Facebook wants to create a 3D map of the Earth by crowd-sourcing geo-tagged images.
After months of speculation, Facebook today confirmed that Facebook Reality Lab is, in fact, developing a pair of dedicated AR glasses. While little information about the headset itself was provided during the announcement, the company went into detail regarding LiveMaps, a new program that uses machine learning, localization, and mapping technology to create a virtual map of the real world.
LiveMaps relies on crowd-sourced data, such as geotagged images, obtained from various smart devices to create a point cloud system. This information can then be used to generate photorealistic replications of real-world locations, allowing users to travel to any destination around the globe in a matter of seconds. This technology can also capture data regarding specific objects and locations, providing users with additional references and reminders.
According to Facebook, LiveMaps will serve as the core foundation for their upcoming AR glasses.
“We’re still in the research phase, and we’re committed to doing that research out in the open, sharing our progress on the road to AR glasses,” states the company an official blog post.
“We’ll also continue this work with privacy in mind, engaging global experts for their feedback as we think through best practices and how people can retain control of their information. This technology could radically change the way that humans connect in the future, and we’re excited to see where it takes us.”
No word yet on when we can expect to get our hands on these AR glasses or LiveMaps, though with Facebook hoping to map the entire world, it could be some time before we see this ambitious technology out in the wild.
Feature Image Credit: Facebook
