"Project Tango" which realizes VR with smartphone by making full use of 3D sensor has evolved so far

Google's development project that combines cameras and infrared sensors to accurately grasp the distance to the object and 3D capture the space in front of the real time in real time "Project TangoHas been developed in various ways including developers around the world since it was announced in 2014. A movie that summarizes "Now" of such Project Tango is released.

The weird virtual reality of Project Tango - YouTube


A white tablet-like terminal worn by a reporter is a development reference machine of Project Tango. This movieThe VergeIt is what made it.


Four people wearing development machines are roaming around inside the room. These four people are walking around the VR (virtual reality) space created by the computer shown on the screen of the tablet.


In addition to ordinary cameras, Project Tango's terminal is equipped with a "3D depth sensor" and a motion tracking camera that measures the distance to the object using an infrared sensor, and comprehensively combines various kinds of information into 3D space A vision processor to capture is installed.


In this way, images captured by cameras etc. are three-dimensionalized and reconstructed in the virtual space as 3D information.


The strength of this system is that you can process what is in front of you as 3D data as it is. In this way, it is possible to navigate to the destination in the building by displaying the arrow that guides in the image that has moved to the screen.


I successfully reached the goal. The great thing about this system is that even in places where GPS radio waves are hard to reach as in ordinary smart phones, even in places where functions can not be used, guidance can be made based only on information that is captured by themselves There is.


Furthermore, we can take advantage of the benefits of being able to provide guidance in real time, and to incorporate VR into our daily lives as well.


When you take out the terminal when you visit the supermarket for shopping, you can scan the inside of the store 3D and grasp what it is and where.


Based on that data, we will guide you where the item you want is easy to understand with arrows. Also, for the store side, promotion information such as "When you buy this product you get 5000 points gift!" Can be included in the screen, so you can think that the merit of enhancing appeal effect can be considered.


One of the advantages of Project Tango is high motion tracking performance.


Like smartphones, it is not grasping the movement of the aircraft alone with a 3D motion sensor, but grasp the position of the visual information mainly, so it is merit that there is hardly any deviation from the actual movement even if it moves about. In the movie, you can see how the on-screen model moves with grinding according to the movement of Project Tango terminal.


This performance can be utilized for a VR experience that has been improved to a level higher than before. In this way, assemble a small room on the virtual space with blocks ...


Try entering the room with the terminal in hand.


Then, the image as if actually walking in the room was projected on the screen. I can hardly see a time lag in movement and it seems as if walking in the real room.


Conversely, it is also possible to place a big car in the room this time.


It will be possible to obtain experiences that were impossible in the past, such as being able to freely check the inside of the car or trying out a combination of all kinds of colors.


Besides this, the benefits of 3D sensors. For example, if you capture a sofa in front of you with a camera ......


It is possible to measure the dimensions of the main body in one shot. Similar functions exist in smartphone applications, but it seems that accuracy that is not comparable can be obtained by measurement using 3D sensor.


There is a corrupt cardboard in front of us ......


By capturing this with a camera, you can enjoy games that throw the ball into the box on the screen.


Also, by taking a picture of the landscape with a terminal attached to the helmet while riding a bicycle like this ...


It is possible to 3D landscape of the town.


Since it is not affected by the presence or absence of GPS, it will be able to accurately measure space even indoors or underground where radio waves do not reach.


By a plurality of people wearing the terminal and projecting the VR space in front of the eyes ......


It seems that it is possible to provide a virtual communication space felt by the body which can actually talk with the other person while walking around the space.


In this way, Project Tango is likely to enable various new virtual reality experiences based on very high performance, but Johnny Lee (left of the screen), who leads the stage and projects that are still being developed, talks I will. "It is at the stage of seeing the first end at the moment like a movie was invented, but as people gradually become thinking that this is an ant, goods for the general public will come out to the world There is also, "Mr. Lee talks about future prospects.