Mapping the Future: The Rise of Digital Street-Level Imagery
John Buttery
Channel Sales Manager at Cyngn (NASDAQ: CYN) | Mobile Robots (AMR), GNSS Machine Control, and Autonomous Vehicles | Building Sales Channels and Dealer Programs Globally | MBA U of AZ
Specially equipped vehicles, fitted with an array of sophisticated imaging and positioning equipment, primarily collect digital street-level imagery. These vehicles navigate through the streets, capturing comprehensive 360-degree images of the environment by companies such as NCTech Imaging . Complete 3D panoramic datasets are created by using a system of multiple cameras that simultaneously capture images in all directions. The vehicles also employ LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) systems, which use pulsed lasers to measure distances, thus creating a precise 3D map of the surroundings. After collection, the images are combined to generate an uninterrupted panoramic depiction of the street.
The geographical positioning of the imagery is ensured by integrating Global Positioning System (GPS) technology into the data collection process. GPS provides that every image is accurately geo-tagged, associating it with precise real-world coordinates. In addition to GPS, vehicles often use Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) , which provide information about the vehicle's velocity, orientation, and gravitational forces, further increasing the precision of the geo-tagging process.
Once the images have been collected and geo-tagged, humans and AI algorithms are used to identify and categorize different elements within the image, such as buildings, signs, trees, road conditions, sidewalks, and more. These algorithms can recognize patterns and learn over time, thus increasing their accuracy. Advanced asset extraction models classify the identified objects into different categories, helping in various applications such as mapping, urban planning, and autonomous vehicle navigation. Government agencies and local utilities use the imagery and the resulting geographic data sets for GIS mapping , asset management systems, and assessor verifications.
As technology evolves, these systems are becoming increasingly efficient and accurate, opening new horizons for using digital street-level imagery .
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About the author:
Professional with experience building dealer networks, creating new sales channels, establishing OEM contracts, and managing strategic alliances. Trained in sales management, project leadership, team building, and department collaboration to exceed goals. Experience with software development, GNSS, SaaS, Daas, APIs, GIS, GPS, 3D Data, and LIDAR. A bilingual (ENG/ESP) leader with int'l experience.