Android By Ryan Whitwam Jun. 5, 2014 1:30 pm
Google’s Advanced Technologies and Projects (ATAP) revealed Project Tango earlier this year to give everyone a sneak peek at what the future of mobile sensors might look like. The development device at the time was a 5-inch Android-powered smartphone that was packed with 3D motion and depth sensing hardware. Now Google has revealed the second Tango prototype device, a 7-inch tablet powered by the Nvidia Tegra K1 processor.
The new ATAP tablet is still a development/test device, meaning you can’t just order one up from Amazon. The killer*specs will make you a little sad it’s not actually for sale. In addition to that brand new Tegra K1, the Tango tablet will pack 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, 4G LTE, and a 4MP*camera alongside*depth/motion sensors. Google chose the K1 because it uses*a robust desktop GPU architecture, which will help developers port existing visual and 3D algorithms to the Tango platform. Google is also careful to say the device will run KitKat without specifying the version number.
Google sees Tango as the first forray into the future of location aware devices. Your phone already knows its approximate location thanks to GPS, but Tango is about understanding the environment in three dimensions. The combination of camera tech and other sensors allows Tango to create accurate maps of a room and overlay UI elements or 3D graphics on that. Potential applications include gaming, more accurate location detection, and assistance for the blind or otherwise disabled.
While this tech is probably destined for all devices in the future, a tablet makes more sense as a dev device right now. Many of the 3D sensors Google is using work better with more physical separation.*Anyone interested in working with Tango is welcome to sign up to be notified when the dev kit goes on sale later this year. You’ll need a business email address, meaning no personal accounts like Gmail. The price is steep at $1024, but no one ever said the future would be cheap.
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The new ATAP tablet is still a development/test device, meaning you can’t just order one up from Amazon. The killer*specs will make you a little sad it’s not actually for sale. In addition to that brand new Tegra K1, the Tango tablet will pack 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, 4G LTE, and a 4MP*camera alongside*depth/motion sensors. Google chose the K1 because it uses*a robust desktop GPU architecture, which will help developers port existing visual and 3D algorithms to the Tango platform. Google is also careful to say the device will run KitKat without specifying the version number.
Google sees Tango as the first forray into the future of location aware devices. Your phone already knows its approximate location thanks to GPS, but Tango is about understanding the environment in three dimensions. The combination of camera tech and other sensors allows Tango to create accurate maps of a room and overlay UI elements or 3D graphics on that. Potential applications include gaming, more accurate location detection, and assistance for the blind or otherwise disabled.
While this tech is probably destined for all devices in the future, a tablet makes more sense as a dev device right now. Many of the 3D sensors Google is using work better with more physical separation.*Anyone interested in working with Tango is welcome to sign up to be notified when the dev kit goes on sale later this year. You’ll need a business email address, meaning no personal accounts like Gmail. The price is steep at $1024, but no one ever said the future would be cheap.
More...
