Bilawal Sidhu explains the limitations of conventional photogrammetry for fine structures, reflective surfaces and vegetation, then describes how Gaussian splatsGaussian splatting represents and renders a scene using collections of spatial Gaussian elements with properties such as position, shape, color and opacity. represent a scene using overlapping elements with view-dependent color.
Sidhu examines examples from an Apple Maps developer beta and suggests that its apparent mixture of meshes and splats may help with scale. He presents the technical interpretation as his own assessment, noting Apple did not name the method in its announcement.
The presentation compares aerial mapping with Google’s indoor immersive views and considers possible future uses of reconstructed spaces. Predictions about products and capabilities are Sidhu’s own.
Watch on YouTube
