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Gathering Architectural Outlines for Community Betterment

Google unveils massive building dataset spanning 19.4 million square kilometers across Africa, achieved through AI-powered satellite analysis, providing details such as each structure's geographical coordinates, shape, and size in square meters.

Gathering Architectural Outlines for Philanthropic Purposes
Gathering Architectural Outlines for Philanthropic Purposes

Gathering Architectural Outlines for Community Betterment

Google has made a significant contribution to the field of geospatial analysis with the release of a dataset containing detailed building footprints for Africa. The dataset, known as the Google Open Buildings dataset, is accessible through Google Cloud public datasets or Google BigQuery.

The dataset, which covers an area of 19.4 million square kilometres across the African continent, includes information about each building's latitude, longitude, geometric shape, and area in square meters. This comprehensive data was gathered using an AI system that analysed satellite images to locate buildings.

The dataset is a valuable resource for various applications, including population estimation, urban planning, humanitarian response, and environmental science. However, it's important to note that the image associated with the article discussing this dataset does not provide any insights into the applications of the dataset.

Google has made the dataset easily accessible. To access it, you'll need a Google Cloud account. Once you have that, you can search for the "Google Open Buildings" dataset or "Building footprints" in Google Cloud Public Datasets. From there, you can write SQL queries in BigQuery to retrieve building details or download bulk geojson/shapefiles for offline use.

Alternatively, Google also provides the dataset on Google Cloud Storage for direct download and use with GIS tools. The image associated with the article does not show any buildings or satellite images related to the dataset.

In conclusion, the Google Open Buildings dataset offers a wealth of information for researchers, urban planners, and anyone interested in geospatial analysis. With its detailed building footprints and easy accessibility, this dataset is set to make a significant impact in understanding and planning for Africa's urban growth.

Image credit: Flickr user Sweggs.

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