Inside Alphabet’s 2015 Projects: AI, VR, Self‑Driving Cars, and More
The article surveys Alphabet’s 2015 initiatives—including AI research at DeepMind, virtual‑reality hardware, autonomous‑driving efforts, robotics, IoT platforms, and experimental products like Google Glass and Tango—highlighting how Google’s restructuring has spawned a sprawling portfolio of cutting‑edge technologies.
Alphabet Empire
Google has reorganized into Alphabet, a Berkshire‑Hathaway‑style holding with dozens of independent companies such as Calico, Verily, Google Fiber, Google Ventures, and X.
Virtual Reality
Google is investing heavily in VR beyond the low‑cost Cardboard, developing its own system‑on‑chip, 3‑D audio, and hardware platforms such as Tango and a recommended smartphone VR processor.
Self‑Driving Cars
Google X’s autonomous‑driving project seeks partners and may spin out as an independent Alphabet company, aiming for commercial deployment by 2020.
Robotics and Drones
After Andy Rubin’s departure, the robot division is fragmented; Wing is developing a tail‑sitter delivery drone, while other X projects such as Loon and Titan continue.
Artificial Intelligence – DeepMind
DeepMind, acquired by Google in 2014, builds general‑purpose AI that learns to play Atari games and is being applied to more complex tasks.
ATAP – Advanced Technology and Projects
ATAP pursues ambitious hardware ideas, from the Spotlight Stories app to experimental prototypes that rarely reach market.
Google Glass
Glass has graduated from X and is now an enterprise‑focused “Project Aura” device with a larger prism, Intel Atom CPU, and optional battery pack.
Internet Access Initiatives
Google Fiber expands slowly, while the company backs SpaceX satellite constellations, Loon balloons, and Titan drones to bring connectivity to underserved regions.
IoT Ecosystem
Google’s IoT stack includes the OnHub router, Brillo OS, Weave communication platform, and the Thread low‑power protocol.
Black‑Tech Projects
Tango : 3‑D computer‑vision phones for AR.
Nest : Smart home devices and a forthcoming voice product.
Calico : Anti‑aging research.
Verily : Life‑science initiatives.
Soli : Radar‑based hand‑gesture sensing for wearables.
Messaging : A new smart SMS app with chatbot integration.
Timeful : AI‑driven scheduling assistant.
Jacquard : Textile‑embedded touch screens.
Looking Ahead to 2016
The authors expect many of these projects to mature and be announced at Google I/O 2016.
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