City Mapping in Google Earth, Virtual Earth and More..

Three-dimensional city mapping has started to appear in programs such as Google Earth, Microsoft Virtual Earth, and Everyscape. It is giving us a new perspective into our oceans, world, and galaxy. 3D mapping lets users tour locations online that appear to have dimension and scale. It is used in virtual worlds and mapping applications to allow users to build and tour environments which are modeled after real life locations. Services such as Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth are allowing users to create models and place them into their maps at specific geographic locations. Researchers, students, and businesses can now tour historical locations, properties, and landmarks with open access. Virtual worlds like Second Life are allowing users to re-create their own environments where real world limitations don't apply. You can fly to places, interact with objects, and communicate with other visitors who may be in different states or even countries.In 1996, the city of Helsinki, Finland with Helsinki Telephone Company (since Elisa Group) launched what was called the first online virtual 3D depiction intended to map an entire city. Parts of the city in modern and historical context were rendered in 3D. Since then many cities have started to develop themselves in 3D.

Google has started its own initiative to push city modeling with a program called Google Cities where city planners and developers can benefit from data as well. With the Google's Cities in 3D Program, your local government, community group, or educational institution can share this 3D data with the public by adding a model of your city or community to Google Earth. According to Google, 3D building models of your city are useful to potential visitors, shoppers, developers, investors, preservationists, property owners, businesses, public officials, and many other groups. This type of information helps boost tourism, economic development, simplifies navigation and geographical analysis and promotes security. Microsoft's VE3D allows users to import models created with 3DVIA Shape. 3DVIA is the only place online to search, create, upload & share your ideas in 3D.

Everyscape is a company which lets businesses and organizations build engaging, immersive relationships with consumers through three-dimensional, photo-realistic experiences of cities and towns, streets and sidewalks, building exteriors and interiors. EveryScape's patented HyperMedia Technology Platform allows anyone with a browser to experience a first-person, eye-level walk down a scaped street, gathering and sharing information on businesses and attractions, entering a store and shopping, checking the menu and reviews of a restaurant or the upcoming performances of a theater.

3D tourism will change the boundaries of the physical world as we know it. As video screen and projection technology continue to evolve they are helping create experiences that simulate immersion into 3-D environments and virtual worlds. These immersive environments are going to change the perception of what a remote viewing experience should be. Property viewing, city planning, and resort touring will all be possible from any location in the world. City mapping is already being used by the Department of Defense to simulate training for natural disasters, terrorist threats, and traffic congestion. A few departments are also having intelligence analysts use virtual worlds to "hypothesize on future occurrences" by mirroring real world activities in virtual environments.

City mapping offers applications which benefit multiple industries, educational institutions, and medical establishments. It is our belief that practical application of the technology will start to be seen widely beginning in 2010 and proliferate by 2011-2012. Services are already available and offered by firms such as What I Want Real Estate.

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