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Originally unveiled in 2014, Google's Project Tango is a highly innovative and ambitious undertaking to say the least. A specialized technology that is meant to detect the position of a mobile device in a manner that is relative to the immediate surroundings, the platform functions without the use of a GPS or any other sort of external interaction.

Paving the Way for True Virtual Reality

The primary function of Project Tango is to provide indoor navigation services, 3D measuring or mapping and even virtual reality. Made possible through spatial and location awareness technology, Google has just announced that industry giant Lenovo will be the first company to offer a smartphone that utilizes Project Tango functionality. While they've released concept images of a potential design, they have yet to provide specific details for the final version.

Google summed up the technology seen in Project Tango by stating: "App developers can transform your home into a game level, or create a magic window into virtual and augmented environments. Project Tango-enabled devices can recognize places they’ve been before, like your living room, the office, or public spaces. Unlike GPS, Project Tango motion tracking works indoors, allowing users to navigate precisely through a shopping mall, or even find a specific item at the store where that information is available. Using the sensor in the device, Project Tango devices can also capture the 3D dimensions of the room, giving measurements that can be used to help you when shopping for furniture or decorations."

Expected Release Date

Lenovo's Project Tango-enabled smartphone is slated for a release in summer 2016. In the meantime, however, the team has invited independent developers to submit their own app ideas for use on their soon-to-be-released product. Those who submit the best idea will secure funding as well as installation in new, out-of-the-box models of the pending smartphone.

Chen Xudong, senior vice president and president of the Mobile Business Group with Lenovo, spoke about the need to take risks in today's market by saying: "To break new ground in today's hypercompetitive smartphone and tablet industries, we must take innovation risks - it's the only way to truly change the way people use mobile technology."

More Information

To find out more information about Lenovo's part in the first consumer release of Project Tango, feel free to visit their site at www.lenovo.com/projecttango/. Apart from in-depth technical information and a comprehensive list of features, you can even peruse screenshots from some of the initial apps that will be made available for the Lenovo smartphone. Additionally, those who are interested in learning more information about Lenovo in general can visit their site at www.lenovo.com.

If you are interested in finding out more information regarding Google's side of Project Tango, please visit their website at www.google.com/atap/project-tango/. Here you'll be able to read all about the project, including hardware specifications, developer guides and tutorials. Interested parties can even access developer-specific resources, submit their ideas to the App Incubator and even purchase their own dev kit.