At the upcoming SIGGRAPH 2024 conference in Denver, attendees will have the opportunity to explore a full-scale replica of the Earth in Minecraft, thanks to the innovative work of Cornell Tech graduate Ryan Lewis. Lewis developed a program that automatically converts Google Maps data into Minecraft environments, using photogrammetry and high-resolution Google Earth models to create voxel grids. A machine learning algorithm then converts each voxel into a Minecraft block, determining its color and material for an accurate representation of buildings, cities, forests, mountains, bodies of water, and other geographic features. This allows users to interact with and modify these detailed Minecraft maps in real time.
To manage the vast amount of data from Google Earth, Lewis implemented optimization methods such as parallel processing and compression, only voxelizing new 3D tiles upon loading to improve performance. Users can adjust the resolution scale to enhance details or optimize performance by increasing or decreasing the number of blocks representing structures. Further advancements in rendering and compression techniques could enhance graphics and overall performance of the project.
Inspired by his own experiences playing Minecraft and starting ambitious projects that were never completed, Lewis aimed to automate the process of building real-life locations in Minecraft. His goal is to provide an interactive and accessible Earth simulator for educators, architects, civil planners, and other professionals, eliminating the manual labor typically required from large teams of volunteers or modders.
The voxelized Google Earth project not only supports virtual reality experiences and Minecraft servers but also online platforms, showcasing its versatility. Lewis will demonstrate the project at SIGGRAPH 2024 in Denver from July 28 to August 1, highlighting its use of the latest Google Earth data to continually update and reflect real-world changes in accordance with Google’s no-cache policy. By expanding the coverage of 3D tiles in Google Earth, the Earth model in Minecraft created by Lewis will become more detailed and realistic over time, providing a valuable resource for various fields.
Those interested in Lewis’s research work can find more information, including a description with video clips and a SIGGRAPH interview, online. With its potential to revolutionize the way we experience and interact with virtual representations of the Earth, Lewis’s project offers a glimpse into the future of digital mapping and simulation technologies.
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