Skip to main content

For $250, you can start building robots and drones using Intel's RealSense Robotic dev kit

Since 2013, Intel has developed its RealSense technology in order to pursue the promise of “perceptual computing,” a term that basically equates to a motion and voice control platform that makes use of the chip company’s 3D cameras.

But because of the burn people experienced years ago as a result of similar products like Microsoft’s Kinect and Nintendo’s Wii, RealSense has opted for a different path. If you’ve ever wanted to make your own robots and drones, for instance, Intel’s Aero and Robotic development kits announced at IDF this week would make that less of a chore.

Recommended Videos

While the Aero Kit is intended for those interested in making drones, the Robotic Development Kit is, obviously, designed to help you craft your own Droids.

The Robotic dev kit in particular consists of an R200 RealSense camera capable of detecting motion up to four meters away, with VGA resolution infrared/depth imagery of up to 60 frames per second and 1080p RGB imagery of up to 30 frames per second.

What’s more, the kit packs in a credit-card sized computer akin to the Raspberry Pi system-on-a-module, albeit with an Intel Atom Cherry Trail processor in place of an ARM one.

Here’s the full-spec list for Intel’s Robotic Development Kit:

  • Atom x5-Z8350 processor
  • Intel HD graphics
  • 4GB od DDR3L-1600 RAM
  • 32GB eMMC storage
  • 1 USB 3.0 port
  • 4 USB 2.0 ports
  • Gigabit Ethernet
  • HDMI 1.4b
  • 40-pin connector
  • real-time-clock
  • CSI interface for 4MP camera
  • Ubuntu Linux (although Windows 10 is also supported)

While less specifics were given on the Aero kit, you can expect an Atom x7-Z8700 processor and embedded Linux software on that one when it arrives in the second half of 2016.

The Robotic kit, on the other hand, will make its way to eager developers in June for $250. You can reserve one for yourself on Intel’s website.

Gabe Carey
A freelancer for Digital Trends, Gabe Carey has been covering the intersection of video games and technology since he was 16…
Upgrade to the Alienware 18 Area-51 gaming laptop with RTX 5070 Ti — $500 off!
The Alienware 18 Area-51 Gaming Laptop on a white background.

You should be ready to spend a lot if you want a powerful gaming laptop, but you should also be on the lookout for potential savings. Now's a great time to check out Alienware deals because of Dell's Black Friday in July sale, which includes a fantastic offer for the Alienware 18 Area-51 gaming laptop. This configuration with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti graphics card is down from $3,300 to $2,800, which is still expensive, but you wouldn't want to miss this chance at $500 in savings. You have to hurry though, as stocks may run out at any moment!

Buy Now

Read more
Save $100 on our pick for the best printer
HP includes full ink bottles with the Smart Tank 7602.

What do we need to print these days? Tax forms, student essays, and clearly-legible letters? Not so much. Bright invites, pictures, and presentation accompaniments? Yes, yes, and yes! In today's world, the typical person's needs in an inkjet printer are far different than the last time you were likely to have bought a printer. And the industry is catching up. Right now, our pick for the overall best printer of 2025 is $100 off as part of early Prime Day deals. That makes the $450 printer just $350 if you buy now. Plus, it comes with two years of HP's ink included. So, tap the button below to go check out the HP Smart Tank 7602 for yourself or keep reading to see what we like about it and what we found out during our review.

BUY NOW

Read more
Apple’s work-from-home powerhouse is 24% off… and about to go extinct
The MacBook Air on a table in front of a window.

Hard-hitting MacBook deals are rare. People love their products and will happily buy them at full price, so sales aren't as incentivized as with other products. So, when we see a $400 savings on the most powerful version (the 24GB of RAM one) of the MacBook Air M3, dropping its price from $1,699 to $1,299, we love it. And that's exactly what's happening as part of this early Prime Day deal and one of the most exciting laptop deals in recent dates. Tap the button below to see it for yourself, or keep reading to get all of the details about the MacBook Air M3, what we discovered when we used it ourself, and why this deal may be the last of its kind.

BUY NOW

Read more