Google Street View has been welcomed with open arms in some regions and literally banished from others. Some see the system as an invasion of privacy, while many interpret it as a "window to the world" with enormous commercial potential. One country awaiting Street View's arrival with anticipation is the Faroe Islands, but Google's delay in visiting the region led to the creation of a local project called Sheep View 360. In essence, it's Street View with sheep.
What more can be said about Google Street View that hasn't already been said? It's one of the most important tools the Mountain View giant has online, allowing us to explore places that would be very difficult to visit in person, and its cameras have reached the most remote corners of nature. Still, Street View's advance depends on two critical factors. The first is a basic level of cooperation with local authorities and public acceptance. While Google has achieved this in most cases, there are high-profile examples like Germany, where Street View has faced multiple problems. The other factor is that Google must be interested in visiting a region. If the corporate gears decide a place isn't a priority, cameras won't go there, even though the company offers tools to create a "Street View of your own".
That idea led Durita Dahl Andreassen, who lives in the Faroe Islands, to launch the Sheep View 360 project. With the help of two friends, Durita built a system that captures 360-degree images of her country, but instead of mounting cameras on a vehicle, she uses sheep as a means of transportation. After all, "Faroe" or "Føroyar" translates to "sheep islands," and there are roughly two sheep per human resident. This official initiative not only aims to convince Google to visit the islands but also promotes the Faroe Islands as a tourist destination, and from what I can see in the images, it's a truly beautiful place.
On the technical side, the harness combines a 360-degree camera, a smartphone, a battery, and solar panels, all without bothering the sheep. Durita has already uploaded the first images to Street View, and I imagine the content will expand with each new session. On a personal note, I think it's a remarkable initiative. If Street View won't come to the islands, the islands will go to Street View, one sheep at a time.
