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Robert Nazarian
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As promised, Google is sending out Project Tango prototypes to developers as we speak. In fact one developer, Omar Soubra, already posted some pictures of the device along with videos. Being involved with 3D scanners in the past, Omar says that Project Tango “is a bit like magic.” Google is shipping the Tango prototype in a white cardboard box, along with a USB 3.0 cable, USB 2.0 cable, 2 chargers, and a quick-start instruction guide. The phone itself has both a USB 3.0 port and a USB 2.0 port for whatever reason. Remember, you can usually plug a USB 2.0 cable into one side of a USB 3.0 port.
Interestingly enough, Project Tango already has another name….Project Peanut. This name refers to the second version of the prototype.
The phone is already workable once turned on. There is a DepthViewer app already installed, which shows depth images in real time from the sensor in the phone. Using the Camera app, you can also take pictures from all four cameras as well as the depth sensor.
There is even a dedicated Peanut category in the Play Store that is obviously viewable to those that have a prototype. There are a number of apps already there for developers to test that deal with augmented reality, mapping, tracking and scanning.. Tango Pointcloud, Tango AR UFO, and Tango Sparse Mapper use the Unity engine. Then there is Cube Mover, Forest (much like Moto X Windy Day app), Interior, Bike Exploder, PlyLoader, Tango Mapper, and Depth Scan. All of these are Java-based. Omar was already able to code his first test app within a couple of hours, and says it’s quite simple accessing the core functionalities.
One of the first things Omar did, and not surprisingly, was to test the 3D mapping in his house. Since he already had 3D mapping experience in the past, he already had millimeter accurate 3D scans of his house. According to Omar, Tango did very well in some areas, but not so much in other areas. There are already a number of factors that do affect performance such as temperature of the sensors, light conditions, number of passes, etc. It’s obviously a new technology, and it will continue to evolve.
Project Tango is going to be an amazing thing in the future. There are so many use cases. For example, you could probably remodel your kitchen by taking a 3D Map of the room and taking it to your local Home Depot. The possibilities of playing an augmented reality game in your house is by far the most intriguing. How about staging a virtual Easter Egg hunt for the kids? It’s mind boggling.
Check out the videos he did below, and be sure to hit the source link to see more images from Omar.
Project Tango Scan Test…
Click here to view the embedded video.
Trimble TX 8 and Google Project Tango – point clouds……
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: MAKEzine
via: PhoneArena
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