At its I/O conference in 2019, Google announced that it would be adding augmented reality objects to Search. Over the year since, Google has a bunch of 3D animals you can view in Google Search using AR — here’s the full list that we’re constantly updating.
Update 11/10: Google has added a collection of 3D animals in special costumes for Halloween, click here to learn more.
How to find 3D animals on Google
Google’s AR objects in search are incredibly easy to access. The objects are added to search in the belief that the easiest way to learn about something is to see it. By seeing things in augmented reality (AR), users can see the scale of an object and also details they might not notice from just a simple picture.
To keep this easy to access, Google puts its 3D animals and other AR objects right at the top of search. For example, searching for “tiger” will show a Google Search Knowledge Panel. These panels are often shown for movies, famous celebrities, and other subjects. In the case of a 3D animal through Google, you’ll see an overview of what the animal is, a few images or it, and a section that says “Meet a life-sized tiger up close” and a “View in 3D” button. That button launches the AR experience.
What you need to ‘view in your space’ AR objects on Google
Google’s 3D animals are different on every device. Typically speaking, you might not see AR or 3D objects on a desktop computer or laptop. Rather, you’ll need a supported smartphone to view these objects using Google’s “view in space” option.
The good news? Most modern smartphones are supported! To view AR objects in Google Search you’ll need:
- Android smartphone or tablet: Android 7.0 or higher w/ pre-installed Google Play Store
- iPhone/iPad: iOS 11.0 or higher
This includes most popular smartphones, including Samsung Galaxy S8/S9/S10/S20, Note 8/9/10, any Google Pixel smartphone, and other Android devices from LG, Motorola, and other brands. As for Apple devices, iPhone 6S, 7, 8, X, and 11 are all supported as well as most iPads.
How do you access the “view in space” option? After you press “view in 3D,” any supported device will show a “view in your space” button underneath the 3D animal. This can be seen below.
Notably, you can resize the animal from its life-size by pinching on it. Slowly, it will go down in size to better fit into your setting.
If you’re not sure if 3D animals and other AR objects in Google Search will work, just give it a shot!
- What Android phones support ‘view in your space’ for Google 3D animals
- How to fix when Google’s ‘View in 3D’ animals AR object doesn’t work
List: 3D animals available on Google Search
So, what AR animals can you view on Google Search? For a while, Google didn’t offer an official list, but the viral nature of these objects triggered the company to finally put one up. The list below clearly shows every 3D animal currently available on Google Search. We’ve also gone hands-on with many of them so you can see how they work in action.
These include:
- Dogs:
Google is adding more of these over time, too! This list has expanded since Google originally announced 3D animals in 2019. Google is also expanding the functionality of these panels with video recording tools and quick shortcuts to other animals.
Google also added dinosaurs in a recent update! The full list of prehistoric creatures includes:
Beyond dinosaurs, too, Google also added a collection of insects to this collection with different kinds of beetles, cicadas, and others such as fireflies, grasshoppers, and others. The full list is below.
What other AR objects are available in Google Search?
There’s more than just 3D animals in Google Search. On top of that, Google can also show some other objects. To do this, Google partners with certain websites and brands to show products, furniture, and even the human body in 3D. We’ve listed some examples that are live right now below, and we’ve got another post that goes into more detail on the other objects that are available.
- Chauvet cave
- NASA Objects
- Planets
Google has also worked with Biodigital to deliver a handful of 3D experiences, much like the 3D Animals, about the human body with in-depth models of the body’s different systems. The experiences include:
There’s also a host of other body parts that have 3D experiences available, but you’ll need to use specific keywords (which we’ve linked) to access them.
Further, a separate partnership with Visual Body shows off 3D models of cells from different animals all within Google Search. Each model specifically details different portions of the cell in an easy way that teachers may find useful for their students. The different experiences include:
In August, Google once again expanded its collection of 3D objects with molecules that help teach the subject of chemistry. There are 25 new objects, all listed and linked below.
Some of these examples aren’t quite as straightforward as the 3D animals, though, as the 3D models appear lower in search results alongside the websites that power them. From time to time, too, they just won’t appear. The planets, for example, appear more reliably when you add “in depth” to the search query. There are even more objects on the list, too! Those include:
Learn more about Google’s AR objects:
- Hands-on with 3D Animals in Google Search [Video]
- Google’s 3D tigers, other animals surge in popularity among parents amid coronavirus
- Augmented reality coming to Google Search with real-world 3D models
Author: Ben Schoon
Source: 9TO5Google
