Google smartphone capable of generating 3D maps
Google has always been at the absolute forefront of technology and this week it announced a further evolution of its abilities: a prototype smartphone that is capable of creating 3D maps of the user’s surroundings.
The customised hardware and software found within the phone allows the device’s sensors to make an astonishing 250,000 3D measurements every second.
The phone is capable of updating its orientation and position in real-time and uses the data to create a 3D model of the space within the immediate vicinity of the unit.
Google has noted a number of different potential benefits that the unit could offer. Navigating unfamiliar buildings is one benefit, as is helping blind people to move around. It was also noted as being potentially ideal for immersive indoor gaming.
Professional app developers have already been asked to submit potential ideas for applications that they would try to develop using the technology. It is believed that Google has 200 prototypes already built, which are expected to be ready for distribution by mid-March.
A company spokesperson said: “We are physical beings that live in a 3D world, yet our mobile devices assume that physical world ends at the boundaries of the screen. The goal of Project Tango is to give mobile devices a human-scale understanding of space and motion.”
Project Tango makes use of the Movidius Myriad 1 vision processor platform. This technology was, until recently, extremely expensive to install and very power-intensive; however, the latest version is believed to be easier to use.