Real Estate, Marketing, Software

It was sometime during the late-1980s or early-1990s when I first tried virtual reality at the local video store.  My memory is a bit vague, but I know it was prior to Virtual Boy and The Lawnmower Man – that I’m sure of.  The system itself was temporarily on display in an effort to draw hype for new VR technology.  Of course, my expectations were sky high, but when I slipped the goggles on, my excitement quickly gave way to complete disappointment.  What a piece of junk.

So here we are, twenty years later, and we’re still trying to perfect the VR system.  The whole concept of VR has broadened in scope a lot since the 1980s, and modern innovations have even been working their way into real estate marketing.

So what’s going on?  And how might this technology impact the real estate market?

“What’s going on?”  is a loaded question.  Movements are taking place on a number of fronts that are all in some way “virtual realities.”  Essentially, the approach can be broken down into two perspectives:

1) The immersive approach – a 3D virtual world created around the viewer. (Inside)

2) The viewpoint approach - a 3D object, that can be circumnavigated by the viewer. (Outside)

Let’s look at a few of the major advancements in 3D, VR technology that derive from each of these perspectives:

INSIDE:

1) Equirectangular photographs and panoramic tours. An equirectangular photograph is a 2D image that would be entirely seamless if wrapped around a 3D sphere.  It is made by shooting a number of photographs from a central pivot point, and digitally stitching them together using specialized software.  Here’s what a sample finished image looks like (photo by Erik Leeman):

Click here to see how the same image appears when processed into a 360 degree panoramic tour.  To create a finished piece, there are specific hardware and software requirements.  You can learn more about the basic  production methods here.  Real estate agents have been using this technology for years to allow for buyers to freely navigate within a virtual listing environment.  Advanced Flash applications can even link numerous tours together allowing the viewer to freely navigate from room to room.

2) Immersive Video – The same process has been achieved in video using an 11-lensed camera, the most popular of which is called the Dodeca 2360.  This is the same technology Google uses to create StreetView.  Immersive Media is the company who is arguably the leader in the development of this technology.  Here’s one of their sample videos (while it’s playing, just click and hold your mouse button, and drag it around to change the field of view):

To learn more about spherical, immersive video, click here.  The potential impact that this type of video could have on virtual listing tours is huge.  The price for equipment is still very high, but like all new technologies, it’s just a matter of time before an affordable, consumer-based alternative is made available.

OUTSIDE:

1) 3D Modeling & Phototexturing – I spoke a bit about the potential impact of 3D modeling on the real estate industry in a previous post. When I talk about virtual cities, and 3D models of buildings, the effect on the real estate will be focused primarily on commercial listings, at least initially.  The models found on massive mapping platforms like Google Earth are still pretty simple in structure.  In other words, a building does not need to be designed down to the last brick, but the general sharpe needs to be constructed to scale, and photographs then applied as textures for a more visually accurate look.  Furthermore, with free software like Google Sketchup available to everyone, there’s really no reason why not to give it a try.

One big advantage for homebuilders and developers is that they can provide compelling visuals of both interior and exterior spaces long before construction has been completed.  The images are similar to artists renderings; however, 3D models allow for a much greater flexibility in medium: video fly-throughs, photorealistic stills, and accurate floorplans.One company that caught my attention is Alpha Vision, a company who provides these types of services worldwide.   Here’s a couple images from their portfolio:

2) Photosynth - Photosynth is a online service created by Microsoft that analyzes a group of photos for similarities, then uses that data to build a model of where the photos were taken. The environment is recreated and used as a canvas on which to display the photos.  Chris spoke about the software in detail in a previous post.

For real estate agents, Photosynth provides an easy way to create a navigatable, virtual environment at little to no cost.  As long as you have a digital camera and a computer with internet access, you’re good to go.  As mentioned in the previous post, a detailed guide to get started with Photosynth is available here.

When I think back 20 years ago, the problem with virtual reality was that we hadn’t yet taken the time to create the “reality” itself.  We were so fixated on creating a fantasy world back then.  Only now are we realizing the benefits in virtually mapping the real world in 3D, and discovering ways in which to navigate through it.  There are so many movements in this technology that I chose not to write about in this article, but all of them have potential.  One thing is for sure, the technology will continue to impact real estate marketing.  If it suits your style, embrace it now.

One Response to “Innovative Approaches to Virtual Environments”

1. Jessicafoew says:

   May 10, 2009 at 8:05 am

   Wow! Thank you very much! I always wanted to write in my site something like that