The snapping van

CeBIT America technology trade show opened Tuesday.

Among the curiosities, a van equiped with 13 digital cameras to snap 50 million buildings in the USA while driving.

The pictures would be matched against GPS data and aerial photographs in a database. Police, insurance agents and others then could ask for overhead and street-level views simply by entering an address.

The markets targeted are insurance appraisals, "homeland security" applications, law enforcement and emergency services.

More in USA Today.