This is the new Google Street View camera
The camera that the people at Google use to capture Google Street View images is different depending on the terrain.
The camera that is on the cars is not the same as the one that is used in the backpack to capture natural environments. In fact, they use everything from camels to snowmobiles, and each camera has to adapt to these conditions.
Now they report that they are testing a new camera to start working in 2023, with the aim of increasing the quality of the photos and reaching more places.
The hardware is similar to that of the car camera. It retains the power and resolution, but is an ultra-portable system the size of a cat and weighing just 7kg. That weight is ideal for taking her to remote locations where weight is critical to mission success.
It has two lenses and a metal base with ventilation holes, and is completely modular, so you can put lidar or other components on it without having to change your camera model.
It can also be placed in any vehicle with roof racks, and it is managed from a simple mobile, so you do not have to have a special vehicle for it to work.
The idea is to deliver it to different partners so that they can increase the quantity and quality of Google Street View photos, where there are already more than 220,000 million Street View images from more than 100 countries and territories.