Northeastern University Partners With Concept3D On 3D Virtual Campus Tour, Global Learning Opportunities

Online, November 29, 2010 (Newswire.com) - BOSTON - Current and future Northeastern University students are experiencing the Boston campus, global study opportunities and the school's rich cultural diversity in a whole new way with CampusBird, the first interactive campus map using 3D and other dynamic media.

CampusBird™, developed by Boulder, Colo.-based concept3D, presents a virtual mapping environment and content management system, based in large part on Google Earth and Google Maps, for prospective students and other visitors to explore.

Northeastern University is making the most of concept3D's technology in several innovative ways. The Northeastern 3D campus guide and global links are at: northeastern.edu/neuhome/aboutnortheastern/maps.html.

In addition to Northeastern's 3D virtual tour of its urban Boston campus, students also can "fly" across the Google Earth world and click to read about global learning experiences NU offers in 160 cities in 69 countries. Incoming students also can click to see the cities where international students are from in 125 countries.

By clicking on Costa Rica, for example, both students and their parents can learn how NU is partnering with the Children's Hospital there, or zoom into England where Northeastern students works with leading companies like Barclays Wealth and One change: Turner Entertainment Network should be Turner Broadcasting Systems, Cartoon Network Europe.

"Presenting the university's global presence and its cultural diversity along with the 3D tour throughout its Boston campus allows for a completely immersive online experience," said Oliver Davis, concept3D CEO and co-founder.

"As Northeastern continues to expand its global presence, we seek more innovative ways to inform prospective and incoming first year students of Northeastern's extensive worldwide network and educational reach beyond Boston," said Philomena Mantella, Senior Vice President, Enrollment & Student Life at Northeastern University. "A key advantage of this map is its capability to showcase the locations across the globe where our students are making an impact, whether it's through our global co-op program or various academic programs."

University officials also are planning to launch a series of guided themed audio tours before the new year.

To create a CampusBird 3D map, concept3D's team of globally recognized 3D modelers and web developers build photorealistic 3D models of campus buildings and grounds and place them in Google Earth. Layers of information are added to the CampusBird platform to provide location-based details such as individual building info, parking and Wi-Fi hotspots.

The process, which takes anywhere from four to 12 weeks, produces a detailed virtual environment that current and future students, campus visitors, university staff, alumni and community members will find both useful and fun.

Using Northeastern's 3D map, for example, a student can move around a building or jump clear across campus, seeing different views of the university and Boston skyline. Click on each building for a color photo, short description and further location details. Admissions prospects have a 3D view of the place they're thinking about their next four to five years.

Each CampusBird interactive map is easily added and updated by school staff through the CampusBird online content management system hosted by concept3D. The CampusBird CMS allows schools to simply and dynamically update, edit and add content to their map. If an image, video or description is changed in the CMS, the map is automatically updated on the school site and campusbird.com.

The interactive map and 3D models become permanent assets to the institution, and are often used by campus planners, architects and engineers, development staff and safety personnel. Universities also are repurposing concept3D campus maps in video format for more visual recruitment and capital fund-raising efforts.

"Our clients find so many ways to use the 3D content and maps that they often achieve ROI/payback in as little as three months," Davis said.

Along with the institution's own website, college.campusbird.com and the CampusBird iPhone app, the models and maps appear on Google Earth, Google Maps and other websites that use Google Earth browser tools.

About Northeastern University

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston, and a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. Northeastern's signature cooperative education program, one of the largest and most innovative in the world, is ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Northeastern offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions.

About concept3D
We make 3D and the Web work as one.
concept3D, online at concept3d.com, melds geography and interactive multimedia into a single discipline that transforms how location information is created and presented. The market leader in Google Earth 3D and Google Maps development, concept3D was founded by former employees and directors of @Last Software, which developed SketchUp and was acquired by Google in 2006. Its team of 3D experts - all former Google employees - has developed more than 10,000 custom models in Google Earth. concept3D's roster of more than 100 clients includes Disney, NREL, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Sony, SunPower Inc., SPG Solar, NextEra Energy, Michael Baker Corp. and Kimley Horn. Based in Boulder, Colo., concept3D is privately held. Follow on Twitter @geoweb.

In addition to Northeastern, the rapidly growing roster of institutions using CampusBird and concept3D media services now includes Boston University, Regis University, University of Colorado Boulder, NC State Centennial Campus, Haverford, Hofstra, UMass Lowell, The Hackley School, Blair Academy and Proctor Academy.