Westport County Mayo goes 3D on Google earth

One of Tony Blair's favourite holiday haunts, the lively charming Heritage town of Westport in County Mayo -known locally as 'Covies' is set to make online history.

The town of Westport will this week feature as the most detailed 3D model available on the Google Earth digital mapping service.
An interactive 3D model of the town, originally developed last April by local 3D imaging firm AM3TD, is now set to be integrated into Google's digital globe. Google Earth Senior Associate Daniela Brica will visit the town on 16 January for a special event at the Knockranny House Hotel to mark the occasion.
Speaking in advance of the event, Westport's town manager Peter Hynes said: "This is another first for Westport -- a first for Ireland and possibly the world. I'm very proud that our town is playing such a major role in international technology. This is literally putting Westport firmly on the global map."

The 'Westport3D' model was created using long-distance laser scanning technology and digital photography and is the first such model of an Irish town to be created. It was initially developed as an aid to town planning and was made available on the town council's website and on CD-ROM.
AM3TD's director Dr. Brendan Hafferty commented: "The request by Google Earth to host Westport3D is the 'icing on the cake' and something that will without doubt have a tremendous impact with the millions of people who make virtual visits via Google Earth every day of the week."
Besides satisfying the idle curiosity of numerous Google Earth visitors from around the world, AM3TD says the technology has a number of practical applications, including the ability to 'embed' advertising in the model and the possibility for civil engineers and planners to use it for assessing the impact of proposed new development on the existing environment.

The effect created by AMT3D's software is not unlike viewing the online virtual universe Second Life, yet is based on a real depiction of the built environment, rather than an imaginary version.
Brendan Hafferty, managing director of AM3TD, claims Westport's town council is the first local authority in the world to offer a full 3D depiction of its area. "It's great to see Westport leading the way in the application of this new technology, not just in Ireland but throughout Europe," he said.
"Interactive digital models like Westport3D offer many unique benefits to councils, planners, architects, developers and the general public. For the first time they can see computer visuals of proposed buildings (in 3D CAD format) inserted into a totally interactive, navigable, digital computer model of the real world."

The 3D model of Westport will be viewable in Google Earth from the evening of 16 January.

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Westport County Mayo goes 3D on Google earth