Bicycle job: Google tricycle mapper

June 21, 6:58 PMTwin Falls Bicycle Transportation ExaminerDaniel Canfield

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Google cartographer Dexter Harris rides a tricycle equipped with cameras

through the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia

Friday, June 19, 2009. The internet search engine has started taking

pictures at the University of Pennsylvania so that it can add college campuses

to its Google Maps service. (AP Photo/Mark Stehle)

Google has begun mapping college campuses for its Google Maps. You have probably used Google streetview which allows you to see the mapped area as if you were actually there. Now Google is taking the street view technology to college campuses. The streetview technology snaps pictures in a 360 degree range. Users can go to Google maps and use the streetview to see what the area looks like.

Google is mapping the paths on and around college campuses and is doing so with a tricycle equipped with their sophisticated camera technology. The mapped colleges will allow new students a way to familiarize themselves with campus before they ever arrive at campus. It will also allow parents t see what the campus is like by allowing the parents to take a “virtual tour” of the college campus.

Campuses currently being mapped include the University Of Pennsylvania, Penn State, San Diego State and a few others. Eventually Google would like to map all college campuses.

The major benefit of mapping the paths with the tricycle is it will allow mapping and photographing of areas that can not be done with Google Mapping cars. The Google tricycle will eventually allow for some amazing “streetviews” of bicycle trails around the world.. This will allow you to be able to look at a trail before you ride it.

Riding a tricycle for Google maps is a pretty sweet job but you do have to pedal heavy photography equipment around and I would assume a Google tricycle rider would have numerous questions everyday from passerbys.

Although the job can be hectic it does beat siting in and office just reading about bicycling. Google offers excellent benefits to its employees. As a Google Tricycle rider you get amazing benefits to basically ride a bicycle around paths and trails. As Napoleon Dynamite would say “Sweet!”.