Monday, December 31, 2007

In Vision Inkjet Printer - Create Full Color Physical Models from 3D Data


One of the benefits of the entire 3Dwalkthroughs.com suite of products including: 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings,3D Floor Plans and Interactive 3D products is the ability to view a property from anywhere in the world before it is built.

Sometimes, however, the ability to touch and feel a physical model of an architectural design can offer benefits that cannot be derived from computer generated models.

London based, Thinglab have created a service that takes computer based 3D models and literally "prints" them into an actual, physical model using a specialised inkjet printer.

The process involves breaking the 3D model down into cross sections, and then printing them a layer at a time, from the bottom up. The specialized printer can even print complex models with holes in them. This is mandatory if windows and other architecutal details are to be shown accurately.

The printer is available to buy, although due to the cost it is not really aimed at the home market. Using the ThingLab service a single model can be created starting at around $600.00.

In addition to architectural models, the printer can also generate realistic topography models as well as 3D objects, medical devices and more.

For more information about this service you can check out Thinglab's website here>>>

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Interesting Real Estate Site Focused On The 2nd Home Market

3Dwalkthroughs.com came across an interesting press release issued by the 2ndhome® Marketing Network regarding their plans to develop new State Pages on their website which will offer up-to-date information and links on vacation home markets across the U.S. The information is gathered from owners of second homes and real estate professionals selling vacation and resort properties.

In addition to information about the local areas, the new state pages seem like perfect places to link 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans of vacation homes that are not yet built.

When looking at vacation home communities or for places to retire, potential buyers want to have access to in depth information about the local market that they are considering. Many elements enter into the decision about where to buy including: climate, cultural activities, accessibility and other amenities. The more local information that can be made available to these prospective buyers, the more likely they will consider purchasing property in a given community.

The site encourages market-specific comments and links about recurring cultural events, activities, restaurants and other items of interest in second home communities.

About 2nd home specialist

2nd home Specialist is a quarterly digital magazine featuring specialized information for Real Estate Professional who sell vacation, resort, investment and retirement properties. The Specialist serves successful real estate professionals and provides them with a full range of valuable and engaging information.

Each quarter, 2nd home Specialist targets leading real estate professionals who are prospering in a market that the National Association of Real Estate Professional says is the fastest growing in the real estate industry, both domestically and internationally.

The Specialist regularly showcases products and services along with articles of interest to these same professionals. It enables Real Estate Professional to better serve clients here and abroad, make their businesses more competitive in this rapidly evolving market, generate leads, make referrals, and build a repeat base of satisfied clients.

The Specialist features a searchable Referral Network which allows Real Estate Professional to locate other Real Estate Professional by locations and/or expertise. The Specialist is also linked to our powerful and easy to use world class web site, www.2ndhome.net. It is a specially designed, secure and easy to use site, which allows you to seamlessly and easily add and edit your listing data.

Source: 2nd Home Specialist Website

Saturday, December 29, 2007

New 3D Technology Platforms in 2008?

3Dwalkthroughs.com spends a good deal of time researching new 3D technology. Part of our research is based on our interest in field, and part is based on our desire to integrate the latest and greatest advancements in 3D technology into our current offerings.

We read a couple of recent articles in prominent industry magazines that suggest that 2007 offered just a taste of what's to come in the world of 3D. 2008 is expected to be the year for huge advances in 3D technology and virtual world platforms.

The convergence of 3D virtual worlds and social networking platforms is going to kick into high gear. The number of 3D virtual worlds available is also expected to see exponential growth.

It is predicted that 3D virtual worlds are going to get much more specific in their focus. For example, virtual trade shows, virtual stores and virtual fitness centers will be marketed to specific groups as opposed to just integrated into an infinite world such as "Second Life". These micro 3D virtual worlds are expected to sprout as fast as today's websites are launched on the internet.

Do it yourself, virtual world templates will be launched which will let anyone easily customize and launch their own virtual world.

We are only a few days away from 2008, and are very excited to continue to bring you the most cutting edge new in 3D in the new year.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Using 3D Floor Plans To Choose a Hotel Room

As per yesterday's post, some of the 3Dwalkthroughs.com staff is currently visiting Las Vegas. Each time we come to Vegas we try and stay in a different hotel just to mix things up a bit.

This time we selected the Mandalay Bay. I must say it is one of the nicest hotels on the strip. Aside from very spacious rooms and a helpful staff, the lobby and common areas are very opulent.

When choosing a hotel room, especially in Vegas where there are many choices, it would be very helpful to have 3D Floor Plans to view on a hotels website. 3D Floor Plans give a much more telling view of a hotel room than typical 2D Floor Plans or even pictures.

Even better than just 3D Floor Plans are Interactive 3D Floor Plans. These floor plans allow for other media types to be integrated into the 3D Plan such as: Video, Pictures, Text, and even panoramic images.

We have been urging many of these hotels to start including 3D Floor Plans on their websites...we will see if they heed our advice.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Unbelievable Property Development


The 3Dwalkthroughs.com blog is primarily focused on discussing interesting topics dealing with 3D technology.

Sometimes, however, we deviate from 3D technology to focus on interesting topics related to real estate and architecture.

In July, we visited Las Vegas and posted story about a condo development project that was just getting under way. We highlighted this development project as they were using high quality 3D Renderings and 3D Walkthroughs to showcase what the finished product was going to look like after it was built.

Fast forward, 6 months and it is amazing how far along the development has come. The above picture shows the construction site in both July and December. It is amazing how fast this development is coming along in such a short period of time.

