When the augmented-reality game Pokémon Go launched in 2016, it quickly became one of the most widely played mobile games in the world. Millions of players explored real-world locations with their smartphone cameras to capture virtual creatures placed in physical environments. What appeared to be a gaming phenomenon has now evolved into an effective technological resource.
Nearly a decade later, data generated by Pokémon Go players is being used to train computer vision systems that help autonomous delivery robots navigate complex urban environments. According to reports from MIT Technology Review, images collected through the game have contributed to a dataset of more than 30 billion real-world images, which are now powering navigation systems used in