3D Irish city on Google Earth

28th January 2008

The three-dimensional version of the Irish city of Westport appeared on Google Earth on January, 16. This is one of the most accurate, detailed and photorealistic models of cities that are available for this service so far.
The 3D-model of the city was created by the AMT3D company with the help of the 3D laser scanner. The scanner itself is quite big and resembles a lift crane. It can scan about 300 meters of landscape a day. To obtain three-dimensional image special software is used, which processes high-quality photographs obtained with the help of the scanner, identifies the basic objects on them and transforms them into models. On the next phase, the obtained 3D models are overlaid with textures, based on the same photographs. In addition, the three-dimensional environment is added with light, corresponding to that present at the initial images.