In pictures: Google begins mapping Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

INTERNET giant Google has today released pictures showing the progress of its new underwater mapping project.

The project will incorporate 360 underwater views of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef into its “Seaview” project, a service that will let Google Earth users dip below the surface for a virtual view of the world’s oceans.

Images released today offer a first glimpse into what users can expect from the Catlin Seaview Survey, a comprehensive environmental survey project being developed by the University of Queensland in partnership with insurance firm the Catlin Group and Google.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Starting in September 2012, experts will launch a scientific expedition of the reef using specialized cameras to capture tens of thousands of images of the reefs, which will then be stitched together to form 360-degree shots like the ones currently available on Google Street View.

The project will also have an official YouTube channel for live web streams of various underwater areas.

The first results of the Seaview project can be watched on catlinseaviewsurvey.com .