Intel CEO Unveils Wearables ~ CES 2014 Keynote Address
Las Vegas ~ Jan. 6, 2014 CES Keynote address by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich demonstrating Intel-developed designs for wearable devices.
Intel Inside Wearable Devices
Krzanich said Intel is actively pursuing a range of products and initiatives, with the goal of accelerating wearable device innovation. Intel’s approach to this next evolution in computing is to imagine and create reference design devices and platforms ready for use by customers in developing wearable products, he said.
Intel’s CEO highlighted number of wearable reference devices, including smart earbuds that provide biometric and fitness capabilities, a smart headset that is always ready to engage and can integrate with existing personal assistant technologies to make the consumer experience more intuitive, and a smart wireless charging bowl.
The Intel CEO also announced collaborations with Barneys New York*, the Council of Fashion Designers of America* and Opening Ceremony* to explore and bring to market new smart wearable technologies, and to increase dialogue and cooperation between the fashion and technology industries. He also kicked-off the Intel ‘Make it Wearable’ challenge, a global effort aimed at accelerating creativity and innovation with technology. The effort will call upon the smartest and most creative minds to consider factors impacting the proliferation of wearable devices and ubiquitous computing, such as meaningful usages, aesthetics, battery life, security and privacy.
News Fact Sheet Intel CES 201 4 : Wearable Technology Highlights PDF
In addition to developing reference devices for wearable technology, Intel will offer a number of accessible, low-cost entry platforms. These are aimed at helping lower entry barriers for individuals and small companies to create innovative Internet-connected wearables or other small form factor devices.
Underscoring this point, Krzanich announced Intel® Edison, a new Intel® Quark technology-based computer housed in an SD card form factor with built-in wireless capabilities and support for multiple operating systems. From prototype to production, Intel Edison will enable rapid innovation and product development by a range of inventors, entrepreneurs and consumer product designers when available this summer.
“Wearables are not everywhere today because they aren’t yet solving real problems and they aren’t yet integrated with our lifestyles,” said Krzanich. “We’re focused on addressing this engineering innovation challenge. Our goal is, if something computes and connects, it does it best with Intel inside.”
To demonstrate the potential for Edison, Intel showed a concept for a “Nursery 2.0.” In the concept, a baby was wearing a Mimo onesie outfitted with sensors tracking things like temperature, and Edison was used display that information on, of all things, a coffee mug. When the baby was comfortable, blinking lights on the mug show a happy green smiling face, but when something is wrong that face turns red. A much more useful application, however, involved using Edison to switch on a bottle warmer when your baby starts to stir, that way it’s ready come feeding time.
MIMO Brand Onesie:
The Mimo Baby Monitor ~ Kimono
Mimo’s organic cotton kimono is fitted with non-contact machine washable sensors that measure a baby’s respiration. When paired with the Mimo Turtle, we can monitor your infant’s respiration, skin temperature, body position, and activity level. We send all this data to the Mimo Lilypad Base Station via infant safe Bluetooth Low Energy.
