Using Pokémon Go to Map the World
Show notes
Maps have gotten much better over the past few decades. But they're still mostly two dimensional, and they struggle to keep up with a world that is always changing. Brian McClendon is the Chief Technology Officer of Niantic Spatial, a spinout of the company that makes Pokémon Go. Brian's problem is this: How do you build a three-dimensional map of the world that both robots and humans can use to find their way?
In this episode, Brian explains:
- What he learned building Google Earth
- How Pokémon Go players helped build the foundation for robot navigation
- What it will take to teach AI to understand the physical world.
- Why GPS is so bad in cities
- Why trees are such a big problem for digital mapmakers
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