3d Anchorage

A critical application for first responders, 3D Anchorage is not possible today, but can quickly become a reality given the network resources and partnerships the Google Fiber for Communities will engage.

In brief, we envision a full 3D model of Anchorage residing in Google’s cloud which is served up to applications on demand.

The ability to stitch large collections of GPS tagged digital photographs into realistic models, extending the 2D panorama model to 3D, has already been validated on a large scale on a competing platform. The next obvious step is to host the model in the Google cloud and make it available as a service.

From http://www.harlem-13-gigapixels.com:

The Anchorage partners can coordinate a community-wide project to collect the tens of thousands of high resolution GPS tagged digital photos that will be stitched together into a realistic 3D model of Anchorage. The size and complexity of the 3D model suggest the model should be cached locally to meet performance requirements for interactive applications.

The 3D model of Anchorage and the associated base service will be the foundation for a number of significant applications that are becoming increasingly important to Anchorage:

  • Provide an accurate model for disaster and emergency response planning, and response simulations and drills (especially multi-agency responses sharing a consistent model)
  • Create dynamic mashups with digital as-builts, construction material composition models, and weather and traffic simulations to create realistic fire propagation and response simulations.
  • Pioneer community wide energy conservation, renewal and generation planning using seasonal, solar and wind models. Optimize for the community rather than single buildings.
  • Develop a new generation of mobile games that allow for new interactions between objects and people in realistic overlays in hybrid real/virtual spaces.

Combined with GIS and specialized 3rd party maps and models (historical, drainage, geologic, and air traffic - Anchorage has two of the busiest airports in the world, and numerous neighborhood landing strips and seaplane landing areas), this would be an incredibly valuable tool for all governmental and private city planning activities.