Retail Safari

At Retail Safari we are immensely proud of our long-standing partnership with Intel in Australia and CES represent a fantastic opportunity to see what they have lined up for the year ahead and beyond. This year's CES keynote by CEO Brian Krzanich started with a bang and kept up that momentum showing us that the year ahead is indeed looking bright for the manufacturer of some of the most complex technologies on the planet. Tuesday afternoon's keynote started with a live music and dance showcase utlizing Intel's RealSense technology to bring the audio and visuals to life in 3D on screen in front of a packed Venetian ballroom in Las Vegas. Gary Shapiro (President and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association) then introduced Brian back to the CES keynote stage he last stood on 12 months and one day ago to deliver the opening keynote in 2014. Brian began his address announcing that it was the 20th anniversary, to the day, of Pentium Pro's release in the market, arguably a big turning point in personal computing and enabler of uses of technology that we regularly take for granted today. Intel's vision is that it's RealSense technology is another such turning point which can usher in "the next consumer technology wave" and "enter all facets of our digital lives." To demonstrate this Brian is joined on stage and the audience is taken through several demos of the power of RealSense technology and it's various applications to our everyday lives. Imagine never having to remember a password again because your PC, tablet or phone recognizes your face and automatically allows you (and only you) to access your most personal information. Imagine the same technology opening the front door for you when you return home, no keys required. Consider the ability to take photos with your tablet that capture three dimensional depth characteristics allowing you to change focus points, colour of individual objects and accurately measures length and distances of areas or objects long after the photo has been taken. How about watching and working along with cooking demonstrations on YouTube and being able to pause and play the video (to give you time to catch up) using just your voice or access other menus or even music on your PC or tablet using simple and intuitive gestures without having to touch it with your greasy cooking hands? These abilities were all demonstrated live on stage and will be in devices in market this year. Intel is also committed to freeing us of the tether of wires and connections. Consider a scenario where you come home from work and simply place your PC or tablet on the desk or kitchen counter where it automatically connects wirelessly to your broadband, peripherals and displays (in 4K resolution no less) as well as charges. No plugs, no wires, no hassles! This innovation too will become a reality this year and not just in the home or office. Intel announced partnerships with it's OEMs, Marriott Hotels, The San Francisco Airport, Jaguar and many others to follow to bring this technology to any place we need. As if that wasn't enough, the team from Ascending Technologies join Brian on the stage to showcase their latest aerial drone technology featuring Intel RealSense and processor technology. In the previous four years of attending CES I have seen countless demonstrations of drone technology and rarely have I seen these demonstrations go off without obstacles or gravity eventuating the victor, but not this time, not with RealSense technology. The team on stage play a game of "Drone Ping Pong" intentionally getting in the path of the drones to which they automatically react and take actions to avoid collisions. This is further demonstrated as a complex obstacle course is revealed down the left side of the theatre. A drone is instructed to move from the start of the course to the finish point but with no guidance in between those points. The operator then puts down the controller and the drone navigates the course with ease. Brian was also joined on stage by Dion Weisler from HP to discuss ongoing partnerships as they move into the fast evolving world of 3D printing. He was also joined by CEO of Oakley, Colin Baden to discuss their ongoing commitment and partnership in the area of wearable technology and health and fitness tracking. Still not done, Brian has two more cards up his sleeve. The Intel "Curie" module is announced, a processor and platform about the size of a five cent piece that will power the next generation of wearable technology and the internet of things. This is demonstrated through another of Intel's commitment, using it's technology to empower the visually impaired, and showcasing the use of wearable technology to alert wearers of elements of their surroundings.