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Extending Google Earth: Visualization Tips, Tours, and Plugins for Enhanced GeoBrowsing

Explore how to maximize Google Earth beyond basic usage, including development tips, and examples of advanced visualizations. Learn about plugins, tours, and revenue possibilities. Discover resources for learning and future trends in geospatial visualization.

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Extending Google Earth: Visualization Tips, Tours, and Plugins for Enhanced GeoBrowsing

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  1. Extending Google Earth By Frank Taylor frank@gearthblog.com Google Earth Blog (Gearthblog.com)

  2. Purpose • Discuss how Google Earth can be used as more than just a geo browser (not just for looking at your house) • Demonstrate a variety of examples • Provide developer tips • Q&A • Make some Tours / Plugins

  3. Google Earth - a “Geo”spatial visualization platform • Google Earth is rich in 3D graphics, content, features, and extendability • GE is really a visualization platform • The platform is widely distributed - provides a great opportunity for reaching audiences • Often very complex visualizations can be viewed - GE is user friendly • More than just Geo (Mars, Sky, and more)

  4. Google Earth Platform • Most people don’t realize the full extent of the GE capabilities • Combine the capabilities with the reach, and there is good reason to keep this platform in mind for many applications

  5. Extendability of Google Earth • KML/Network Links, Time Animation, Historical Imagery, polygons, lines, 3D, etc. • Adding your own content: imagery, layers • COM API (before the plugin) • Off-line Use / Caching • GE Pro, Enterprise, SketchUp • Tours • Last, but not least: GE Plugin

  6. KML - Don’t overlook • KML is powerful itself - few people fully take advantage of what KML offers. • Examples: Network links, lines, polygons, 3D, time animation, regioning, PhotoOverlays, FadeExtent, time animation, ScreenOverlays, historical imagery, etc.

  7. Example KMLs • ScreenOverlays - F-16 cockpit by Gerardo Paz • US Flights by James Stafford • London Eye Shadow by James Stafford • EarthNC real-time chartplotting with GPS

  8. Google Earth Plugin/API • The API was announced a year ago • Major progress since last year, lots of interesting applications coming out • Again, great untapped potential • Resources at: http://code.google.com/apis/earth • Examples…

  9. Example plugins • Show KML files (some limitations) • Allow people to create KML content through a browser: EarthSwoop • Paraglider Sim by Dan Hohman • Real-time satellite debris by James Stafford • Ships Simulator by Paul van Dinther (video review)

  10. Tips on Tours • Tours are an amazing new capability - part of GE 5 and supported by the Plugin • Enables fantastic visualization capabilities, almost scripting - much untapped potential • Supports smooth movements, multiple streams of audio (music and narration) • You can synchronize audio with recorded tour • Need for GUI for editing tours (developers?) • Combined with plugin - big future

  11. Example Tours • Jimmy Buffet Concert Tour • Combining Tours and plugins • Ira Flatow Mars Tour • Swiss Alps synchronized with YouTube • Tahina 3D Tour

  12. Extending GE into Revenue generation • Variety of consulting opportunities, content creation, software, and more • You can use the plugin to place ads around GE content now • Theoretically you can place ads in KML - Google is doing it now. • I expect to see more ad-based revenue

  13. Mix and mash • Future developments: • More combinations of sophisticated KML, Tours, advanced plugins, mashups with other GeoWeb tools in placemarks • Expect to see more visualizations of real-time information • More social networking apps tapping into GeoWeb visualization • Even more data visualizations with thematic styles • More simulations!

  14. Resources for Learning • Google Earth Blog (gearthblog.com) • http://code.google.com/apis/kml/ • http://code.google.com/apis/earth/ • http://bbs.keyhole.com (community) • http://groups.google.com/group/kml-support (forums) • Google Outreach http://earth.google.com/outreach • Google I/O

  15. Q&A and more • Discussion • Tour and Plugin development

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