Google Street Roo gets people hopping mad - Herald Sun

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Google Street Roo gets people hopping mad - Herald Sun Apr 2nd 2012, 04:46 A Google prank that it will strap cameras onto kangaroos to explore the outback has sparked outrage. Picture: Google Screengrab It said the cameras would be powered by solar panels in a jacket the kangaroo would wear. Picture: Ryan Wick/Google Screengrab Google announces "Street Roo" prank Would strap cameras, GPS to kangaroos Sparks calls for the plan to become a reality A JOKE plan by internet giant Google to strap cameras on kangaroos' heads to capture the outback "one bounce at a time" has left animal lovers furious but has also sparked calls to make the project a reality. It all started with a light-hearted April Fool's post by Google claiming it had figured out the key to capturing Street View imagery of the remote outback - with kangaroos. "Today, we're happy to announce that Google has found an innovative way to capture a special collection of images from the back of beyond to include in Google Street View," the Google site said. "Over the next four weeks, more than a thousand Big Red kangaroos will be equipped with a 360-degree head camera that will automatically capture images when the marsupial is on the move during daylight hours." It said the cameras would be powered by solar panels in a jacket the kangaroo would wear, along with a GPS tracker. Images would be wired to Google in real-time, with 98 per cent of the Australian outback captured on Google Maps within three years. Software was developed to limit the "bouncing effect" experienced with the raw data. It also claimed leading marsupial specialists undertook extensive research to ensure the image capture activity wouldn't interfere with the kangaroos' grazing, sleeping or breeding. The prank fascinated people, with Twitter exploding with comments from the supportive to the outraged. Some even called for it to become a reality. PwrdByTofu: "Google mapping undeveloped areas, like the "The Outback" - with Kangaroos!!! Why? I don't know! PETA won't be happy." James Bromley: Google Street Roo. I actually think this should happen! Along with Roomote Controls." Melanie Rabier: "Ohhh come one make it real !! Google Street Roo - exploring the outback one bounce at a time." Chris Barker: "Can't wait to see what the Roo's capture with their street view cams. #in Google Street Roo."   This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

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