View
Case Study
View
more
Request a quote
example
Back to Blog
18 July 2023

Google’s Geospatial Creator is a Powerful Tool

By Bobby Carlton

Powered by ARCore and Google Maps, Geospatial Creator will change the world around you.

Through the use of AI and computer vision, Google Geospatial Creator would give Google Maps the ability to provide users with a more realistic and immersive route by incorporating information such as parking spaces, bike lanes, and pedestrian path, and can also predict the number of cars that will be on the road at a given time.

Google recently unveiled their Geospatial Creator, a tool that enables anyone to create and visualize 3D models and content in a matter of minutes. The tool, which is powered by ARCore and 3D Tiles from Google Maps, and works seamlessly with both Adobe Aero and Unity, lets users easily visualize the locations of their digital content in the real world.

This is similar to how Street View or Google Earth shows the world.

According to Google, Geospatial Creator can be used to create and visualize all of the necessary elements of an AR experience in the physical world. It noted that this technology could redefine the way people interact with the world around them.

Features in Geospatial Creator include the ability to anchor virtual content using 3D Tiles. This makes the process of creating content easier and helps reduce the time spent by both developers and content creators. In addition, Google is currently working on a mixed-reality partnership with Qualcomm and Samsung. It has also experimented with the use of holographic telepresence units.

Google’s initiatives with Geospatial Creator comes with several partnerships already in place. For instance, the company Taito brought the classic 80’s arcade game Space Invader to the world through a massive AR experience that had players shooting down alien invaders from the buildings and streets.

The game is available for both Android and iOS devices as of today!

But it’s not all fun and games, Geospatial Creator can be used for marketing and even enterprise use. The clothing company, The Gap and the toy manufacturer Mattel are both working on an AR Barbie product that will allow users to layer various clothing pieces onto city streets.

The launch of the Geospatial Creator tool makes it easier for developers and content creators to create and publish AR experiences that are world-scale. They can now do so in just a few minutes, leveraging the capabilities of 3D tiles that are currently available in certain countries.

For instance, a company known as Quintar, which is currently working on developing an AR app for the PGA Tour, tested the live navigation capabilities of augmented reality through a golf course in Atlanta. Other locations-based AR experiences have been created in London, LA, and Mexico City.

Over the past couple of years, Google has been working on developing various new innovations that will allow users to experience the world through augmented reality. One of these is the addition of 3D AR capabilities to Google Maps. This week, the company also unveiled a new set of creative tools that will allow developers to create and visualize more immersive experiences.

Some companies are already working on developing apps and games that are based on real-world locations. For instance, Google experimented with the creation of an AR concert app last year that featured the Gorillaz. Similarly, Snapchat is currently working on developing a variety of location-based filters and games.

Google isn’t the only company focused on AR. The social app Campfire by Niantic and the virtual pet Peridot are combining the capabilities of AR and maps through entertainment and gaming. Google’s new initiatives are aimed at encouraging more developers to create more immersive experiences and help boost the adoption of AR.

Google Maps is getting more immersive with the addition of 3D-created images of major cities, allowing users to get a bird’s-eye perspective of their route. Some of the work on this feature started last year and has since been rolled out to five cities. The latest updates will continue to bring more 3D details to users’ daily travel needs.

Geospatial Creator with AI and Computer Vision

Through the use of AI and computer vision, Google Maps is able to provide users with a more realistic and immersive route by incorporating information such as parking spaces, bike lanes, and pedestrian paths, and through the use of AI, Google Maps can also predict the number of cars that will be on the road at a given time. In addition, it can display weather and air quality data.

Through the company’s API, developers can now add aerial view capabilities to their apps, allowing them to provide users with a bird’s-eye perspective of a particular building or a certain area. They can also add 3D tiles with high-quality imagery from Google Earth.

According to Google, the company’s 3D parts will be able to be used in other apps to create and visualize location-based AR. It noted that these capabilities could help increase the awareness of Google Earth and Maps among developers. Other companies such as Snapchat are also working on making map-based experiences a feature in their apps.

Sankar Jayaram, the co-founder of Quintar, said that the company’s new features could allow anyone to create a way to experience AR in their apps. For instance, people could use their smartphones to navigate through a venue for a concert or an outdoor art gallery.

The company’s AR tools work seamlessly across iOS and Android, making it possible for them to be used in different platforms. As more headsets, such as those from Apple, Google, and Qualcomm, arrive, this component could become the foundation for a new interface.

Although Google’s new capabilities are incremental, they could eventually help people get used to the idea of AR as more experiences start to appear. For instance, if people start to experience AR as an integral part of their daily lives that includes work and enterprise use, it could become a tool that we use daily, much like our smartphones.

If you are interested in this type of work, let us know! Our creative team can help you!