At last year"s Google I/O, the Mountain View giant announced some new features for the Search app, including the ability to view 3D models for certain creatures and place those models in the real world using augmented reality (AR). Today, Google is announcing a partnership with Universal Brand Development, Amblin Entertainment, and Ludia to add models for a number of dinosaurs to the mix.
There"s a total of 10 dinosaurs being added, and if you"re wondering why Universal is involved with this, it"s because the models are based on those from the Jurassic World movie. The dinosaurs you can see are the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor, Triceratops, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Dilophosaurus, Pteranodon, and Parasaurolophus.
The models can be viewed in the search results, rotated around, and zoomed in on, but you can also take the model and place it in the world around you through AR. This will let you see just big it would be and get closer to it from a multitude of angles. On Android, you can even hear their roar and footsteps if you wish to. If you want to know how the models were created, you can watch this video from Google.
The new models can be viewed both on Android and iOS by searching for "dinosaur", or for one of the specific species mentioned above, in the Google app. You can also do it using your web browser on Android, or using Chrome or Safari in iOS.