Google’s Project Tango has been around for while now, but access to it was restricted to developers so far. The tech giant has now announced it is collaborating with Lenovo to create the first commercially viable smartphone which is aimed at consumers under the initiative.
Project Tango uses 3D imaging technology to let devices get a sense of the physical space around the user. Google says the tool can be used to get a precise reading of the measurements of a room, travel without GPS, create augmented realities and play games which take advantage of its capabilities.
The new Lenovo handset was announced during CES 2016, where the brand demonstrated its ability to map indoor spaces in real-time. For instance, a person could potentially utilize it to seek their way through a hotel or visualize how a piece of furniture would look and fit in a room.
The Project Tango smartphone makes use of 3 vertically stacked lenses in its camera unit to record color and depth data. A fisheye lens allows for wide-angle views. The information is then sent to the processor to create a 3D map. Specs-wise, the device is set to sport a screen size of less than 6.5-inch diagonally.
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As per NDTV, the upcoming phone will be out by this summer and is priced within the $500 bracket. As can be expected of a Google offering, it will run on the Android OS. The brand has also announced an App Incubator enterprise for ideas from developers, who can submit their proposals up till February 15 2016.
The best ideas which emerge out of the program will get funding from Google and Lenovo, after which the application will be preloaded into the Project Tango smartphone.