A group of Penn researchers and an Israeli company are joining forces to create a 3-D virtual model of Penn's campus and University City that could revolutionize everything from the need for prospective students to visit campus to the way maps are used across the world.
Potential students unable to visit the Penn campus could stroll down a virtual Locust Walk, while proud students could send envious high school friends links to the virtual model.
Researchers know the CD-ROM and the accompanying Internet application are advanced, accurate and startlingly realistic-looking. What they do not know is exactly what the technology will be used for.
That, project manager Diane-Louise Wormley said, is what makes it so exciting.
Wormley, who works at the Cartographic Modeling Lab at Penn, said that students should use their imagination to explore the possibilities of this tool.
Among the many options she suggested: "You're an alum and you've been away from campus for 25 years. What does campus look like now?" Wormley asked.
Other scenarios she mentioned included Penn Police using the technology to map out traffic control and Facilities Services creating a projection of a what a construction project would look like when completed.
The possibilities, she says, are endless. Wormley also predicted using the technology for shopping. A student could open the program and click on the Bridge: Cinema de Lux, for example, and view the seats available for the newest movie.
Alternatively, students could eventually browse the virtual aisles of the Penn bookstore for their textbooks at the beginning of the semester.
The University City model will take its place alongside other 3-D models of Milan, Italy, and Center City Philadelphia as the only existing programs of this kind.
It will be the first version to work with a college campus. In addition to Penn, Drexel University and the University of the Sciences are slated for inclusion in the program. They are also partners in its creation.
The Israeli company is GeoSim Systems, was established in 1999 and claims to be the only company in the world with the technology to "fully [streamline] production of precise, complete and photo-realistic 3-D city models," according to the company's Web site.
Work on the project began this month. The first step is data collection using equipment that takes a scan of every building and street in the area.
Penn currently has two people working on data collection and two working on logistics. More staff are slated to be added as the project gains momentum.
The Cartographic Modeling Lab is a joint venture of the School of Social Work and the School of Design at Penn.
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