Using Pokémon Go to Map the World

Maps have gotten much better over the past few decades. But they're still mostly two dimensional, and they struggle to keep up with a world that is always changing. Brian McClendon is the Chief Technology Officer of Niantic Spatial, a spinout of the company that makes Pokémon Go. Brian's problem is this: How do you build a three-dimensional map of the world that both robots and humans can use to find their way?

In this episode, Brian explains: 

• What he learned building Google Earth 
• How Pokémon Go players helped build the foundation for robot navigation
• What it will take to teach AI to understand the physical world.
• Why GPS is so bad in cities 
•  Why trees are such a big problem for digital mapmakers

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