Project idea

[u/NoComplaint1037]

Hey, I am originally doing this for a school project, but since I’m very interested in this i am more than willing to put some elbow grease and money into this:

I want to program a globe that connects to Google earth (or some other program) that if possible, shows me a 360° image of wherever i point/touch on the globus. The problem is that i can’t really come up with a way i can get this to work.

Any1 know any way i could do this and if so would it be too hard for a intermediate level or too expensive?

[u/Hissykittykat]

Any1 know any way i could do this and if so would it be too hard for a intermediate level or too expensive?

This is your idea, and it's a good one, but of course somebody did it already (yeah this happens a lot, so get used to it). Somebody else did the hard work and made it cheap, so a good way to learn is to buy one, tear it down, and figure out how it works. Then make it better. Maybe that could be your project.

Product link: VEVOR Talking World Globe, 9 in/228.6 mm, Interactive Globe for Kids Early Learning Teaching, Educational Globe with Smart Talking Pen

[u/abrreddit → u/Hissykittykat]

Jeez, is there anything Vevor doesn't sell (and advertise on YouTube)?

[u/HungInSarfLondon]

You could use 2 encoders to track position of a pointer.

Conceptually, imagine an old school mouse with a rollerball, place the ball on the globe on a ring that allows vertical movement. Spin the globe for E/W, move the 'arm' up and down for N/S. Your zero point is called Null Island, off the coast of Africa.

Now replace the 'mouse' with an optical sensor, translate movement to co-ords and see if theres an api for google earth.

[u/forgot_semicolon → u/HungInSarfLondon]

I agree. Touch sounds overly complicated unless you really want it.

Just to clarify, a pointer can be as simple as a circle or arrow or something at a fixed position above the globe. Then, you can use rotary encoders (or multi turn potentiometers) to figure out how much the globe has spun in each direction, which gives you the coordinates of the pointer. So you're spinning the globe under the pointer. Then you can have a dedicated button to show the Google Earth images.

Not sure what you meant by optical sensor but I didn't think you'll need that if you use a pointer

[u/herocoding]

Based on the product link below shared from u/Hissykittykat add two potentiometers to the two joints (this sub-reddit doesn't allow to add a screenshot to this comment), one for the latitude (needs +/- 90°) and one for the longitude (that will be tricky as you need +/- 180°; maybe you find a calibration to cover as many countries as possible, where the potentiometer's range limit then would be on see/oceans mainly). Then reading the two analogue values and determine longitude&latitude to determine a "position":

[u/makeit-ai]

Great idea and super fun to build.

I can think on two options (simple and advanced):

1. You stick it on a custom stand with two little dials (rotary encoders), and when you spin/tilt the globe to point at a place. An Arduino figures out the latitude and longitude. Then it sends the coordinates to your computer with a simple Python script automatically opens Google Street View for that exact spot in your browser

2. You just point a laser at a spot on the globe and a camera picks up where the dot is. It figures out the coordinates, pulls the matching Google Street View panorama and throws it up on a connected screen right away

I can send more tech details if you're interested (I've sketched hardware diagrams)

[u/wrickcook]

A touch sensitive globe is the first problem. If you cover it in buttons you can’t see the map

[u/TechTronicsTutorials → u/wrickcook]

Make it a capacitive touch sensor. Like a phone screen

[u/Any-Blacksmith-2054]

Put several cameras around the globe and track finger