The chief executive of chip giant Intel, Brian Krzanich, unveiled a line of prototype wearable devices on Monday night at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, signalling a move away from reliance on the personal computer market.
The devices were all powered by a new line of Tri-Gate transistors which Krzanich called the “most powerful thing we have ever created” during a keynote speech at the US’ biggest technology trade show.
The new devices included a sports earbud which can monitor users’ pulse, pace and distance, obviating the need for a heart-rate monitor.
“We want to make everything smart – that is what Intel does,” said Krzanich.
He showed off a headset with a built-in personal assistant, and a product called Edison, which has the power of one of Intel’s old Pentium processors but is the size and shape of an SD card, with built-in wireless capabilities.
Krzanich also demonstrated a turtle-shaped device that can be clipped to a baby’s clothes to detect vital signs, sending wireless alerts if it detects something wrong. Other Intel concepts included a dual-boot Windows and Android device, and a charging bowl that serves as a wireless charging device for smartphones, headphones and other gadgets.