What is RealSense and why is its spin-off important?

RealSense is Intel's 3D vision technology division that creates cameras and sensors that help computers "see" and understand the three-dimensional world. Its spin-off into an independent company with $50 million in funding is significant because it allows the team to innovate faster without corporate constraints. This independence, combined with substantial funding, is expected to accelerate advancements in 3D vision technology, creating opportunities for all companies in this space.

What is 3D vision technology and how is it used?

3D vision technology allows computers and machines to perceive depth and understand the physical world in three dimensions, similar to how humans see. It combines cameras, sensors (like LiDAR), and sophisticated software to create detailed spatial maps. This technology is crucial for applications such as autonomous vehicles that need to navigate real environments, robots that pick and place objects, augmented reality devices that blend digital content with the real world, and industrial quality control systems that inspect products with precision.

What is LiDAR and why is it mentioned with several companies?

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a technology that measures distances by illuminating targets with laser light and measuring the reflection with a sensor. It creates highly accurate 3D maps of environments or objects. Many companies in this group, like Luminar (LAZR), Innoviz (INVZ), and Ouster (OUST), specialize in LiDAR technology because it's a critical component for accurate 3D perception in applications ranging from self-driving cars to industrial robots. As 3D vision technology advances, these LiDAR specialists are positioned to benefit from increased adoption.

How do GPUs relate to 3D vision technology?

Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), like those made by NVIDIA (NVDA), are essential to 3D vision systems because they process the massive amounts of visual data these systems generate. While cameras and sensors capture the raw 3D information, GPUs provide the computing power needed to analyze this data in real-time, run complex artificial intelligence algorithms for object recognition, and make decisions based on what the system "sees." As 3D vision systems become more sophisticated and widespread, the demand for powerful GPUs continues to grow.

What's the difference between computer vision and 3D vision?

Computer vision is the broader field of enabling computers to derive meaningful information from digital images or videos. It includes everything from simple barcode scanning to facial recognition. 3D vision is a specialized subset of computer vision that specifically focuses on depth perception and understanding three-dimensional space. While traditional computer vision might work with flat 2D images, 3D vision incorporates depth data to create more complete spatial understanding, which is essential for applications like robotics, autonomous navigation, and augmented reality.

15 handpicked stocks

Intel's RealSense Spin-Off: The 3D Vision Revolution

This carefully selected group of stocks represents companies poised to benefit from Intel's RealSense becoming an independent company. Handpicked by professional analysts, these companies span computer vision, robotics, and automation, all set to thrive in the expanding 3D perception technology market.

Han Tan | Market Analyst

Updated 2 days ago | Published at जुलाई 14