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Google envisions real-time, immersive experience of maps

SIEM REAP — From getting more accurate and relevant search results to interacting with the imagery on a map, users could get an even more immersive experience when they access online maps on their mobile devices in future.

A trekker from Google walking through Angkor, a World Heritage site. More than 90,000 panoramic shots have been joined to form 360-degree views of the exteriors and interiors of Angkor’s temples. Photo: Google

A trekker from Google walking through Angkor, a World Heritage site. More than 90,000 panoramic shots have been joined to form 360-degree views of the exteriors and interiors of Angkor’s temples. Photo: Google

SIEM REAP — From getting more accurate and relevant search results to interacting with the imagery on a map, users could get an even more immersive experience when they access online maps on their mobile devices in future.

These maps could eventually function as an “assistant”, by providing users with real-time transit information as they make their way to and from work.

And moving beyond the outdoors, the next level of hyper-detailed maps could see, for example, every lecture hall of a university mapped out.

Mr Manik Gupta, Group Product Manager for Google Maps, raised these possibilities to MediaCorp last week at an event to launch the addition of Cambodia’s iconic Angkor region to its Street View technology.

The Angkor project represents the first time a South-east Asian heritage site has been launched on Google’s Street View and is one of its largest digital renderings to date.

Work started in July last year, resulting in more than 90,000 panoramic shots stitched together to form 360-degree views of the exteriors and interiors of Angkor’s more than 100 temples, allowing people to experience the World Heritage Site from wherever they are.

“When you think about maps on mobile, the level of information and help you can provide is much more than if you think about maps on a desktop,” Mr Gupta said, adding that the portability of the mobile phone allows for search results to be customised based on location.

“In terms of what we can do next with the imagery that we’re taking, like with Street View and so on, I feel we can create this really immersive experience where with just using the mobile phone, you’ll be able to interact with the imagery and understand and look at what’s happening right in front you on the street (and) also look at the imagery and say ‘Where do we want to go?’ and navigate,” he said.

“There are lots of these very interesting ideas that we can work on to create this awesome mobile experience on Maps.”

Overall, the vision for Google is to build “the most comprehensive, accurate and useful map of the world … a living, breathing map”, said Mr Gupta. “It just keeps evolving, it’s always dynamic, it’s changing daily, maybe every minute ... where what you see on the map is getting closer and closer to reality.”

The challenge, however, is in collecting information on changes in the physical world — all the more difficult in rapidly evolving places, such as in Asia — processing the information and then deploying the change into the product. Currently, updating a map to show changes can take anything from a few minutes to a few days.

To verify information provided, Google taps into a variety of sources such as satellite imagery and even its own Street View. While it is not a perfect process, “we’re at a point where we feel very confident about the data that gets through”, said Mr Gupta.

Crucially, building maps continues to be a collaborative process with users and partners such as governments.

Mr Gupta pointed out: “How do we make sure we are able to build this pipeline where we can detect the change ... How do we know about it? Somebody has to tell us.” Presently, Google’s Map Maker allows users to contribute data for maps. Its Trekker Loan Programme allows tourism boards, non-profit organisations and other third parties to borrow a Trekker to help map an area.

“When it comes to users collaborating to provide information about mapping data — one thing that always amazes us is how much the users push us. They will keep asking for newer and newer things to map,” said Mr Gupta, adding that the company then works closely with users to launch new features and build the next level of hyper-detailed maps. “I think over the next several years, that’s exactly what we’ll see,” he said.

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