Intel introduces new tracking camera for autonomous devices

Intel has introduced the Intel RealSense Tracking Camera T265, a new class of stand-alone inside-out tracking device that will provide developers with a  building block for autonomous devices.

The T265 uses proprietary visual inertial odometry simultaneous localisation and mapping (V-SLAM) technology with computing at the edge and is suitable for applications that require a highly accurate and low-latency tracking solution, including robotics, drones, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality.

The camera is powered by the Intel Movidius Myriad 2 vision processing unit (VPU), which directly handles all the data processing necessary for tracking on the machine.

This makes the T265 a small footprint, low-power consumption solution that is simple for use by developers implementing into existing designs or building their own intellectual property that requires rich visual intelligence.

The camera is suitable for applications where tracking the location of a device is important, especially in locations without GPS service, such as warehouses or remote outdoor areas where the camera uses a combination of known and unknown data to accurately navigate to its destination.

The T265 is also designed for flexible implementation and can be easily added to small-footprint mobile devices like lightweight robots and drones, as well as for connectivity with mobile phones or AR headsets.

For example, integrating the T265 into a robot designed for agriculture allows the device to navigate fields in a precise lawn-mower-style pattern and intelligently adapt to avoid obstacles in its environment, including structures or people.

Whether bringing medical supplies to remote, off-the-grid areas or to a lab inside a hospital ward, the T265 can be used in drone or robotic deliveries due to its wider field of view and optimisation for tracking use cases.

The T265 uses inside-out tracking, which means the device does not rely on any external sensors to understand the environment.

Unlike other inside-out tracking solutions, the camera delivers 6-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) inside-out tracking by gathering inputs from two onboard fish-eye cameras, each with an approximate 170-degree range of view.

The V-SLAM systems construct and continually update maps of unknown environments and the location of a device within that environment.

Since all position calculations are performed directly on the device, tracking with the T265 is platform independent and allows the T265 to run on very low-compute devices.

The T265 complements Intel’s RealSense D400 series cameras, and the data from both devices can be combined for advanced applications like occupancy mapping, improved 3D scanning and advanced navigation and collision avoidance in GPS-restricted environments.

The only hardware requirements are sufficient non-volatile memory to boot the device and a USB 2.0 or 3.0 connection that provides 1.5 watts of power.