Google exhibits Liquid Galaxy installation at TED, we toss back a Dramamine

You know you've wondered what Google Earth would look like across a curved, eight-display installation, and now your most stupendous dreams are a reality thanks to Liquid Galaxy. That's the moniker that's been given to Jason Holt's 20 percent project, which he's just now getting to showcase to the world at the TED conference in San Francisco. Reportedly, eight Linux machines are tied to the process, and he's able to fly through the digital skies via voice commands and sheer mental strength. Or maybe it's just voice commands. Head past the break for a cockpit view, but be sure to close one eye if you're prone to motion sickness.

[Thanks, Camron]

See more video at our hub!

[CJ100570 Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:36PM]

Cool!

[shoxite Posted Feb 13th 2010 7:52PM]

this should be at the arcade!

[DrBuzzKrill Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:37PM]

Voice commands you say? Up, up and away!

[captnlove Posted Feb 13th 2010 9:53AM]

@DrBuzzKrill Go go gadget flying machine!

[EzB Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:38PM]

Incredible...idk how you do it google...you got some amazing minds!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:38PM]

Those aren't Linux boxes, those are Ono-Sendais.

[Mr Blurrycam Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:38PM]

Effing awesome

[DrBuzzKrill Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:40PM]

This would make for an awesome combat sim with a few extra players.

[Please forgive me Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:06PM]

@DrBuzzKrill

I was thinking the same thing... mostly a flight sim for some air combat, but combined with ground warfare would be nice as well.

[p0p0 Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:41PM]

The underwater part blasted my mind. This would be so fun.

[Loonie Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:45PM]

Man, if they could make that booth tilt...

[nelagster Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:47PM]

sooooooo does anybody know how to make google earth work across dual monitors?

[sasiki Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:58PM]

@nelagster
They were using 8 computers running Linux to drive the displays. I'd imagine one computer per display and then some kind of software to mesh it all together.

[nelagster Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:02PM]

@sasiki

actually i just did some research and figured out that if you do the "restore" window on google earth and then manually stretch it across both screens you basically get a dual monitor experience...with the tool bar on the bottom

[ppsaoda Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:50PM]

did i saw an ipad?

[Drybones5 Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:16PM]

@ppsaoda

No that was just a touch screen monitor...

[Marbles Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:52PM]

Just awesome. You could get lost in this forever.

[paul34 Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:10PM]

@Marbles

I am waiting for Google to invent the holodeck

[TrumanHW Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:06PM]

Why do they always use panels instead of projectors which would essentially be seamless? And 2, do you land that thing?

[Fero Posted Feb 13th 2010 8:05AM]

@TrumanHW
I think the effect looks so good because the displays are arranged in a curve. With a projector it would be harder to archieve this feeling of a 180° (or maybe 360°) view.

[Troll Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:12PM]

horrible writing. You're assuming the reader knows what "20% project" is. I know what it is, and its a lame thing, but some people wont know.

BTW this is thing is crap. its just google earth on a big screen. the 3d buildings are rare and only exist in a few major cities. everywhere else is a plain top view.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:21PM]

Cool, I can imagine now a 3D glasses using Google Earth across 2 Nexus One (one for each eye) connected over 802.11n ;) or just a head-set with 3G and compass for virtual reality ;)

[RupanIII Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:25PM]

Hmmm.
2 Questions.
Wouldn't this have looked better on an Eyefinity machine? (As much as I love Linux).
Couldn't Google Buy AMD without violating the License Caveats which would make an out of country buyer unsuitable to the Intel x86 licenses?

[bstump Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:46PM]

They had something like this setup at Google I/O 2009 last year. Only it didn't have the controls and it was street view.

[gadgetfanboy Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:52PM]

TED conference is in Long Beach, not SF.

[bolezhinkov Posted Feb 12th 2010 11:07PM]

today on: "well I dont have any friends so I might as well make the best invention ever that will make me friends in a roundabout fashion" : This Guy

[kLid Posted Feb 12th 2010 11:53PM]

best moment of the video happens at 5.04
"THERE'S COFFEE!! I love coffee"

hahahaha

but yeah that's soo cooooool!

[cosmicinglewood Posted Feb 12th 2010 11:54PM]

For gadget sake, what is with the huge gap between the monitors, that totally ruins the effect.

[GarrettQ Posted Feb 12th 2010 11:59PM]

watching the video gave me a bad drunk feeling. the one where you go from having a good time, to holding the headboard of the bed to keep the room from spinning. I need a beer

[werty1432k Posted Feb 13th 2010 12:30AM]

They should reduce the bezel on those screens for a more realistic experience.

[pavelgr Posted Feb 13th 2010 12:40AM]

I love Google Earth!

[nutterguy Posted Feb 13th 2010 12:49AM]

If you think that's impressive I guess you have never heard of Bing Maps 3D? Lots of amazing full 3D city's, can control it with an X360 controller.
No? Guess that doesn't surprise me...
This looks old and imo, crap...

[dcoke Posted Feb 13th 2010 1:02AM]

That's cool they found a way around restraining orders.

[KGB Posted Feb 13th 2010 7:01AM]

Now lets see you do porn on it.

[skidodo142 Posted Feb 13th 2010 7:07AM]

it appears he is controlling that with an ipad..

[appleipad Posted Feb 13th 2010 9:17AM]

@skidodo142 Its not an ipad. maybe a chrome tablet

[mlongbsa Posted Feb 13th 2010 9:10AM]

Anybody have any thoughts regarding what type of video cards used? I have a GTS250 and when i turn up the detail in Google Earth to max, it takes minutes (2-10) to load terraine. very frusterating.
mcl

[Proxy Toaster Posted Feb 13th 2010 11:32AM]

@mlongbsa you can manually cache maps so they don't have to be retrieved from the server. I'm sure this demo was running cached maps, there is no load lag whatsoever.

[mlongbsa Posted Feb 13th 2010 6:30PM]

@Proxy Toaster
Thanks for the input. I will look into your suggestion.

[IkkouMMX Posted Feb 13th 2010 4:15PM]

Wow! This is amazing! I envison this to be used in school to learn about geography and lots of other stuff ^^

The future is on it's way...

[buzski Posted Feb 14th 2010 11:39AM]

this is trippy