Google I/O 2015: ATAP brings Project Ara, Project Soli, and more

For a time, it seemed Google I/O would be bereft of what had initially seemed most exciting about it. Project Ara and everything else Google’s ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) division has been working on. And then came a shining light as the conference progressed. ATAP has been working overtime, and they had a bunch of projects to announce.

Project Jacquard
Project Jacquard made an entrance; new innovation the likes of which we’ve come to expect from ATAP. This is an attempt to make smart fabric, by integrating conductive threads into fabric. Sensors and miniature circuits integrated into clothing, allowing us to, in future, possibly control our smart devices via our clothing. Imagine using your shirt to interact with your phone menus, answering a call by tapping your pocket. All this and more can be possible. And Google has announced a partnership with Levi Strauss, allowing for joint research to build smaller circuits, and have them embedded in clothing. Watch the video below, and try to tell me it doesn’t speak of the future.


Project Abacus
Project Abacus is something that’s been a part of ATAP’s work for a long time. Machine-learning protocol, it’s a way to train your devices’ AI to pickup patterns in your swiping and typing, and combine with a password and facial authentication, to help secure your mobile device. The project has carried out a study in collaboration with 33 Universities and with 40TB of data.

The video demonstrates how, using the various methods combined, Project Abacus generates a “trust score” that can potentially lock out an imposter even if they’ve stolen your password. In a future where security issues seem to be the looming fear, Abacus could be a saving grace for end users.

Project Ara
The much-praised Project Ara also appeared on stage, but this time in a more concrete form. ATAP finally had a model on stage that, when assembled worked perfectly. This is a big step forward from the theorising and design attempts that have been the only updates from the project; now there’s a fully working prototype.

In the video, you can see Project Ara development head Rafa Camargo assembling one of the modular phones on stage. Plug in a processor, battery, two speakerphones (on this occasion) and the phone boots up like it’s the most normal thing in the world. But most impressive is that, after he slides in the camera module, he doesn’t even need to reboot the phone to get it working. Just plug and play. The beauty of Project Ara is in the fact that they’ve designed a smartphone that’s customizable even down to the hardware. Swap modules based on the situation; pile on an extra battery for a road trip, stereo speakers for a movie watching session, anything you feel like.

Project Soli
Project Soli is another new bit of tech coming out of ATAP. The science behind it may be a little old, but technology advancements have allowed for a completely new application. Project Soli founder Ivan Poupyrev is attempting to apply the finesse of motion in the human hand to the virtual world. The project uses radar to track finger movements at sub millimeters, even at high speeds, with great accuracy. The result? Place the sensor on a table and you can rub your thumb over your finger in the air above it to scroll through menus. And that’s only the demo they presented.

This basically means that just a twitch of your fingers in the area near your phone or smartwatch can be used to operate a virtual scroll or button for the device. Imagine setting your smartwatch alarm by “rolling” a button, just as you would in an analog watch. But the difference is, there is no button, no moving parts. Just you, reaching into the virtual world, and manipulating devices with your hand.

We cam hopeful for a Project Ara reveal and left, satisfied, with so much more to chew on. Virtual controls, smart clothing, modular phones and even an almost human-like security guard. We were hoping ATAp would come through, and bring it they did.