Another notable Vegas property that is set to open in just two short days is the Palazzo. The Palazzo is a Venetian property and is one of the largest properties to be built in Vegas. When we were here in July, the Palazzo looked like it was going to take another year to build.

Construction crews across the country, should take notes from Vegas developers if they want to learn how to finish a project with a fast turnaround time.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

3D Walkthroughs On Cell Phones - A Great Tool For Real Estate Agents On The Go

3Dwalkthroughs.com came across a post in Localtechwire.com about 3D Solid Compression (3DSoC). 3D Solid Compression has developed a new technology to help bring 3D models to mobile phones.

In the past, very detailed 3D models have not been displayed on mobile phones because the file sizes were too large.

3DSoC's technology can compress 3D files 15-20 times smaller than the leading 3D compression tools on the market. The resulting files would be as small as most 2D pictures currently seen on the Internet.

The challenge for 3DSoC will be getting companies and operating systems to install their viewing tools. To tackle the problem, 3DSoc is seeking partnerships with companies like IBM and Yahoo, as well as cell-phone manufacturers like Nokia.

Many business magazines this month have predicted advances in mobile technology as one of the hottest trends for 2008.

Real estate agents on the go that are representing new property developments will certainly benefit from the ability to show highly detailed 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans to their clients from their phones. As mobile technology continues to improve on par with improvement in 3D technology, the ability for real estate agents to run their entire business from their mobile phones will become more of a reality.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

The next level of 3D Animation


If Jos Stam has his way, 3D animation will soon be subject to all the laws of physics. Waves crashing, leaves blowing in the breeze and candles flickering will be as random and realistic as they appear in real life.

Jos Stam is one of the lead developers for Autodesk, the software company that produces Maya, the world's leading 3D modeling software. Maya is responsible for many of the special effects in modern movies as well as some of the 3D animation seen in 3D Walkthroughs and Interactive 3D presentations.

Stams, newest concept, a module for Maya called Nucleus, would involve teaching visual effects software all the fundamental laws of physics and then letting it do the grunt work for you. Think of it as a unified field theory for animation — the animator can simply plug in the variables:

Wind speed: 25 knots
Wave height: 7 feet
Ship's mass: 46,000 tons
Ocean depth: 7,000 feet

The result would be a totally realistic animation of waves crashing over a ship in gale force winds.

Additional details might include air and water temperature, time of day (for lighting effects), wind direction, etc. With the parameters set, hit Enter and voilá — the software would crunch the numbers and spit out the finished scene. At least, that's the theory. In practice, while algorithms for individual components (fire, water) already exist, integrating them all together has proven to be hideously complicated.

Source: Wired.com

An article in Wired.com describes Stam's effort in more details and gives more examples of how Nucleus, once completed, could change the future of animation as we know it. It even points out the irony that would exists for film makers if Nucleus was successful. As effects produced by this module would be subject to the laws of physics, they would be as random as they exist in the real world, and hard to control when filming a scene.

3Dwalkthroughs.com will be following the developments of this module as it offers our entire industry a new way of taking all of our 3D products to the next level of realism.

The full article can be found here>>>

Monday, December 24, 2007

3D Walkthroughs and Other Marketing Materials Can Help Lure European Investors Looking To Take Advantage of Weak The US Dollar

An article in today's NY Times describes a phenomenon that happens every year beginning right after Thanksgiving. The phenomenon is the larger than normal influx of tourists visiting from around the world. The big joke is that if you are looking to find a native New Yorker during Christmas time, the last place you want to look is New York City.

The difference this year compared to previous years is, in addition to stores and malls being packed with tourists, real estate offices are also busy with tourists (specifically European) looking to take advantage of the weak US dollar by purchasing NYC condo properties. Many of these tourists are looking at these properties as investments as opposed to a changing their residences.

Below are a couple of quotes from the article. The full article can be found here>>>

“The exchange rate is like a gift from God for Europeans,” said Danielle Grossenbacher, the broker for Coldwell Banker Hunt Kennedy who showed the Millers around. “Everybody is feeling they have an opportunity to purchase a piece of Manhattan.”

“We’d have had difficulty absorbing the elevated level of new development coming on the market without foreign buyers,” Mr. Miller said. “They are a key source of demand for new development.”

Foreign buyers are helping shield Manhattan from the housing slowdown that has plagued the rest of the nation and are providing a ready market for thousands of newly built condominiums. They like condos for the amenities and flexible rules that allow renting the apartments as investments. That many units are in neighborhoods that are not traditionally residential like Midtown and the financial district does not seem to bother the shoppers. They like that those neighborhoods are well known.

Source: NY TIMES

3Dwalkthroughs.com
believes that the influx of European condo shoppers emphasizes the growing need for 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans of properties that are not yet built. Foreign investors can make the most of their time in NYC by using our 3D assets to preview development properties from the luxury of their home computer. This helps them to narrow the number of properties they need to visit while in New York.

As I said in yesterday's post, within every tough market lies hidden opportunities.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

3Dwalkthroughs.com wishes everyone a Very Happy Holidays

3Dwalkthroughs.com would like to take the opportunity to wish all of our family, friends and clients a very Happy Holidays. As we head into 2008 we are excited about rolling out some of our new products.

We predict the quality of 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Floor Plans, 3D Renderings and Interactive 3D products will continue to improve industry wide. In order to stay competitive, we will continue to research and develop new and innovative 3D products, some of which will be first to market.

