Intel unveiled Curie module, a tiny hardware product based on the company’s first purpose-built SoC for wearable devices — the Intel Quark SE SoC.

The Intel Curie module is a complete low power solution for the wearable space with computer, motion sensor, Bluetooth Low Energy and battery charging capabilities. The module runs on open source RTOS.

About the Intel Curie Module

The Intel Curie module is a highly integrated hardware module that can power a solution the size of a button and will include a Bluetooth Low Energy radio and motion sensors.

The combination of integrated components in the module makes it a first-of-its-kind platform from Intel, in size and flexibility, enabling customers to create smaller devices with long battery life.

The Intel Curie module can enable efficient and intelligent wearable solutions for a broad range of form factors – from rings, bags, bracelets, pendants, fitness trackers to even buttons.

The button-sized Intel Curie chip (Image Credit: oraclesofnorway, Tumblr)

The Intel Curie Module includes:

Low-power, 32-bit Intel Quark micro-controller
384kB flash memory, 80kB SRAM
Low-power, integrated DSP sensor hub with proprietary pattern matching accelerator
Bluetooth Low Energy
6-axis combo sensor with accelerometer and gyroscope
Battery charging circuitry (PMIC)

About the Intel Quark SE SoC

Scheduled to ship in the second half of this year in the Intel Curie module, the Intel Quark SE SoC is ideal for “always-on” applications such as social notifications and sports activities. It has been designed from the outset to be very power efficient. It can run for extended periods from a coin-sized battery by leveraging its power-efficient Intel Quark core combined with its dedicated sensor hub processor.

In addition, the Intel Quark SE SoC integrates a unique pattern classification engine that allows it to identify different motions and activities quickly and accurately.

To speed the development of wearable products based on the Intel Curie module, Intel is providing a complete software solution that includes a small and efficient real-time operating system (RTOS) together with reference wearable applications called Intel IQ Software Kits. The kits include the embedded software that runs on the module together with companion smartphone applications and associated cloud capabilities.