Google Project Tango Could be the Phone of the Future

By Marcus Yam
published

Google's ATAP group making a phone that can sense the environment.

The mobile theme leading up to MWC continues, as Google today revealed Project Tango, a remarkable new phone technology project.

Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group is comprised of former Motorola Mobility members. The reveal of Project Tango shows why Google wanted to hold onto this crew in the recent sale of Motorola to Lenovo. Johnny Lee's former experience with Microsoft's Kinect team make him a good fit for Project Tango.

While it's too early to say when or how this technology will make it into our phones, we're already seeing new sensory input hardware. Apple's iPhone 5S uses a fingerprint scanner for user authentication, and now there's a rumor that Samsung will be incorporating something similar for the Galaxy S5.

ATAP is looking at what phones can do beyond what we expect today, and should Google choose to integrate some of those innovations in a future version of Android, then it won't be long until you seen them in a handset that you can buy. After all, select developers already have them in their hands.

Follow Marcus Yam @MarcusYam. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • zblade
    Put this technology on the Oculus Rift or Google Glass and the world will never be the same again. I am pretty sure everyone who is reading this article will already have a few things in mind on how this technology can be used.In my mind, I am thinking about the Nerve Gear in Sword Art Online and Accel World.
    Reply
  • xkm1948
    Imagine when we finish mapping the brain and start actually sending signals to our cortex without going through our peripheral sensory. That will be the next 20 yrs work.
    Reply
  • zblade
    Put this technology on the Oculus Rift or Google Glass and the world will never be the same again. I am pretty sure everyone who is reading this article will already have a few things in mind on how this technology can be used.In my mind, I am thinking about the Nerve Gear in Sword Art Online and Accel World.
    Reply
  • zblade
    Put this technology on the Oculus Rift or Google Glass and the world will never be the same again. I am pretty sure everyone who is reading this article will already have a few things in mind on how this technology can be used.In my mind, I am thinking about the Nerve Gear in Sword Art Online and Accel World.
    Reply
  • zblade
    OK, never click refresh on Tomshardware website.
    Reply
  • alextheblue
    It's interesting, but I don't know that I'd call this revolutionary. Looks a lot like miniaturized Kinect technology, which was kind of inevitable. They even poached Kinect talent to make it happen. Hmm, I know all companies poach talent as well as product, but Google does this possibly more than any other company, which is saying something.
    Reply
  • tristangl
    Yep, pretty cool... with the optional glasses kit (of course there will be one) You could be walking downtown but instead of buildings, streets and cars, you would be surrounded by mountains and grass and unicorns. WowJust hope the thing doesn't freeze up and blind you from the car coming at you
    Reply
  • Avus
    google phone with Kinect...
    Reply
  • tomrippity02
    It's interesting, but I don't know that I'd call this revolutionary. Looks a lot like miniaturized Kinect technology, which was kind of inevitable.
    When you have that many employee's, it is inevitable that you have many members working on many different projects. I'm not clear if you think it is bad for some reason that Google does this often? To me, it is just a solid company recognizing where the skills of its employee's serve their purpose best.Also, the Kinect is stationary and knows nothing about which direction it is facing or how the world around it is changing. This technology is made to gather information rapidly while be constantly rotated and directed. Saying this is essentially a kinect is like saying a NASCAR is essentially a Camry. Yes, they share some qualities, but the abilities are far beyond their siblings.
    Reply
  • Raid3r
    Yeaaah, I for one won't be using any biometric traps. Have fun with all that.
    Reply