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ATAP (Advanced Technologies and Products) is a division of Google that is in charge of Project Ara. Project Ara is a development effort, which will allow for phone users to swap components in and out of their device as they die, or upgrades become available (as opposed to replacing the entire phone - reducing electronic waste).
The idea is to make phones cheap enough to be accessible to over five billion people (the skeleton of the phone's selling rate would be around $50). In order to allow for this reduced price to be possible, ATAP would need create an ecosystem of hardware manufactures massive enough to challenge cellular corporations (companies like Samsung).
Using Lego blocks to depict ideas, this three person group consists of engineers and designers.
Removable Pieces
- Camera
- Screen
- Processor
- Power jack
The inspiration behind this innovation, is to have a customizable device that the owner controls the features and functions of. With each piece being a small square or rectangular block that is able to easily slide into and out of the phone’s skeleton- depending on owners wants and needs at that time.
Ara Facts
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App on phone allows you to toggle the magnets on and off
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30 newtons of force should prevent modules from falling off in phone is dropped - will use electromagnets instead of latches
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Working with a 3D Systems to develop a printer that will produce custom shells (for modules)