The current housing slump is expected to continue into 2008. This will force property marketing companies across the nation to re-evaluate their current strategies.

We believe there is a tremendous opportunity for property marketing companies to thrive in the current difficult climate. When properties are not flying off the shelves, it will require the creative genius of property marketing companies to help push sales along. Every property has a "sellable" quality, the challenge is letting the rest of the world know what that quality is.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

3D Window Display Created from a Wii Controller


3Dwalkthroughs.com has just started looking into how the Nintendo Wii Controller can be used to help improve the experience when navigating through a 3D Walkthrough or Interactive 3D Floor Plan.

Imagine being able to control the view of a 3D Walkthrough simply by turning your head. We recently came across a post on Gizmodo.com that describes how this might become possible.

Johnny Chung Lee, a PhD student from Carnegie Mellon University has created a headtracking device which he calls the Wiimote. The wiimote creates an amazing 3D view which chnages as you turn your head or lean to the left or right.

The effect requires you to wear a sensor bar (or any IR-emitting headband) and place the Wiimote by the screen. Essentially, your head becomes the mouse which controls the 3D view on the screen. One of the drawbacks of this method is that only one person can view the effect at a time. For gamers this might be a problem, but for the purposes of interacting with a 3D Walkthrough this might be a great solution.

Our creative team will put this on our punch list for 2008.

The You Tube video describing the Chung Lee's device can be found here>>

For other interesting projects that Johnny Chung Lee is involved with please click here>>>

Friday, December 21, 2007

Nassau Physicians Foundation

3Dwalkthroughs.com is proud to announce that our interactive services division, Launchsight Solutions, has been selected to build a website for the Nassau Physicians Foundation.

The Nassau Physicians Foundation was started by Dr. Bilha Fish, founder of the Pathways Women's Health. PWH was established as a division of Manhasset Diagnostic Imaging in 1995, and due to its success has recently relocated to a new 7500 square foot contiguous facility.

Pathways Women's Health offers the newest technology in diagnostic testing in a peaceful & aesthetically pleasing atmosphere that was created with the intention of easing the stress many confront while waiting for testing & results. This unique center also celebrates women & their creativity by exhibiting artwork of female artists from the Long Island area & has a psychotherapist on staff who assists those who would benefit from relaxation techniques to reduce any anxiety related to testing.

It has been Dr. Fish's goal to go beyond the focus of the diagnostic testing by offering techniques, medical & ancillary, ancient & new, that facilitate both physical & emotional health & emphasize the connection between the two. She committed herself to providing an extensive Complimentary Health Seminar Series, offering SUPPORT GROUPS for women coping with all forms of cancer, developing a WELLNESS PROGRAM to focus on prevention & stress reduction & initiated a free ADOLESCENT HEALTH EDUCATION SERIES,"THE UNBEATEN PATH."

Pathways offers MAMMOGRAPHY, ULTRASONOGRAPHY, BONE DENSITOMETRY, CARDIAC STRESS TESTING, & CORONARY CALCIFICATION SCORING while its parent, Manhasset Diagnostic Imaging offers a full range of diagnostic imaging such as CT SCAN, OPEN MRI, X RAY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE, FLUORO, AMNIOCENTESIS, & MRA

The Nassau Physician's Foundation will be comprised of some of the top doctors, business people, and philanthropists in Long Island.

The NPF website will serve as a valuable resource for visitors who would like to learn more about the Foundation or looking for a way to get involved.

Our interactive division is excited about the possibility of integrating some of the virtual world technology we have been working with over the past year. While might be a ways down the road, we believe it will create a truly unique and cutting edge experience for site visitors.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

SiteSeer3D - 3D Views of Local Geography and Points of Interest


3Dwalkthroughs.com just came across a new technology to help remote viewers get a good sense of local geography, homes and points of interest directly from their computer.

Idaho based, SiteSeer3D Inc., has developed an online application that allows real estate agents to show buyers 3D views of areas that surround a particular home for sale. The technology differs from Google Earth and Microsoft Live Maps as it interfaces with local MLS feeds which provides details on any home for sale including: listing photos, tours, physical characteristics, associated flyers, mortgage calculators, community links and resources etc. The above screenshot illustrates a bird'e eye view of our office location. The view was generated by using the SiteSeer3D application.

Another interesting feature of the SiteSeer3D technology is that a real estate agent can use a remote tour guide feature, to control the tour while explaining all the points of interest to their client.

We will continue to play around with the site but so far we are impressed with its functionality.

About SiteSeer3D
The SiteSeer3D™ plug-in is a web based mapping application that allows consumers to interactively explore a realistic 3D map composed of satellite imagery, a digital elevation model and value added data layers such as parcels. Additional data is added to the map by allowing consumers to search the MLS and other databases to display results that match their specific interests.

The 3D map is interactive, meaning that by using a computer mouse or keyboard, the consumer can virtually “fly” around the map and even change perspective from looking straight down to looking at an angle that will show the horizon and mountains. Customization occurs by allowing customers to search the client data set and request data that specifically meets their interests. Results of the user’s search are displayed on the 3D map and are hyperlinked to additional information.

Using the SiteSeer3D™ web mapping application, consumers can virtually visit the location of listings for sale from the comfort of their own homes or offices. Seeing the location of the listing on the 3D map with the additional data layers provides the consumer with additional insight into a listing that could not be obtained without an actual visit to the location. This insight will help consumers focus their search to listings that best meet their ideals and will eliminate costly travel and time expenses to properties that are not suited to their needs.

