For as often as Intel talks about its RealSense camera technology, it hasn’t seemed to catch on as much as it probably should have by now. Initially, that was definitely due to cost, but over the years, costs have come down, and the tech has only gotten better. This week, the company continues its RealSense journey with the Tracking Camera T265, a camera meant for drone, robot, and AR/VR use.
Priced at $199, the T265 is perfect for those working on any kind of autonomous device. It’s important to note that the T265 is not targeted at regular consumers, but rather developers who will use it to infuse their projects with amazing camera capabilities for a price that’s not going to hurt much.
Perks of the T265 include a low-power Myriad 2 VPU; it’s able to operate at a meager 1.5W while using its proprietary V-SLAM algorithm. That stands for “visual inertial odometry simultaneous localization and mapping”, in case you need an example of a seriously long abbreviation. It’s also an inside-out design, similar to that of VR headsets, meaning that the sensors are inside of the hardware, not outside.
RealSense’s claim to fame is that it’s spacially aware. A robot equipped with one would be able to map out an area, but be smart enough to navigate around objects – rocks, trees, and so on. The camera can also be paired up with the RealSense D400 camera for increased capabilities, including advanced navigation.
Intel has opened pre-orders for its new T265 camera, pricing it at $199, as mentioned before. According to the website, it’s going to begin shipping on February 28, giving you enough time to figure out how you want to make use of one!