Google begins Amazon River Street View project

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Google begins Amazon River Street View project

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Google has adapted its existing Street View equipment to be effective in the vast Amazon terrain.

20 August,2011 10:54 am

Google is expanding its Street View service into some of the worlds most remote places.It will photograph the Amazon and Rio Negro Rivers of northwest Brazil in partnership with charity Foundation for a Sustainable Amazon (FAS).Google will train local people to collect images, and will leave behind equipment so work continues long-term.Pictures will be stitched together so users can explore 360-degree panoramics of the area.FAS approached Google two years ago with the plan to digitize high-quality images from the Amazon basin to demonstrate the effects of poor global sustainability efforts and widespread deforestation on the landscape.FAS project leader Gabriel Ribenboim said: It is very important to show the world not only the environment and the way of life of the traditional population, but to sensitize the world to the challenges of climate change, deforestation and combating poverty.For Google, the project represents the biggest challenge for their Street View equipment, which was first designed to work over well-maintained, modern roads.Googles engineers will use the Street View trike, originally developed to reach off road areas - such as Stone Henge and Kew Gardens.