Service Description

The SiteSeer3D™ plug-in is sold in two configurations.

SiteSeerMLS is designed with the specific needs of real estate agents in mind. This product is purchased at the MLS level. One username and password protected web page interface is created with the MLS branding that will be accessible to all the members of the MLS. The search portion of the interface allows access to the additional non-public MLS data. Additional tools such as the ability to map un-geocoded listings will also be available. Localized data such as ownership, city/county zoning or demographics will be available. Providing agents with local relevant data will set SiteSeerMLS apart from other services.

SiteSeerPublic is designed to be used by the public to search for available listings specifically from a real estate agent or office website. SiteSeerPublic will be linked to a real estate agent or office website. This level of service will provide branding embedded into the search page that will direct the consumers’ interest in found listings back to the agent or office that provides the search link. The interface on this service will be highly intuitive and simplified to best meet the needs of the public.

How it is added to your website

Virtually any web designer or realtor can embed the SiteSeer map into their website easily without being an expert in web programming, databases or geography. SiteSeer takes care of all that for you by hosting and geocoding the MLS data and serving up the 3D map and data layers which results in a reduction of software, hardware and overhead costs for you. Our database technicians will work with the MLS data feed to make sure our Servers mirror the information you have. We will review the MLS rules and provide you with a small piece of html code that contains the link to the branded SiteSeerMLS or SiteSeerPublic tool and a graphic for you to add to your website.

Source: SiteSee3D website

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Rip Lounge - Sign Up For This New 3D Virtual Hot Spot While There is Still Room


Our friends over at Wyndstorm are powering a very cool new 3D virtual world which will be launching in the Winter of 2008. 3Dwalkthroughs.com is interested in Rip Lounge as it is one of the few 3D virtual worlds to maximize the value created from the convergence of a 3D virtual world and a social network.

About Rip Lounge
Have you...
- Ever dreamed of living like a movie star?
- Looking for a life-like social community where you can really interact with others?
- Want to visit the hottest hangout spot to meet your friends from all over?
Well now you can...introducing RipLounge.com!

RipLounge is easy to use...no confusing technology or comprehensive training, no downloads and nothing to install. Just signup and enter your own virtual world!

Experience what everyone's talking about! Sign up now and be the first to show your friends the ultimate online experience...RipLounge.com!

With RipLounge you can...
- Create and style your own avatar
- Chat with your friends via text, video and Voice over IP
- Choose from a variety of hip DJ's to play your favorite music and hear exclusive, unreleased tracks
- Adjust your settings to be as social or private as you want

Source: RipLounge.com

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Private Beta Launch of BigStage Technology - Personalized 3D Avatars Created From Digital Photos


Pasadena based, Big Stage, announced a private beta launch of their new technology that lets users create and share life-like, 3D avatar images of themselves. Big Stage's breakthrough technology creates 3D animated avatars from digital photos in about 30 seconds. The avatars can be integrated into famous movie scenes, TV shows, video games, music videos, social networks, virtual worlds and more.

"Big Stage is collaborating with studios, television networks, brands, and a host of Hollywood writers, directors and producers to secure a continuing selection of immersive content," said Big Stage co-founder and EVP of business development Jon Kraft.

"We are also launching a powerful open platform through which both professionals and users can take any image or video and easily Big Stage-enable it."

3Dwalkthroughs.com has been working with a virtual trade show company that could certainly benefit from Big Stage's 3D technology. One of the weak links with the 3D virtual trade show company we have been working with is the look of their generic avatars. The ability to integrate a 3D avatar which more closely resembles a live person into one of their trade shows, would make the interaction more real, and thus more effective.

Big Stages private beta launch is supposed to go public in early 2008.

About Big Stage
Big Stage is a media company whose breakthrough technology allows users to easily create and integrate a life-like 3D avatar of themselves into everything from famous movie scenes, TV shows and video games, to music videos, short video clips, virtual worlds, still images, user-generated content, instant messages, e-mails, social networks and more – instantly. Big Stage will launch to consumers in the second quarter of 2008.

Source: Business Wire

Monday, December 17, 2007

3D Camera Controller Company Is Inviting Content Developers To Create New Games

3DV Systems, based in Israel, announced the launch of their ZCam, which is the first camera of its kind that offers unparalleled total immersion in the interactive experience. 3DV's breakthrough video imaging technology and camera capture objects in 3D, enabling users to control personal space through intuitive body gestures.

"ZCam enables gamers, in a way never before possible to interact intuitively and naturally with games," Zvika Klier, CEO of 3dv Systems said according to the company's press release. "We invite content developers to join us in creating a new innovative experience, and are very excited by the reaction of the developing community so far."

3DV Systems says gesture-based controls will open a new world of innovation in games and boasts of the highest resolution on the market.

3Dwalkthroughs.com believes this technology can help with our quest to provide the most fully immersive and interactive 3D Walkthrough experience in the industry.

Our goal is to use this type of technology to allow a person's movement to control his actions within one of our custom 3D Walkthroughs. For example a person could participate in an interactive 3D Walkthrough and literally open doors, turn on the lights, etc.

We have come across a few other companies with similar technologies and are looking forward to the day when we can include this technology as part of our offerings.

Source: International Business Times and 3DV Systems Website

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Sketchpad in NY Times - The Use of 3D Floor Plans and 3D Renderings To Tell An Interesting Story


3Dwalkthroughs.com often finds interesting articles about architecture and real estate in the Sunday online edition of the NY Times. This week there was an audio slideshow titled, Grandeur in One Room, which describes how an architect took on the challenge of transforming a studio space into a much more impressive and elegant living environment.

