Liquid Galaxy

ABOUT US

Liquid Galaxy is a remarkable panoramic system that is tremendously compelling. It started off as a Google 20% project created by Google engineer Jason Holt to run Google Earth across a cluster of PC's and it has grown from there!

Liquid Galaxy hardware consists of 3 or more computers driving multiple displays, usually one computer for each display. Liquid Galaxy applications have been developed using a master/slave architecture. The view orientation of each slave display is configured in reference to the view of the master display. Navigation on the system is done from the master instance and the location on the master is broadcast to the slaves over UDP. The slave instances, knowing their own locations in reference to the master, then change their views accordingly.

The Liquid Galaxy Project, while making use of Google Earth software, does not develop the Google Earth code-base itself. Google Earth is not open source software, although it is free (as in beer). Instead, the Liquid Galaxy Project works on extending the Liquid Galaxy system with open source software both improving its administration and enabling open source applications, so that content of various types can be displayed in the immersive panoramic environment.

LIQUID GALAXY 2020

It's been a long time since the inception of the Liquid Galaxy at Google back in 2008 and the release as Open Source. The Liquid Galaxy project is planning for 2020 some news. We still be focused on use the Google Earth, that has no rival in the 3D representation of the world, but also we'll be developing our own new core around more modern representations, primary using HTML5 and NodeJS. Next to this, and with the help of many contributors from our different coding internships, we'll also be developing several new libraries that will help create new applications and contents, and develping demo use cases in the areas we've large expertise, like Education and Drones to name a few.

LIQUID GALAXY USES

GIS

The Liquid Galaxy is a Geographic Information System, GIS. With it you will be able to do plenty of maps tasks in a immersive and interactive way.

Education

With our upcoming Liquid Galaxy for Education version, sponsored by Xenon Computer and ACER Education, we want that the Liquid Galaxy experience expands to schools at zero cost.

Tourism

Being a maps based system, the Liquid Galaxy is a great tool for all kind of tourism applications, from tours to guides, all experienced in an amazingly immersive experience.

3D Models

With the integration of open source viewers like the Sketchfab, the Liquid Galaxy allows an interactive and immersive visualization of 3D models and cloud point meshes.

Data

The Liquid Galaxy, with his applications, can handle different kinds of data and overlay those over a point in the maps, anywhere in the world.

Gaming

Our project has basic abilities to play some games in a multiscreen environment.

TECHNOLOGIES

Some of the technologies we use to create awesome projects.

Linux

Our base system runs on Linux, usually a Ubuntu LTS. The Liquid Galaxy is all about maps, but with an intensive network traffic to visualize everything, so the Open Source Operating system Linux is our choice.

Python

Currently the most extended scripting language and plenty of capabilities is the most usual we choose for developing our applications.

Node.js

When we deal with multiple Chromium browsers, the Open Sourced version of Chrome web browser, we use Node.js to communicate all machines, giving a full new dimension to the Liquid Galaxy experience.

Android

Our de facto standard language for controlling the system. We do use Android on both pure Android tablets and our newest Chrome OS base/Android compatible ACER tablets.