Google says that friends at The Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science have been working to devise a method of collecting the sort of imagery that’s cheap and easy to access for all people. The kit that the Public Laboratory came up with has been dubbed the balloon mapping toolkit.

It allows anyone to take their own aerial images using a cheap point-and-shoot digital camera and a few other items. The kit would cost about $100 including the balloon, helium, line, and other items needed. The Public Laboratory also has an online tool called MapKnitter that aligns the photos into a geo-referenced image that Google Earth can use.

[via Google Lat Long Blog]

Google has announced that it has updated the service to version 6.2, and with that update the photos loose their gaps and irregularities, and get a uniform appearance.

That means now when you view the Earth, instead of seeing a mosaic of square photos plastered next to each other you just get a very smooth and cohesive image.

The tech used to accomplish this evens out the pics so ones taken night aren’t so dark and ones with clouds don’t stand out. Google also added the ability to get better search results, as well as added walking, public transport, and biking directions and the ability to share maps via Google+.

You can grab the latest Google Earth installer here.

[via Google Lat Long Blog]

The rug in the photo you see above is actually four Google Maps prints arranged to meet up perfectly. At first glance, it looks like a strange carpet until you realize that you are seeing houses, stores, and streets, not just lines and random shapes. The idea behind the art project was to take the art of tapestry and bring a modern twist to it by using Google Maps as the design.

The idea is interesting. I could see these making for an interesting conversation piece in a home. It would also be cool to see the idea used in business to show the view of a location from the sky. While you can buy these rugs, I wonder if you can actually commission these carpets with your area as the print.

[via GOOD via Dvice]

Here’s the setup in action. It’s a work in progress, so don’t expect too much from it yet:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

If I had tinkering skills I’d ditch the iPad and make a touchscreen globe that runs Google Earth.

[via Engadget]

WiiEarth has been around for some time, but the latest release added some nice tweaks, including a speed boost. Even if you’ve seen it before, it may be worth checking out.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Wii remote controls are well-suited to something like this. Now if only you could scrape together a group of people who like scoping out maps. Maybe combine it with a little Rock Band or Tetris Party.

[via Hack-a-Wii]

A couple of guys from DFKI (the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence) took a Balance Board and connected it to a regular old laptop PC. A custom C# application communicates with the controller via Bluetooth, translating simple leaning movements on the board into 3D moves on the computer. By leaning forwards, back, left and right on the Balance Board, the player can move through a typical first-person view game with ease.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While this demo shows off some basic movements within Google Earth and WOW3, I’d venture to say that it could be easily modified to control any first-person 3D game. Imagine playing a FPS in which you hold onto a gun controller with your hands, and move around the environment by leaning. Even better yet, how about an FPS which supported ducking and dodging bullets on the Balance Board? Now that would be really cool. Only time will tell what other applications end up taking advantage of the board’s unique sensory abilities, but I’d lay odds that Wii Fit is only the tip of the iceberg.

[Balance Board Blog via Hack-a-Day]