The story makes use of 3D Floor Plans and 3D Renderings to show how the space will look once the development is complete. Anyone that has ever looked to buy real estate in NYC, (and not members of the Rockerfeller family) knows how small of a space their money will buy. After seeing what can be done to a studio apartment, maybe there is hope after all.

About The Project

The Cotton Exchange at 3 Hanover Square in NYC was converted into co-ops in the late 1980's. Henry Stolzman a partner at PKSB Architects was given a challenge to re-design 2 studio apartments within the Cotton Exchange, which both contained the same layout. The designs transformed the studio spaces into loft-like spaces with the bed concealed by a curving screen. A long hallway (gallery) was also created in one of the studios which had a built in kitchen and desk area, creating a processional effect within the room. An 18ft wide 2 step staircase was built to separate the rest of the studio from the gallery. The raised floor also gave the perception of larger windows with better views.

Source NYTIMES.COM

A slideshow that describes the process can be found here>>

Saturday, December 15, 2007

3D Virtual Lower East Side (VLES.com)


Over the past past year 3Dwalkthroughs.com has been writing about the convergence of social networks and 3D virtual worlds. 3D environments create an immersive and much more interesting way of interacting within a social network than flat 2D social environments.

The music industry is pushing the pace of this convergence seemingly faster than any other industry. Almost every day a new or existing band is announcing a performance in one of the 3D virtual worlds, such as Second Life or There.com.

We just came across a new 3D virtual world which was conceived by MTV. VLES, short for virtual lower east side, is focused specifically on the music industry and modeled after the lower east side of Manhattan. I firmly believe that as the convergence of 3D virtual worlds and social networks continues, the 3D virtual platforms with a specific target audience are the ones that are going to be successful.

About VLES

What is VLES?
vLES is a new online social network that revolves around New York City's Lower East Side—a Mecca for young bands and music. It's also where artists, fashion designers, and promoters mix together in a big melting pot of trendsetting, partying, music-loving insanity. We asked these people for their help in creating a digital replica of their neighborhood. It's called the virtual Lower East Side (vLES) and now you can be part of it.

What Goes on Here?
Imagine you had the means to attend concerts from today’s most groundbreaking bands night after night, for free. Well, now you do. No matter where you live you’ll have the opportunity to see uncut live performances at recreations of legendary LES venues, like virtual Pianos and virtual Cake Shop. We’ve also made it easy for all you struggling bands to share your music with the world, with the potential to land real gigs and television spots.

Who did this?
Originally conceived by MTV Music Group, we teamed up with the Virtue group for Music Production, Marketing and Creative Consulting. The Virtual World was built by Doppelganger. The corresponding website was put together by the Donat Group, with the Artistic Guidance of Signature Creative.

Source: VLES website

Friday, December 14, 2007

YouTube and New Location Markers for Google Maps


According to an article in Wired News, Google Maps has added new location markers showing videos from YouTube, books from Google Book Search, and geo-tagged photos from Panoramio.

If you do a search in Google Maps, and there are relevant photos, videos or books in that area, blue place markers will open the content in a typical Google Maps pop-up window with a preview. YouTube videos are also embedded, so you can watch them without leaving the map. The YouTube videos are plotted according to geotags that YouTube users have placed on their content.

One of the criticisms of Google Maps is that have been limited to external data exclusive to Google services. Regardless, 3Dwalkthroughs.com thinks the new location markers are extremely valuable for integrating 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans into Google mapped locations throughout the world.

If a development project is under way, and 3D assets have been created, location markers can be a very effective way for foreign investors to search for investment properties from remote locations. Google has also recently launched community map features which can help people find things like places to eat, events, and other activities. The community features content is all generated by users.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Spector Group Featured in Today's Newsday

Marc Spector, friend and advisory board member of 3Dwalkthroughs.com, was featured in today's Newsday for his companies role in the Lighthouse Project in Hempstead.

We recently visited the new headquarters of the Spector Group in Woodbury, Long Island and were blown away by the look and feel of their new space. Any doubt a new client might have before going to meet with the Spector Group will surely be erased the minute they walk through the door.

We are looking forward to creating 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans for some of their future development projects.

The full Newsday article is below.

Newsday.com
Spector focusing on Lighthouse Project, in pieces
Patricia Kitchen

December 13, 2007

If you want to see what's likely one of Long Island's most supersized to-do lists, take a look over the shoulder of Marc Spector.

That's because Spector, 42, heads the Long Island office of the Spector Group in Woodbury, the architectural and design firm named associate architect of record for the massive Lighthouse Project in Hempstead, proposed by Islanders owner Charles Wang and Scott Rechler, chief executive of RexCorp Realty Llc.

That means that while Baltimore-based Development Design Group Inc. will be focusing on designing the overall master plan for the 5.5- million-square-foot development, Spector Group - assuming the project gets a green light - will zero in on designing the components: 30-story twin towers, a five-star hotel, a conference center, a sports arena and a shopping area.

"People are going to identify with particular buildings. Those pieces are what I'm concerned with," says Spector, who keeps pencil and paper near his bedside for late-night brainstorms. Asked how many sketches and models his team created for the initial plan submitted in November to the Town of Hempstead, he says, "You should only know!"

And that enormous project is only one of many.

