Intel says the future is all about the "growing personalisation of computing" as it shows off RealSense depth-sensing cameras, new storage technology, IoT hardware and software, and wearable devices at Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2015.
"Computers are on our desks, in our bags, in our clothes, in our homes and on our bodies," Intel CEO Brian Krzanich states at the IDF keynote. "They are not only growing smarter and more connected, but gaining senses and becoming an extension of ourselves."
The first technology seen on stage is RealSense, the Chipzilla take on depth-sensing cameras. The company wants to push the technology further in the market, providing support not only to developers working on Windows and Android but also Mac OS X, ROS, Linus, Scratch, Unity, XSplit, OBS, Structure SDK, OSVR and Unreal Engine 4. A number of vendors announced RealSense-based products, including Razer, XSplit and Savioke.
RealSense also involves Intel-Google collaboration-- the two companies present the Android RealSense Smartphone developer kit featuring Google's Project Tango, a means to enable features such as "indoor navigation and area learning, virtual reality, 3-D scanning and more."
One IDF 2015 first involves 3D XPoint, the new kind of non-volatile memory unveiled by Intel and Micron early on July 2015. It will be available from Intel as "Optane," with initial products (being high-endurance, high-performance SSDs and a line of datacentre DIMMs) hitting the market from 2016.
Another first sees watchmaker Fossil unveil 3 Intel-based "connected accessories," the results of a partnership with Intel formed back in 2014. Very few details on the actual devices are available as yet, but more should be known come Q4 2015.
The Internet of Things (IoT) also makes an IDF appearance through a software platform for the Curie module (a package of hardware, firmware, software and SDK ideal for a variety of devices). In addition Intel IoT products will get more security through Enhanced Privacy Identification (EPID) technology.
One final, surprise IDF keynote announcement involves TV-- specifically reality TV, in the shape of a competition show featuring Intel technology. Called "America's Greatest Makers," the series will have makers competing for a $1 million prize by creating wearable and connected consumer devices powered by the Curie module.
