Hillside resident E.V. walks around his neighborhood Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, off Rambla Pacifico Street where most homes burned to the ground after the Palisades Fire.
Los Angeles, California – At Arizona State University’s downtown Los Angeles campus, students are leveraging the cutting-edge technology behind the popular mobile game Pokémon GO to create 3D models documenting the aftermath of L.A. County’s devastating wildfires.
The Eaton and Palisades fires, which have caused immense loss to the community, have affected countless lives. Many have lost loved ones, homes, and irreplaceable possessions. In response, ASU’s Narrative and Emerging Media program is using virtual and augmented reality tools to assist survivors with insurance claims and offer a clearer understanding of the destruction. Graduate student Ashley Buschhorn, working on the initiative, emphasized the dual purpose of the project: helping people document losses for insurance purposes and providing a public resource to grasp the extent of the damage to these communities.
The project is led by Nonny de la Peña, a pioneer in virtual and augmented reality. De la Peña’s personal experience with fire damage makes her especially passionate about the cause. Two years ago, a battery explosion from her electric bicycle destroyed her home studio, taking her work materials and personal mementos. Among the items that survived were an old love letter from her husband and a signed card from actor Mark Hamill, known for playing Luke Skywalker in Star Wars. This experience with loss, combined with the ongoing battle she faced with her insurance company, led de la Peña to recognize the importance of having records of fire damage.
Before evacuation orders were lifted, de la Peña and her students ventured into the affected areas to document the damage. Wearing hazmat suits, they navigated the hazardous terrain of Altadena and Pacific Palisades with cameras in hand, capturing images from multiple angles. These images were then processed using artificial intelligence and stitched together to form detailed 3D models of homes, streets, and even personal items like dolls and bicycles.
The project utilizes technology from companies like Polycam and Scaniverse, the latter being owned by Niantic, the company behind Pokémon GO. De la Peña explained the significance of using 3D models to represent the world more accurately, as opposed to flat, two-dimensional images.
For Buschhorn, who is learning and teaching her peers how to use this technology, it’s been a powerful way to contribute to a city she’s grown fond of. “To see the place that I have grown and developed so much in the past couple years hurting so much was devastating,” she said. “But I’m glad to have the skills to create a record of the wildfires’ impact and help these communities rebuild.”
The team’s work provides a valuable service to those who cannot yet return to their homes and gives them a chance to see their properties documented as they begin the arduous recovery process. This project exemplifies the transformative potential of technology, not just for recreation, but for real-world impact.
