Intel’s new Joule maker board is designed to provide a platform for makers to create powerful computer vision products, and “seamlessly transition from prototype to at-scale robotics, machine vision,” drone and other products, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich explained on stage today at Intel’s annual developer conference.
Case-in-point, PivotHead’s use of the the board, which features a high-performance system-on-module in a very small package, including Intel’s RealSense depth-tracking camera system.
PivotHead built Joule into safety glasses, adding advanced computer vision capabilities that offer real-time feedback to factory workers as they go about their tasks. All image analysis and processing happens right on Joule, too so there’s no need for additional connectivity, which is an asset in settings where Wi-Fi or cellular signals might not have the best coverage.
The idea was to take something that the workers are wearing already, and do volt verification on airline equipment in real-time as they’re going about their tasks, Intel explained during the demo. It doesn’t require any additional workload or change in practice for employees: Workers are just doing their job as usual, but the glasses are monitoring for volt mismatches using computer vision, and will alert the worker with an audio notifications if they find a discrepancy so they can take immediate action to correct the error. Normally, volt checking would be an entirely separate, and much more time-consuming manual task.
The system offers real-time tracking, and 100 percent coverage, all in the background while other tasks are being completed by the workers without any action required on their part.
That’s just one use case, but Joule offers “onboard computing, expansive memory, and human-like senses,” according to Krzanich. If you’re interested in seeing what it can do, you can pick up Joule online today, and shipping through resellers today.