Orbify's Inception-style curved map for turn-by-turn directions
Orbify has released a new demo of its warping technology, which creates an 'Inception-style' curved map for turn-by-turn directions. The interactive web demo, powered by PlayCanvas, lets users explore a 3D-rendered scene where the map bends and curves in surreal ways. Orbify is seeking pilots, collaborations, and investment, and the demo showcases a patent-pending technique that could redefine navigation interfaces.
We are open to pilot projects, technology collaborations, industry partnerships and conversations with investors.
- tomgp
First time I saw this idea was Berg's "Here and There" poster from 2009 (a year before Inception) though they acknowledge a bunch of earlier inspirations...
https://berglondon.com/blog/2009/05/04/here-there-influences...
- krm01
This is surprisingly useful. As I was imagining myself behind thr wheel I felt it was more clear as to when/where the next turn is. Probably because it combines top down flat with 3d spatial vs just one or the other. This was really good. I want it.
- sd9
This is a really good proof of concept. I would use this.
Something about the moment of the turn itself isn’t working for me though. Just before the turn you have essentially no information about the route ahead, until after the turn is completed. This would make a sequence of consecutive turns difficult to navigate.
- orbital-decay
This looks pretty neat but also distracting and not very convenient. A useful follow mode should provide a view into the next several dozen seconds of road conditions. This projection forces road sections after sharp turns to go off screen, and does nothing to compensate for that (e.g. by rotating the view), so the distance and time of useful prediction changes constantly. Since you're already willing to give the driver nausea, consider unwrapping 90 degree turns into something more straight until they're close enough.
- tantalor
I see a whole new business category being born: Nausea as a Service!
- anigbrowl
The concept is good, the implementation not so much, at least not on desktop. Mouselook doesn't make sense here; A and D should turn, not sidestep, which you can't do in a car. You do show a car right at the outset so people are going to imprint on that. Lack of arrow key support also alienates non-gamers.
- leblancfg
Great idea and demo. My main gripe when using Google Maps in the car is lack of information about the next turns — when do I change lanes, and to which one? This could be natively addressed here, especially if the blue navigation line was a little thinner and showed which lane(s) the driver needs to take.
- vessenes
This is cool. May I suggest that you make the standard deformation much less spherical? I do not get nauseous that easily and it made me a little nauseous, feeling like I was falling. I would not want to watch that while driving in a car. But 1/3 of the way from ‘flat’ to that would be super useful.