Google Unveils 'Project Tango': A Smartphone That Sees in 3-D Project Tango, a mobile phone prototype devised by Google that can create and capture 3-D models, will be distributed to 200 select developers in mid-March.

By Geoff Weiss

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) division is asking professional developers to dance with its latest invention: a 3-D mobile phone that the company has nicknamed Project Tango.

The aim of the just-announced prototype is to create and capture 3-D models via proprietary sensors that take over 250,000 measurements every second.

With a stark white exterior that encases a 5-inch screen, the phone runs on Google's Android operating system.

Related: Google May Be Bringing High-Speed 'Fiber' to Your City

Among the new technology's myriad gains, Google envisions that the device could be used to capture household dimensions before furniture shopping, to create virtual games set in one's own home and as a navigational tool in unfamiliar indoor locations for the visually impaired.

"We are physical beings that live in a 3-D world," said Google's Johnny Lee, principal on the ATAP-Project Tango Team, "yet our mobile devices assume that the physical world ends at the boundaries of the screen."

Two hundred tester kits will be available on March 14, Google said, with set quantities allocated to developers in various fields -- including navigation, gaming and sensor data processing.

Related: Photoshop's Latest Feature: 3-D Printing Capability

"We're looking for professional developers with dreams of creating more than a touch-screen app."

The device was roughly one year in the making, Google noted, and incorporates the most pioneering robotics research of the past 10 years culled from universities, labs and industrial partners in nine countries.

Developers can enroll for consideration here, or glimpse a fuller sense of Tango's capabilities with Google's introductory video below:

Related: PHOTOS: This Is Supposedly the iPhone 6

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

She Quit Her Job at Trader Joe's After Starting a Side Hustle With $800 — Then She and Her Brother Grew the Business to $20 Million

Jaime Holm and Matt Hannula teamed up to build a business in an industry that "didn't exist" yet.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Nissan Is Doubling Its Initial Layoff Announcement, Cutting 20,000 Jobs: 'A Wake-Up Call'

The automaker is dealing with slowing sales and a recent failed merger with Honda.

Growing a Business

This Local Bakery Has Lines Out the Door. Here Are the Secrets to Its Success.

Known for its viral flat croissants and innovative desserts, Alexander's Patisserie also excels in hands-on leadership and team culture.

Business News

Microsoft Is Laying Off Over 6,000 Employees, About 3% of Its Workforce. Here's Why.

The company said the cuts will affect all divisions and locations, with a focus on managers.