Project Tango is moving from experiment to a feature that Lenovo hopes will sell phones. Yesterday at CES, Lenovo and Google have announced that the former will be the first manufacturer to release a consumer handset with Project Tango built in, The Verge reports.

The release date is planning to this summer. The device will cost under $500 and will launch globally, according to both companies. Also interesting is that Lenovo and Google have said it'll be "less than 6.5 inches" in size. Project Tango, unveiled nearly two years ago, allows devices to map the 3D space around them in real time using a combination of cameras and sensors.

Developers are invited to submit their best app ideas as part of the Project Tango App Incubator. The best will receive funding and be featured on Lenovo's phone out of the box. We're hoping to get some firsthand impressions of the first-ever consumer Project Tango smartphone before long.

For the record, CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Held in Las Vegas every year, it has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for more than 40 years—the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.

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