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Image Source: Google
BY KERRY LEARY
ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY
Is the Grand Canyon one of those places on your bucket list? Well, you’re in luck. Instead of venturing to the middle of Arizona to see the views yourself, you can now OOH and AHH from the comfort of your own couch.
Google Maps launched panoramic photos of the Grand Canyon Thursday, tracking more than 75 miles of the famous landmark. With the click of a mouse, users can wind through trails and take in the beautiful landscapes.
Google’s blog said Thursday the Grand Canyon was just one of the marvels they plan on capturing, noting the company’s goal was to be able to map the entire world for everyone to virtually visit. So, how did Google even do this? Slash Gear explains....
“Google used specially-designed ‘Trekker’ backpacks that are Android-powered essentially include 15 camera lenses that capture 360 degrees of landscape at once. The backpacks weigh about 40 pounds, so if you can imagine walking around with that thing under the hot sun of the American southwest, then you probably have a good idea of what it was like for the Google employees.”
More than 9,500 panoramic images of the canyon can be scrolled through on Google. But NPR notes, some people aren’t too happy about technology and nature colliding.
Some readers contend that technology has no place in the wilderness. A commenter posted, "Do we really want to live in a world where there is not a single place we can go, not even into the depths of the Grand Canyon, to just get away from it all?" But... one commenter notes: "For the many handicapped people in the world ... this feature will allow a virtual experience that they otherwise would not have."
Pretty soon, every tourist destination on the planet will have corresponding images and panoramic views. Google has said it wants to deploy the Trekker to national forests, to the narrow streets of Venice, Mount Everest and to ancient ruins and castles.