Mapping is a dire necessity. Be it combating climate change, holistic city planning, or resilient adaptation for disaster preparedness. Beginning with 2D maps, we have evolved to address a range of complex issues across various industries. Satellite imagery is at the heart of what we do.
Google Earth, for instance, merges data from diverse sources such as street view images. This data, updated regularly by city authorities on public transit and infrastructure, is integrated using advanced Machine Learning and AI.
There has been a surge in innovative use cases with aerial imagery becoming more accessible and high-resolution. Take our recent launch of immersive views for places and routes as an example.
We’re collating and stitching together millions of pixels of imagery, applying AI to accurately geolocate places, and overlaying this with points of interest and other useful information. This helps users make informed decisions in real-time.
Through the integration of geospatial with AI, ML, and Big Data, we offer services such as flood forecasting in over 80 countries.
Immersive Digital Twins
The essence of Digital Twins lies in their interconnectedness, convergence, and collaboration. For any virtual simulation, the focus should be on tailoring precision and resolution for specific purposes.
This approach caters to the unique requirements of various industries, ensuring that the Digital Twins are not just realistic but also highly functional and relevant to user needs. We aim to provide data of varying fidelity and layers to meet the diverse needs of our partners and the industries we serve.
Whether it’s a simple point cloud image, 3D imagery, or an abstract map, we’re equipped to handle it. Google’s partnership with the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) exemplifies this, focusing on shared standards that foster interoperability. This partnership is pivotal because it emerged when the space was still developing.
“It is only through the power of collaboration that diverse industries utilize and combine shared data in innovative ways, laying the groundwork of tech advancement.”
Collaboration for Innovation
No single company or entity in the industry can build everything in a fully vertical integration, so interoperability is not just beneficial – it’s essential. Our collaborations are invaluable in driving the industry forward and maximizing the potential of these technologies. Whether it is projects related to air quality monitoring, carbon emissions tracking, or solar energy planning, collaboration with city authorities and governments is crucial.
It is only through the power of collaboration that diverse industries utilize and combine shared data in innovative ways, laying the groundwork of tech advancement. Interoperability is another non-negotiable in an industry where no single entity can achieve full vertical integration.
For instance, real estate firms can now leverage our technology to visualize the architectural future of cities, including planned roadways and infrastructure. This capability aids their partners and investors in strategic planning and decision-making.
Sustainable Choices
Customized geospatial APIs are indispensable everywhere, from educational and cultural explorations to practical urban planning. We offer full support to individual AR (Augmented Reality) creators as well. Someone designing a guided tour of a historic city like Florence is simply inconceivable without geospatial APIs.
Data-driven approach not only empowers stakeholders to make informed decisions and implement proactive measures, but drives sustainable choices. Modelling eco-friendly routes to reduce carbon emissions is also a key Google Maps priority. Our 18-year journey has been pivotal in enabling these advancements.
We’re thrilled to work alongside industry leaders and contribute to the societal benefits of these emerging mapping technologies, benefiting users, businesses, and society at large. We’re pushing the boundaries through convergence. Interoperability is crucial for the advancement of geospatial.
Disclaimer: This is based on Miriam’s views in the plenary session titled Geospatial Imaging and Digital Twin of Everything at GeoBuiz 2024.
Disclaimer: Views Expressed are Author's Own. Geospatial World May or May Not Endorse it
