Orbify.eu pitches warped Inception-style 3D maps for navigation

Norwegian startup Orbify.eu is pioneering a novel approach to map navigation by presenting 3D map scenes through a warped, Inception-style perspective. Co-founded by Karsten Huitfeldt, the company is developing image processing software that folds a 3D map onto a curved surface, creating a near-field street-level perspective that transitions into an overhead view at a distance.

Huitfeldt, a former architect and project manager at Snøhetta, is exploring ways to enhance navigational interfaces with the warped map technology. The startup has secured initial funding from Innovation Norway and Norges forskningsråd. Orbify is in the early stages, between a working prototype and a commercial product, and is testing whether the interface improves navigation.

The company has released an interactive demo of its curved map UI in a web browser, showcasing Gaussian splatting in a spatial interface. Orbify aims to provide a software/SDK layer that integrates with existing 3D mapping and navigation systems, rather than creating a new mapping ecosystem. The demo relies on web technologies and prior prototypes have been developed in Unreal Engine, Unity, and Google's Photorealistic 3D Tiles via Cesium.

The goal is to create a platform-agnostic solution that can work on the web, mobile, or in automotive systems. By continuously combining close-up and aerial perspectives, Orbify aims to reduce the mental effort required to relate what's ahead to the map and eliminate the need for multiple fragmented systems.