Google has launched its own virtual reality computing division, appointing executive Clay Bavor to run the new arm of the technology giant.

Bavor, who has been named vice president of virtual reality, has prior experience in VR, having overseen Google Cardboard (the company's VR headset) since its launch in 2014.

Acting previously as vice president of product management for Google, Bavor has also worked on some of Google’s most widely used applications, including Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs.

The company has been gearing up for a full VR launch since the debut of Cardboard, announcing a partnership with action-camera maker GoPro in May 2015 to use Google technology to enable 360 degree views in virtual reality with the device.

Google announced in November that YouTube – which the company has owned since 2006 – could now support virtual reality video, with users able to use Cardboard and a smartphone to view VR scenes.

Google has also backed VR company Magic Leap, which turned heads in March last year when it turned its office into a robot-populated first person shooter. Despite the fact nobody really knows what Magic Leap actually does, Google revealed in October 2014 that it had invested US$524m (£352.8m, €486.1m) in the secretive virtual reality company.

Prior to that, the company had invested in augmented reality, with its Google Glass prototype. Hailed as the future of the emerging technology, the device was somewhat of a flop, with Google announcing in January 2015 that it would stop producing the prototype, but that it remained committed to the development of the product.

Google’s new senior vice president, Diane Greene, will take over management of web applications from Bavor, whose focus will now be purely virtual reality.