I thought this might be something interesting for potential UAV use since they are so small and light.
The first product bearing the compound name is the RealSense 3D camera. Intel describes the product as "the world's first integrated 3D depth and 2D camera module that helps devices 'see' depth much like the human eye," suggesting that this isn't just a substitute for Leap Motion or Kinect.
The camera does full-color 1080p and has an on-board sensor for gesture and face detection. The latter of which apparently helps it "understand emotions." It also recognizes foregrounds and backgrounds, so you can replace that messy room and make it appear as if you're Skypeing from the Moon. But, if you're looking for something more practical, you can also use it to scan objects in 3D using 3D System's Sense software. The RealSense 3D camera is set to be integrated into a number of diverse devices come the second half of this year, including tablets, Ultrabooks, laptops and all-in-ones, from top companies like Acer, ASUS, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo and NEC. Seven such devices are being demonstrated today, and Intel itself has a demo unit.
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/06/intel-realsense/
Photo courtesy of itersnews.com.
Comments
Actually ther original Kinect was just Kinect,
The Kinect one (1) (Microsofts name not mine actually goes with the new XBox 1 (one) which supplants the XBox 360.
Don't you love marketing!
I am building a 2 wheel Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio Style Robot with the original Kinect which I hope to replace with Kinect 1 (one) (actually 2) as soon as it is available for Windows PCs.
(Sometime this year supposedly).
I think you are correct that this is fundamentally similar to the PrimeSense Capri, which aimed to be smaller and cheaper than Carmine. There is also now the issue that none of the PrimeSense-based sensors are available since the Apple acquisition, constricting the user base of OpenNI. I think you mean the Xbox One Kinect sensor though, which is the Kinect 2. However, even it is limited to 2.5 cm resolution at 4.2 m. The impressive part really is its speed, at under 14ms latency, enabled by a timing generator and dual-ported sensor array.
I can't beleive how much effort Intel has put into NOT telling you how this works.
From everything I can find, this looks like it is a structured light array based system virtually identical to the original Kinect which was licensed from Prime Sense.
I am sure that if this is true Intel has introduced subtle differences (with the primary intention of getting around Prime Senses patents and licensing).
And Prime Sense was advertising this kind of solution a year ago.
Maybe Prime Sense is a division of Intel now.
But I can't be sure because Intel is busily not saying, but from what I can see the Emperors new clothes aren't.
In fact the NEW Kinect 1 uses a real TOF camera which has much better resolution and depth sensing than the structured light systems.
I could be wrong, but technologically this is about the same as Apples claim to have invented the Windows interface and the mouse: (stolen outright from Xerox PARC!)
The big issue with this style of sensor is that they are not effective at longer ranges necessary with outdoor aerial platforms. Indoor multicopter navigation is more appropriate.