Washington – Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) has released a 360-degree video of the White House that shows the numerous Christmas decorations around the presidential residence. The 5 minutes footage was captured using GoPro’s 16-camera Odyssey virtual reality rig and Google’s own Jump platform.
The entire atmosphere in the White House was digitally recorded using Google’s Jump rigs. 16 camera modules placed in a circular formation were used to ensure the best quality and the most detail view. The setup costs about $15,000 and was designed with input from GoPro.
The footage allows you to move through the huge rooms and corridors of the building, taking a look at areas like the White House Library, the East Colonnade, the East Garden Room, the China Room, and the Vermeil Room with their Christmas looks. An informative voiceover provides some interesting pieces of information along the way. For many the video might be boring but for those who have never set foot inside the white house it could be an exciting experience.
For the full experience, you’ll need Google Cardboard, and an Android phone, which you would put into the contraption and then place on your head for a virtual reality experience. Those with an Android phone but without a headset can still get a 360-degree look by turning their phone in various directions. If you have neither a Google Cardboard viewer nor an Android phone you can just drag the video around with your mouse to get an idea in your computer.
Google wants this technology to be useful for education, so it made a Google Expedition for schools participating in its Expeditions Pioneer Program. Expeditions teams will visit schools around the world, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, Singapore and Denmark. Each team will give teachers a complete Expeditions kit with everything they need to take their students on journeys anywhere without leaving the classroom.
Source: Engadget