Google went one step further in proving today that no square inch of the planet is safe from the prying eyes of its all-seeing, all-knowing “Google Street View” technology, when it launched one of its latest projects, “SeaView”.
Being conducted in partnership with the “University of Queensland” and insurance firm “Catlin Group”, “SeaView” is attempting to make Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef, one of the “7 Natural Wonders of the World”, more accessible to those who have never had the opportunity to get wet and snorkel or dive this amazing part of the planet, below the ocean surface.
Currently, the SeaView demo gives users 360 degree views of 8 spots located around Heron Island, about 72km north-east of Gladstone, including perspectives of the wreck of HMAS Protector, an Australian Naval light cruiser abandoned off Heron after colliding with a tug boat off Gladstone.
For the photo tech junkies out there, the survey is made possible by the use of the “SVII”, a squid-like camera that takes, “360 degree, geo-located panoramic images every 4-6 seconds while travelling at a speed of approximately 4km/h.”
The project is due to launch fully in September of this year, encompassing 3 surveys at 20 points across the entire reef. In the meantime, however, the demo is worth checking out, especially if you’ve never had the pleasure of diving on the magical Great Barrier Reef before.
Check out the introduction video below, and visit: www.catlinseaviewsurvey.com to check out the demo launched earlier today.
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