Intel showcase for this year’s CES is a mix bag that covers music, eyewear and sports, making one of the most diverse press conference held so far.
Let’s begin with the sports section of Intel’s conference. For starters, Intel has announced that the company will be collaborating with ESPN to showcase the latest technology set to add new levels of data-powered insights to the feats of athleticism at the 2016 X Games held at Aspen. To do so, Intel will be integrating the Curie module into the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Men’s Snowboard Big Air competitions to provide real-time data on athlete performance such as in-air rotations, jump height, jump distance, speed, and force of landing. The collected data will allow athletes to gain insight into their performance while also providing additional metrics for on-air analysts.
Intel has also announced a global partnership with Red Bull Media House that will extend into multiple genres and platforms. More information surrounding the partnership will be announced at a later date, but for now, Red Bull has said that the Curie technology will play a big roll in this partnership.
Fans of sports will also have something to look forward to as Intel is hard at work with Replay Technologies to develop freeD. FreeD technology allows sports fans to re-watch key moments of sporting events from nearly every conceivable angle and share a custom created clip with the world. This technology will be optimized for Intel platforms, allowing freeD to take adventage of the 6th Generation Intel Core processors and Intel server technology to deliver this new immersive entertainment experience via broadcast or at the stadium.
Health and wellness is another sector that Intel covered during the event. During the conference, Intel has announced that they will be entering a strategic collaboration with New Balance to develop wearable technologies to help athletes improve their performance. This technology will be part of New Balance’s newly formed Digital Sport division. Some of the wearables teased by New Balance include a customized 3-D printed midsoles that is enabled by Intel RealSense technology as well as a smart sport watch.
Intel will also be developing a smart eyewear alongside Oakley. Dubbed “Radar Pace”, this smart eyewear is designed to provide runners, cyclists and workout enthusiasts with in-the-moment feedback and analytics, allowing them to track progress and improve real-time performance.
On the creativity side of things, Lady Gaga announced on stage that she will be collaborating with Intel. This collaboration is associated to Intel’s multiyear partnership with The Recording Academy as part of the official “Next Generation of GRAMMY Moments” that will lauch during Grammy week next month. MGM Television Group and Digital President, Mark Burnett, was also present to provide a sneak peek of a new reality show where innovators vie to turn their ideas into reality, titled “America’s Greatest Makers”.
It wouldn’t be an Intel event without drones and, sure enough, Intel brought the Yuneec “Typhoon H” to the stage. Featuring RealSense technology, the drone features collision-avoidance capabilities and is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2016. A robot was also part of the conference as intel introduced a Segway that can transform into a robot. Developed by Ninebot, this open platform comes with an Intel RealSense ZR300 camera to navigate complex enviroments and is powered by an Intel Atom processor. A developer kit for this Segway/Robot hybrid will be made available in the second half of 2016.
Wrapping things up, Intel has highlighted plans for a new anti-online harassment effort with Vox Media, Re/code and the Born This Way Foundation. More information regarding this initiative will be announced tomorrow.
