The 6 coolest things Intel showed off this week
Intel debuted a number of new technologies at its annual Developer Forum in San Francisco. These are the products that excited us the most.
Intel has a lot of cool products in the works. The company showcased new smartwatches, advanced camera technology, robotics, and more this week at its annual Developer Forum in San Francisco. These are the technologies and products that excited us the most.
Fossil smartwatch and other wearables
Intel and Fossil teamed up last September in an effort to help wearable technology merge with the world of fashion. Today we finally got a look at the Android Wear-powered smartwatch the two companies have been working on. While we didn't get word on any specs or features, the smartwatch looks nearly identical to other Android Wear devices, mainly the Moto 360 .
The watch sports what appears to be a stainless-steel body with a circular face. There's also the same black bezel from the Moto 360 at the bottom of the display. This is likely where the display drivers (to control things like auto brightness) are located.
Intel also showed off a prototype authentication wearable band that is capable of unlocking your PC when in proximity of it, ultimately replacing the need for a password.
Intel's Curie chip and smart BMX bike
Intel has developed a small and low-power chip that's designed for wearable devices. The module, known as Curie, includes a six-axis combo sensor with both an accelerometer and gyroscope. These are the same sensors that are found in many activity trackers and used to measure things like steps and distance. During a live demo, however, Intel showed that the Curie chip can do even more. When embedded in the seat and handlebars of a BMX bike, for example, the chip can record things like the amount of times you spin, the airtime and maximum height you reach and your landing impact.
Nabi Baby Seat Clip
When we first saw Intel's smart baby seat clip back in January at the International CES trade show, it was merely a prototype, but it will be making its way to market in the coming months. Intel and Nabi partnered to create a Bluetooth-enabled smart clip for baby car seats. The sensor will notify you if you walk too far away from the car without your baby. The app can also display the internal temperature of the car and whether or not it is in motion. The Nabi Baby Seat Clip will be available this holiday season for under $50 in the US.
RealSense technology in smartphones
Intel and Google announced a partnership that will bring Intel's 3D depth-sensing RealSense cameras to smartphones as part of Google's Project Tango development kit. Intel's RealSense technology uses a variety of cameras to track three-dimensional motion, measure distance between two objects and more. Google currently offers a 7-inch tablet to developers that are interested in 3D motion and environmental tracking as part of its Project Tango dev kit.
Memory Mirror
Intel and Memomi partnered to create a new kind of mirror. Well, sort of. The Memory Mirror isn't a mirror, at least not in the traditional sense, but rather an oversized computer with a a full length monitor. The Memory Mirror lets you try on a clothing virtually. You can also change the color of clothes and compare different outfits and angles side by side. The Memory Mirror is already being used in three Nieman Marcus stores.
Giant robotic spiders
Spiders are terrifying enough on their own. Now imagine a swarm of oversized robotic spiders that can be controlled with a wave of the hand. With the help of a special wristband designed to detect motion, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich was able to wake the robotic spiders up and make them move with different hand gestures. He even made them dance at one point. It's unclear what the purpose of these terrifying machines is. Could they one day aid in search and rescue, or are they designed simply to give us all nightmares?