OllieBray.com

Google Maps for Android help map the indoors [Idea]

I was really interested to read about the latest Google Map Android developments last week. Basically they have made it very easy to create indoor maps within Google Maps. You simply up-load your floor plan and then locate the floor plan within the Google Maps Satellite imagery.

It is surprising easy to do as long as you have a good floor plan! I’m sure it won’t be long until you can also add directions within this feature. That of course leads to all sorts of possibilities to help search for things around buildings and to help you get to places within large open spaces. This of course includes schools and learning spaces.

Possibilities include:

• Mapping the inside of your school - scope for transition activities, new students or visitors to the school (eg: to attend sport fixture)
• Parents night app - to help parents find there way around
• Your school timetable as a map (linked to the calendar functionality and other features of your device)

More about indoor maps in this YouTube Video below or visit the Google Floor Plans Page:

Now if your really interested in what can be done with Maps then you need to make sure that you watch this 8min TED Talk (February 2010) from Blaise Aguera y Arcas on Microsoft augmented-reality maps. The second half still blows my mind!

 

Google Model Your Town in 3D [great school project / competition opportunity]

This would be a great and real project to do with a class of young people (any anyone who was interested) between now and the end of February 2012.

The Google Model Your Town Competition is about geo-modeling – making photo-textured models of real-life buildings that appear in Google Earth. It is open to people all over the world - last year the winner was from Lima, Peru.

Making 3D models is easy using Google SketchUp or Google Building Maker and you can find out more about creating 3D models by looking a Google’s Your World in 3D Pages.

More information about the completion in the YouTube Video below:

Image: Lighthouse on the Isle of May, Firth of Forth, Scotland (a nice sea kayak trip - but not on a day like today!)

Coral Reefs at Threat - Google Maps MashUp

 

Here is another nice little Google Maps mash up that I bookmarked from the Google Maps Mania Blog.

“The World's Resources Institute has produced a Google Map to highlight coral reefs around the world that are currently under threat.

The coral reefs are classified by estimated present threat from local human activities, according to the Reefs at Risk Revisited local threat index. The index classifies the threat by looking at overfishing and destructive fishing, coastal development, watershed-based pollution, and marine-based pollution and damage.

A KML of the data is also available to view in Google Earth.”

Coral Reefs are one of the environments that I suggested might be interesting to study with children in Scotland when exploring the Social Subjects People and Place curriculum for excellence outcome

I can identify the possible consequences of an environmental issue and make informed suggestions about ways to manage the impact. SOC 3-08a

The use of the Google Maps Mashup that shows the location of corral reefs around the globe also helps teachers deliver the following outcome at Level 3.

I can use a range of maps and geographical information systems to gather, interpret and present conclusions and can locate a range of features within Scotland, UK, Europe and the wider world. SOC 3-14a.

Post Earthquake Images of Japan [Google Earth]

Google, Apple and many of the other global technology companies have worked really had over the past few days to use their technology to help the people of Japan following the 8.9 magnitude Earthquake and resulting Tsunami.

Google for example launched its Japan 2011 Person finder to help locate victims and loved ones as part of its crisis response dashboard, which also allows you to make donations.  Apple has enabled direct donation to the Red Cross via payment through iTunes. Both services will make a real difference.

This morning Google launched up-dated satellite imagery of the area after the Tsunami struck - the obvious damage and loss to the people and the landscape is unbelievable.

To view this high-resolution imagery, courtesy of Google partners (GeoEye), download this KML file and explore it in Google Earth. You can also explore the imagery with Google Maps, or have a look at this Picasa album of before-and-after shots.

Here is are the smaple images that were posted on the Google LatLong Blog:

UPDATE: Stephen Heppell has pointed me towards this other satellite imagery (also from Google) but ABC News displays the data in an interesting and very powerful way. The devastation, destruction and loss is enormous and very saddening. 

Google Science Fair 2011

 

Google is looking for the brightest, best young scientists from around the world to submit interesting, creative projects that are relevant to the world today.

The Google Science Fair seems like a great way for Google to expand their education programme for young people. It will also be really interesting to see how Google manages a competition on such a large scale. I already love the idea that they are asking for judges to help assist on a ‘local’ level.

