Skyline Software, makers of SkylineGlobe, had an interesting demo at the Intergraph conference last week that included an underground model of a subway station. With the underground layer selected in the SkylineGlobe viewer, the layer showed up transparently just below the ground level of the model.
Stepping inside the subway station, the interior was highly detailed and navigable. I was told that the subway interior was modeled by a Scotland-based company named Plenoptics that 
stitches photos together to create a highly-detailed scene.
Interior viewing is an area that Skyline is actively researching and developing. I saw a visualization of building floor plans, including the ability to track interior objects. The interface also allowed the user to access surveillance cameras of both the interior and exterior of the building.
I was impressed by some of Skyline’s latest advancements, including the modeling and tracking of moving vehicles, the ability to access surveillance camera feeds, and the addition of sun tracking, complete with shadows.
Intergraph indicated that Skyline is a primary partner for 3D visualization during the SG&I technology vision roadmap. There the emphasis was placed on better decision support in the safety communities, with realistic models of building and structures and the ability to visualize dynamic situations. Intergraph’s security and defense market matches neatly with Skyline’s primary user base, so the partnership makes a great deal of sense.
