When you think of Intel, you often think huge global corporation, or the little sticker in the corner of your laptop. They’ve been making processors for computers for decades, but Intel wants to stay on top of all tech trends. The dev community is in their sights. Their latest chip is supposed to be their most powerful and versatile yet. At the Intel Developer Forum, the company announced its latest chip module Joule. It’s a tiny board for developers that’s small and powerful enough to run Intel’s RealSense (which is a camera system similar to the Kinect.). The company believes the chip will be perfect for those who need to test robotics, VR, the Internet of Things, and augmented reality concepts.
The Joule dev board is small, about as wide as a quarter, and allows you to quickly prototype a concept and take into production, saving both time and money. Intel’s Joule also offers more memory and storage, 4K video capture and display, varied high-speed physical interfaces, and broader OS support. The Joule Kits will be available in two different versions: the 550x, which features a 1.5GHz quad-core Atom T5500 processor, 3GB of RAM and 8GB of storage; and the 570x includes a 1.7GHz quad-core Atom T5700 CPU, 4GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. Both models have “laptop class” 802.11AC wireless, Intel graphics, and a Linux-based OS.
It’s not for those who have a passing interest in tech creation; it’s for those who have the time, money, space, and ideas to put the kit to good use. In terms of software, the Joule kits will support different OS platforms. The default will be Linux specifically designed for what Intel is calling Reference Linux OS for IoT. Cannonical’s Ubuntu Core will also be supported. For those who prefer Microsoft, Windows 10 IoT Core will be supported for developers. If you couldn’t guess from the various specifications, Intel wants to aim the kit at knowledgeable developers.
Some companies have already put Joule to the test. Microsoft’s Bamboo, a robotic companion that reminds diabetic kids to check their blood levels, used Joule for the internal makeup. EyeLights, a French company, is making heads up displays for police helmets that are powered by Joule. And Japan trumps them all. Robotic company VStone is using Joule to create robots with vision and speaking abilities to serve as companions for Japan’s elderly population. Why does Japan get all the cool things? Who knows what other creations the Joule will be used for. Maybe for some sweet robots in the states?
Currently, only one of the Joule models is available for sale. The Joule 570x is selling for $369; nothing yet on what the 550x model will cost. After making sales at Intel’s Developer Forum, the Joule will be available through their partner’s next month. Intel’s previous chip was the Edison, a mini computer about the size of an SD card. Intel is doing the most to keep up with the demand for better, faster, efficient technology. They not only want to tackle the world of computers, but all advanced technology coming in the future. Learn more about Joule after this link…
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