6 Google Projects You Have Not Heard About

Google has, for many years now, dabbled in revolutionary projects. Many have risen to popularity and are household names. Google Maps is one example. But did you know that the Internet giant is also involved with a whole lot more? Let us explore 6 Google projects that you may not know about yet.

1. Google Cloud Platform

This project provides the building blocks to create anything from a website to complex applications. You can make a “massively scalable game, without having to worry about underlying infrastructure.” You can also build and host the backend of apps with Cloud Platform. You can also try your hand at Apache Hadoop on Google Computer Engine with the platform.

2. Google Public Data Explorer

Exploring public data and forecasts from institutions like the World Bank, Eurostat, OECD, and certain universities can be done on this Google project. The data can be viewed in a range of graphs, plots, and maps. It is available for anyone to upload and visualize data sets using a new data format, Dataset Publishing Language (DSPL). Google Public Data Explorer can be shared via Google Docs.

3. The Evolution of the Web

Data and information visualization is a very effective way to understand how some things work. For instance, The Evolution of the Web gives users a way to see the interactions of various web technologies into what it is today. HTML5, CSS3 and WebGL technologies all work in sync with each other to provide the best web experience every time someone logs on.

4. Ingress

This smartphone game takes gaming into a whole new level: reality. Ingress is an augmented reality (AR) massively multiplayer game that uses geographical locations as portals that users must “hack” by physically being in a particular spot. It uses an amazing interface that is sure to make everyday commutes and travels a lot more fun.

5. Google Art Project

You can now visit over 400 of the most iconic museums in the world via Google Art Project. It has ultra high-res images of the different artworks housed in these museums. There are virtual tours with audio and video for information that feels personalized. Zoom in and out of the paintings to get details you would only see in real life—before the project offered this service, of course. Lastly, you can also create your own virtual collections using Art Project.

6. Project Sunroof

Solar energy is the next frontier for individuals and corporations alike. Installing them in homes or offices, however, can be complicated and the process might turn people away from it. Project Sunroof uses Google Maps, among other algorithms, to give accurate predictions on where to install solar panels, costs involved, and many other important deciding factors to switch to solar.