Google kit-cooker bails

Facebook has poached ex-Googler Regina Dugan to lead its hardware research.

The global ad-farmer has shown an interest in a range of different hardware segments over the years: servers and switches for its data centres, various rumoured smartphone projects, and its purchase of Oculus Rift, to name a few.

At Google, as USA Today reports, Dugan headed up efforts like the Project Tango 3D mapping project, the Ara modular smartphone project, and smart fabrics.

Reporting to CTO Mike Schroepfer, she will head up a group called Building 8, which The Zuck said in a Facebook post will focus on “hardware products to advance our mission of connecting the world”.

Building 8 will be the lucky recipient of “hundreds of millions” of research dollars, Zuckerberg said, pursuing artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, connectivity and more.

Prior to Google, Dugan was director of the US military's sci-fi development hot-house DARPA. ®