Google sends Street View team to map the world's tallest building

Shawn Knight

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Google recently sent their Street View mapping team to Dubai to tackle the world’s tallest manmade structure - the Burj Khalifa. It marks the first time Google has captured a skyscraper using Street View and the first time Google has collected Street View imagery in the Arab World.

In a blog post on the subject, Google notes that imagery was collected over three days using the Street View Trekker and Trolley. The Trekker is a wearable backpack that’s outfitted with a camera system on the top with 15 different lenses. This allows the wearer to capture images that can later be stitched together into 360-degree panoramic views.

The Trolley, on the other hand, is a mobile cart of sorts that can be guided down hallways and is best used to capture indoor images. It was initially created to help a group of art-loving Googlers bring Street View technology to museums around the world as it could easily fit through doorways and over thresholds.

If you aren’t familiar, the Burj Khalifa serves as the centerpiece for Downtown Dubai. The $1.5 billion structure is surrounded by world-class hotels, shopping destinations and a multitude of entertainment options.

With Street View, users can now visit the opulent skyscraper’s observation deck on the 124th floor, see what it looks like to hang off one of the building’s maintenance units on the 80th floor, visit the highest occupied floor in the world on the 163rd floor and take a trip in the fastest moving elevator in the world (22 mph) – all from your computer or mobile device.

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And inside this monstrosity they have suits that go up to $50,000 a night.

Built 100% by slaves of Dubai, to satisfy one man's ambitions, same way as the Egyptian pyramids and with the exact same sentiment.

And to think that we have evolved since then...
 
Dubai stands as a world class example of our global idiocy; dumping money into a location in-order to produce the world's most inefficient city ever.
 
And inside this monstrosity they have suits that go up to $50,000 a night.

Built 100% by slaves of Dubai, to satisfy one man's ambitions, same way as the Egyptian pyramids and with the exact same sentiment.

And to think that we have evolved since then...

Hey, to be fair, of all the countries in the middle east at least the United Arab Emirates understands that oil isn't going to last forever. They're taking their oil money and creating a tourism destination so that when the oil dries up they'll still have a way to make money.
Compare that to the other countries in the area, whose royalty spends the money on palaces and their own extravagant lifestyles.... when they're not financing terrorism.
 
Must have a lot of easy fire exits. Wouldn't want to have to run down so many steps to escape death. Survival will only take you so far lol
 
Hey, to be fair, of all the countries in the middle east at least the United Arab Emirates understands that oil isn't going to last forever. They're taking their oil money and creating a tourism destination so that when the oil dries up they'll still have a way to make money.
Compare that to the other countries in the area, whose royalty spends the money on palaces and their own extravagant lifestyles.... when they're not financing terrorism.
I don't see anything to distinguish this Dubai skyscraper with royalty in other middle eastern countries. When they run out of oil, they'll be able to rent out rooms in the new palaces, and start a tourism business of their own. Sort of like the whole of Great Britain.

OTOH, how the heck will you get a jet to fly you to Dubai, without oil?:confused:

Us all in the 'hood have this all worked out. When the oil runs out, we're going to learn to rope and ride our pitbulls.

Now which one of you hardy souls wants to come over and give milkin' one of those bad a** mamas a try?:p
 
I hope the Google trolley mapped out exactly where the base jumping & rappelling equipment storage rooms are in case the building ever caught fire.
 
At least Dubai got something for their 13 Trillion, unlike the US where it evaporated into thin air.
 
...[ ]....Built 100% by slaves of Dubai, to satisfy one man's ambitions, same way as the Egyptian pyramids and with the exact same sentiment.

.And to think that we have evolved since then...
Aw c'mon, admit it. You'd secretly like to be taken apart like a pharaoh, and put in canopic jars when you die. I'd think it beats getting sent up a smokestack.

And that "brain whipper" they shoved up your nose, now that'd be quite a rush.:eek:

And so ends our story. What have we learned, class? "Evolution isn't all it's cracked up to be". That's right kids, thank you and goodnight".
 
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