Cool technologies to help visualize your models

To shake things up a bit, I want to talk about a few technologies that are simply jaw droppingly, eye poppingly cool - their "professional" use cases aside. Get your "techy" hat on and be ready to geek out. I hope you find them as fun and exciting as I do.

1) The first cool integration comes from Inglobe Technologies. Born from individuals in the Scientific Research and Design communities, their technology revolves around the creation of "Augmented Reality". What the heck is "Augmented Reality"? In short, it is the concept of combining reality with virtual reality.

Their new "ARplugin" for SketchUp will combine what you see through a standard computer video camera (reality) with your SketchUp model (virtual reality). With a simple click of their ARplugin tool and your model will export into the world of AR and you will be able to handle the model as if it is in you hand!

Just as we at Google SketchUp have preached "3D for Everyone", I was told that Inglobe too are evangelizing AR for anyone. So give it a try. They have a free download so you can try it out.

Sorry Mac lovers, but currently the ARplugin is Windows only but I have been informed that a Mac version is in the works.


Be sure to check out some of Inglobe's augmented reality videos on YouTube as well as others pertaining to the world of Augmented Reality.

2) The second cool integration is from a company called Deliverance Software out of the UK. Evolving from a terrain editing application for game developers and their work with the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield, their product line allows you to insert your SketchUp model into a game like environment for you to do real-time walk throughs, fly overs and animations with your SketchUp designs. And if you have those 3D glasses, you can even set it for stereo view to get the 3D effect you see in 3D Movies.


The WalkAbout3D is their most basic product and it will allow you to load your SketchUp model into the engine directly while in SketchUp. Their enhanced product is called Symmetry3D and it will allow you to work with 3D terrain, load multiple 3D models, and create animations/simulations. They have posted multiple videos on YouTube showing both applications in action.

Posted by Chris Dizon, SketchUp Guru