How Google Earth Images Are Made 122
An anonymous reader writes "The Google Librarian Central site has up a piece by Mark Aubin, a Software Engineer who works on Google Earth. Aubin explains some of the process behind capturing satellite imagery for use with the product. 'Most people are surprised to learn that we have more than one source for our imagery. We collect it via airplane and satellite, but also just about any way you can imagine getting a camera above the Earth's surface: hot air balloons, model airplanes - even kites. The traditional aerial survey involves mounting a special gyroscopic, stabilized camera in the belly of an airplane and flying it at an elevation of between 15,000 feet and 30,000 feet, depending on the resolution of imagery you're interested in. As the plane takes a predefined route over the desired area, it forms a series of parallel lines with about 40 percent overlap between lines and 60 percent overlap in the direction of flight. This overlap of images is what provides us with enough detail to remove distortions caused by the varying shape of the Earth's surface.'
Some tiles too dark (Score:5, Insightful)
Most people don't think. Period. (Score:5, Insightful)
We? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:We? (Score:2, Insightful)
it sound like google actually acquires data.
This engineer has only a vague idea of how airborne and satellite
imaging work.
Re:My digital camera does the same thing. (Score:2, Insightful)
Google does more than just stitch the images together. The seemingly excessive overlap is used not only to stitch, but to correct for geometric errors of perspective.
Somehow, I doubt your camera does that too.
Re:Oops - my bad (Score:2, Insightful)
When he returned to his car to wait the last few moments for the school to let out, he had a few cops pull up. They approached him. They asked for his ID, which was in his car, but they would not let him approach his car. They questioned him with a very gruff attitude. They made a few threats to him, and they were very unruly. After ten minutes they finally told him why they were harassing him. One of the teachers in the school saw him pull up and and leave his car with a camera. The cops went a bit overboard with him. They did not allow him to identify himself by allowing him to approach his car.
This "Think of the Children" thing was going to far back then, and it is out of control now.
A person can walk on the public streets with a camera and take pictures of anything they want. So what if they are near a school or a powerplant. If you want to watch that person, then so be it. But they should still have the freedom to do that. They were not infringing upon the freedom of anyone else, they broke no law. This country needs to realize that The Constitution does not grant you the right to be happy, or to not be offended or annoyed.
Re:Oops - my bad (Score:5, Insightful)
I know a guy, originally from Pakistan, wears typical street-kid clothing, is passionate about biking and have a $10K bike.
He *literally* has to "explain himself" once a week or more.
By the 20th time a cop pulls you over and demand that you explain how the hell you're allowed to ride a bike that you, infact, own, you tend to stop thinking that its all that reasonable.
The problem offcourse is that each individual cop doesn't know that X other cops *also* pulled the guy over this year, so to them it seems reasonable and so its hard for them to see why he can be annoyed and impatient about it.
Re:Really? Most people are? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Oops - my bad (Score:3, Insightful)
I assume you're from the UK, because you used the word "bonnet." I've heard about your friendly neighborhood constables. Unfortunately, in the US, most (not all) cops are on a power trip, and are more interested in harassing whomever they have an excuse to harass, than gaining the respect of the (generally) law abiding public, and preventing real crime.
Idiot (Score:3, Insightful)
No, they thought they were intelligent adults instead of idiots. Nowhere in the world is the completely correct (surely not around here) BECAUSE ITS NOT REAL TIME. They get the best quality which is fairly close. Those of us with 3 digit IQ's understand that.
"Google Earth is sponsored infotainment. "
Indeed, if you want to find a pizza place you can do it fast.
"If you'd like to see Earth without the Ads,"
You just use Google Earth since no adds pop up.
" there's a little mob called NASA I hear are going places: "
Not in the real world, they could never afford to make it a worthwhile program.
Re:Oops - my bad (Score:1, Insightful)
Let's not even get into how wrong that is.
I mean if they served there time, then they should not still be treated as criminals afterwards. If they are not "rehabilitated", then they should not be let out, at least not out with the general public.
I know, I know, prison is not a place of rehabilitation. And of course, since they have been to prison they can no longer participate in elections (except as candidates), which means no one will listen to them when they could possibly help in one way or another.
One more thing: It should not be easy to be a cop. They should be more righteous than the general public. They should have to jump through a great number of hoops. All to make sure they do not go overboard and harass or infringe on an individuals rights. That is the price of being a cop.