

We use it at work quite a bit. Alabama was one of the first states with the enhanced version. You can actually go down the streets. It wont be long before the entire country is photographed and available. Pretty neat huh.

TXTriker

They do also have a vehicle that did a lot of photograhpy.

Grandpas Grub

Street view caught my sons house with garage door open someone in the car with the break lights on. Caught my house, when a neighbor was at the door.

GG

stike

it ain't taken from above, since it's just a little above eye level. multiple cameras on the roof of a car

panos you can rotate have been around for some time, maybe 10 years, with quicktime being the only real one i know of with a fast format for use on the web.

many applications (photoshop is one) allow you to load a bunch of photos and they will automatically be stitched together. they are static though. to do a true pano that you can rotate around in, you need something that will out put a quicktime QVTR file.

i'm betting google's is proprietary though

Grandpas Grub

Interesting, I would think there is a lot of money involved in getting this to where it is.

Wonder how many cars they have driving around the world.

.

Semolina Pilchard

I was on a website the other day that showed a lot of crazy pics those cars took. People doing all sorts of things.

Fidel

Not an inexpensive venture.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4232286.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View

Grandpas Grub

$45k!!

Thanks for the links. Very interesting.

GG

Rascal

I kinda figured it was a ground operation, but then again, I recently heard that a weapon that can shoot a bullet around a corner is in the works..

bitslammer

Already exists. Bullet doesn't actually take a 90* turn but the gun does.

http://www.cornershot.com/

Rascal

Thanks, that's what it was. Video is pretty impressive!