The Intel RealSense Tracking Camera T265 is described as a new class of stand-alone inside-out tracking device that will provide developers with a building block for autonomous devices. The camera uses proprietary visual inertial odometry simultaneous localization and mapping (V-SLAM) technology with computing at the edge. Target applications include robotics, drones, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality.
The T265 is powered by an Intel Movidius Myriad 2 vision processing unit (VPU), which directly handles all the data processing necessary for tracking on the machine. It is viable for applications where tracking the location of a device is important, especially in locations without GPS service, such as warehouses or remote outdoor areas where the camera uses a combination of known and unknown data to accurately navigate to its destination.
The Intel RealSense Tracking Camera T265 uses inside-out tracking, which means the device does not rely on any external sensors to understand the environment. Unlike other inside-out tracking solutions, the T265 delivers 6-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) inside-out tracking by gathering inputs from two onboard fish-eye cameras, each with an approximate 170-degree range of view. The V-SLAM systems construct and continually update maps of unknown environments and the location of a device within that environment. Since all position calculations are performed directly on the device, tracking with the T265 is platform independent and allows the T265 to run on very low-compute devices.
The T265 complements Intel’s RealSense D400 series cameras, and the data from both devices can be combined for advanced applications like occupancy mapping, improved 3D scanning and advanced navigation and collision avoidance in GPS-restricted environments. The only hardware requirements are enough non-volatile memory to boot the device and a USB 2.0 or 3.0 connection that provides 1.5 watts of power.
The T265 is available for pre-order now and will ship Feb. 28. Price is $199. For more details, checkout the T265 product page.