During the summer, Spector assumed the reins of day-to-day operations of the Long Island office from his father, Michael, who started the firm in 1965 and who is now doing design and business development for the firm. (Spector's brother, Scott, 45, heads the firm's Manhattan office.) In addition, Marc Spector oversaw the redesign of the Woodbury office, a 25,000-square-foot building, as well as the staff's relocation there from North Hills early in the fall.

High-profile megaprojects are nothing new for him and his group, which has designed, among others: RexCorp Plaza in Uniondale, Jericho Plaza, CA headquarters in Islandia, and the headquarters building of the former Symbol Technologies in Holtsville. Of course, not all are corporate jobs: The firm is also involved in redesigning buildings in the Great Neck school district, including Great Neck North High School, Spector's alma mater, from which he went on to get bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from the University of Michigan. ("Go, Wolverines" is still his cry.)

Spector says he understands well the principles of creating strong partnerships and calling in help when needed. Indeed, to ensure a smooth management succession, he, his dad and his brother worked for several years with a family business consultant to help the transition "occur seamlessly and without disturbance to the client base."

While the business' core principles - inherited from his father and late grandfather, who also was an architect - remain unchanged, he says he knows he'll bring his own subtle imprints. For one thing, his style may be a little more informal, and he may communicate more with senior managers.

Plus, says Jane Felsen Gertler, the firm's associate director of marketing, "Marc is naturally more technology-savvy, so he is constantly accessible and communicative via phone, BlackBerry, computer. The flow of information is so rapid, and he is continually on top of every situation pertaining to the office and our clientele."

Still, something's got to give, right? Family life? Projects piling up at home?

Perhaps not. Following in his father's footsteps, Spector brings his three children, ages 13, 11 and 6, to job sites over the weekend, to do what longtime family terminology characterizes as "going to see the dirt."

As for home projects, he says architecture/design is his hobby as well as his profession, so he's seen his Roslyn home as a "residential lab." He's overseen five additions to the house, with the sixth to come this spring. "My wife is waiting for the next construction crew to start again," he says.

Source: Newsday.com

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Online 3D Design Tool Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous American architect, carefully considered all the unique aspects of a properties site, along with the needs and wants of his clients before hitting his drafting table. This same strategy can be replicated on a new website sponsored by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust.

The site Architect Studio 3D gives users a taste of the role Wright and other architects play in creating a finished building. The online tool allows visitors to design a house, view it as a 3D model and share it with friends. The website also features a brief biography of Wright and looks at some his more famous buildings.

The process begins with choosing from a set of virtual clients, each with a particular set of needs. Once you actually start designing, a virtual Frank Lloyd Wright offers advice on proportion, building scale and more. You select where you place the walls, what building materials to use, landscaping, even what furnishings should go in the rooms.

Source: Tuscaloosa News

3Dwalkthroughs.com finds this site interesting because it gives a rough sample of the process we utilize when building our 3D walkthroughs, 3D floor plans and 3D renderings. While the tool cannot create a photo-realistic end product, visitors can get a good sense of the strategy behind creating a functional space.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

HotPads- A mashup of Microsoft's Virtual Earth and Rental/Real Estate Listings


3Dwalkthroughs.com came across an interesting new mashup that allows users to quickly compare available rentals and sales for a given price range.

HotPads, has introduced the first buy Vs. rent housing search portal by mashing up Microsoft's Virtual Earth with rental/real estate listings. The unique portal is designed to help people make the most informed decisions when looking to move.

About HotPads

At HotPads we think that it should be easier to find your next home. With HotPads' innovative map-based search, we are striving to give people the best communication platform for sharing information about available housing. We encourage everybody to post info about available homes for sale, apartments, rental houses, sublets, and roommate opportunities. If you've got a place, there's someone out there who wants it.

Oh...and we're FREE! We are dedicated to offering our users a comprehensive "inventory" of available housing. The only way to do this is to make the site free for everyone to post, so that all parties, regardless of budget, can advertise their properties on HotPads.

Source: Hotpads.com website

In the near future I imagine the site will also include the ability to feature new development projects and include 3D renderings, 3D floor Plans and 3D walkthroughs.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Dubai - A Hotbed For 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans


An article in this months Metropolis Magazine describes the explosive rate of new property development in Dubai, one of the seven federal states of the United Arab Emirates.

According to the article, fifty years from now, Dubai will will be the new economic and cultural capital of the world, spanning its neighboring emirates of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and beyond in one urbanized mass, rich in the biggest source of renewable energy—sunlight—a pioneer in sustainability and new technology, and conveniently located within easy travel distance of a population of more than two billion in the Middle East, Europe, India, and Africa.

Source: Metropolis Magazine

As opposed to the United States which tightly regulates new development projects, Dubai has very little government oversight. The lack of government control is responsible for a plethera of indiv­idually master-planned residential, commercial, financial, and industrial ­districts.

Over the next ten years over $310 billion is expected to be put towards the total construction that is under way or planned. Most development projects are sold out within days of being announced. They cannot be built fast enough to keep up with demand from buyers in Iran, India, Eastern Europe, and the U.K., and are often paid for by the time they’ve been completed.

The greater part of the master-planning and architectural design work is being done by Amer­ican and European firms. There are simply not enough architects in the country or the region to supply the demand for designers.

The local architectural influence coupled with the sheer magnitude of projects has created a feeding frenzy amongst 3D animation studios, including 3Dwalkthroughs.com. 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans are in high demand as Dubai developers seek to attract interested buyers from around the world.

The race is on...Good Luck!

