IDF: Intel releases tiny Edison computer for wearables and the Internet of Things

Edison evolves to an Atom device with more I/O capabilities for embedded applications

SAN FRANCISCO: Intel has announced global availability of its diminutive Edison platform for wearables and the Internet of Things (IoT) at its Intel developer conference (IDF) in California.

The tiny computer is delivered as a bare-board module comparable in size with a postage stamp, and is based on a 500MHz dual-core Atom CPU with 1GB memory and 4GB flash storage, combined with a 32-bit Quark microcontroller at 100MHz.

The Edison device is capable of running Linux, and despite its size, has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. The module also has 40 I/O ports available via a 70-pin connector that lets users plug into and control external hardware.

The availability of the module was announced on stage by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich on Tuesday, who is encouraging developers and enthusiasts to make the best use of Edison to build the next generation of wearable and connected devices now it is shipping.

Krzanich said: "Edison is now out in the market and available for sale. The target is for it to be a $50 retail cost. Like the Galileo [board], it's going to be open so developers can build upon this.

"I really hope to see an explosion of innovation around this part, it has everything a person needs and an extension capability to build just about anything you can think of," he added.

First announced at CES in January, Edison has been developed by Intel to be a simple low-power platform for people to embed into things, to drive the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable devices.

However, the original device was based on a Quark SoC and was the same size and shape as an SD Card. It has since morphed into a slightly larger Atom-based device prior to release, a move that enables Intel to offer more I/O pins than the SD Card format.

Intel also announced an Analytics for Wearables (A-Wear) developer programme to accelerate development and deployment of new wearable applications with data-driven intelligence.

The programme integrates a number of software components, including tools and algorithms from Intel alongside cloud-based data-management capabilities from Intel partner Cloudera.

Developers of Intel wearables will be given access to the A-Wear developer programme free of charge, the firm said.