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The brand new Intel RealSense D421 Depth Module. | Credit score: Intel
Regardless of all of the turmoil round Intel Corp., the corporate surprisingly expanded its line of Intel RealSense depth modules for robotics purposes. Right this moment, it launched the entry-level Intel RealSense Depth Module D421.
The firm mentioned it’s designed to carry superior depth sensing to a wider viewers at an reasonably priced worth. The all-in-one stereo depth module is at present out there for pre-orders for $800 per 10-pack. Pre-orders will ship in November, in response to Intel.
Intel added that the brand new D421 is the primary all-in-one module integrating the D4 imaginative and prescient processor with the optical module on the identical board. The D4 imaginative and prescient processor does all depth calculations onboard, making this a low-power, platform-agnostic system, it claimed.
The D421 depth module affords a 75° × 50° subject of view, a advisable vary of 0.2 to three m (0.6 to 9.8 ft.), and 1 megapixel world shutter depth sensors.
Intel additionally mentioned the D421 depth module options plug-and-play performance and compatibility with common improvement frameworks. It’s supported by the Intel RealSense SDK 2.0 and works with a spread of platforms and working methods, together with Home windows, Linux, and Android.
The D421 is 95 × 32 × 10.18 mm (3.7 x 1.2 x 0.4 in.) in dimension (LxHxD) and makes use of a USB-c connection kind. Intel mentioned the D4 imaginative and prescient processor is an application-specific built-in circuit (ASIC) that may course of as much as 36.6 million pixels per second in a small footprint in actual time.
The corporate asserted that the D421 is appropriate for quite a lot of robots, together with autonomous cellular robots (AMR), humanoids, robotic arms for selecting purposes, and extra.
Intel mentioned its line of digital camera modules provide clients nearer integration and a extra versatile type issue, in addition to decrease price, as compared with its depth cameras. The desk beneath affords a fast comparability of Intel’s depth modules and processors:
Open the picture in a brand new tab to enlarge. Credit score: Intel
Intel’s struggles
Intel has made a number of missteps over the previous a number of years that despatched its inventory plunging. It has fallen considerably behind within the synthetic intelligence race, trailing opponents comparable to NVIDIA and AMD, which have capitalized on the present hype round generative AI.
After a disappointing Q2 monetary earnings report, Intel mentioned it is going to be shedding 15,000 staff and halting non-essential work. Nevertheless, the corporate has obtained some constructive information the previous few days.
It landed a deal to make AI chips for Amazon and introduced a plan to spin off its foundry enterprise. There are experiences that Qualcomm needs to purchase Intel, and that individually Apollo World Administration needs to take a position as much as $ billion in Intel.
Intel and Apollo have a pre-existing relationship. In June, the chipmaker offered Apollo an $11 billion stake in its Eire manufacturing facility.
These monetary woes are partially why it’s shocking to see Intel introduce a brand new depth module for robotics, which is a small a part of Intel’s total enterprise. It’s additionally shocking as a result of in August 2021, Intel had introduced it was shutting down its RealSense division, catching many of us inside and outdoors of Intel unexpectedly.
Nevertheless, it in the end modified course and solely stopped producing sure RealSense merchandise.
The robotics business has lengthy been driving a curler coaster when looking for low-cost, high-quality depth sensing. It’s good to see Intel nonetheless specializing in robotics and never changing into one other Microsoft Kinect or Venture Tango.
