[Part 1] PLATEAU x Tokyo Map Research Co., Ltd.

1. Internal PLATEAU team launched at Tokyo Map Research Co., Ltd.!

Hello everyone!
This is the Public Relations and Sales Group at Tokyo Map Research Co., Ltd.

In November 2023, Tokyo Map Research Co., Ltd. launched an internal PLATEAU team.
Click here for more about PLATEAU ↓↓

We have attended many symposiums and events for the 3D city model PLATEAU, but its potential was mainly focused within the surveying industry. On the other hand, PLATEAU's initiatives are not limited to the industry; they are attracting attention in many fields and generating new ideas.

We felt there was "something" we could do precisely because we have been making maps, handling location information, and working with GIS for 60 years. Under these circumstances, we decided to hold an internal PLATEAU ideathon for a topic that we have experience with in our business and that is expected to be utilized in the future.

2. Internal PLATEAU Ideathon

We focused on "utilization" that can leverage various ideas, taking into account future social needs, business viability, the creativity and motivation of young employees, and the potential of PLATEAU.
Seven diverse members, from young employees who work with PLATEAU daily to veterans skilled in programming, gathered together.

First, an employee who has been involved in PLATEAU-related work explained the overview. After that, we introduced basic information and examples such as the creation, conversion, and utilization of 3D city model data, and conducted a brainstorming session.

3. Introduction of initiatives using PLATEAU

In the first ideathon, we asked the seven members to share their opinions frankly, based on their daily interests and things they want to challenge. The "coolness" that was not present in 2D maps is one of its charms, and the other members were intrigued by the many ideas that immediately sprang up. Here are some of the themes extracted from the ideas that emerged.

• View and solar radiation from the Iidabashi branch office

The Iidabashi branch office of Tokyo Map Research Co., Ltd. is located on the 6th floor of a building. The windows face southwest, and the afternoon sun is harsh in the summer, which is always a concern for employees sitting by the windows. Although we cannot see far because there are other tall buildings around, there are no buildings tall enough to block the sunlight, so the sun shines directly into the office. PLATEAU might be useful for solving problems related to afternoon sun countermeasures and solar radiation levels.

・Detecting sunlight conditions (season, time of day) for condominiums
・Simulating locations and views (Tokyo Tower or Sumida River Fireworks Festival)

...and it seems it can be applied to these as well.

• Visualization with PLATEAU x Unity

Ideas using the game engine Unity also emerged. Unity, which can develop games and animations, has a very high affinity with PLATEAU and GIS (Geographic Information Systems), enabling dramatic visualization. We immediately tried a few challenges.

We created a blue tower, modeled after the Skytree. We visualized the areas where this blue tower is visible and where it is not. If you stand in the red areas, you can see the blue tower through the gaps between the buildings.

When you change your viewpoint within Unity, the blue tower becomes hidden behind the shadows of the buildings. Using Unity in this way seems to make it possible to make PLATEAU even "cooler."
Another idea that came up was "the scenery from the window of the Chuo Line." When riding the Chuo Line, near Suidobashi Station, you can see the white, fluffy roof of the Tokyo Dome through the gaps between the buildings. Even if you aren't a Giants fan, you end up looking at it, don't you? We might be able to express this view from the train window using Unity and PLATEAU. Furthermore, if we set up landmarks like Tokyo Tower or the Skytree, it would be fun if it could pop up and tell you the direction in which those places are visible. If you use VR goggles, you could even be guided to places where you can (or cannot) see them. The possibilities just keep expanding.

4. Looking ahead to the next session

In the first ideathon, countless fun ideas were born, ranging from things already out in the world to those that are not.

To name a few...

・Business fields such as education, logistics, and area marketing
・Celestial shows such as planetariums, the sun, and the moon

...and so on!

Tokyo Map Research Co., Ltd. will continue to refine each of these ideas and continue our work with PLATEAU. We are doing this with the hope that something from this list can be turned into a service.

Please look forward to our next report!