Google is reportedly working on a new tablet that uses multiple advanced imaging sensors for 3D mapping of surroundings.
Google, a pioneer in innovative technology, has a new tablet in the works that has technology to capture images in 3D. For a device to carry out such intense functions, Google must add multiple imaging sensors.
The next Google tablet will feature two rear-facing cameras, infrared depth sensors, and advanced imaging software for 3D mapping of moving and still objects, says a report from Wall Street Journal.
The tablet is being developed under Google's Project Tango, and the new device might be an overblown version of the smartphone developed by Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) division under the same project in February. Project Tango was a legacy of the Motorola Mobility acquisition and sale terms excluded the division from being sold to Lenovo.
Project Tango aims at delivering a realistic 3D mapping technology and creates virtual experiences around the device's surroundings. The project's final products can be found in use for helping the visually impaired inside unfamiliar buildings and turning a hallway into a virtual-reality game space, WSJ reports.
Google's current prototype, a 5-inch smartphone, features a highly customized hardware and software for 3D mapping. According to Google, the sensors fitted inside the smartphone allow the phone to "make over a quarter million 3D measurements every second updating its position and orientation in real-time combining that data into a single 3D model of the space around you."
As for the secretive tablet under development, Google is planning to build about 4,000 prototypes beginning next month. The device reportedly features a 7-inch display, a standard size for a tablet PC. The sources also reveal that the tablet could be released as early as the company's next annual developer conference scheduled in June.
