Google Array virtual reality project revealed at I/O 2015

Google has announced a virtual reality platform and a virtual reality device that captures 360-degree videos, called Array, which consists of 16 GoPro Hero cameras.

As time passes by, it seems like virtual reality is the future. More and more companies are investing resources in this market and the list includes GoPro, which has announced the Six-Camera Spherical Array at the Code Conference. The GoPro Array device consists of six cameras that record videos as well as photos for people using virtual reality headset.

Google is already present on the virtual reality market as the search giant has introduced the Cardboard virtual reality headset at the I/O 2014 show. The I/O 2015 event has just been held and the company is back with more VR gear. Just like GoPro’s project, it is called Array and it uses Hero action cameras, the difference being that it includes 16 Hero cameras.

After announcing the Cardboard virtual reality headset in 2014, Google has launched Array at I/O 2015, a 16-camera virtual reality rig.

Google announces Array virtual reality rig consisting of 16 GoPro Hero cameras

The Google Array will be capable of capturing 3D videos which can be streamed on YouTube. This 16-camera rig will also record 360-degree videos for people using VR headsets, such as Cardboard.

The search leader says that its VR project will be capable of stitching footage from 16 cameras in a single file. Using YouTube’s popularity and Cardboard’s affordability, Google is hoping that consumers will adopt this technology quickly and in great numbers.

Cardboard is already considered a success because over one million units have been shipped to customers, mostly thanks to a price tag of around $20. Nevertheless, the same thing cannot be said about Array, as 16 GoPro Hero cameras are not exactly cheap.

Google Array VR rig is part of the new Jump VR platform alongside Cardboard

In order to make use of virtual reality devices, Google still needs a dedicated platform. This one has also been introduced during the I/O 2015 event. It is called Jump and it invites users to experience places like they are there through Cardboard and Array.

The Google Jump platform currently consists of the aforementioned Array rig. However, the future may bring more units to the table and the company’s virtual reality ecosystem may grow.

For the time being, the search giant promises to deliver 3D videos at high resolution and seamless panoramic photos without seeing the borders of each photo. More information will be released in the near future, so it remains to be seen how the Google-GoPro partnership unfolds.