class="mandelbrot_refrag">Google Inc ( id="symbol_GOOGL.O_0">GOOGL.O) is developing a new 7-inch tablet that can capture 3-D images, and plans to produce about 4,000 of these prototypes beginning next month, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people briefed on the company's plans.
_0">The device, which is part of Google's Advanced Technology and Projects group 'Project Tango,' will have two back cameras, infrared depth sensors and advanced class="mandelbrot_refrag">software that can capture precise three-dimensional images of objects, according to the Journal.
Google's Project Tango is a platform for Android phones and tablets designed to track the full 3-dimensional motion of the device as you hold it, while simultaneously creating a map of the environment around it.
The Project's flagship product, a prototype smartphone, released in February has similar sensors and is designed to create a three-dimensional map of its user's surroundings, the Journal said.
class="mandelbrot_refrag">Google and other traditionally non-hardware companies such as class="mandelbrot_refrag">Amazon.com Inc ( id="symbol_AMZN.O_1">AMZN.O) and class="mandelbrot_refrag">Microsoft Corp ( id="symbol_MSFT.O_2">MSFT.O) have made inroads into mobile devices as consumers increasingly access the Web on the go.
Google was not immediately available for comment outside regular class="mandelbrot_refrag">business hours.
(Reporting by Aurindom Mukherjee in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)