Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Intel’s Joule is a maker platform so small it can be installed in safety glasses

Justin Pot
By

intel announces joule maker platform 4k cameras lightweight glasses
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Intel announced Joule at its Intel Developers Forum in San Francisco. The latest incarnation of Intel’s platform for creating Internet Of Things devices, it was shown in a demo highlighting one potential use — supplemented safety glasses that can spot problems in aircraft manufacturing.

Joule is a lightweight, low power usage board capable of processing 4K video on-board. Brian Krzanich, Intel’s CEO, called Joule “the newest and highest performance maker platform Intel has made” during the keynote speech at the 2016 Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco.

Recommended Videos

To demonstrate Joule, Intel showed off a pair of Pivot Head safety glasses augmented with Joule. The scenario was this — an employee in an aircraft building facility is attaching bolts, and needs to ensure the right sizes are used in all locations. The glasses were capable of verifying this is being done correctly.

“With advanced computervision capabilities, we’re able to provide realtime feedback to workers about their tasks,” said the demonstrator. “All computation is done right on the unit.”

When employees make a mistake, the glasses say so out loud, preventing mistakes that could prove fatal.

The glasses are an example of a “lightweight devices you can easily wear all day,” said the presenter. “You can take something that workers are wearing already, and do bolt verification in realtime as they’re going through their tasks.”

It’s just one example of what people can build with the platform, which is available now.

There are two models of the Intel Joule, the 570x and the 550x, according to an Intel fact sheet.

Here are the specs for the Intel Joule 570x:

  • 64-bit, 1.7 GHz quad-core Intel AtomTM T5700 processor with burst up to 2.4 GHz
  • 4GB LPDDR4 RAM and 16GB eMMC memory
  • Intel HD Graphics with 4K video capture and display
  • 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO and Bluetooth 4.1
  • USB 3.0, MPI* CSI and DSI interfaces, and multiple GPIO, I2C, UART interfaces
  • Linux-based OS tailored for IoT and smart devices
  • Enhanced support for the Intel RealSense cameras and libraries

And here are the specs for the Intel Joule 550x:

  • 64-bit, 1.5 GHz quad-core Intel AtomTM T5500 processor
  • 3GB LPDDR4 RAM and 8GB eMMC memory
  • Intel HD Graphics with 4K video capture and display
  • 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO and Bluetooth 4.1
  • USB 3.0, MPI CSI and DSI interfaces, and multiple GPIO, I2C, UART interfaces
    Linux-based OS tailored for IoT and smart devices
  • Support for the Intel RealSense cameras and libraries

It will be interesting to see what kinds of things are ultimately created with this platform, so we’ll be watching closely.

Topics
Justin Pot
Justin Pot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Justin's always had a passion for trying out new software, asking questions, and explaining things – tech journalism is the…
Great for school: This 15-inch Windows 11 laptop is on sale for $199
The Asus VivoBook Go L510MA with the Windows 11 interface on the screen.

If you're planning to buy a new laptop for school but all you need is a device that can handle basic tasks, there's surely something that will catch your eye among all of the laptop deals that are available online. Here's an eye-catching offer from Walmart -- the Asus VivoBook Go L510MA, which is already pretty affordable at its original price of $249, is on sale with a $50 discount that pulls it down even further to $199. There's a chance that this bargain ends quickly, so if you want to take advantage of it, you're going to have to complete the purchase right away.

Why you should buy the Asus VivoBook Go L510MA
The Asus VivoBook Go L510MA is powered by the Intel Pentium Silver N5030 processor and 4GB of RAM, which are nowhere near the specifications of the best laptops. However, if you only need the device for relatively simple schoolwork such as doing online research, typing reports, and making presentations, these components are more than enough. The Asus VivoBook Go L510MA also comes with a 128GB eMMC for storage, which should be plenty of space for all the documents that are needed for classes.

Read more
Best Dell laptop deals: Cheap laptops on sale from $300 to $2,000
dell xps 13 9310 specs price release date 02

Dell is almost universally considered one of the best laptop brands, and that may lead many to believe it can be hard to get a Dell laptop at a discount. Dell, however, is always coming up with some of the best laptop deals, and that’s certainly the case right now. Many of the best Dell laptop deals include newer models, but you’ll also find some impressive discounts on laptops that are a generation or two old yet still managing to hold their own. We’ve rounded up all of the best Dell laptop deals out there, so read onward for more details on how to land some savings.

Dell Inspiron 15 -- $300, was $330

Read more
You’ll have to wait a long time for a Steam Deck 2
Steam Deck sitting on a pink background.

Just as we started getting excited at the prospect of a Steam Deck 2, it now seems that gamers will have to wait a lot longer for the handheld. According to a recent statement, Valve is not looking to release the new Steam Deck for at least a couple more years. Will the console be able to stay competitive against its rivals?

Pierre-Loup Griffais, the designer of Steam Deck and a rep for Valve, spoke to The Verge and revealed some information about the future of the gaming handheld. While the company has plans to upgrade, it's playing it safe and doesn't see that happening until late 2025 at the very least -- but it could be even longer than that.

Read more