Google Street View Heads Into the Grand Canyon

Nerval's Lobster writes "Google is taking Street View down — into the Grand Canyon, that is. 'On its first official outing, the Street View team is using the Trekker — a wearable backpack with a camera system on top — to traverse the Grand Canyon and capture 360-degree images of one of the most breathtaking natural landscapes on the planet,' read an Oct. 24 posting on Google's Official Blog. The Trekker automatically records high-quality images as the operator walks. Google's initial foray into the canyon will take place around the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, which includes some famous paths such as the Bright Angel Trail. Google promised to make the images live (at some point) on Google Maps. 'The narrow ridges and steep, exposed trails of the Grand Canyon provide the perfect terrain for our newest camera system,' the blog added."

Why Bother?

[dmomo]

I can easily get to the center of the Grand Canyon by pulling out my iPad, opening the Maps App and requesting directions to Galway, Ireland.

When I First Saw The Headline...

[lobiusmoop]

I thought they were going to do a 'Thelma and Louise' with the Google Maps car.

Re:

[dkleinsc]

Not as much fun as doing a "General Lee" or an "Evel Kneivel" with a Google Maps car.

Re:

[wumingzi]

Careful whippersnapper, or I'll swing my walker at you!

(Thelma and Louise makes you an old fart? That film came out 20 years ago. I'm not THAT old!)

Re:

[blackpaw]

so you can fuck the younger generations real good and hard.

Yeah, and you really want it, nice and hard.

Re:

[Eightbitgnosis]

Same here. It would have made for an interesting series of pictures

Might be time to rename

[Grayhand]

Their definition of "street" seems a bit loose.

Apple mappers are there too

[Andy Prough]

The folks from Apple are apparently down in the Canyon looking for Times Square, Mount Rushmore, and the Mississippi Delta.

Elphel did a similar thing a year ago...

[Skinkie]

Using their previous Eyesis camera Elphel did the backpack [elphel.com] thing last year. Now since wikipedia [wikipedia.org] already states they are the original designer of the high resolution hardware Google used in Europe, it is not really surprising Elphel is already ahead with development of new stuff. While last year a 360 camera + Inertial measurement unit + backpack was offered, the current development offers a 120Mpix 4pi camera where the resolution is equal in every direction, so no fisheye on the top! ...and this is all done

I've seen a similar project before...

[dfm3]

not too long ago, a "trail view [naturevall...ilview.com]" project was undertaken and marketed by Nature Valley (as in the granola bar). Granted, their implementation isn't as slick as Google Maps and it hasn't been updated in a while.

Google maps seem to be getting worse, actually...

[Anonymous Coward]

Lately, Google maps have been increasingly bad -- innaccurate and spammy.

Is it just my google maps android app, or have other people noticed this too?

Re:

[mla_anderson]

Everyone copies Apple.

Best. Job. Ever.

[sizzop]

Please refer to subject.