Sunday, December 9, 2007

3D Virtual Worlds and Social Networking

For the last year 3Dwalkthroughs.com has been predicting the convergence of social networks and 3D virtual worlds. Today there was an article on Forbes.com that confirms our prediction.

According to the article, by 2011 up to 80% of active Internet users, or 250 million people, will participate online in 3D virtual worlds. This prediction was based on a study conducted by the internet consultant Gartner.

Forbes mentioned the 3D virtual world Kaneva as one of the front runners, in addition to better known, Second Life. Kaneva differs from Second Life by encouraging the creation of avatars that are online versions of their real identities, linking photos of themselves and lists of hobbies to their animated avatars. Second Life, in contrast, fosters taking on an alternative identity, including imaginary beasts.

Both Second Life and Kaneva are free to join. They get revenue by selling play money, leasing virtual land and, in the case of Kaneva, by promoting real-world commerce (especially TV shows).

Source: Forbes.com

It is exciting to think of the opportunities that will come from the converegence of these 2 technologies. Trying to predict the specifics however, seems pointless. (if you don't believe me I will lend you some of the books that were written during the .com days)

Saturday, December 8, 2007

3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans To Aid In Home Remodeling

As the housing market continues to flounder, many homeowners are pulling their properties off the market and looking to remodel instead. As opposed to settling for a low sales price, many homeowners are hunkering down and improving the homes that already they have.

3Dwalkthroughs.com has been experiencing this phenomenon first hand with an increase in the number of 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans we are creating for home owners doing remodeling projects.

It is smart investment to be able to see what a remodeled room will look like before the work starts and it is too late. Once the construction starts, any changes can be costly or the homeowner might be forced to settle with something they are not totally pleased with.

The level of realism that can be achieved with our 3D technology allows even the smallest details to be critiqued before construction starts. Candles, sconces, finishes, chair rails, crown moldings, paint color, furniture, etc. can all be shown as if a photograph was taken of a finished room.

3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans can also be used to archive the capital improvement work that is being done. These archived materials can be valuable for insurance purposes, as well as for sales and marketing materials if the market conditions soften.

At a fraction of the cost of most remodeling projects, using 3D technology to preview the end product is one of the smartest financial investment a homeowner can make.

Friday, December 7, 2007

Technology to Bring 3D Multi-Player Video Games to The Web Browser

Shana Fisher, senior vice president of strategy and mergers and acquisitions at IAC, Barry Diller's Internet conglomerate, brokered a deal in September resulting in in the ownership of a majority stake in GarageGames.

GarageGames, has developed the technology to bring 3D multiplayer, Xbox-quality action games to the Web browser. Fisher is convinced it will be a game changer, creating an untapped market worth about $2 billion a year.

The company spent two years developing high-end 3D game technology for Web browsers in secret--"a very, very, very hard problem," she says--before IAC came along and provided the resources to launch a game portal.

Source: Fast Company

Supposedly many new 3D games are being created that will utilize the portal created by GarageGames. One of the exciting concepts of this platform is that it will not require expensive consoles and also allow for games to be updated on the fly.

The computer game industry is a $40 billion dollar industry that certainly offers a tremendous potential for any new technology that can improve the experience.

3Dwalkthroughs.com is excited to see the 3D technology that will be built into these new browser based games. We have often had our clients compare the look of our 3D Walkthroughs to some of the more impressive 3D video games on the market. I wonder if the browser based 3D technology utilized in video games can be applied to improve the interactive 3D experience we can offer our clients.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Can 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans Replace an actual Model Unit?


Whenever 3Dwalkthroughs.com makes a first delivery to a new client, there is always those nervous few moments while we wait for the clients feedback. While we obsess over getting all the details correct, we are often required to use our creative license to make design decisions, especially when creating interior views. The more detail we get from the client going into the project, the more likely we will nail it on the first try.

After reviewing the initial delivery, our clients are often suprised at the level of realism and detail we have achieved when creating their 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings, 3D Floor Plans and Interactive 3D Presentations. It is not uncommon for a client to expand the project at this stage as they realize the need for building an actual model unit might be unnecessary.

We are currently working on a project where the developer's interior designer was so blown away by the detail of the initial renderings, we actually had to swear to her that they were not photographs of an existing property. Once we convinced her this was not the case, she made a recommendation to the developer to forgo the model unit they were planning, and use our 3D products instead.

While we do not believe that our 3D technology will ever totally replace the use of model units, there are many situations when they could, saving the developer a lot of money that could be put back into marketing their property.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Virtual 3D nanorobots used to develop real cancer-fighting technology

Image credit: Adriano Cavalcanti, et al.
The concept of "Nanorobots" or tiny “molecular machines” that can travel through our arteries to treat and diagnose our ailments has been the focus of many researchers over the past 10 years. While progress has been made, there is still much work to be done before the concept becomes reality. To try to pick up the pace, a group of researchers have recently developed an innovative approach to help in the research and development of nanorobots – 3D virtual reality.

Adriano Cavalcanti, Bijan Shirinzadeh, Robert Freitas, Jr., and Tad Hogg, representing institutions in Melbourne, Australia, and the U.S., have published their simulation procedure in a recent issue of Nanotechnology. Just as 3D simulations previously helped engineers greatly accelerate developmental research in the semiconductor industry, Cavalcanti and colleagues hope that virtual nanorobots, virtual biomolecules and virtual arteries will accelerate the progress of nanorobot development.

