Since 2012, Dugan’s led Google’s ATAP division through a particularly creative era. She helped propel technologies like Project Tango, which is launching its first smartphone this summer; Project Ara, which is Google’s attempt at launching a fully modular smartphone; and Project Jacquard, which involves weaving multitouch textile sensors into regular clothing. You might also remember Dugan showing off an electronic tattoo at the All Things D conference years back.
As Wired notes, part of Dugan’s philosophy at Google was that researchers were assigned to projects for no more than two years. “I believe that’s essential for innovation,” Dugan told Wired last year. “One week of their time is one percent of their entire duration in ATAP. That makes them impatient with bureaucracy and process. And with a small enough group, you can start to strip away those things and go really fast.”
Dugan offered her own statement on the “bittersweet” move to Facebook:
At Facebook, Dugan will lead Building 8, which is literally a building on the social network’s Menlo Park campus that is devoted to hardware innovation. There are few details about Building 8 to begin with, but Facebook hinted that it will primarily focus on developing “new hardware products to advance our mission of connecting the world.” It’ll be interesting to see if Dugan has a hand in any of the weird hardware shown at F8, too, like this VR selfie stick.
Of her departure, Google told The Verge, “We thank Regina Dugan for all her leadership and contributions as part of the Advanced Technology and Projects group, and wish her the very best.” But the question remains of who will be able to fill such giant, innovative shoes.