Where Google's going, they don't need roads. Nearly a decade after Google first visited Michigan State University with its Street View Car to capture 360-panoramic views of campus, they returned to bring virtual visitors a more in-depth look.
In September 2015, Google came to MSU with its Street View Trekker, a wearable backpack with a camera system on top. The technology, first introduced in 2012, allows them to capture places around the world inaccessible by car.
According to Google, the Trekker is worn by an operator and walked through pedestrian walkways or trails on foot, gathering images as it goes. The images are stitched together to create the 360-degree panoramas seen on Google Maps.
The project is part of a continued effort by Google to "create a digital mirror of the real world," an immersive virtual reality at the click of a mouse or the swipe of a finger.
Launching Feb. 2, Google Street View allows users to not only scroll down Farm Lane, but take a virtual jaunt through the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden. Reminiscing about Football Saturdays or cheering in the Izzone? Google's Street View Trekker even takes users inside Spartan Stadium and the Breslin Center.
Look closely enough, and Sparty is also bound to pop up around this virtual campus.
For prospective students, nostalgic alumni and curious travelers, Google Street View's more intimate look at MSU brings the banks of the Red Cedar and more to anyone in the world.