Intel IDF: Intel unveils the Curie module featuring Quark SoC, for wearable and industrial devices

Intel has announced details of its Intel Curie module, the button-sized computing module, for wearable devices as well as for consumer and industrial-focussed products. Intel had unveiled Curie at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The Intel Curie is a tiny hardware product based on the company’s first purpose-built Quark system-on-chip (SoC) for wearable devices. Intel claims Quark SoC is the ideal chip for ‘always-on’ applications such as social notifications and sports activities and is extremely power efficient. The Intel Curie module includes a 32-bit Intel Quark SoC, 384KB flash memory and 80KB SDRAM, a low-power integrated DSP sensor hub, bluetooth LE chip, 6-axis sensor with accelerometer and gyroscope and a battery charging circuitry. The Intel Quark SE SoC integrates a pattern classification engine that allows it to identify different motions and activities quickly and accurately. Intel also announced plans to create multiple reference designs based on the module that will be available through select ODMs. On the software side, Intel has created a software platform specifically for the Curie module. It will be an end-to-end solution designed to help developers. It will include firmware, software, SDK as well as services needed for different use cases. This software platform will also support iOS and Android devices. Intel will also release software IQ kits for specific functionalities to be incorporated in the wearables. At the IDF, Intel announced the Identity IQ and Time IQ which will be out by the end of the year. Identity IQ establishes the identity of the user of the wearable device and enables personalised and secure experiences with services that require personal authentication. Time IQ aims to improve the efficiency of wearable users’ daily routines and accomplish tasks with contextually-aware notifications. Apart from this, there are other software kits such as Body IQ, which enables capabilities related to physical activities, including counting steps and calculating calories burned as well as providing data visualizations to help achieve goals. Social IQ supports social interactions, including communication via phone, social networks and SMS with peers and brands. In order to demonstrate the data points that can be extracted from the Intel Curie module, Intel had a BMX stunt biker on stage . The BMX bike had modules integrated in the bike’s seat and handlebar. The data points recorded included spin, airtime and maximum height as well as landing impact and bike angle.