Mapping the world in multiple dimensions: Rappid Mapper and geographics create vivid 3-D environments.

• Author: Hayes, Toby G.
• Position: Techknowledge

FOR CENTURIES the world was thought to be flat until some innovative thinkers changed all that. In today's world, two Utah companies, Geo/Graphics of Logan and Rappid Mapper of Salt Lake, are bringing the world of flat maps and images into the interactive third dimension.

As a landscape architect, Robert Vashisth wanted to help his customers better visualize their landscaping when he stumbled upon the idea of doing it virtually, in 3-D. "That was the original plan--to envision a new backyard--but then we saw the infinite possibilities." The technology turned this horticulturist into the co-founder and president of Rappid Mapper, a company that expects to create a new generation of video games.

The new virtual programs combine three mediums: laser scanning, GPS and digital photography, which create a 3-D image you can walk through on a video monitor. Thanks to the progressive genius of engineering at both Utah State University and the University of Utah, these 3-D images are created in a matter of seconds. "Once you capture the image, you can do whatever you want with it. You can put it into a game, or even put it out onto the Internet so fans can choose their seats and see exactly where they want to sit."

"We have a patent approved, which makes us the pioneer of this technology," Vashisth says. Gaming appears to be the future for Rappid Mapper, with global game sales expected to reach $25 billion this year. Without divulging any details, Vashisth did say his company has a feasibility contract with EA Sports, one of the largest video game manufacturers.

"Video games by their very nature are interactive," explains Randy Ostler, Rappid Mapper's vice president of product development. "So when I realized the possibility of creating an interactive video-type environment, it was pretty exciting." Because many of today's more popular games are based on top box office hits, such as the James Bond movies or Lord of the Rings, Ostler says creating these types of games can be made easier with Rappid Mapper. "All you would have to do is scan the set and it would take just a week or two," he says, compared with programmers who take months to design the games.

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Not only can Rappid Mapper streamline the video gaming process, but the program has unlimited potential to capture and analyze our world, Vashisth says. The technology can be used in place of photos to capture crime scenes, so...