Internet technology provider Google has revealed some of the projects in its internal incubator Area 120, TechCrunch has reported.
Area 120, named after the idea that employees may take 20% of their time to work on side projects through the initiative, welcomes applications from teams who, if successful, can work on their idea full-time for six months.
Should the projects prove viable, they can integrated into an existing Google product or spun out as a separate company, with funding supplied by Google, which now operates as a subsidiary of conglomerate Alphabet. If the idea fails, employees are invited to return to a position at Google.
The scheme was launched in March 2016 and since then has had two cohorts of approximately 15 teams each. The incubator is currently accepting applications for a third batch.
Projects so far unveiled by Area 120 include Advr, a platform for advertising within virtual reality. Advr produces a cube that contains ads on four sides, with users able to move the block to view content.
Uptime is an app that enables users to remotely watch content on video streaming platform YouTube as part of a group, while Tailor provides on-demand personal stylists, and Grasshopper teaches users how to write code.
So far, only Advr has received a promotional push from Google, with the technology being detailed on the company’s developer blog. Interested parties can apply for early access to the service and some unnamed game developers are already testing the platform.