More details about the Google Science Fair here and the YouTube video below explains the completion in more detail.

New Features of Google Earth 6.0 (4 of 4) – Improved Historical Imagery Layer

This is part of a short series of posts introducing the new features of Google Earth 6.0

For a long time I have maintained that Google Earth has potential in most subject areas and that the best classroom applications of the software has always been outside of the geography classroom.

Lots of the best history teachers have been using Google Earth for a while to support studies in Ancient Rome, explore Rumsey Historic Maps with classes and to turn back time with the Historic Satellite imagery time slider.

As part of the Google Earth 6.0 up-grade more historical imagery has become available and its now easier to see when historical imagery is available for an areas.

The video below explains this in a bit more detail:



If you need further convincing about the application of this powerful technology in the classroom. Then just check out what you can do with an instant comparison of London between now and the second world war.

New Features of Google Earth 6.0 (3 of 4) – 3D Trees

This is part of a short series of posts introducing the new features of Google Earth 6.0

When I read that part of the Google Earth 6.0 up-grade was the introduction of 3D trees I didn’t feel particularly overwhelmed.

However, now I have had the opportunity to get inside GE6 and explore the look and feel of the environment with the 3D trees - I feel very different about this part of the up-grade. The trees really add to the experience and for me it has taken Google one-step closer into creating its virtual word (that I remain convinced they are working on in the background).

3D trees have been enabled in a number of locations across the world including Tokyo and Athens. But for me by far the most impressive use of this feature are the 3D trees that have been enabled in the Amazon Rainforest.

The video below explain it all and then you should really go and explore for yourself as it has the potential to add an extra dimension to your equatorial rainforest unit as now you can actually walk along the rainforest floor and identify different species of tree.

New Features of Google Earth 6.0 (2 of 4) - Intergraded Street View

This is part of a short series of posts introducing the new features of Google Earth 6.0

I love Streetview and I love Google Earth – both have completely revolutionized the way we teach geography in our schools. Well… they should have and are in lots of places!

Streetview has been part of Google Earth for a while now but I have always felt it has been a bit of an ‘add on’ rather than completely integrated. However, with the release of Google Earth 6 – Street View is completely integrated and it is integrated really well!

The short You Tube Video below explains it all:

/>

Streetview has massive application in the classroom including:

• Comparing housing types
• Studying regional differences between EMDCs and LEDCs
• Collecting virtual fieldwork data and then comparing this to your local area

The other feature that I really like within the new integration is the ability to switch between Streetview and the 3D Buildings layer within Google Earth. I like it because if you don’t have the 3D buildings layer turned on in the Google Earth layers menu you can get a really good idea of how buildings have impacted the landscape.

Also good to see the first person camera technology finally making it out of the ‘labs’ and into version 6.0 of Google Earth – what a great way to explore cities!

New Features of Google Earth 6.0 (1 of 4) - Introduction

This is part of a short series of posts introducing the new features of Google Earth 6.0

Google Earth 6 was released on the 29th November.

It had a number of new features including:

• Full Streetview Integration (including improved navigation and the ability to switch from Ground Level view to 3D view)

• The introduction of 3D trees (sounds silly but it really makes a difference to the feel of this rapidly evolving virtual world)

• Improved historical imagery and historical imagery navigation.

The short You Tube video below explains it all – have fun playing with the new features and I'll explain some of them in more detail over the next few days.

Use Google Streetview images in Google Building Maker

Yesterday I wrote a short post on Google 3D building maker and as I was working on a project last night I found out that you can now use Google Street View Imagery within Google Building Maker.

The announcement was made during the summer holidays and I must have missed it while I was away in Alaska?

Just like the rest of building maker its really easy to use and add a whole new dimension (literally!) to creating 3D buildings!

The You Tube Video below gives you a quick demonstration of how it works:

Talking of Google Streetview. It looks like Google are capturing more images of the Bristish Isles. A Google Streetview car was even spotted at Stronsay Pier, Orkney by some of the monks of Papa Stronsay (I ended up camped on their island in my sea kayak a few years ago by accident – I don't know who was more suprised, them or me? - its a long story!)