Future iPhone to render 3D environments?

Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 09:57 AM | Posted by LOOPRumors Staff

Two patent applications reported on by AppleInsider suggest future iPhones may use photo and video data coupled with motion sensing and GPS to generate three dimensional models of an environment which a user could then navigate “in an order other than that of the recording.”

“By walking with the device in the user’s real environment, a user can virtually navigate a representation of a three-dimensional environment,” reads one application titled “Generating a Three-Dimensional Model using a Portable Electronic Device Recording.”

“In some embodiments, a user can record an object or environment using an electronic device, and tag the recorded images or video with movement information describing the movement of the device during the recording,” the application continues.

“The recorded information can then be processed with the movement information to generate a three-dimensional model of the recorded environment or object.”

The second patent application, “Three Dimensional Navigation Using Deterministic Movement of an Electronic Device,” describes exploring the virtual environment created by the technology described in the first.

The information gathered by individual devices could be compiled and accessed in a way similar to Google maps, especially its street view feature.

[source: AppleInsider]