On February 20, 2014, Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects team announced a wildly innovative new smartphone prototype: Project Tango. What makes Project Tango so remarkable is the use of a new chip that allows for 3D tracking and mapping. In Google’s words:

Our current prototype is a 5” phone containing customized hardware and software designed to track the full 3D motion of the device, while simultaneously creating a map of the environment. These sensors allow the phone to make over a quarter million 3D measurements every second, updating it’s position and orientation in real-time, combining that data into a single 3D model of the space around you.¹

At the heart of Project Tango is Myriad 1 vision processor. The specs of this were laid out in a release from the chip manufacturer, Movidius:

Myriad 1 is the first generation of the Movidius Vision Processor Platform, a new ultralow power, high-performance and programmable architecture of computational chips, software and development tools that enables a range of devices to intelligently understand and contextualize their surroundings. From smartphone, tablets, wearable and even robotics – Movidius can deliver up to 10 times more flexibility, processing speed and power efficiencies compared to traditional processors.²

If the mechanics and detailed specs/performance of the Myriad 1 sparks your interest, TechCrunch writer Matthew Panzarino wrote a really good article on the chip: “Inside The Revolutionary 3D Vision Chip At The Heart Of Google’s Project Tango Phone.” Perhaps the most remarkable component of this chip, lies in its low power consumption. According to Panzarino:

Most 3D-sensing platforms — like the PrimeSense chip inside Microsoft’s original Kinect — have a comparatively enormous power draw, usually over 1 watt…The Myriad 1 operates in the range of a couple hundred milliwats — making putting this kind of chip on a phone possible.³

Google has currently set aside 200 prototype and development kits, and is currently looking for people to develop on the new technology. Follow this link to Project Tango, and fill out their form for consideration.

Here is a pretty awesome look at what the Project Tango is capable of: