Comparing Gigapixel-scale Images

Ever wished to be two places at once? Gigapixel-scale images capture environments for later exploration. We present technology and approaches to place two (or more) gigapixel-scale images side-by-side on a computer screen, allowing simultaneous exploration and comparison of environments which might be separated by space or time. This simultaneous exploration allows more effective discovery of similarities and differences in the case that the salient areas for comparison aren’t known prior to image capture. What might be a slow, iterative process moving back and forth between locations, now becomes efficient. And what might be impossible comparing two moments in time becomes possible. This paper is based on research not yet finished; we anticipate submitting a full paper by August.