Small World News:
The guys at GeoGames announced they have launched the brand new Google Earth 3D project for the University Medical Center Utrecht ('UMC Utrecht', Netherlands).
The 'UMC Utrecht' University Medical Center 3D model is running on the M3D Glider technology and features high fidelity 3D visualisations from among other partners, New Zealand's, ZNO.
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Test-Glide?
Make sure you have Google Earth installed. Or download latest version at: http://earth.google.com
Click on the M3D View button below to open the 3D models and Google Maps routing into Google Earth.
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Glide to the University Medical Center 'UMC Utrecht' in 3D in Google Earth
Case, Sept. 2007:
'Glide' to your destinations at the University Medical Center Utrecht in 3D in Google Earth, in the comfort of your home.
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The UMC Utrecht client is dislayed in 3D into Google Earth and will enable 1 Million+ visitors per year to look up their hospital visits destinations in full navigation (Google Maps), from the comfort of their homes.
The UMC Utrecht organisation says this will help reinforce the accessibility of premises and quality of services by helping visitors for their orientation and routing inside the buildings as well, to many polyclinics and treament rooms locations. This: 24/7
GeoGames' s director Jerome Bertrand says this kind of internet 3D solution is usefull for medium to large (semi-) public organisations in the future.
In a world getting smaller and less navigable by the day, one will need to get a fast and correct spatial picture of one's destinations, before, after and during the actual journey on site.
The web services are free.
GIS Magazine interview, September 2007
By Guido van den Heuvel, Courtesy of GIS Magazine, The Netherlands.
Translation to English: Claudia van Lelyveld
Promising young start-up company integrates GE and Virtual Earth.
Geo-simulation allows you to give a stunning aerial introduction to your business.
See: www.geo-games.eu (company website)
For the basic version, the Globe Glider (free), see: http://globeglider.net
The commercial version, M3D Glider: www.geo-games.eu
Glider portal GeoGames: Takeoff.geo-games.eu (examples can be viewed here)
Drawing inspiration from Google Maps and Google Earth, GeoGames, a young business based in
Google Maps and Google Earth are by now well-known and highly popular applications. But Jerome Bertrand, director of GeoGames, felt that for the end user they lack a cohesive element. Together with his associates he developed the M3D Glider, which combines simulations from the gaming world with supplementary information on the same screen. This allows the web application to show an organisation’s clients precisely what they want to know: how do I get there; what does the surrounding area have to offer; what will my hotel room look like and where can I find a great parking spot?
GeoGames’ objective is ‘to use the virtual globe as an accessible medium by way of simulation’. This may sound somewhat ‘airy’, but in this case that is a very positive aspect. Before a visit you swoop and soar over your destination in flight. During the flight you are offered relevant information about your ‘target’. Larger clients such as Volvo, the University Medical Centre in
Global
Jerome Bertrand started out as an audiovisual and graphic designer. He set up GeoGames after he saw the – then still experimental - virtual globe by Keyhole. This is the technique which forms the technological basis for the present Google Earth. Jerome Bertrand: “It was all still rather primitive at that stage, but I immediately saw there was a future in direct interactive 3D visualisation for the internet.”
Now that the M3D Glider is market-ready, it turns out that public authorities, organizations and companies are all too eager to display their business information on the internet in a game-like way. And those showing an interest are not insubstantial customers! For Amsterdam-based Project Development Agency Zuidas, GeoGames built a pilot to simulate the urban developments during the next 20 years in the Zuidas area of the city, in real-time 3D. Volvo ordered an aerial presentation of the Volvo Ocean Race 2006, and the new Utrecht University Medical Centre (a site containing 9 buildings) already has access to a web application which allows visitors to fly around their temporary destination. The Glider effortlessly points them to the most suitable entrance and… parking space. Project Developer Slavenburg use the Glider to display a new waterside development on the IJ in central
GeoGames also envisages developments for the GIS-world in the areas of environment and energy. The Glider would easily allow a fly-over of a threatened dyke-burst. Most of the examples mentioned can be found on http://takeoff.geo-games.eu. An up-to-date version of Google Earth is required for this.
M3D Glider
The principal idea behind GeoGames is ‘geo-simulated environments’: in other words the visualisation and simulation of location-bound information. The M3D Glider makes it possible to view 3D models of buildings, urban environments, town planning designs and even moving vehicles.
The web application is called ‘Glider’ because the user can fly smoothly from one point to another, whilst the software instantly retrieves the location-bound information from the synchronised browser. The web application adds several web functions to those already in existence on Google Earth.
GeoGames developed the Glider with partner Bernhard Sterzbach of Globe Glider and works in co-operation with 4 partners located in
To optimize visual presentations, the Glider can be linked to several databases. For example, at this moment it is possible to view over 900.000 photos on Flickr.com and Geosnapper.com via the server. These photos have been ‘geotagged’ by users, i.e. linked to a geographical location, and will appear depending upon the location the user is viewing at that moment.
Jerome Bertrand: “The real added value happens when you start to filter and modify the information to serve the end user. For example, if booking a holiday online an interactive map can enable the user to enjoy a taste of the area in advance.”
Market Potential
According to GeoGames there is a high demand for advanced types of geo-simulation. Jerome Bertrand: “The same information, available to everyone, at the same time, all over the world – was once a revolutionary idea. We are now moving in the direction of a spacebound web (or spatial web) where websites, data and information are linked to degrees of latitude and longitude. Businesses want user accessibility. Using routing and tracking, we can enable and expand this for use in, for example, the travel industry, hospitals, property development and the hospitality business. Guests and customers can view their destination in 3D in advance of their visit and opt for the best choices. Moreover, we ensure that this information is directly linked to possible transactions such as booking services or online payment. Technologically, we are the only ones able to effortlessly combine location databases and financial transactions. We are an independent provider and can combine Google Earth and Microsoft’s Virtual Earth in one package without any problem. In future we also envisage potential applications in education, information services and simulation.”
To Conclude
New pilots of the Glider are currently under development for travel booking and reservation systems, for publishers of sport and leisure magazines and for holiday resorts. As well as these, GeoGames will ultimately also use the Glider to develop games for educational purposes. It will shortly be possible to download free demos on http://geo-games.eu and to add (after registration) your own (3D) project to existing platforms.
The M3D tool was realized with the support of Syntens as part of the LiveWIRE support project for technically innovative businesses. The web application is not for sale, and only offered in combination with other services.
Syntens support
GeoGames received support from Syntens. Syntens-consultant Martijn van Groen on GeoGames: “In 2006 Bertrand knocked on our door and asked for our assistance with the final development and marketing of the M3D Glider. The product was not yet market-ready. As part of the LiveWIRE programme Syntens arranged coaching and advice on sourcing finance. Jerome Bertrand came into contact with a number of valuable partners as a result of this. Syntens also helped to fine-tune the business plan. You often see starter companies who are looking for finance but find it difficult to approach the subject with potential partners. They would rather escape into discussions about partnership possibilities regarding the core business activity itself. My advice in that case: if no-one knows you could use some help, nobody will offer it. Just talk about it.”
Author: Guido van den Heuvel
Translation to English: Thanks to Claudia van Lelyveld
Copyright GIS Magazine, The Netherlands, September 2007.
See: www.geo-games.eu (company website)
For the basic version, the Globe Glider (free), see: http://globeglider.net
The commercial version, M3D Glider: www.geo-games.eu
Glider portal GeoGames: Takeoff.geo-games.eu (examples can be viewed here)
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