Developer packages created within Google Project Soli will be available already this year.
Google Project Soli is a technology that using a miniature radar to detect touchless gesture interactions. The application of such technology is extremely wide. A few examples of how it can be used are smartwatches, gaming consoles, laptops, and smart home appliances.
The main part of Soli is a tiny radar that detects 1mm shift in the object’s position. That resolution is more than enough to detect hand and finger gestures in a precise manner. Additionally, it does not require much power.
In its current state, a silicon chip that encloses Soli radar is only 8 x 10mm. There are no moving parts. Soli works equally well regardless of lighting conditions. Moreover, the product can detect motion through various materials. So in comparison to camera-based motion sensors, Soli does not have to “see” the gestures – potentially you can control a device with such technology without getting your device out of the pocket.
The appearance of the development packages will allow developers outside Google start implementation of this technology into various commercial products. It is expected that Soli will be extremely popular among VR technologies, smart devices, automobile production, and gaming segment.