[Art_beyond_sight_educators] Google floor maps

[fnugg at online.no]

Hi,

Google has a really interesting feature called Google floor maps to be 
used with Android telephones.

With it one can upload the floor plans of a public area eg museum, 
shopping center etc so that a VI person can get it on their telephone. 
One can also go around after it is uploaded and add extra information to 
the map.

It appears very easy to do -

 1. Find the building <http://maps.google.com/floorplans/find?hl=en> on
    the map.
 2. Upload pictures of your floor plans or directories of a floor.
 3. Line up your floor plan with satellite images in Google Maps.
 4. Submit! This will help us improve Google Maps.

    Once processed, anyone will be able to see your floor plans in
    Google Maps <http://maps.google.com/>.

https://maps.google.com/help/maps/floorplans/Y

It looks like a very useful tool and I thought that perhaps it could be 
used also for regular street maps. That is to make a really quick map. 
That is import a google map of a few block area then draw a map of that 
area, and then proceed as you would with a floor plan. That is you 
import the "floor plan" of an outside area. Might be useful for mobility 
routes, tourist routes etc.

What do you think?

Google Maps Floor Plan Marker
Description
Help Google Maps show users their location more accurately within indoor 
venues. Walk around the floors in a popular, public building to collect 
publicly broadcast data, and afterwards, users of Google Maps for 
Android will be able to see their location ("the familiar blue dot") in 
those floors when they're inside the venue. Note that you must first 
upload a floor plan at https://maps.google.com/help/maps/floorplans/ 
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://maps.google.com/help/maps/floorplans/&sa=D&usg=AFQjCNGLQqvK7VxwqekYo6MyagiV7i_Aeg>. 
Likely to be of interest mostly to map enthusiasts and venue owners.

In anycase seems like a really good tool.

Regards,

Lisa