Intel may not be building new Atom processors for smartphones, tablets, or notebooks, but the chip maker seems to think there’s still some life in its aging Atom x7-Z8700 Cherry Trail chip. That’s the processor that powers the company’s new Intel Euclid development kit for robotics.
The Euclid dev kit is basically a small Linux-powered computer with a series of sensors and cameras that allow it to work as the brains of a robot (or as just its eyes if you want to send data to a more powerful machine for processing).
Intel is taking pre-orders for the new kit for $399 and plans to begin shipping it May 31st.
In addition to the Cherry Trail processor, the Intel Euclid Development Kit features 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, 802..11n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS, USB 3.0, micro USB, and micro HDMI ports, and a 2,000 mAh battery.
It also has an Intel RealSense ZR300 camera system for sensing depth and tracking motion, as well as ambient light, proximity, and motion sensors including an accelerometer, digital compass, and gyroscope. There are also environmental sensors for things like altitude, humidity, and temperature.
In other words, while the Intel Euclid Development Kit looks a bit like an Intel Compute Stick, the difference is that this little standalone computer is aware of its surroundings. It also has a 1 watt mono speaker and a noise-canceling mic, which could come in handy for applications that require voice control and audio feedback.
It ships with Ubuntu 16.04 software with a “Robotics Operating System.”
You can find more details at Intel’s new Euclid Community site.
via LinuxGizmos
Robots will not become a mass thing, until they cost smth about ~$500 and can do something useful.
A chromebook in a robot’s body.