If that sounds interesting and you would like to welcome Google’s 3D animals into your home yourself, continue reading below.
How to Find 3D Animals with Google
Google’s host of AR objects is incredibly easy to find and access. Before we give you the specifics, keep in mind that you will need a tablet or a phone that runs Android 7.0 Nougat or above with Google Play Store pre-installed for this to work. If you’re an Apple user, then you’ll require a device running iOS 11 or above. You won’t be able to see Google’s 3D objects on your desktop computer or laptop, as this option is mainly targeting mobile users. On your device, open the Google app (which is pre-installed on most Android handheld devices) or use Chrome to navigate to the Google search pagat or above with Googlege. Simply type the name of an animal in the search bar. But before you do that, note that not all animals have 3D equivalents at this time. So you’ll need to search for the 3D animals that has been included in Google’s AR catalog. You can check out the full list here which features creatures from the following categories:
HousepetsLand animalsWater animalsBirdsDinosaursInsects
Note: the last two categories have been added recently. Once you search for a supported animal, like for instance, a raccoon, Google will show you the 3D model at the top of your search results underneath the Wikipedia snippet. You can view the information neatly arranged in a Google Knowledge Page with a few 2D images at the top. Below, Google invites you to “Meet a life-sized raccoon up close.” You’ll notice the “View in 3D” button on the card, so go ahead and tap on it.
How to Use Google 3D Animals and Other Objects
To bring an animal to life, simply use the “View in 3D” button you’ve noticed in Search. This action will have the effect of immediately taking you to Object View. You will be able to see the animal you’ve selected from various angles while it’s moving and making its specific sounds. You can take control immediately by swiping your fingers around and turning the raccoon in all directions. You can also zoom in and zoom out, and there’s a Sharing option in the lower right part so that you can easily send it to your friends. While in this tutorial we focus mostly on Google’s 3D animal catalog, it should be noted that the search giant’s AR library for Search is quite extensive and boasts other items you can view including:
CellsHuman body systemsChemistry termsBiology termsPhysics terms
If you’re a student, viewing 3D objects from the categories like Cells in Object View can be extremely useful, as you’ll be able to visualize and memorize the internal structures a lot more easily. However, most users are probably here to learn how to experience Google’s 3D in their home environments. Below we detail the steps.
How to Bring a 3D Animal into Your Home
In Object View, you’ll notice there’s a “View in your space” button located just underneath the creature. Tap on it and wait a few seconds while Google renders and positions the animal in your space. The message “Move closer to improve object blending” may appear on the screen. If it does, simply follow the suggestion. Object blending allows Google’s 3D animals a more lifelike appearance in your environment. The technique allows the item to adapt to the space that you’ve placed it in. For example, you can make it look like a panda is sitting in your chair munching on bamboo. It’s possible to resize the animal by pinching it if it’s too big and you can’t fit it in the room. However, if you’re curious to see how large the animal really is in real life, you can tap on the “See in real size” button to view it. Once you’re satisfied with the position of the 3D animal, tap on the circular button below to start taking photos or tap and hold to make a video of your creation. The list of Google’s 3D animals and objects is constantly updated, so you can expect more options to come your way in the near future. If you want to keep exploring the possibilities of enhanced realities, you may also like to learn about the best Android apps for VR.
