Intel Says Good-Bye To Its AI-Powered RealSense Cameras

Intel’s RealSense cameras were originally designed for touch-free interactions but pivoted to specifically facial recognition in January. Today, Intel confirmed that it is “winding down” its high-tech camera and sensor development to focus on its core chip business.

In a statement, Intel mentions that it has decided to pull the plug on its AI-Powered camera and sensor development. In an email by the Intel spokesperson “We are winding down our RealSense business and transitioning our computer vision talent, technology, and products to focus on advancing innovative technologies that better support our core businesses and IDM 2.0 strategy.” He continues by saying “We will continue to meet our commitments to our current customers and are working with our employees and customers to ensure a smooth transition.” While perhaps unexpected, an online platform points out that the RealSense team’s leader Sagi Ben Moshe announced he was leaving Intel two weeks ago.

RealSense was originally pitched to prospective customers as a fast, easy way to build products that were equipped with computer vision. The RealSense line consisted of stereoscopic, LiDAR, and coded light cameras and camera modules that support high frame rates and high resolutions in various form factors. Eventually, the RealSense team has pivoted to focus specifically on facial recognition instead, and in a way that is most easily compared to Apple’s Face ID technology. “Intel RealSense ID combines active depth with a specialized neural network, a dedicated system-on-chip and embedded secure element to encrypt and process user data quickly and safely,” the company said in January, also promising that it would work just as fast as customers had become accustomed to with Apple Face ID.

Intel sold its RealSense ID as cheaply as $99 for a module or in packs of 10 for $750. Intel began shipping units in March, but with this announcement will only complete current orders and not be accepting any new ones as it winds down the business that has only been selling units for five months.

Security cameras are big business. Many companies produce them, and many more sell them. Security cameras come in all shapes and sizes, from small, simple devices that cost a few dollars to large, sophisticated systems that can cost thousands of dollars. As with RealSense Cameras being discontinued by Intel, the security camera market is consolidating, with a few big players remaining.

If you’re looking for a security company, it’s important to choose one that is reputable and has a good track record. There are many security companies to choose from, so it’s important to do your research before deciding.

In an interview with Kent Tibbils, the Vice President of Marketing at ASI, a Fremont, California-based distributor of RealSense products. Tibbils says that while he wasn’t aware of the plan to wind down the entire RealSense business, it didn’t entirely come as a surprise to him given that there were only a few customers who were buying small numbers of units. He says that it was a niche product that was very specialized and therefore wasn’t moving quickly or in large numbers.

The decision by Intel to wind down RealSense makes sense from the perspective of Intel’s stated goals. The company’s CEO Pat Gelsinger said that he wants Intel to reclaim the chipmaking crown, a battle that it has lost to AMD. To this end, Intel is shifting its focus and resources to that core set of goals and the RealSense tech which wasn’t moving the needle much is a by-product of that decision.

Interestingly, while Intel is shutting down the hardware side of RealSense, it will continue to invest in the software. This includes the open-source librealsense SDK which provides cross-platform access to RealSense’s functionality. The idea is to keep the software side alive in case another company wants to build hardware around it or Intel itself wants to return to the home automation market at some point in the future.

For home automation installers, this news is bittersweet. RealSense was a unique technology that allowed for some very cool home automation applications. But, with Intel out of the picture, it’s unclear if there will be any viable replacements on the market. For now, home automation installers will have to keep a close eye on the home automation market to see what develops.