Source: Physorg.com

The 3D virtual environment allows for testing many strategies that could speed up the development of nanorobot technology. As the testing is only a 3D simulation, a much more criteria can be tested faster and safer than in a live environment.

Researchers are currently using the 3D simulation for tests in laparoscopic surgery, diabetes, cancer, brain aneurysms, cardiology, military biohazard defense, and drug delivery. The development is highly collaborative, with advances depending on future improvements in nanoelectronics, new materials, and genomics research.

3Dwalkthroughs.com envisions the day when instead of swallowing an aspirin, you will swallow a nanorobot that will travel through the bloodstream to diagnose and treat a headache.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Intergrafx Introduces 3D Mobile Secretary

3Dwalkthroughs.com just came across an interesting mobile application from the Chinese Company InterGrafx. Their application called Mobile Secretary, is a 3D avatar that acts as your virtual secretary, residing on your phone.

"It's very fun," says InterGrafx's Charles Chiang. "Your secretary handles things like SMS and incoming calls. You can choose different types of secretary from our server side, you can fire them and download a new one, or train them to be smarter. And you can even take a photo of someone, and put their picture on the avatar."

Source: TechDigest

Some of the features of the Mobile Secretary include:

•System event reminding (incoming call, bell, calendar )

•Welcome/byebye interface

•Dynamic wallpaper(interactive+event reminding)

•Dynamic icon menu

InterGrafx, Inc., offers 3D imaging applications and extensions for Java and other software environments on mobile devices and delivers technologies for multimedia app and content developers. www.intergrafx.com.

Monday, December 3, 2007

3D Renderings and 3D Interactive Donation Tool Help To illustrate Brad Pitt's Make It Right Project To Benefit Victims of Hurricane Katrina


In an effort to help the rich cultural community of the Lower 9th Ward, one of the hardest hit areas of Hurricane Katrina, Brad Pitt (the actor) has commissioned 13 architecture firms to help build 150 affordable, environmentally sound houses over the next two years.

The project titled, Make It Right, championed by Brad Pitt, will present the various designs today. The project's website makeitrightnola.org has a very cool interactive 3D donation tool. You can select a room based on a floor plan and then choose individual objects to make a donation against. The donations will be put towards building the actual 150 homes.

In an effort to expedite the slow progress in rebuilding this area, Brad Pitt teamed up with William McDonough, the green design expert; Graft, a Los Angeles architecture firm; and Cherokee, an investment firm based in Raleigh, N.C., that specializes in sustainable redevelopment. John Williams of New Orleans is the executive architect for the project.

The architects were each asked to design a 1,200-square-foot house for about $150,000, with Make It Right to help with the financing. The houses had to be built five to eight feet off the ground, with a front porch and three bedrooms.

Mr. Pitt is asking foundations, corporations and individuals to contribute to the project by adopting one house, several houses or a portion of a house through the project Web site, makeitrightnola.org. “You can adopt a tankless water heater or a solar panel or a tree or a low-flush toilet,” Mr. Pitt said. “You can give it to someone for Christmas,” he said — instead of another sweater.

Source: NYTimes.com

3Dwalkthroughs.com will be offering to donate 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans to help better illustrate the design concepts and bring more attention to this wonderful cause.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

3D Mobile Private Cinema - The Argo Cinema 2

The Argo Cinema 2 is believed to be "The world's first 3D Mobile Private Cinema" that enables users to enjoy 3 dimensional movies from a 3D field-sequential DVD disc.

The Argo uses a unique optical system that provides a powerful image equivalent to viewing a 35" screen at 6 feet away.

With a resolution of 0.3 Megapixels (QVGA - 320 x 240 @ 230,000 pixels), the glasses are designed to compliment an iPod Video or Microsoft Zune with a direct connection as well as many other devices such as: the Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo Wii, digital video / still cameras, set top boxes, VCRs, home / portable DVD players, cell / mobile phones with TV-output and much more.

Specially designed detachable eye-shades block the glares from indoor or outdoor lights and create a completely immersive effect so that one feels like he/she is watching a movie in a cinema. The attached ear phones deliver premium surround sound to complete the amazing experience.

3Dwalkthroughs.com believes the Argo Cinema 2 glasses could be a powerful way for sales offices of new property developments to present their 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Renderings and 3D Floor Plans. The glasses provide an immersive and private cinematic experience that block out all other distractions, and might quite possibly deliver the most dramatic and stimulating sales presentations available.

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Saturday, December 1, 2007

3D Walkthroughs, 3D Floor Plans and 3D Renderings to Aid The Rental Market

It is not breaking news to anyone that we are in the middle of a slumping real estate market. Inventories are high across the country and the mortgage industry is still licking it's wounds.

3Dwalkthroughs.com has been busy speaking with many developers trying to gauge how they will respond to this situation, and how this will ultimately effect our business as real estate marketers.

One solution raised by many of these developers is to offer properties that were formerly for sale as for rent properties with an option to buy.

This solution allows the developer to generate a revenue stream on these properties until the market rebounds, as opposed to having them sit empty with no money coming in. They also believe this solution could lead to potential sales down the road as some of the renters decide to exercise their option to buy.

Regardless of whether a property is for rent or for sale, tools such as 3D Walkthroughs, 3D Floor Plans, 3D Renderings and Interactive 3D Presentations are extremely effective sales tools that help make the most of a bad situation.

For development projects that are under way, the quality of the marketing materials will help to dictate the sale price or rent a developer can get for his property.

Tightening the purse strings on a marketing budget, especially in this tough housing market will only compound a bad situation.