Intel is eyeing Indian start-ups for its recently launched fund.
Intel Capital, the California-based chip maker’s investment arm, has launched a $100-million fund to help propel its growth in a market where it is steadily losing share to rivals such as ARM.
“In the announced fund, we see Indian entrepreneurs playing a key role in developing technologies around projects that use more senses to interact with computing devices,” said Kirk Skaugen, senior vice-president and general manager for PC Client Group of Intel.
Perceptual computing
Intel is planning to make investments in Indian companies that are working in perceptual computing (gesture recognition) using 3D depth cameras, voice, face recognition and similar technologies. This investment is planned over two to three years, Intel officials said, with plans to introduce it in commonly used devices such as phones, tablets and more importantly, make it more affordable.
Intel first announced this perceptual computing initiative in 2012 at its annual Intel Developer Forum event. Gesture-based technologies are increasingly getting mainstream with popular examples in Nintendo Wii gaming consoles and Microsoft’s Kinect technology that is used in its XBox gaming device.
However, this is an area where Intel needs to catch up with competition. In March, AMD launched its new processor called “Richland” with perceptual computing capabilities. At the launch, Bernd Lienhard, corporate vice-president and general manager of AMD’s Client Business Unit, said that its processors has capabilities such as new software for gesture control, facial recognition and life-like gaming, amongst others.