Intel's Record-Setting Drone Light Show at CES 2016 banner

Intel's Record-Setting Drone Light Show at CES 2016

Intel's Record-Setting Drone Light Show at CES 2016 by Market Action Research
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Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich opened up CES (Consumer Electronic Show) in Las Vegas with an array of new technology centered around providing a better experience with the way we view and interact with the world and technology. The momentum was set in motion before the show started with a free light-up LED bracelet featuring Intel’s new Curie chip, which is basically a computer smaller and thinner than the size of a dime that has incredible capabilities. Although, at the time it was not clear exactly what the wristband would be for there seemed to be a lot of amusement with it before the show. People started to figure out when they clapped their hands the wristband would light up, and would also correlate to a moving graphic on the backdrop of the stage. We will dive into Intel’s new Curie computer chip in a future post, but am confident that you will be amazed by it’s diversity and sweet price point promised to be under $10 early in 2016. Showing off the diversity and talent of their team, Intel also boasted a fantastic display of drone technology by setting a World record for the Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) Airborne Simultaneously, which the record is now held by Intel at 100 drones. Krzanich, lead up to the video with a few thought provoking questions centered around changing our experiences around what a “firework” show might look like in the future. Saying something to the effect of “wouldn’t it be nice if we could do away with all the explosions, waste, and noise created by regular fireworks?” We speculate that this fantasy is not so far off, as Disney on the same day announced it may fly up to 50 drones at a time in it’s Disneyland fireworks shows to create the world’s first hybrid firework/drone show.
The autonomous display of drones was powered with Intel Software, and amazingly only controlled by one controller and one operator. Of course it took a team of people from Intel in collaboration with ARS Electronica Futurelab to make this dream come true. The technology is definitely eye-catching, and a great way to market their newest capabilities, but this is definitely totally fun to watch and only proof that creating drone swarms are becoming easier to control than ever before. The short video is the same clip that Intel played at the opening Keynote at CES 2016, which showcases 100 drones performing a digital firework show in connection with humans playing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony from the ground.

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