Intel has unveiled one of the smallest computers ever built, at the CES 2014 in Las Vegas. The new computer is no bigger than an SD card and while it has been designed for use with wearable computing devices, the practical applications are almost limitless. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich has described the new Intel Edison as "a full Pentium-class PC".
The Edison looks like a simple SD card. However, it comes packed with a dual core 400 MHz Quark system on a chip (SOC) and both Bluetooth LE and WiFi connectivity. In addition to this, Intel also announced a special app store designed to cater exclusively to the Edison. A version of Wolfram for the the Edison will also follow soon.
The Edison debuted along with a simple demonstration of the new computer's capabilities. At Intel's keynote presentation at the CES, the company showcased a possible application for the device called the "Nursery 2.0" concept. The presentation showed a baby wearing an Edison equipped Mimo onesie complete with sensors throughout the outfit. The sensors can monitor things like temperature and motion. The onesie was connected wirelessly to another Edison embedded in a coffee mug. Under favorable conditions, the mug would display a smiling face through the use of green blinking lights. Once the baby experiences discomfiture however, the mug would display a red face.
Aside from the Edison coffee mug, another presentation involved an Edison equipped bottle warmer that would turn itself on once a baby starts waking up from a nap. This would ensure that a hot milk bottle would be waiting once the baby wakes up and starts crying.
While the onesie seen at Intel's presentation is still currently being tested, a European release may soon follow in "the next six months." An Edison equipped onesie set will set parents back a mere $199. This set includes a sensor array equipped plastic Turtle, a charging station and 3 onesies.
While Intel's "Nursery 2.0" served as an interesting proof of concept illustrating the possible uses for the Edison, this constitutes the tip of the iceberg. The new Edison can be used for a wide variety of devices and applications including smart watches, smart clothing or maybe even smart running shoes.
