INCREDIBLE video shows how a keen walker used the amazing mobile phone technology to create a mountain summit – in his sitting room.
Finn O’Hagan’s clip shows him walking around a finely-detailed large scale model of a Scottish mountain which appears to fill the entire room.
In fact, he is using a mobile app which uses Snapchat-like technology to superimpose the model mountain on top of the real world as seen by his camera.
The remarkable technology, provided by the Ordnance Survey, meant the student was able to plan his ascent in great detail – and in the safety and warmth of his own home.
Finn, 19, from Cambus, Clackmannanshire, used his iPhone to summon two Munros – mountains over 3,000ft – into his living room. He is planning the actual climb for today (tues).
The clip shows An Caisteal 995m (3,264ft) and neighbouring Beinn a’Chroin, 942m (3,090ft) near Crianlarich, Perthshire. The software plots the best routes for the walk so they can be checked in 3D detail.
Finn posted: “I’ve spent the last hour messing around with the tabletop 3D routes and it’s absolutely floored me. Points to anyone who can name these two Munros.”
The video shows a table top view of the Munros An Caisteal and Beinn a’Chroin which fills the entire room.
Finn begins walking around the 3D model following pink route which he had selected up the Munros.
As Finn follows the route distinctive features such as the realistic representation of the relief to the snowtop covered summits mindboggle the viewer.
After Finn completes his route he turns around to show the sheer scale and size of the augmented model which almost stretches the entire length of the room.
Finn’s guided tour has wowed people on social media.
Stephen Reid said: “What evil sorcery is this!”
Oliver Dalston Browning added: “The future of model making.”
Tiffany Gall wrote: “That’s super cool! How do we do that?”
Others thought Finn had been watching the movie ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind.’
Alex Salmond said: “I thought someone went Close Encounters loco and built that in their living room too.”
Elaine Tait added: “Reminds me of Close Encounters. Love it though.”
Aileen Ross wrote: “Been watching Close Encounters of Third Kind, me thinks.”
Finn today explained how the app works.
He said: “It finds a flat surface to place an augmented model on and allows you to enlarge, shrink and manipulate the angle you view it as, then you lock the position of it and you can walk around looking at the route through your phone as you can see in the video.
“I already purchased OS maps on my phone as I do a lot of hill walking and it’s nice to have a backup map so my physical copies (the GPS maps are really useful too) and I sort of discovered the feature by accident when planning my route for today.
“In my opinion it’s very useful as it allows you to become familiar with the features of your walk before going out on the hills and also allows you to highlight issues with the route such as terrain that’s impassable that isn’t as clear on the 1:25k scale maps.
“It also offered route planning, self finding maps and route tracking that are alike to exercise trackers.”
Finn who has also climbed Volcan Baru in Panama intends to use the augmented maps in conjunction with his physical copies on his hike.
The feature can be available to purchase for £25 for a full year.
